I haven't written much lately, because unlike most people on Facebook, like a wise man, when I don't have much to say, I stay silent. It doesn't mean I haven't been active. Contrary, it's been one most active racing season in years. Here's a quick recap for those of you how thought I had slowed down this year!

I kicked it off with the Clarence-Rockland classic appropriately on the same day as Paris-Roubaix. Three hours of  racing on rough roads not something you do everyday. 

Ste-Martine's road race was the harshest conditions I have ever raced in. A cross between a Canada snow storm and a tropical hurricane. I mean freezing point temperatures with winds 50km/hour and more. It's also the first time I was in a break, attacked the break, got dropped from the break, and chased for miles solo to rejoin the break.

And the Granby TT showed that time trialing is no longer for just for specialists. With a 45.5 km/hour average I was a few seconds off the podium. Years ago that was a guaranteed first place especially in the Master B category. Ironically, that would have been first place in Master A but I was racing Master B that day.

Second place between two Olympians, Czeslaw Lukaszewicz and John Malois at the Neron criterium was a refreshing podium. The Charlevoix and Sutton races humbled me again reminding me that being small doesn't mean you'll be able to climb like the mountain goats.

Also a fine second place finish behind unstoppable Charles Perreault at the Sorel Duathlon. A last minute decision participate in the Drummondville Quebec Olympic triathlon championship got me pack in the pool for a few laps. I had the best bike split, surprised myself for the second best run split, and a 100th place or so finish on the swim. It made me realize why I used to prefer duathlons. In Drummondville, there was a Duathlon but I would have had to wake up much to early :)

With all that under my belt, this week I went to the my first Lachine criterium speed festival of the season. Actually, this year the average speed has been down a little from 50km/hour to something like 47-48. A rain shower just before the race made the first 15 laps very slow. It didn't even feel like a workout. But that didn't stop it from being a crash festival.

One of the crashes got me chasing for about a loop at 50+km/hour to make contact again. Lots of newbies thought they could take a free lap. A free lap is when YOU crash, not when you have to bridge a gap because of a crash.

Then attacks started, and soon the pace must have been continually over 50. At one point I see David Veilleux going around the corner placing an attack. I knew the hammer was falling down. From then on there was continually someone attacking. Strong riders and friends (which I obviously won't name here) were being dropped every corner. I had to bridge gaps on very lap and although very hard, it was bringing up my confidence.

The pack was down probably to about 30-40 riders from an initial 90 or so. 5-6 laps to go I'm thinking of moving up a few more spots in the pack to show off our nice www.monster.ca spandex, until yet another crash. I brake hard, avoid the crash. I see the lap counter, 5 laps, we are just at the end of a intermediate sprint lap, the gap is over 100 meters. I know at this pace, no one behind me will even try to bridge the gap. Without any time to think, I decide to pull off to the side and call it a night. In retrospect, I think I should have at least chased for one lap to rejoin the pack. Nonetheless I finish with a smile and with the biggest adrenaline rush I have had in years.