By now most people know that I will still be racing for one more year. I signed a new contract with my roadteam Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner. This doesn’t mean that I will only be racing on the road. My exact program is still to be decided but there will defenitly be some MTB races in there.
I would like to make the best of this last season and together with my team we are working on an beautiful end of career race!!!
We have many different ideas which all need to be considered. I will keep you posted in the near future.

After my trainingsession in Breckenridge I feel a lot better. Mentally and physicaly!!!
The first test was the national championship on the road. I felt ok and finished in the pack. Too bad there was a crash in the massive sprint. I ended up 38th after having crashed without injury.

The MTB nationals were as aspected. I hoped to stride for first place but I knew that this would be practicaly impossible.
I least I had to secure a podium place aswell for myself as for my sponsors!!!
So I did end up 3rd which satisfied me, but I do have to say that I’m not really happy with my form yet.
I do realize that it will be dificult to get back to a Olympic worthy level but I will continue to work and we will just have to see were I end up.

This week I will be riding the Tour de Wallonie, which is a 5 day stage race and I know for a fact that I will be suffering a lot.
However this is what I need at the moment to get better.
Last weekend I went to Spa for a 4 day training with some belgian MTB talents. Dries Govaerts, Nicolas Vermeulen and Sebastien Carabin. They were there to hurt and so they did. Thanks guys!!! Haha… what a weird job….

So… talk to you later.
Filip

Sinds zaterdag ben ik ter plaatse op mijn favoriete trainingsbasis. Breckenridge, Colorado.
Er ligt nog redelijk wat sneeuw maar niet voldoende om niet te kunnen fietsen. Ben nu bezig aan een weekje rust en vanaf vrijdag begin ik opnieuw te biken. Ik denk dat deze week mij enorm veel deugd doet.
Daarna werk ik aan de opbouw van een “nieuwe conditie” en hopelijk zal deze beter zijn als de vorige paar weken.
Ik hou jullie nog op de hoogte.

Filip

Hello,

Ofcourse I can not be happy with my results in the first three world cup races of this season. Last year I races every classic on the road before starting in the MTB world cups. That worked really well for me…. this year I did the same and… it didn’t work!!!! During the springclassics on the road I already felt that my form was not as good as last year. There are some different reasons for that I think. I probably worked a little too much on our home to get it ready for our little baby. Our son Bo was born march 10th. I’m not saying that this is why I’m not riding well. But adding up all facts, training a little less, sleeping a little less and strugling a little mentaly makes a bad racing condition.

Last week I did a smaller race in Ronse. A benelux cup where I tried to get back some mental energy!! Instead I broke down and quit the race after only one lap.

Therefor I believe it is better for me to get out of competion for a couple of weeks and just start over again. My goal for the Olympics is still top 10, but therefor I will have to work very hard.

That is exactly what I will do on my trainingcamp in Breckenreidge Colorado. I’ll be training there till June 7th. Than come home, do a road race and than go to the Worlds in Val di Sole.

With….. hopefully a better condition!!!!

See you there and thanks for your understanding.

Filip

Waarschijnlijk een niet te evenaren moment in het leven!!!!!! De geboorte van een kind, of beter de geboorte van je eigen kind. Bo, onze zoon, werd op 10 maart om 11.38u geboren en woog 3,090kg. Hij was 50cm lang. Vandaag is hij precies 1 maand oud en hij weegt al 3,940kg en is 52,5cm lang. Hij is dus goed bezig. Ik sta ervan versteld dat hij zo snel veranderd. Je gelooft het misschien niet maar telkens als ik één of twee nachten op hotel ben voor een westrijd dan valt het mij op dat hij is bijgekomen. Men spreekt over een klein kind als een wonder en nu ik zelf het geluk heb om een kindje te hebben begrijp ik waarom men over een wonder spreekt. Een kind hebben is het allermooiste wat je kan overkomen denk ik. Nu voel ik pas wat liefde betekent!!!!!!!!!