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Thurlow Rogers told us once in a training ride when he come back from Europe. Out here, the racing is clean and gentle. In Europe, if a rider tries to screw up the pace, they will throw you into the ditch or if you screw around and mess around and take their wheel. Its like hockey, they send the goon after your ass. He told me that they will pull your jersey and push you off their riders if you , as a new guy don't get the message. Chris Horner is a tough cookie and known to not take any siht from anyone and ready to drop the gloves at a moment's notice. The European boys knew that and had some run in with him when he first got there. Its just part of the racing that's not talked about or shown in TV.
I love the Koopenburg during Flanders because its a real mess. Riders fall on purpose to hold up the chasing peloton so their man can get away. Many think its dangerous and should be eliminated but I think that's what make European road racing great just like rain that turn the mud holes like a swimming pools in Roubaix.
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