Matteo Malucelli won the last stage of the Tour de Langkawi in Putrajaya, in a sprint. His third of the edition. The overall went to Lennart Jasch of Tudor, ahead of Abel Balderstone and Jan Castellon. But it is Malucelli who got me, with his line to Cyclingnews. He said he had three wins, like last year and like two years ago, and that now he was maybe second for most victories. According to Cyclingnews, that makes nine in three years.
He counts. I count too. I got out the club logbook, the one where we write down our rides. Three years of Sundays at nine, well, twenty past nine. Me, I win nothing, but I have the segment on the Overijse climb (one of the Brabant hills) three years running, and every year I beat the year before by a coffee. Take off the coffee, then we can talk.
He also said he tried to save a lot of energy over the last two days. That, I know. Saturday night I do nothing, I pack the bag. Sunday I set off with the group, I sit on the wheels, I stay out of the wind. It works until the café. After the café, it is a different race.
He said it was really hot. Then came heavy rain. I had both on the same day once, one Sunday in August, between Huldenberg and the square in Lasne. I did not have Modern Adventure to control the race with me.
Nine wins in three editions. I note. The club logbook is not an official classification.
I’m not saying I’m second for most wins. I’m saying I have the logbook, and with the logbook we can talk. At the café we argued till noon.
It’s true, we checked: Cyclingnews.
