Eisel loves Belgium

By Bjorn Haake in Kuurne

Bernhard Eisel of Columbia-Highroad finished second in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday. The Austrian enjoys the Spring Classics in Belgium and frequently does well in them.

Eisel said he was allowed to 'play' the captain today. "I didn't have to do anything in the beginning, the team worked perfectly." He knew that he wouldn't have any help in the end, though. "We started with only seven guys and Vicente Reynes is also not doing well after his crash in Algarve. He has a bruised rib."

That left only five riders pulling for Eisel, but he had good legs. "At the top of the Kwaremont we were seven guys, so I knew today was going to be good." That another move went later with only six guys was a surprise to Eisel. "That's racing in Belgium – you never know what you are going to get."

Eisel tried to keep the pace steady and high. "I also looked that the group was working." In the end Eisel was outnumbered but made the most of it. It was difficult for him to cover so many moves, without a teammate. "At one point I actually saw a teammate, but I was hallucinating... That's how tired I was!"

Eisel added that he loves to race in Belgium. "The races suit me well. With my body, I won't do much in the high mountains..."