Race Report: Hugo Foulon at Bembel Crit

Race Report: Hugo Foulon at Bembel Crit

Bembel Crit is a fixed gear race held at the who’s-who of bike shows, Euro Bike, in Frankfurt, Germany. Hugo Foulon was there with his Vigorelli and as the Fixed42 World Champion of 2022, he's no stranger to racing fixed crits. We caught up with Hugo to find out all about the race, his training and his set up.

Words below from Hugo.

 

I chose to race Bembel Crit because I had never done it before, and the circuit seemed interesting to me. Being part of the Eurobike show, it promised some tough competition and a large audience! Also, the organiser, Jacob, is a friend of mine, and I was excited to participate in his race. 

From a racer's perspective, the circuit was particularly appealing to me because it wasn't overly technical, very fast, and mostly consisted of right-hand turns, which is my specialty. 

I also brought along three guys from the club I founded, the RushClub. For some, it was their first crit, and they absolutely loved the experience!

I have a coach, Patrick, who is a member of Hycys, one of the largest physical training consultancies in Germany. Every day, I follow his recommendations and the custom training plans he creates for me. 80% of my training is done on a road bike, with the rest on fixed gear and gravel bikes. It's especially important to get back on the fixed gear before races because the lines are different, the position is different, and the way you pedal also differs. But I love it every time.

 

I truly believe I have one of the best setups for crit racing.
Frame: Cinelli Vigorelli Rainbow 
Wheels: DT SWISS TRC 1400 Rad Race World Champion Edition 
Cockpit: Velobike Altias Sprint 
Crankset: Rotor 165mm 
Gear: 52 x 15  
Tires: Maxxis High Road 30c  
Pedals: Wahoo Speedplay Zero

 

I made sure to start in the lead and immediately set a high tempo to create gaps. Most of the other riders were in teams, which makes it more challenging when you're solo, but I was confident. I managed to stay in control and race the way I wanted. We had 20 laps to complete, with an intermediate sprint (prime lap) on lap 10 and another on lap 17.

I won the first intermediate sprint by attacking from a distance and also clinched the second one by overtaking my competitors right at the line. I'm super happy about this performance as Prime laps are fiercely contested.

Regarding the final sprint, I unfortunately got boxed in just as I wanted to launch my attack. I lacked confidence at that crucial moment and made a rookie mistake. As a result, I finished 4th in the final sprint, which was quite disappointing because I clearly had the capability to go for the win.

The only thing I regret about this race is my lack of confidence in the final lap. I should have attacked earlier to avoid getting boxed in. Aside from that, I loved this race and will definitely be back next year! The organisation was excellent, the crowd was fantastic, and it's clearly an event that deserves more recognition!

 

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VOCATO AL CAMBIO ELETTRONICO, SFOGGIA FRENO A DISCO E PERNO PASSANTE SU UN CARRO DAI POSTERIORI VERTICALI BASSI, PER LA MASSIMA AERODINAMICITÀ