|
Rise of a Phoenix | Episode 10: The Phoenix' Ashes
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 09-06-2015 18:42
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Thanks guys 
Before that magic ITT, I hope to take back time in the mountains first, he has a better chance there  |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 09-06-2015 18:47
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3804
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
He is expected to lose 3-4 mins on ITT so he needs to gain 8-9 minutes on mountains.
So yeah he better not lose time on TT |
| |
|
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 09-06-2015 20:25
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Climbing up to 4th on GC, but that crash is not good 
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
 |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-06-2015 17:31
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
The Schleck Fan - Yeah, seems like an impossible task indeed  Well... 
the_hoyle - No indeed. Luckily he has a rest day now, to lick his wounds
Have to go to rehearsal in a little bit. So if I return early I can do the next bit tonight. Otherwise tomorrow early-ish |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-06-2015 19:54
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Standing at almost 5 minutes, RodrÃguez' chances of winning the Tour de France were practically zero. He had displayed that his form was on the rise, but the general consensus was that it had come too late. With three mountain stages left, and a 52 km time trial, RodrÃguez was out of the running. A top 5? Possible. The podium? Improbable. Winning?
Not a chance.
On the second rest day, the world thought RodrÃguez' Tour was over.
Half an hour before dinner, RodrÃguez was laying in his hotel room. He was recovering, trying to get ready for the final week. The third week in a Grand Tour is always dangerous. Your legs don't feel so fresh anymore and the mountains seem to grow longer and steeper.
Suddenly, a knock on the door.
"Enter!"
It was José, part of the Katusha crew.
"Hey man. How are you feeling?"
"Pretty good."
"What are you thinking about this last week?"
"It's gonna be hard."
"Podium?"
"Gone, I'm afraid. But we'll keep fighting."
"I've got something better..."
RodrÃguez raised his eyebrows. A quick check around the room, as if he was afraid somebody had just come in and would listen what he had to sya.
"What do you have?"
José nodded his head towards the hallway.
"Follow me..."
14 hours later, Purito woke up in his hotel room. He had six stages to turn this Tour around.
But he knew he could do it. |
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-12-2024 15:13
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 11-06-2015 20:03
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3804
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
The photos aren't showing |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-06-2015 20:14
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
There are no photo's in this one, just an empty quote box to divide the sections a bit |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 11-06-2015 20:21
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3804
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
Is the thing doping? |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-06-2015 20:22
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Won't say what it is, but it's more original than doping. Purito wouldn't dope!
So it's something else |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 11-06-2015 20:23
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3804
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
If he is not cheating there is not any problem |
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-06-2015 14:12
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
He has got him a male prostitute |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2015 14:14
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Oh no, just, no!
Maybe I'll do the next update today since yesterday's one was quite short. Will have to see if I have the time to do it later |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 12-06-2015 17:53
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
After the second rest day, RodrÃguez started turning things around.
The mountains turned into Purito's playground. It was an unbelievable sight. On the first stage of the third week, RodrÃguez went onto the attack. Being 5 minutes behind, Contador allowed him a little room.
He won his first 2015 Tour de France stage in Luchon, winning back a minute on Contador.
There were still 4 minutes left, though. Even worse, the time trial was bound to bring more trouble.
There was but one choice. The next day, he attacked again, set up by Moreno.
RodrÃguez looked unbeatable. The big guns managed to stick with him for a while, but they were suffering hard, and RodrÃguez still had a surprise up his sleeve.
He rode away, leaving Contador up to the chase.
On Pla d'Adet, RodrÃguez took his second consecutive stage. But more importantly, how much time would he gain?
Contador crossed the line minutes later, completely empty. The Maillot Jaune would change hands on the slopes of the Pla d'Adet. RodrÃguez had taken control of the race with two unbelievable raids.
RodrÃguez took the Maillot Jaune with little over a minute on Contador, quite an achievement.
And then is was time for the third mountain stage. Three for three for Purito?
Contador, here in the KoM jersey, decided not to push RodrÃguez any more. He had confidence enough in his time trial. Quintana set the pace, but couldn't shake them loose. RodrÃguez kept calm. It was a risky move, with only a minute ahead, he would risk losing the lead in the long time trial.
Quintana took the stage...
...and so all that stood between RodrÃguez and his Tour de France victory, was a 52 km time trial.
52 kilometers between another failure and glory.
52 kilometers to make history.
General Classification - Stage 19 | 1 | JoaquÃm RodrÃguez | Team Katusha | 82h58'25 | | 2 | Alberto Contador | Tinkoff - Saxo | + 1'10 | | 3 | Chris Froome | Team Sky | + 6'24 | | 4 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | + 8'32 | | 5 | Jean-Christophe Peraud | AG2R La Mondiale | + 11'03 | | 6 | Thibaut Pinot | FDJ.fr | + 17'59 | | 7 | Bauke Mollema | Belkin-Pro Cycling Team | + 20'41 | | 8 | Daniel Martin | Garmin Sharp | + 22'14 | | 9 | Chris Horner | Lampre - Merida | + 23'10 | | 10 | Romain Bardet | AG2R La Mondiale | + 23'33 |
|
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-06-2015 23:14
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Joaquim has certainly had a new lease of life |
| |
|
|
| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 12-06-2015 23:24
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8063
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
|
So... José gave him a motorbike?
Great updates to read. Can't wait for the conclusion. 
|
| |
|
|
| jandal7 |
Posted on 12-06-2015 23:43
|
World Champion
Posts: 11406
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1120.00
|
So intense but what is he on? Micro-dosing? Ryder Hesjedal's Vuelta bike
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
| |
|
|
| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 13-06-2015 00:12
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7300
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
What a ride from Rodriguez!!! Amazing!!!!
|
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 15-06-2015 13:20
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
sutty68 - Certainly looks like it
Mresuperstar - No José just showed him Froome's camper to sleep in
jandal7 - Find out soon
Jakstar22 - Sure is. Only the time trial left!
Thanks for the support guys. Episode 9 coming up.
The tenth and final episode will be released probably Wednesday.
See you then |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 15-06-2015 13:20
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
The 52 km time trial would decide the entire Tour. RodrÃguez had time on his side, but only 70 seconds on a course of that length against Contador... Not a lot of people believed in Purito's chances.
Contador, riding in the mountain jersey, started before RodrÃguez. And so the Maillot Jaune had that one advantage, he would know his time against Contador at every checkpoint.
Start: RodrÃguez - 70 seconds - Contador
Checkpoint 1: (on Chris Froome)
Contador: 49"
RodrÃguez: 1'05"
At the first checkpoint, Purito had lost 15 seconds. This meant he still had 55 seconds left, and three quarters of the route left to ride. He was riding the best time trial of his life, but he had to keep up this pace to win the Tour!
Checkpoint 2: (on Chris Froome)
Contador: 1'29"
RodrÃguez: 1'52"
Still only a 23 second deficit on Contador. Halfway the race, RodrÃguez was well on his way to defend his Maillot Jaune!
Checkpoint 3: (on Chris Froome)
Contador: 2'01"
RodrÃguez: 2'08"
With only a quarter of a race left, RodrÃguez was making one hell of a comeback. People started going nuts. They couldn't have dreamed this ever, but Purito was only a few kilometers away from winning the Tour de France!
The only thing that could still stop him, was a dramatic fallback...
Finish Line:
Contador: 2'24" on Chris Froome, the winner of the time trial.
And there came RodrÃguez. What was his time?
1 minute and 48 seconds! An unbelievable second half of the time trial assured RodrÃguez a place in history!
The final day was just a formality. The sprint on the Champs-Elysée was of minor importance to Joaquim RodrÃguez.
The Tour de France 2014 would always remain the Tour of Purito. His final week was among the most impressive achievements in cycling history.
On July 27th, 2014, RodrÃguez finally conquered his everest. He shone on the Tour podium in Paris. Cycling fans all around the world applauded Purito's endurance, mental resistance and his aggressive way of racing. It was a perfect picture.
Except that there was something terribly wrong with it... |
| |
|
|
| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 15-06-2015 13:48
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7300
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Purito wins!!!! Or does he,,,???
|
| |
|
