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One in a Billion | Rise to the Summit
Kiserlovski01
Mixed feelings in this first weeking: winning a stage, suffering time losses, losing teammates, moving into a special jersey... Hopefully the best is yet to come for you personally. Smile
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AbhishekLFC
@Tamijo and Kiserlovski: Well summarized, couldn't have put it any better myself. Hopefully, better things to come yet...

I didn't win a stage though (I would've been a bit more excited with my first GT stage win no? Pfft), Cimolai won on Stage 3.
 
Kiserlovski01
I was talking about the team in fact, should've made that clearer though. Pfft
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Tamijo
Kiserlovski01 wrote:
I was talking about the team in fact, should've made that clearer though. Pfft


As Kiserlovski said - both talking about a team victory.
 
AbhishekLFC
Oops Embarassed
 
Ripley
Still not quite where we want to see Sinha. Does he need better support? Does he warrant better support? Is the pressure of leading a team in a Grand Tour too much? He's still very young, of course.
 
AbhishekLFC
Ripley wrote:
Still not quite where we want to see Sinha. Does he need better support? Does he warrant better support? Is the pressure of leading a team in a Grand Tour too much? He's still very young, of course.

These questions have been on my mind for the past couple of months!
 
AbhishekLFC
Vuelta a Espana


Stages 7 - 11


Stage 7 saw a lone break keep the pack at bay till just 10 km remaining. I kept myself busy, picking up a few KOM points. My experience at the Tour had made me jumpy and my 'just in case' instincts had kicked in.

Stage 8

i.imgur.com/o7G9R0g.jpg

I was considered one of the favourites for this stage by the bookies. The peloton was down to a mere 17 riders after the HC climb. It increased in size by a few numbers . I found myself in the second group on the next climb. All was well...till we reached the climb to the finish. I kept dropping back. I started riding at my own pace and lost a truckload of time. Incredibly, I only lost three places in the GC and still held the lead in the U25 classification. The stage was a massacre. I lost 20 minutes and was 33 minutes down in the GC!

Stage 9 was flat and won in a bunch sprint.

Stage 10

i.imgur.com/EBmekFP.jpg

After three unsuccessful breakaway attempts, I resigned myself to staying in the pack. The pack down to less than a hundred riders after the fifth climb. I attacked on the sixth climb and got a lead of 20 seconds on the pack. I was caught on the final climb. A group of ten got half a minute on the others, including me. Moser outsprinted Sagan to claim the win.

I had been looking forward to the ITT on Stage 11. I wasn't in the best shape, as was evident from my riders in the mountains. I started off well, losing just 18 seconds in the first intermediate. I tailed off in the next section to be a minute down in the second intermediate. I held that time till the end, finishing 12th on the day, losing just over a minute. I moved up a place to 15th in the GC.

GC after Stage 11

1Julian ArredondoTinkoff-Saxo43h29'14
2Rigoberto UránStella Artois+ 4'42
3Adam YatesAg2r La Mondiale+ 4'44
4Alexis VuillermozAg2r La Mondiale+ 9'04
5Ilnur ZakarinTeam Sky+ 9'25
6Peter SaganTinkoff-Saxo+ 9'28
7Tony GallopinStella Artois+ 10'31
8Carlos VeronaTeam Sky+ 11'47
9Steven KruijswijkTeam Giant-Alpecin+ 12'29
10Lawson CraddockESPN+ 15'19
...
15Abhishek SinhaLotto Soudal+ 33'30


To be continued...
 
Tamijo
No great Vuelta Sadx3
Stage 8 was a disaster, not losing that many places since stage 6 update, but the distance in time to a top 10 is now overwhelming, just left to hope for a breakaway stage win.
 
AbhishekLFC
True, a stage win might be the only chance of getting some joy from this race. Not great going so far Sad
 
AbhishekLFC
Vuelta a Espana

Stages 12 - 16

Stage 12 saw a 16 man break allowed to go away. It didn't work out as they were caught well before the finish. Inexplicably, I failed to hold on to the leaders once again and lost six more minutes! I didn't lose any spots in the GC but the time losses were becoming embarrassing now.

I attacked at the base of the second climb on Stage 13 but was chased down swiftly. I fell on the descent in a massive crash featuring 15 riders. Most of managed to get back into the pack. A leading group of 18 left the peloton, including me and current Red Jersey holder Arredondo behind. We lost around a minute and a half but there was damage done to our respective positions.

Stage 14 was a flat stage and was won in a bunch sprint by Sagan.

Stage 15

i.imgur.com/a8KKG1C.jpg

de Gendt joined the break for us. If at all things could get worse, it did. I lost a whopping 16 minutes again in the GC and this time lost a place too! I was still the leader in the U25s. I couldn't quite believe it when I was called to the top step of the podium to collect my tenth White Jersey of this GT.

Stage 16 was another flat one and I didn't feature much in the limelight.

GC after Stage 16

1Julian ArredondoTinkoff-Saxo64h35'53
2Adam YatesAg2r La Mondiale+ 2'18
3Rigoberto UránStella Artois+ 6'29
4Ilnur ZakarinTeam Sky+ 8'04
5Carlos VeronaTeam Sky+ 15'21
6Peter SaganTinkoff-Saxo+ 22'46
7Lawson CraddockESPN+ 24'56
8Clément ChevrierTeam Europcar+ 26'04
9Ion IzagirreTinkoff-Saxo+ 31'55
10Steven KruijswijkTeam Giant-Alpecin+ 34'54
...
16Abhishek SinhaLotto Soudal+ 55'12


To be continued...
 
Tamijo
Just getting worse, question remains if Sinha has a bit of an injury?
 
AbhishekLFC
No injuries besides the usual cuts and bruises from two weeks of racing. I think it has got more to do with tiredness. I think I've put in too many race days and too much effort in the prep races throughout the year! I bit off a lot more than I can chew...
 
AbhishekLFC
Vuelta a Espana


Stages 17 - 21


Stage 17

i.imgur.com/737tLoL.jpg

This was the first time I showed some form in this Vuelta. I was in the lead group of eight riders to cross the second climb of the day. The group split up into three, with me in the second group with Zakarin and Purito Rodriguez. Verona and Uran were up ahead. I dropped the duo from my initially on the climb to the finish, but Zakarin caught back up and beat me to 3rd. I ended up 4th on the stage and climbed up one place in the GC. Verona won the stage while Uran was second. Adam Yates, in 2nd place at the start of the day retired after a bad crash.

Stage 18

i.imgur.com/cBwVhgI.jpg

There was sleet when the race started! I fell on the third descent which involved a couple of other GC contenders. I got back to the pack, but Uran had to retire as a result of it. He too, like Yates on the stage before, was in 2nd place at the start of the day. I lost my last teammate on top of the fourth climb, where the lead group went down to about 20 riders. The break was caught soon after. Arredondo was dropped in the climb to the finish. So was I, but I finished ahead of the Colombian in 15th place. Arredondo was still the leader of the GC.

Stage 19

i.imgur.com/cEmWx38.jpg

A 15 rider group of GC leaders leave the peloton behind, including me, on the fourth climb of the day. I did my best to help the chase. Although we did catch a few of the initial attackers, I lost more than four minutes to stage winner Slagter. I did move up another place in the GC.

Stage 20

i.imgur.com/d3sUSYl.jpg

The size of the peloton reduce to around 60 riders after the second climb itself. I followed an attack by Sergio Henao and Ellissonde. We managed to leave the pack behind except for three riders. We were caught going up to the finish by Zakarin, Arredondo and Chevrier. Tired, I couldn't hang on and finished 6th on the stage, and finishing the penultimate stage 12th in the GC.

Stage 21 was the ITT in Madrid. I set a scorching pace finishing in first place when I crossed the line, 37 seconds ahead of then leader and TT specialist Malori. However, I was demoted to second once Zakarin was done, who took almost a minute off my time! Nvertheless, it was a good way to end the race, tying my best ever result in a GT achieved in the TDF earlier in the year. Arredondo lost nearly three minutes to the Russian but managed to hold on for his maiden GT win.
i.imgur.com/x6mQv9D.jpg

(Me riding the ITT)


General Classification

1Julian ArredondoTinkoff-Saxo83h18'21
2Ilnur ZakarinTeam Sky+ 1'44
3Carlos VeronaTeam Sky+ 14'55
4Clément ChevrierTeam Europcar+ 24'02
5Lawson CraddockESPN+ 26'45
6Steven KruijswijkTeam Giant-Alpecin+ 36'16
7Peter SaganTinkoff-Saxo+ 36'20
8Alexis VuillermozAg2r La Mondiale+ 45'40
9Joaquím RodríguezTinkoff-Saxo+ 49'07
10Sérgio HenaoAg2r La Mondiale+ 51'30

Spoiler


Points Classification

1Peter SaganTinkoff-Saxo275
2Ilnur ZakarinTeam Sky197
3Julian ArredondoTinkoff-Saxo177
4Alexis VuillermozAg2r La Mondiale97
5Clément ChevrierTeam Europcar88


Mountain Classification

1Julian ArredondoTinkoff-Saxo72
2Matthias BrändleTopsport Vlaanderen - Baloise48
3Ilnur ZakarinTeam Sky46
4Valerio ContiAstana Pro Team35
5Stefano PirazziESPN34


Young Riders Classification

1Abhishek SinhaLotto Soudal84h13'08
2Robert PowerTeam Sky+ 20'10
3Laurens De PlusTopsport Vlaanderen - Baloise+ 29'38
4Silvio HerklotzTeam Giant-Alpecin+ 1h07'48
5Edward RavasiTeam Cannondale - Garmin+ 1h12'46

i.imgur.com/CFQY1jf.jpg


Team Classification

1Tinkoff-Saxo249h36'08
2Team Sky+ 46'57
3Ag2r La Mondiale+ 54'49
4Stella Artois+ 1h42'36
5ESPN+ 1h58'56


The last week put a little gloss on an otherwise ordinary performance. The second place on the final stage ITT and the White Jersey are the highlights of my race. A solid outing from de Gendt to finish inside the top 20 for us. All riders from the team who made it past the first week did manage to finish. My preparation for the race was clearly off, sa was also the case for the Tour. I would probably take this as a lesson in how not to go about approaching Grand Tours in the future. My season plans haven't gone well and there is only race of significance to redeem myself...

Oh, and I just happen to be the defending champion there!
 
AbhishekLFC
October

The season winds down and I have two races left on my schedule for October. The season has not turned out quite the way I had intended it to go. Maybe I can finish it off better.

Il Lombardia

i.imgur.com/QiJKIha.jpg

Starting as defending champion but not as leader of our team. I was given a free role while Meintjes led in his last race for Lotto. The race was fast paced from the beginning. The group was down around fifty riders on the second climb. Stella Artois and Astana were doing most of the pace making. Although the group nearly doubled in size before we reached the third climb, it was rapidly diminished again once we were on the climb itself. Meintjes was having another bad day and was dropped from my group soon after the descent. I was in the third group on the road on the last climb, the leaders already out of reach and my title gone. Julian Alaphilippe launched the decisive attack before the final descent and won. I finished 9th, respectable, but not close to challenging this year.

1Julian AlaphilippeStella Artois6h32'32
2Fabio AruAstana Pro Team+ 54
3Wilco KeldermanTeam Giant-Alpecins.t.
4Valerio ContiAstana Pro Teams.t.
5Miguel Angel LopezStella Artois+ 1'48
6Daniel MartinTinkoff-Saxos.t.
7Mikel LandaTEAM Cepsas.t.
8Sérgio HenaoAg2r La Mondiales.t.
9Abhishek SinhaLotto Soudals.t.
10Diego UlissiTinkoff-Saxo+ 2'29

Spoiler


Paris Bourges

I was considered as the top favourite for this race. I rode near the front throughout as the pack chased the break. Calmejane attacked with 20 km to go. He got a 1 minute lead within a couple of kilometres. With 8 km to go, Calmejane was still out ahead with a pack of 10 chasing. I was in the second group at the time but lost my way towards the end. Calmejane too was caught and didn't have enough reserves to contest the sprint at the line. Gougeard won the race, while I managed 13th.

1Alexis GougeardAstana Pro Team4h18'49
2Alex PetersTeam Skys.t.
3Ben SwiftTeam Skys.t.
4Jan BartaESPNs.t.
5Tsgabu GrmayIberdrolas.t.
6Lilian CalmejaneTeam Europcars.t.
7Stefano AgostiniCULT Energy Pro Cyclings.t.
8Bryan CoquardTinkoff-Saxo+ 1'01
9Andrea FediAstana Pro Teams.t.
10Carlos BarberoTEAM Cepsas.t.

Spoiler


So the last month of the season turned out like the rest of it, a lot of promise but without the best results.
 
Kiserlovski01
Most likely not what Abhiskek expected for these races, yet the final Vuelta week and Lombardia were encouraging performances. Smile
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AbhishekLFC
Not just the Vuelta, it's been a season of under performance at the crucial times. In hindsight, 9th place at Il Lombardia after a long season is quite good. A lot of work to do in the off season though.
 
AbhishekLFC
2019 Season Recap


I had high hopes of 2019 being THE year for me. This was the year I hoped that I would start being considered as a serious GT threat. If anything I did worse than my performances last year in the GTs. It wasn't all bad; I achieved my first podium in the GC of a World Tour race. I finished my highest ever finish of 2nd in the GC in Burgos in a Stage Race. I even wore the leader's jersey for four stages at the Dauphine, where one bad day ruined an otherwise perfect race. My exploits in one day races were nothing to write home about.

The answer to my question at the end of last year, whether I can do better this year then my season with Lotto is a no. As is evident from the table below, this is the first time that my point scoring has been lower than the previous season!

Statistics
World Tour Rankings CQ Rankings
Me 31st - 183 points 27th - 1208 points
Lotto Soudal 7th - 635 points 9th - 4827points

 
Aquarius97
Not the greatest season, but still a lot of highlights. Maybe you should try to focus in only one GT, whichever suits you better (or better the one that Quintana wont be riding) and try to do it great on the one-week WT races.
Manager of [MG] Repsol - Netflix


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AbhishekLFC
You make a good point. I need to be more selective and plan my season better next year. Riding with Quintana is something I'm actually looking forward to. But I need to carve out my own path too...
 
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