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No Way Back | Finished
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 27-10-2017 19:10
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"Nobody know's anything"
Edited by hillis91 on 12-11-2017 23:10
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 27-10-2017 19:10
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Snow everywhere
The room was rather small, without any windows or even a television. It was completely white, at least it looked white when you looked around from the bed. No pictures on the wall, no radio or even a bench. Just a bed in a room, a very dark room.
In the bed a man was laying still. His eyes was shut closed and his breathing was regular. A very slow pace, almost like a robot. An IV was hooked into his arm, and a silent heart monitor was next to the bed.
Whispers could be heard between two doctores outside the door, as a crowd was being usherd away by hospital security. There was complete chaos outside the room, while inside the room, it was peaceful. Jolien allways found that ironic. Whenever something like this happens, everybody cares. Nobody was here a week ago, when a young man in his early 20 was laying in the room next door. She had become numb with experience. She shook her head as she made a Sagan-esq move to get around the crowd.
The family looked her way as she walked the hall. She could not meet their eyes, she kept her focus on the wall. She still could not handle the hopeful looks, even after all these years. A confident nod and an akward smile was all she could muster up.
She walked through the door of the break room, she could see Nathalie sitting in a chair by the window. She sat down next to her, and sighed. Nathalie looked at her.
"They better keep their mouth shut, or we all are in big shit"
Jolien winked at her.
Edited by hillis91 on 27-10-2017 19:42
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| Aquarius97 |
Posted on 27-10-2017 19:52
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4191
Joined: 13-09-2015
PCM$: 300.00
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No clue yet, but hoping to see more
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 27-10-2017 21:43
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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He came walking down the stairs like a zombie, almost sleep walking. He had not been himself for the last couple of months. Barely eating, not hanging out with his friends. All he did was laying in his bed, doing absolutely nothing.
"Feeling better today? Ready to tackle the day like a champion?"
He did not answer. He did not even look up, he just walked over to the refridgerator to get milk and some sort of cereal. Made himself a bowl, and walked upstairs again.
"Hey! Mike! I was talking to you!"
No answer.
He walked up the stairs, getting more and more aggrevated by the steps.
"Mike! Got damn it! Answer me!"
Still no answer.
He walked fast and determend towards the bedroom door. He knocked hard three times.
"Mike. We'll leave in 30 minutes. You better be ready, and you better be in a good mood. Im warning you! Enough with this moping around."
No answer.
"Im telling you honey, it has to be done. We can't let him rotten like this. Im going to... Oh hey Mike!"
Michael came down the stairs, with a bag over his shoulder. He threw his hair back, he had not been to the barber in at least 3 months. It was starting to grow long, and a plus was that his parents hated his long hair.
"You ready to see super Tom win another one?"
His father asked him gleefully.
"Sure. Whatever."
Mike was in no mood for this stupid small talk. He did however look forward to watch Tom Boonen crush the competition in the Hell in North. He never had the chance to meet or watch Tom before. So this was a gem.
"Go ahead, put your bag in the car. I just need to make a call"
His father picked up the phone and dialed it. He held his hand over the microphone as he watched Mike walk out the front door.
"It's me. We got to talk."
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 27-10-2017 22:04
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Months had gone by. Still no job. Still no new job offers. Execpt the one offer he got several months ago, but he could not take that one. It was far to risky, even if he was banned from the community allready - he simply could not accecpt the offer.
His wife entered the room with a cup of hot chocolate, she had been great about the whole thing. Picking up more shifts at the hospital, not once complaining about it.
"Here you go, drink this. I heard it's going to be a storm tonight. I need to head back tonight. I don't want to be snowed in tomorrow morning. Considering the long drive and all."
She sat the cup down at the table next to him and kissed him on the head.
"Yes of course."
He answered her in a low tone.
"And hey! Don't sit by the window all night please. You and your thoughts are not allways the best combination you know"
She said that with a smurk on her face. They've allways been able to joke like that.
He did not look up, but he chuckled a little as he took a sip of the hot chocolate.
"You do still have that one offer you know"
She said it carefully.
"Jolien. Please. I don't think that would be right. Im starting to think more and more that im done. I don't think i have it anymore. I might just go back to being a regular physician again."
As Jolien walked out of the room, she knew, he was not done. His ego and his drive to make humans performe on a mythical level was far to strong. She drove out of the drive-way and turned up the radio. A local sports station was on.
"Boonen won the second stage of Paris–Nice. He won the E3 Harelbeke and Gent–Wevelgem two days later. He was favourite for the Tour of Flanders, which he won in a sprint against Filippo Pozzato and Alessandro Ballan. That alone makes him super human, it's unfair. His third victory equalled those of Achiel Buysse, Fiorenzo Magni, Eric Leman and Johan Museeuw just to show you what company he now is in. His fourth win in Paris–Roubaix equalled Roger De Vlaeminck. Boonen was first to win the Tour of Flanders and Paris Roubaix double twice. Greatest of all time alert ladies and gentlemen! He is also the first to win E3 Harelbeke, Gent–Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix in the same year. I mean, come on guys. This has to be the greatest cyclist ever?"
Edited by hillis91 on 27-10-2017 22:34
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 28-10-2017 02:02
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Theo was a normal fiften year old kid, he went to school, he played Fifa with his friends. He, like so many other Belgian kids, liked to ride his bike. After a great season in the local criterium series, he was now looked at to be the next big thing coming out of the town. His small frame with rather strong lower body, made cycling easy for him. He was what they call, a natural.
Riding his bike like Boonen and Gilbert, trying to copy their style, was a normal thing on the shorter and easier rides. It became far to real, when Theo allmost was struck by a car while on a training ride in late June. Throwing a major temper tantrum like Gilbert so often did.
Being the local hope had it's berings, as the temper tantrum was well known by everybody in the town the next day. It became such a big thing, that one of the Accent.jobs–Willems Verandas riders stopped one day to talk to him about it. For Theo the fact that a pro rider would take the time to do that, out weight the fact that he only stopped to give him a life lesson.
Theo was the only son of two lawyers, well known in the region. They had recently caught a lot of negative PR as they were the defence team of a well known coach in a large case. His family had money, so Theo allways had the best equipment and the latest clothes. He did his best to look like a pro, wich gave him even more attention.
His family's connection to the coach helped the negative rumours about him and his training to be spread like a wildfire. Theo never understood that, how he from one second could go from being the next big thing to being looked at like a criminal. He never did anything wrong.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-11-2024 15:11
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Bot Agent
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 28-10-2017 06:41
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9099
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
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Trying to catch up, but this started fast. Too tired to fully be behind it, but i like what I red s far!
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 29-10-2017 23:23
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Shuffle
Sweat was dripping down the face of Michael as he was hunched over his bike. Gasping for air as he was seeing stars all around him. Spent, totally spent. He did a great job early on in the race. Bridging the gaps to all the breakaway attempts, not letting anybody go. The second part of the race he managed to conserve energy, shielding himself from the wind like a pro. The third part was hard, he made the jump when Theo Von Maes went for it. He sat on his wheel over the top of the hill, but it costed him a lot. By the time the sprint came along all he could focus on was the ground as everybody came flying by him.
"Theo Von Maes on the line!"
The speaker screamed.
Michael rolled over the line in a respectable 13nd place. Not much to celebrate.
Nationals was over, and missing out on a top 10 stung hard for Michael. All the hard work for nothing. No social life for nothing. Michael took it hard. He did however find peace in the fact that he only was in his third year. He was still a rookie on a beat up bike. Theo had the newest and best of everything. Easy to hate on him, but Michael didn't.
Michael rolled over to his family. His father padded him on the back and nodded. Nobody said anything. They all could see the dissapointment on the face of Michael. He was not in the mood for conversation. He looked up and caught the sights of Theo. Smiling and laughing with the medal around his neck. The natural they called him, go figure.
Edited by hillis91 on 29-10-2017 23:33
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 02:13
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Last year had been great for Theo. Winning the nationals for men juniors after a huge surge on last lap. Also winning the national cup after winning over 90% of the races he entered. Theo was over the moon to say the least. This year had also been great so far, winning the first two races he entered. Both ending in a mass sprint finish.
Theo had just came back from a training camp in Mallorca with his new team, getting days off from school to ride his bike was the coolest thing ever he thought. Riding with his friend Michael Hendrickx for two weeks in the sun, while their classmates was stuck in the cold weather back home, made them both smile.
Theo and Michael both signed for a regional team for the 2015 season, getting a chance to improve aswell as getting a taste of profesional racing. It was early April when Theo was out for a short ride. He had music blasting on max volume, the new song by Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk. He took a right at the intersection, minding his own buisness. He waved to a friend from school who came walking towards him. Then took a sip from his water bottle as he reached his hand out to the left to signal he was going left. Water bottle still in hand.
Theo turned left without looking back. In his peripheral vision he could se headlights. Next he heard a loud screeching from a car braking, the sound pierced trough the music. It all happend so quick. He could smeel the cold air, he could see the reaction change in the face of the older women standing outside her house. Everything happend in slow motion. He could allmost brace himself for the impact. Even though he could not see the car clearly nor did he know if it would hit him. He felt panic spreading trough his body. Then. Darkness.
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 13:34
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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2015 had not been great for either Coach Hugo Goossens or the team. He had been given his first proper coaching job after a two year ban. Mostly because of the Von Maes family and their hard work. The season had started great, two straight victories and a great training camp. Then the team lost their leader Theo to a horrific injury and the others could not pick up the pieces. The team ended up only getting four victories in total, not great to say the least. One positive is that Theo was back on the bike at the end of the year, and looks to be back for the 2016 season.
It was late october and Coach was on his way to a meeting with one of his riders. The meeting was arranged by the rider himself, looking to improve as much as possible before the 2016 season. Coach normally would not get involved on that level, but it seemed to work wonders with Theo. So he thought, why not. He worked behind the scenes with Theo, considering he was banned from coaching anybody, he had to coach from his parents law offices in both the 2013 and 2014 season.
"Hey coach!"
Coach smiled and shook the riders hand.
They both sat down at a table in the local coffee shop. They talked for a while, about life and the season they just had wrapped up. Both agreeing on the fact that they needed to step it up for the next season. Loosing Theo for the entire season made it clear that the rest of the team was simply not good enough on their own.
It had been two hours, and three cups of coffee. It was starting to get dark outside and coach was hinting that he needed to head home. He quickly got the vibe that the rider had been keeping a question back.
"Go ahead, what is it?"
The rider took a sip of his coffee and looked around.
"Well.. I need to improve right?"
Coach scratched his face and focused in on the eyes of the young man sitting across from him.
"You are a legal physician am i right?"
Coach nodded.
"So, maybe you can help me get an edge this next season? Im tired of being dropped all the time. I've done it all, 25 hour training week and all. I keep getting dropped still."
Coach nodded again, looking over his shoulder quickly.
"Can you help me? It will of course stay between us"
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 14:33
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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New Beginings
January 2017 was here, and 2016 had rolled by so quickly. Victories, crashes and a new team was the year summed up for the trio Theo, Michael and Goossens. Theo made a complete comeback after his crash in 2015, and did not seem to have lost a step. Michael had found his groove in 2016, allmost matching Theo in everything. For Coach Goossens, the success of his two youngsters, landed him a job in AGO - Aqua Service and he brought the two riders with him.
Puberty had treated both Theo and Michael well, both growing tall and strong. Making their desicion to go pro seem just right. Theo's recovery from his crash in 2015 and Michaels sudden improvement made for great story lines in the local media. When they both signed for AGO - Aqua Serivce it even became national news, both being interviewed on morning television. Things was looking up for the duo, as 2017 came calling.
Edited by hillis91 on 30-10-2017 16:27
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 15:48
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Kuurne - Brussel - Kuurne
Voices from the Peleton
I tried my best, what can i say. I missed the first group who went off the front. I made a surge to bridge, i couldn't. After that i was spent, no energy left.
| 165 | Michael Hendrickx | AGO - Aqua Service | + 7'06 |
I've never been taken to school so hard in my life before. I got bruises in the wierdest places, i mean, everybody had their albows out. I had no help with over 60 KM left, what am i doing here?
| 32 | Theo von Maes | AGO - Aqua Service | s.t. |
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 16:23
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Le Samyn
Voices from the Peleton
The taste of tarmac never changes, it's awful.
| 148 | Michael Hendrickx | AGO - Aqua Service | + 3'36 |
I guess it's not that bad here, a top three in my second race at this level. The team kept me secure the entire day. We even had a guy in the breakaway.
| 3 | Theo von Maes | AGO - Aqua Service | s.t. |
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 16:45
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Energiewacht Dwars door Drenthe
Voices from the Peleton
A couple of sessions with Coach, and i felt great again. Taking my first podium as a pro from the 14 man strong breakaway. Great day in the saddle.
| 2 | Michael Hendrickx | AGO - Aqua Service | s.t. |
An unlucky puncture and one of our own in the breakaway made my day quiet. Nothing special. At all.
| 26 | Theo von Maes | AGO - Aqua Service | + 1'13 |
Edited by hillis91 on 30-10-2017 16:50
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 20:37
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Intriguing start to the story! Hope Michael isn't doing dirty though  A pair of nice looking riders either way!
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 |
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 21:13
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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It sure seems like he is up to something!
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| Aquarius97 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 21:23
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4191
Joined: 13-09-2015
PCM$: 300.00
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Some decent results in the first races 
Is there any special reason the highlight the first letter of each post?
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 30-10-2017 21:29
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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No, the plan was to only do that for the first letter in each chapter. And i got carried away 
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 31-10-2017 00:40
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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People Do Not Change
Reports are saying that a local cyclist have tested positive for EPO and Clenbuterole during a local race in the north region of the country. Our sources are telling us that the cyclist has strong ties to the former banned Coach Hugo Goossens. Goossens who got his lifetime ban lifted in court, has been more then active in gaining new clients. He also have a coaching position in the Belgian cycling team AGO - Aqua Service.
Neither Coach Goossens or the AGO team have responded to our requests for a comment.
"In the news this morning. Former doping doctor, Hugo Goossens is once again in the crosshairs of the UCI. The now AGO - Aqua Service coach is under investigation after a cyclist under his regime has tested postive during a local race. The results from the B test has yet to published.
Also in the news. How to get more out of your paper towels...."
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 31-10-2017 01:01
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Team Leader
Posts: 5895
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Paris - Troyes
Voices from the Peleton
A long day working for others without any results. Makes you want to prove yourself. I like Theo, a lot, but even i can sprint better then that.
| 119 | Michael Hendrickx | AGO - Aqua Service | + 8'22 |
Getting the chance to have the entire team working for me is awesome. Too bad we couldn't get more out of it today. My timing is still off a bit. Even if i would've taken the sprint in my group, i would not have won. Breakaway victories stinks.
| 19 | Theo von Maes | AGO - Aqua Service | + 2'58 |
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