After five stages protecting Theo, and making sure i get through safe, i got my chance to prove myself. I've waited 9 months for this, and let me tell you, it taste delicious. My first victory as a pro! Im now 2nd in the GC before the last stage tomorrow.
1
Michael Hendrickx
AGO - Aqua Service
15'02
The first five stages has given me great success, a couple of podiums and a win on stage three. Im now third in the GC before tomorrows cobble stage. We now have a one-two punch with both me and Michael being in posistion to do something.
It all slipped away... I tried to go after the morning break over the cobbled hill. I was alone and in no mans land for about 20 KMs. Got brought back before the sprint, and the breakaway won the stage and the overall.. Disaster..
25
Michael Hendrickx
AGO - Aqua Service
s.t.
Oh boy. What a mess. Nothing went right and we are outside the podium and barely making the top 10 in the GC. This could be the nail in the coffin for my WC hopes.
It had been a good month. Michaels first pro win was in the books and he seemed to finally be out of his own head and his personal darkness. The memories of his brother, was just that, memories, and not nightmares. The month of september had flown by. With Tom Dumoulin winning the ITT and Peter Sagan winning the road race in Bergen. Michael got the pleasure of watching that on tv. He watched the u23 race with Theo in his newly rented house. He found that funny, that he was renting and Theo basicly owned four properties. However, neither of them made the u23 squad for Belgium. Michael was ok with it, he was still buzzing from his time trail win earlier that month. And in his mind, it was allways next year. Theo however was not ok with it, rightfully so. He had been dominating the under 23 division the entire season.
It became very apparent that Theo was upset after seeing him react to Benoit Cosnefroy's victory. The words that came out of the mouth after Benoit crossed the finish line made it crystal clear to everyone within 500 meters of the house. "It's because of Coach and his dirty reputation. Im telling you Michael! I've done everything, i mean everything! What more do I need to do? I followed him through it. He guaranteed me it would work. I even di.."
Michael sat up.
"What do you mean he guaranteed it would work?"
Theo was red in the face. He was so angry.
"Do not worry about it. You do not know how it is. You wottent get it."
Now they were both standing across from each other and basicly screaming.
"What do you mean i wottent get it? My brother died doing this Theo! I've been through it all, and im still standing here. You and your money can go fu** yourself."
"I can go fu** myself? How about you and your walking dead attitude can go fu** yourself!"
Michael was heated.
"Why are you so angry Theo? You got it all dude. You have been dominating this entire season. I don't get it. You have been acting strange lately dude. What's up?"
Theo swung at Michael and connected. He hit him straight across the nose and Michael went down. He did not see that coming at all.
"Get out. Get the fu** out!"
Michael screamed, while holding his nose. Watching Theo running out the door.
Coach Hugo Goossens is once again in hard weather after several reports have been leaked about him systematicly using performence enhenching drugs on his riders. Channel 6 have tried getting in contact with Coach Goossens, without any luck.
Like A Ghost
The thing about Coach Hugo Goossens is that the man never leaves. He has been banned from the sport of cycling once before, and this reporter wants that man to be banned for life. Reports leaked from the police department confirms this reporters suspicions about Coach Goossens dirty methods.
When Can It Be Enough?
Cycling has allways had a drug problem. From amphetamines in the 60's to EPO in the 90's and 2000's. When will the public stand up and say enough is enough? The current case about Coach Goossens could end up being a last stand between dirty and clean sports.
Theo walked back and forth from one corner of the room to the other. He was walking with his arms crossed and his head down. He was sweating like a hooker in church. The room he was walking in was rather simplistic. There was two chairs sat between a small coffee table with a couple of old magazines on it. On one side of the room there was a picture of a dog watching over a field. One of thoose standard waiting room pictures you would get in Ikea. The other side of the room was facing the parking lot, and the double window gave Theo a marvelous look of the cars coming and going. On the other ends, was two doors. On one side, a door leading into the hallway. The other side, the room of justice.
What was waiting for him on the other side of the door, three UCI members and his legal council. His parents. It had been an awkard car ride to say the least, even in a Rolls Royce it had been uncomfortable.
Theo had tested positive. It happend during a random test when he was in the Netherlands riding Olympia's Tour in early september. It was the sole reason for him not riding the worlds in Bergen. His father had managed to keep it quiet, considering the B test was yet to be tested in time for the worlds. He convinced the UCI to not go public and as he put it, ruin a great talent over what could only be an obvious mistake. But, he also informed the Belgian National Team in the process, so they wouldn't be sued if his B sample was positive aswell. Theo's father to the bone, a true lawyer.
Nathalie had seen this before, the look of desperation and frustration. Just like the time Alexandre Hendrickx was her patient. He had hope back then, there was only rumours about Alexandre's blood work. This time. This time it's serious. Theo had gotten caught, not following his plan at all. Theo had been reckless. She watched him pace from his desktop to his bookshelf. Reading rules and searching for loopholes. The help of the von Maes family was out of the question. They had their hands full with Theo's case, and were unable to help Hugo out.
A conviction in this pending case would seal his faith. No more cycling in any shape or form. The constant pounding by the media sure did not help, as they baiscly was camped out side his house. Him and Nathalie had plans to escape to their cabbin as soon as possible. But the reporters made a getaway impossible. All he could do was wait. Wait for his time in court, and hope for the best.
It was allmost christmas, late December, and the snow was everywhere. Michael had just been in a meeting with the team, regarding the 2018 season. He had been released, as an aftermath of being a part of Coach Hugo Goossens clients. Michael had never taken a drug in his life, not even painkillers. The release came as a shook. Imagine going to a meeting expecting to be promoted to team captain, and after two minutes you are out of a job? Michael was in a mood. He looked up at the television in the lobby of the hotel. Coach Hugo Goossens was still headline news for the local media.
He was waiting for his taxi, he had scheduled it for three o'clock, expecting his meeting to last for atleast an hour. It was over after ten minutes. He felt everybody around him knew, like they all were looking at him with sympathy. The worst feeling in the world for Michael. He absolutely hated it. It sent him right back to the time after his brothers death. Dark times. Theirfor he had mixed feelings about Coach Hugo Goossens. He was the sole reason for him finding light in his life again. At the same time, he was the sole reason for him being released by the team.
The clock hit three, and the taxi rolled up. Michael got up and gave the hotel workers a polite nod and took a deep breath. In the doorway a man was coming towards him. The door was not big enough for two grown men, and in the polite confusion of who should walk through first, they bumped shoulders.
"My bad"
Michael said, as all he wanted was to get home.
"That is quite allright Michael. I actually wanted to talk to you. I was running late, and i did not expect to catch you before you left."
Michael looked confused. He had no idea who this man was.
"Im going to change your life"