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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 01-12-2013 09:24
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Tour de France Champion
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@Commenters - Here is your answer.
@anyone - Back-to-back Story nominations  This one however will not instantly stop! As i've said much is already pre-written and the entire plot arc is planned out. So even if i stop full updates the story will at least finish off with no loose ends... but thats not going to happen. Prepare to read a lot more 
Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 28: Tour of Britain, Part III
Acevedo, Holohan and Koretzky tagged onto my wheel for the descent. At the base of the drop we held a lead of about 1’00 over the peloton, who were not reacting. Eyes were on us, Node4, to chase, but because I was up front the rest of them were not going to do that.
The final 11km were a rolling run-in to the finish line and the quartet drove it hard. We knew that this move would really make our GC’s for this race. The peloton was trying to chase but the tight, twisting, rolling roads worked to our advantage.
Holohan out played us, saving that bit more energy, to win the sprint finish. Then it became about the gap. Rowe sprinted the peloton in 2’01 behind! I had gained enough time to overtake Michal for the GC lead. Holohan had moved up to 5th, Acevedo into 9th and Koretzky to 10th as a result as well.
I had been in this position before, leading the Tour of Britain. One year ago I was in charge when my world collapsed; it was not going to happen this time round. Nothing is going to stop me defending this lead the whole way to London.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-12-2013 09:36
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Tour de France Champion
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Ooh, nice |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 01-12-2013 10:39
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Well done Karl! 
Let's hope for no deaths this time. 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 01-12-2013 19:29
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Great riding from Karl  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 02-12-2013 09:35
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Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 29: Tour of Britain, Part IV
Only took a year, but I was back in Gold. Although I was just getting really used to the red, white and blue combo. It’s not going to be easy to hold onto, but neither is it out of the question. There is a decent gap on the GC, and that’s back to my own team mate. A little bit of support and no reason this can’t go all the way to London.
First things first and we were back onto the flat. Another chance for Luke to deliver on a nice run in to the teams’ home town of Stoke. The GB team were really on it throughout the day, trying to make sure they got a man into the break. It worked out in end, with a group of 5 getting away. Nothing threatening and they were easily pulled back in the final 15km to set up the finishing sprint.
Thwaites and Matt set it up nicely, and Rowe powered it home with relative ease to take another stage win. Frankly we were dominating this race again. The points haul from this race would secure our PCT status easily.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 02-12-2013 09:50
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Great to see the team get another stage win |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 02-12-2013 17:53
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Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 30: Tour of Britain, Part V
Day Five of the race was a rolling one. No major climbs to worry about but constantly up and down across the Peak District. We, as a team, would have to be awake to any dangerous moves and attacks. This is the classic example of day where someone good steals away unnoticed and lands the killing blow.
Through that attention and work we would then set up to deliver Luke to line again for what we expected as another stage victory. So we monitored the first attacks, shutting down several and trying to hand pick the days breakaway to suit out needs. Most teams were used to this by now and played ball so everything settled down about 40km in to the ride.
The breakaway was caught comfortably with around 15km left to ride and the front guys stepped the pace up to set up a sprint finish. I was sheltering in the bunch and could feel a shift in the peloton. The run in was a lot tighter and twistyer than I remembered with the peloton stringing out down the road more and more. Quickly I was falling backwards in dangerous territory, a split now and I could lose my race lead!
Fortunately no split came and I finished on two wheels safely inside the main pack. Up front Luke was beaten in the sprint, but still finished a strong second place. I wasn’t even going to ask what happened, partly It was my fault for being so far back. But equally I guessed Malcolm had said to focus on Luke… Not a can of worms I wanted to open up in the middle of a race.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 03-12-2013 03:22
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Karl survives another day |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 03-12-2013 12:56
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sutty68 wrote:
Karl survives another day
Yup, I'm just waiting for some backstabbing by Malcom.
Great ride by Karl, hopefully it will comfortable and easy from now on out.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 03-12-2013 13:01
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Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 31: Tour of Britain, Part VI
Stage Six kept the race heading south down the country and was again lumpy but not really hilly. Lots of rolling roads, up and down, with little time to rest and lots of danger. As a team we had picked Stage Seven out as something interesting so the plan for today was to let the breakaway win, provided we could hold onto the jersey.
We were going through the motions, chasing attacks trying to select the break. I noticed a couple of guys going away, Dowsett was one and Wiles was another. Both guys I had beaten in the Nationals and I thought I would be good to try and let them get away. Luckily no major threats tried joining that move, and I prayed one of them would get the stage victory.
The peloton was lead in by Rowe again 3 minutes behind the breakaway winners. Successful day, we had saved energy and kept the race lead nice and easily. My first thought was to find the stage winner, and luckily it turned out to have been Wiles. He stole away on the rolling roads late on and taken the win, just! I offered up my congratulations which he certainly appreciated.
Here I was, only a third year pro but this kid really enjoyed being sought out by me. It’s a pretty amazing feeling!
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| Ad Bot |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 03-12-2013 13:22
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Wasn't Wiles the unknown kid who worked together with Karl nearly to the end at obtaining the NC? Good to know that Karl never forgets a helpful hand along the way.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 03-12-2013 13:28
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Nice of Karl to not be too greedy and give the small fish a chance to score a major victory for them |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 03-12-2013 13:50
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At least the Overall lead stayed intact |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-12-2013 12:53
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@All - Act 1 is entering it's final scenes
Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 32: Tour of Britain, Part VII
Today was day we had picked out. It was pretty damn flat across the Fens, with some major direction changes late on. The flat lands and expected winds, when combined with the corners created the perfect breeding group for splits and echelons. Guess what we are thinking…
Break goes away, blah blah. Break is reeled in normally, blah blah. This race really is just turning into routine. So on to that finish and those right angles. The first we swing around and the peloton strings out into a long line. Those 50 or so riders down at the back are soon unhitched and gone. The next turn and another 10 are in trouble, another turn and another 10. Soon there’s only about 15km left to run and 50 or so riders in the front group.
Node4 lead the way charging into final next hairpin turn, from here it’s just sweepers to the finish line. I’m at the back of the line and start to brake… *snap*… my front brake cable gives way… Straight on into the grass at the edge of the road. The bike comes to a stop about 5 meters off the road surface, and quickly is swing it around to get back onto the end of the group.
Too slow…
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-12-2013 13:01
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Oh no !!!!, I wonder if the Team car will get to you in time |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 04-12-2013 13:14
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Trouble |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 04-12-2013 13:24
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Oh crap!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-12-2013 16:36
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 33: Tour of Britain, Part VIII
The back of the group is slipping away from me. “Malcolm, my brakes gone! I need a couple of guys to get me back with the lead group!” … silence… “Malcolm, please do this quickly” … silence…
Well fuck! Need I say more. The group slowly drags further and further away and my legs lose that bit more power, then a bit more… Twice I watch my Gold jersey slip away and there is nothing I can do about it. Twice I am powerless to alter the event unfolding… Not again… Not again… Dad…
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| Shonak |
Posted on 04-12-2013 22:24
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... *hold my breath*
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 05-12-2013 01:31
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Tour de France Champion
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Get a gun.............go round Malcolms house............and blow his head off |
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
