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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-12-2013 17:53
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Tour de France Champion
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Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 2: New Dawn
Fucking hell 2015 came up fast! Snow like I have not seen since I was little back in Sweden. Thick blankets cover the open spaces and most of the rural roads. So training came to an almost abrupt stop, save for the rollers in the flat. That was back a couple of weeks before Christmas, which was different. Before I’d either been living at home or with Phil. This was my first one alone.
Took the time to look back on a crazy year. The highs of the wins, the lows of confrontation, and the depths of those days in Munich. It was one hell of year from start to finish. Looking ahead and 2015, I hope, should be simpler. New team and new races to learn. Speaking of the new team, the official presentation is just into this New Year and I’m looking forward to it immensely.
This year will be new and uplifting. I’ve worked out new training programme with the team doctors, it’s a lot more specific and scientific than my old ones at Node4. New races to target, as yet undecided but I will be going for wins. New Year, New Country, New Home, New Me and a New Dawn!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 00:00
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Tour de France Champion
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Lets hope that 2015 turns out to be a turning point in Karl's career and brings lots of victories and success  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-12-2013 13:25
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 3: Presentation
For the team presentation Motorola booked out a couple of conference rooms in a hotel in central Chicago. It wasn’t the biggest presentation, but was bigger than anything I experienced with Node4. All the local and regional news came along, as well as several of the bigger national sports broadcasters. Doesn’t matter what the sport, the Americans will put it on air because they can make some money.
My new Team Manager was Rudy who took on most of the presentation duties. He split some of them with head DS Garry Stark, who had been a mid-level pro on the national level in the States. The big points of the day were the release our jersey, a stylish blue-red affair based off the old Motorola jersey, and of the release of the squad. I had been told the names a couple of weeks before, but this was the first time we were all together in one place.
The full 2015 roster: Karl Hammarling, Fred Rodriguez, Jake Keough, Kiel Reijnen, Ed King, Chris Baldwin, Luke Keough, Nathan Brown, Jakob Rathe, Evan Huffman, Yukiya Arashiro, Fumi Beppu, Yukihiro Doi, Chris Meier, Hugo Houle, David Boily, Moises Aldape, Greg Brenes, Andrey Amador, Rafael Valls, David Drazeta, Dominik Kucharik, Scott Reynolds
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-12-2013 13:37
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Tour de France Champion
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Some awesome names in the squad! Amador, Valls, Boily, Houle, Arashiro. And, of course, Karl! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 14:50
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Liking the sound of the squad and the jersey looks Great  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-12-2013 21:15
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 4: Objectives
The majority of the squad is from the States, with a good few from close by Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica. There are a few of us from Europe but certainly in the minority. The UCI did give the team a Pro Continental licence which opens up a lot of exciting possibilities in terms of available races.
The team will be taking part in all major US races and several smaller National Tour events. The Americas are a big focus but Europe is the heartland and there will be plenty of action of there. In terms of World Tour applications, there are only a couple for the team. Applications going towards Pologne, Eneco, La Vuelta and the Canadian Classics.
My focus will be around the early European cobbles to start with, then the US National series races in the summer building up to the Nationals. After I successfully defend my title in June there isn’t much thought, but probably build towards the Canadian Classics and late season races of that variety. I’m very excited about this new season!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 22:58
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Tour de France Champion
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Sounds like an exciting season on the road ahead  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-12-2013 11:47
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Tour de France Champion
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Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 5: Perks
Whilst some of the team head down to Argentina soon for the San Luis season opener, I’m staying on back in Chicago to carry on training before the real season starts. Most of the time is spent working on the Rollers due to the weather, but when it is possible to get out the miles are being blasted out. My early season fitness is going to be considerably better than ever before.
I have been having a few problems adjusting to life in the States. Differences in language I still get wrong, with the occasional hilarious outcome. One night I was out in a bar with Jakob and Scott and I asked the girl at the next table if she had a rubber. Rubber does not mean the same here as it does in Europe.
Scott and Jakob cracked up when they saw her face. They were rapidly silenced when I walked home with her. British accent is apparently incredibly sexy in the States. That I could get used to…
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| Ad Bot |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 11-12-2013 11:49
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Tour de France Champion
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Sounds like Karl's accent is going to have some benefits |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 11-12-2013 11:51
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Tour de France Champion
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Oh dear, never ask for a rubber  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-12-2013 16:06
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Tour de France Champion
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Joined: 12-05-2012
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@Ian - Something i have learned through actual experience
Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 6: Mile High
Passport control is the Devils greatest creation. Never before have I been as murderous as when passing through flaming passport control. A nice hour of standing in a line for the Security official to take less than one whole glance at the passport and wave you through. I am going to stab someone if I don’t get out of the airport soon. However, much quicker than pretty much everyone else on the squad who can’t use the EU fast-track lines, not so smug now are they.
Motorola really are a step up in the world. The kit and equipment are state of the art and they helped me out with the gorgeous apartment. Now they also deal with flights, and it’s top classes the whole way! Node4 it was always fairly budget airlines to zip around Europe but now with these Atlantic crossings it’s First Class baby! So comfy and spacious, and the food was pretty decent.
Highlight of the trip so far has to be Stewardess Tracy. Americans do love them an English accent, and a successful sportsman, and someone who is obviously witty and handsome.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 11-12-2013 16:47
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice to know that there are some good benefits with the new team |
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| brewers90 |
Posted on 11-12-2013 16:55
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Classics Specialist
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When I imagine Karl, I think Magnus Backstedt
Big, bald guy with weird Swedish-British accent. Why wouldn't the ladies like that shit.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 11-12-2013 17:28
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Directeur Sportif
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A bit late, but i really like both the squad and the shirt for Karl's new team! A good choice, that should make for a good experience for this womanizer
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-12-2013 15:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 7: Mainly on the Plains
My season opener is the Vuelta a AndalucÃa, a four day event in AndalucÃa, Spain. A race with a good reputation and always attracts a decent startlist. The Motorola squad is to be led by Valls and Amador. Andrey is the stronger rider but he’s been struggling with a Cold and his form is questionable. Valls is looking strong coming into the season but even so his aims are muted to a Top20 result.
For me it’s just a way to get back into the mind set of riding in the peloton again following the winter break. I’m aiming for the cobbled and one-day races after this race and into March, so basically working for the leaders. I have no interest in attacking or breaking away and will just aim to find my racing legs and hang on to main groups, especially as the race is focused on climbing.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-12-2013 19:53
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 8: Vuelta a Andalucia
It’s so nice to go racing in Southern Europe, the roads are pan flat and the weather is sunny and warm. Plus, if you’re quick enough, free Oranges direct from the trees. The middle of the peloton is a very different place if you bring along some fresh oranges to share. Equally the sight of a rider trying to wipe juice from their chin at 40mp/h is incredible.
The whole four day event was pretty relaxed, if you hadn’t guessed. Obviously there were the serious moments, forming the breaks and then the finales, but overall it was nice way to ease back into the racing. Rafael did the team well and hung to a strong 18th place overall, and Andrey got over his Cold to win the final day and finish 20th overall.
Probably would have been enough of an excuse to hit a cheap bar if not for the short time between races. We were off the bikes and straight onto a train towards France and beyond. Next up is the Belgian opening weekend of Omloop and KBK. Big races with big names. If I can go well here then I can go well almost anywhere.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-12-2013 23:02
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Looking forward to some nice racing in Belgium, hope Karl is up for it |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 13-12-2013 11:59
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 2: Paved with Good Intentions
Scene 9: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Belgium can learn some lessons from Spain. It should just be sunny. The grey drizzle of a classic north European winter morning does not make for great moods in a peloton. It was going to be a long and muddy day of racing over tough cobbles and climbs. For most teams this signalled the true start of the season, and going well here was a good sign for the coming months.
Things began strongly for the team as Rathe penetrated the breakaway for the majority of the day. Of course the big teams of Quickstep and Philips were all over the chase and it was all back together for fireworks on the true cobbles sections.
Cancellara just dominated proceedings to comfortably win the race ahead of the ever developing Sagan and Kristoff. My feelings of early season form have been born out here as I could hang onto the first big group of riders to finish 22nd. Nothing headline grabbing but a lot better than was perhaps expected of me and the team.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 13-12-2013 13:11
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Tour de France Champion
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Finishing 22nd is a good result for Karl considering the strength of the opposition |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 13-12-2013 13:39
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Classics Specialist
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22nd seems like a good start for Karl, let's see what he can do in Kuurne. Also who did Phillips replace?
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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)
