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Jack O'Connor | Filling Big Footsteps
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-01-2014 13:14
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Classics Specialist
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Prologue:
Coming to an ending II of II
Sam Bennett:
Since we were looking for another guy for our sprint train, the first thing we did was just some flat out sprinting. I was in there, going at 80-90 %, just to give the managers some real judgement of how good the others were. I was expecting an easy sprint, but suddenly this guy came up on the left with some incredible speed, an actually beat me to it. I couldn't believe it. That's when I knew, they'd have to sign this guy. Only after the try out did I realise that I knew that guy from younger years, and that I thought he had a deal in his pocket with one of the British teams. Anyway, that's how Jack joined An Post!
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| knockout |
Posted on 06-01-2014 14:07
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Grand Tour Champion
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And the future shines bright again for Jack. I hope it last longer this time..
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 07:09
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| Shonak |
Posted on 06-01-2014 14:09
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Good to see Jack already impressed Sam. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-01-2014 17:21
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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The future now looks rosey for Jack |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 07-01-2014 15:15
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
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@knockout I hope it does. Then again, another doping case would make it really interesting, wouldn't it...? 
@Shonak Yeah, hopefully he can impress a few others too soon. 
@Sutty It sure does.
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 07-01-2014 19:17
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
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January 2nd
Getting Started
Today i had my first meeting with the Staff at An Post. They told me i will be in their group number 1, alongside Sam Bennet, Nico Eeckhout, Pieter Ghyllebert, Mark McNally and Steven van Vooren. I will be in this group until the end of july; after that the staff will evaluate my performances and we'll see if i'm doing good enough to stay in that group. My main jobs will be helping Sam, Niko and Pieter in the sprints, but i hope i'll get a few chances to go for my self, since i believe i'm close enough to them to deliver well.
Our main objectives will be the belgian weekend of Omloop het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, the two three day races of De Panne and West-Flanders, the Tour Doon Hame, Halle-Ingooigem, the An Post Ras, the Grand Prijs Jef Scherens, and the Tour de l'Eurometropole, to name a good few. My whole calendar will look as such:
Spoiler January:
NZ Cycle Classic
February:
Tour of Qatar, Tour of Oman, Omloop, K-B-K, Le Samyn
March:
Three Days of West-Flanders, Kattekoers, Nokere Koerse, Handzame Classic, Dwars door Vlaandern, Three Days of De Panne, Volta Limburg Classic
April:
Maldon Dengie Tour, Scheldeprijs, Tour Doon Hame, De Brabantse Pijl,
May:
Tour of the Reservoir, Lincoln GP, Tour Series Round 1, Neuseen Classics, An Post Ras
June:
Tour Series Round 10, Halle-Ingooigem
July:
Beaumont Trophy, GP of Wales, Ryedale GP
Hopefully:
August:
Dutch Food Valley Classics, Ronde van Midden-Nederland, Druivenkoers Overijse, World Ports Classic
September:
GP Jef Scherens, Paris-Brussels, GP of Wallonia, GP Impanis, Bucks County Classic, Tour de l'Eurometropole
Oktober:
Binche-Tournai-Binche
Cursiv Races are races i'll be free element or domestique
Bold Races are races i'll either lead or co lead
Underlined Races are races i'm absolute leader for. This is my big goal of the season, the An Post Ras. Sam said he'd work for me there if i'd help him more in europe, since it's also his home race and he didn't want to sacrifice his chances to easily.
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| Shonak |
Posted on 07-01-2014 22:56
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Sounds like a good teammates alongside each other. Hope Jack's roommate doesn't snore.
Digging the racing schedule, some sweet events are up for Jack and I'm sure he can show his talents in more than a few of those. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 08-01-2014 13:33
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
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@Shonak Yeah, there sure are a few good races there. Especially the Ras should be great, as leader in front of home crowds.
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 09-01-2014 18:56
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
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January 3rd
First Training
We landed in New Zealand today for our first and probably last training camp of the season, with our A-Team and our Kiwis present. Since it's all the rage in the other blogs you see in the internet, also on teams websites, and Kurt is always for trying new ways of managing us, we weren't just training out there, we were constantly monitored, making stats so that we can be easily compared. I was in great pre-season form, since I had been training for the try outs, and being able to conserve some of the form, but I was still really shocked to have come out on top. My cobbling and my fighter skills aren't in there yet, since there was no chance to go on the former in New Zealand, whereas the latter can only be judged in-race. I hope for our next monitoring schedule, hopefully sometime in July, i'll have a full set of stats, and also have improved a little. I'm getting really excited ahead of my first ever pro race, but first we have the NC's scheduled.
The whole team
My profile
Full-out sprinting. I'm on the far left
Going on the hills - this time i'm on the very right.
Edited by Dippofix on 09-01-2014 19:01
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| Shonak |
Posted on 09-01-2014 18:58
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Zero cobble, zero fighter?
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 09-01-2014 18:59
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
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@Shonak
Dippofix wrote:
My cobbling and my fighter skills aren't in there yet, since there was no chance to go on the former in New Zealand, whereas the latter can only be judged in-race.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 09-01-2014 19:00
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Thats a nice looking calendar for Jack
And hope the training went well in New Zealand |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 09-01-2014 19:03
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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Oh yeah, must have overread that part. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| mvhoogdalem |
Posted on 09-01-2014 20:47
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Jack seems a bit overpowered for An Post, but at least he will be competitive a lot. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-01-2014 08:38
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Tour de France Champion
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Exciting for Jack to join the Irish/Belgian team
Nice stats to lead in most races he wants to!
Bet he can learn a lot from Eeckhout! |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 10-01-2014 12:51
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
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@Shonak No problem.
@Sutty Yeah, hopefully Jack can do something in the british races.
@mvhoogdalem He's not that OP either, and it's just not that much fun playing as a shitty rider who takes forever to evolve in to something different.
@Ian Hopefully a bit of leadership in the smaller races too, yeah. And Eeckhout should be a great mentor for young Jack, with all his experience, and still doing well.
On an other note, how can i change An Post (as in the sponsor) to Irish? Because at the moment they're listed as Belgian, which simply isn't right, eventhough it's where the team is registered. So what all do i need to change?
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| Shonak |
Posted on 10-01-2014 12:56
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15615
Joined: 16-07-2013
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I think it's recommended to this in off-season but of course it works during a career too. You might have to wait until the next month to see the change take place.
Change in DYN_team the fkID_country to 31 IRL
Change in DYN_sponsor the fkID_region to 31
Lastly change in DYN_sponsor_regions the region that it important to the sponsor (goal-wise) to 31 as well.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 10-01-2014 12:59
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
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Okay, thanks.
I'll probably edit it in the off season, since it's nothing too urgent, it's just kind of annoying getting the "The team needs more Belgians" thing.
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 10-01-2014 13:48
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
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January 5th
An Post announce double signing
Today Irish continental outfit An Post - Chainreaction Cycles have announced the signing of two young talents. The first is a rider widely regarded as the next big british climber, Adam Yates, son of former pro Sean Yates. The second is a little less known, but Irish Sprints and Classics specialist Phillip Lavery is not a knew face at An Post. The 22 year old was with An Post - Sean Kelly for the 2011 season, before transfering to Node 4 - Giordana last season. His contract was not prolonged there, so he was searching for a new team, which he has now found.
Edited by Dippofix on 10-01-2014 13:48
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 10-01-2014 14:12
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
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Awesome signings |
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