@krisa Yeah, I started this with an equipment problem. Luckily, Jesleyh could fix it. (Thanks again, btw)
@Ollfardh I agree, they're a great team with those transfers. Already looking at a few nice talents (*cough* Van Asbroek *cough*, *cough* Benoot *cough*) for next year.
@Sutty Are you not following him on twitter? You should know by now that he's great on a unicycle. (Probably not true, just wanted to say that, just to be sure )
So here we are, my first race with Lotto. A hilly stage in my only "home" race this season, no better way to get things started! I may or may not try something, it will depend on my feelings, how the team's doing and what the big names like Ulissi or Westra are up to.
The stage started just outside of Bitam, with the first guys attacking straight away. Nothing awfully interesting though, so everybody remained calm in the peleton.
I really enjoyed being teamleader - I had team mates around me at the front of the pack throughout the first part of the stage.
The guys even did some work for me, though the break never seemed a real danger.
Suddenly, there was a mid-stage attack. Nobody big in it, but you never know. Hivert was probably the biggest name in there. We kept the pace high, but no point wasting everybody way before the finale.
The reached the breakaway quickly, and worked well with them. With these sort of moves you just never know...
Suddenly, with 20km to go, Katusha refused to set a pace. Since Lotto was the only team left working, I attacked! I knew it would be hard, but with the break looking like it might just succeed, I didn't want to wait for the sprint and possibly sacrifice all my chances for the GC already.
I GOT.... caught. I kept a solid gap of 20 seconds or so for 15 kilometres, but when the favourites decided to seriously up the pace, I got caught soon. The situation was chaotic though, because the front 12 or so kept splitting from the bunch. 5 kilometres to go....
As soon as I was caught, the favourites didn't want to do anything. So I went again! Nearly there...
I got caught on the line. Especially frustrating, because I finished 11th. Ah well, at least I scored some sort of points. Up front, the race was won by Hivert, followed by Rubiano. Ulissi sprinted for third from the pack. Hivert holds 1'43" on all the main contenders, including me, so long range attacks will more than likely be needed to get it back.
To have his first race for his new team already in his home country must be quite great. And Simphi really showed himself there, local crowd must be proud of him already.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
@Jesleyh Yes, it was. At least he was active and showing himself in front of home crowds.
@Shonak My thoughts exactly!
@Martial That'd be perfect, would get him off to a great start at Lotto.
@Sutty Agreed. These are really only helpers though, none of the top team have their seasons started yet. Hoping to build a little momentum before, I suppose.
I have to say, reading back on the report, I'm not overly happy. Too little coverage of the action, IMO. Will try and do it better for stage 2.
Today we have a semi-flat circuit around the town of Yaounde. The bookies think the sprinters will win, Bennett being considered top favourite. I do think however that the race could also be decided by a late attack. I can try either, though I'm inclined to attack rather than sit it out till the sprint, simply to claw back some time for the GC.
Broeckx opens the race, attacking from the block. He was later joined by Arango, to form the break of the day. The fought out the mountain points fiercely, but sadly the Colombian came out on top twice, compared to Stig's once, so no polka dot jersey for Lotto (for now).
Suddenly, Morkov attacked. Everybody was baffled, what was he doing? Shouldn't he be waiting for the sprint? Why does he attack about half way through the race then? You can say what you want, but he's got guts anyway. He was joined by Gaudin, and both set of in pursuit of the BotD.
Still, everybody kept calm, as they were never out of control. One by one the guys up front got caught, Stig too. Here you can see me having a chat with Alaphillipe, another first year WT pro. Very interesting to see how similar and yet so different things are handled at OPQS.
As the last surviving escapee, Arango, was caught, I decided to make a move. Maybe it was just because of the roaring of the crowds, but I was at the front of the race, we were crossing the big climb for the last time, and the pace was slowing. I gritted my teeth together and gave it my all, I wouldn't be waiting for the sprint today!
Over the top of the climb, I had a solid, though not huge gap. Maybe 20-30 seconds with 5 kilometres remaining. I felt it, I could do it today!
It looks like little, but on the last little hill, my gap was closer to thirty than to twenty seconds. Now it was a straight road to the finish, I really had to give it my all!
Nearing the flamme rouge, my gap was growing! The other teams were having problems organising the pursuit! I wasn't just riding for the stage win now, I was trying to gain as much time as possible for the GC.
I raised my arms to the sky, I did it! What a way to start my time at Lotto! Now I was counting the seconds, wondering how much time I could take...
48 SECONDS! Not enough to take the GC, but I moved up to second and took the youth jersey. Ligthart sprinted for second, to try and steal the bonus seconds from Hivert, but to no use. The Belkin rider secured second and is looking good in the points classification. However, because Hivert is already in the yellow jersey, I will wear the green jersey tomorrow!
Another hilly stage today, and again it leads the peleton from Bitam to Ebolowa. This one however isn't so hilly during the stage, but ends on a steep hill. So really, it's a stage made for me. Maybe I can distance Hivert on the final climb to take a few more seconds off him?
Since I was second in the points classification, and Hivert was already wearing the yellow jersey, I got to wear the purple jersey of the points classification and start from the front row. What a privilige in my first race for Lotto, I think I'm really showing them why they signed me so far.
We were the main team doing the pacing, to keep the breakaway back, which contained dangermen like Nuyens and Gaudin. Really don't want to give them much space.
Things staid calm, until Ulissi and Gavazzi tried something from about twenty kilometres out. We upped the chasing effort immediately, but they could still keep a gap of about twenty seconds. Before long, they caught up to the breakaway. This might be dangerous...
Not long after, the big names went. GC leader Hivert, white jersey (though I actually lead the classification) Jungels as well as Orica's Simon Clarke attacked. I was caught behind a little, but soon set off in pursuit.
I had quickly passed Gavazzi, who obviously wasted too much energy too soon, and joined up with Nuyens. Together we tried to catch up to the front group of the three attackers and Ulissi. Nuyens was really on his last legs though, so I took over the bulkload of the work.
As soon as we hit the finishing hill, I distanced Nuyens, who was completely spent. Up front, the tempo seemed to drop a little. The game of cat and mouse had begun. Maybe, if I put in a big sprint, I could catch them?
I was getting closer, but the finishing line was already in sight. It would be a close one!
I managed to overtake the leaders, but I was completely empty. Could I still hold up my effort for the last 100 metres?
Yes, I could! I just about managed to stay ahead of Clarke, and make it two out of two. Hivert finished last from the group, and so didn't get any bonus seconds. I now still have 47 seconds to make up on him on four mostly flat days.
