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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-05-2014 16:48
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Wonder what will happen at the line  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-05-2014 19:16
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 5: Santos, Part V
Everyone seemed to want his wheel so it was like a bunch sprint for 200m while it strung out. Various other riders made moves on the other side of the road and it was impossible to tell what the right place to be, or whether it was the right time to sprint. I stuck with Livshits and just pumped my legs to keep up.
At the 400m mark Haig burst forwards from the mess and opened up a gap as many people began to really suffer. Haas and Earle I could see leading the way behind. Slagter was puffing hard still. Boriani was just blown behind us. Ladin and I dug deep but it was useless. Neither of us are real climbers, just guys with big power and we had tapped it all.
Haig got his win and 7” gap to Haas and Earle. Konrad was 4th and Serry 5th. Ladin beat me to 6th place another 5” behind. Easily enough to hold our GC positions, and even jump Boriani who was a further 20” behind us. Short but explosive finish, and certainly a handy return to racing.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 05-05-2014 23:12
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No Win but still a Great effort from Karl  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 06-05-2014 09:35
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 6: Santos, Part VI
The 6 day race concluded with the traditional Crit around Adelaide. Fast paced but not frantic. Haig lapped up the home applause in Ochre, as did Earle alongside him in 3rd place overall. The sprint was again fought between Matthews and Ewan, with the Holden rider taking victory on the line. Ahlstrand finished a strong 3rd place to round off a good race for him.
I finished 5th overall, a tremendous achievement for a first race in over 2 years. I knew I was carrying some good form but did not think it was that good! Especially as I’m not a climber, so I don’t expect any repeats of GC performance for a while. Earned me a nice pay bonus from the team as well, so all in all a great couple of weeks down under.
From here it’s a bit of a break until the Vuelta a Andalucia at the end of February. So back to Sweden to keep training and finish off as much yearly planning for Higher Roads as possible. I said goodbye to Erik at the airport and Phil told me I would be good to see him around “Opening Weekend”. It really is great to be back.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-05-2014 11:06
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Tour de France Champion
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5th place is a great way to announce your comeback in to the pro peleton |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 06-05-2014 20:29
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@Sutty - Certainly making a statement
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 7: Rooftop
Natalie popped up to Linkoping a few days after I got back. She wanted to congratulate me on my performance. It was such a great surprise and made the first half of the week so much fun. I could show her a new batch of Erik photos, give her some more team and Higher Roads stuff to pass around. We also found a great new rooftop bar/restaurant down by Stångebrofältet.
Once Natalie had left I got back into a training routine. The few days break I would have had anyway and I was better to spend it doing things than just kind of hanging around. I was shifting further away from the long stamina building rides of last year and switching towards more powerful rides going over rougher terrain.
It was designed to build up my sprint strength and bike handling with the cobbles being a few weeks away. As a result I was switching between bikes as well, throwing in some CX routes to add variety and help the process. Most of the rest of the team were also busy topping of their training before the big season start, which was the Algarve for the team as a whole.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 06-05-2014 20:30
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-05-2014 00:10
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Tour de France Champion
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Its nice to see Karl really enjoying the training, i hope it has its benefits for him and sooner the better |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 07-05-2014 19:44
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 8: El Toro
Oranges and olives just plaster the hill sides of Andalucia. It’s such a stereotypical view but it is accurate. I loved this region even before I lived here, and having spent that time down here I really wanted to do well in the Vuelta a Andalucia. Lindau would co-lead with EBH, supported by myself, Breen, Lofkvist, Brugge, Kristian and van der Lijke.
Day 1, of the four, was a sprint stage. Classic stuff but we failed to get a man into the break. In the end it was won by Lobato. Day 2 followed a similar pattern except Brugge did get away in the break. This time it was Trentin who took the victory. On both occasions Kristian finished inside the Top15, which was a good result for him.
Day 3 was the first of two hilly ones. In the end a breakaway surprised all by hanging on to win by 47” from a group of 35 favourites and Verona taking the GC lead. Day 4 was a lot hillier, and a summit finish, so the racing was a lot tough. As a team we worked really hard to give Lindau a chance, and he did well finishing 3rd on the stage, and 7th overall. Verona hung on to take a shock title.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 08-05-2014 01:08
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Tour de France Champion
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Great that Lindau managed a top ten finish on the GC |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 08-05-2014 18:06
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 9: Vowels
Last time I raced the Omloop, all the way back in February 2015, it was won by Fabian Cancerllara. I placed in 22nd having finished in a bigish group of riders a few minutes behind. Back then it was a nice result to pick up as youngster making a name for himself. This year I carry the teams hopes and personally I think I can do really well.
Stybar kicked the action off on the Taaienberg and from there a string of attacks came continuously over the hilly part of the route. Coming up to the Molenburg, about 30km from the finish, the lead group was roughly 40 riders strong but with some serious names in it. It was Sagan who made the big move, along with Kristoff, Van Keirsbulck and 4 others including myself.
Over the climb the group of 7 had a 30” lead and there was enough cohesion to push ahead. With 10km to go the gap was steady at about 50”, and the chase was fragmenting. From 5km the games started with the weaker sprinters of Livshits and Vanmarcke attacking sporadically. It didn’t work as Sagan brought it home ahead of Van Keirsbulck and Gallopin. Tony just knocking me off the podium.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-05-2014 15:05
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 10: Consonants
Last time I race the KBK we struggled as a team, back with Motorola. It finished in a mass sprint where Cavendish took the honours. For the team we had Keough in 12th which wasn’t half bad. I was last man standing of a late attack with 7km to race before rolling in calmly hidden in the pack. KBK is not a serious cobbled race, unlike the Omloop.
Sobota went down the road early in a 6 man escape move. We hadn’t brought Ahlstrand so in case of a mass finish it was over to Johan to try his luck. I was here to follow any late moves, perhaps stir things up on an adjusted run in. This year three new cobbled sectors had been added between 65km and 20km to go, to try and add a little spice to what was becoming a bit of a predictable classic.
Indeed attacks came over the new cobbles, headed primarily by Vanmarcke and Van Keirsbulck. Over the middle section I tagged along for the ride, I make it sound easy, with the two of them as well as Gaudin and Vanspeybouck. We pulled around a minutes advantage coming off the final cobbles, but were no match the sprint teams behind. Demare victorious, Johan 9th, myself somewhere in the pack.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 09-05-2014 15:07
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 09-05-2014 23:08
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Tour de France Champion
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Karl put in a really great effort at Omloop |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-05-2014 20:17
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 8: Growing Up
Scene 11: Grand Prix
Le Samyn came a few days later, hosting enough cobble sections to cause some selection but it was expected as a reduced sprint rather than a hard man’s slog. Our line-up was unchanged from KBK, meaning Johan would try and hang in for a sprint while I went free-lance to mess around down the road.
As one of only a three WT teams in attendance we decided not to go in the break and instead work to chase along with QuickStep-Bayer and Amstel-Lotto. With about 50km to go we pulled the early break to around 30”, and ahead lay several cobbled sections. I told Sobota and Balck to up the pace, which stretched the peloton.
With about 40km to go I launched a move over a short climb quickly gapping the peloton. Apparently Quickstep and Amstel were going to wait as none of their specialists followed. Didn’t matter as I ploughed ahead, swiftly dispatching the breakaway. I can only imagine the big teams’ faces as they sprinted for 2nd place 45” behind me. Boy did they calculate that one wrong!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 11-05-2014 16:14
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Tour de France Champion
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Brilliant win for Karl  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-05-2014 20:31
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Tour de France Champion
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@Sutty - The first of his return! Big moment!
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 12: Blanca
West-Vlaanderen unfortunately clashed with Stade Bianche and my prep for Tirreno. The White Road classic is a spectacle to watch. The backdrop of Italian hills, woven with white strips of road, culminating in the historic town of Sienna is really something special. Doubt I will enjoy it as much in the dust.
Lindau was prescribed leader on the hilly parcours, with my role as alternate option/helper/whatever because of some good form. We slipped Guldhammer down the road nice and early to force pressure onto the teams with more favorites. The break was caught with 30km to race, and from there it was a constant stream of attacks and counters.
The final 5km rush towards Sienna was a contest between about 15 riders who made the selection, including Lindau and myself, alongside favorites like Moser, Sagan and Koch. It was sharply uphill into town and those big guns surged away, with Moser taking his 4th title in 6 years. Lindau was a solid 7th 12” behind, and I was 13th 24” down.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-05-2014 00:42
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Tour de France Champion
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It was always going to be tough for Karl against such Big names , still 13th was a pretty good result |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 12-05-2014 16:19
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 13: Coastal, Part I
Tirreno-Adriatico, or the Race of the Two Seas, is one I’m not sure of. I’m no real climber and this edition is leaning that way. I’m here to help and perhaps breakaway on the less climby days. Kelderman leads the team, supported by Guldhammer, Lindau, Bulgac, Assleman, Stake Laengen and Virtanen. Eyes for the GC, probably Top5 or 10.
Day 1 was a team time trial. Not a great area of the squad but we went to the task, finishing 15th over 1’00 behind. Day 2 was a simple sprint stage won by Kittel. Day 3 brought the first hills, 3 short sharp climbs inside the final 40km. It was fast and nervous over the bumps but Wilco came out safely, with Lindau sprinting to 3rd place on the stage. I also finished in the lead pack of 50ish.
Day 4 was back to the flat. I was allowed the freedom to attack and at the second attempt penetrated the break of the day. It was long day, over 200km, which would suit me and it was windy so my power would play a nice role towards the end, provided we could stay away. To facilitate this effort Assleman and Bulgac disrupted the chase as best they could.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 12-05-2014 16:31
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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Lets hope that Karls attack leads to more success for him |
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 12-05-2014 21:47
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Hey TheManxMissile, I am new guy on this forum. I was searching throught the Story section and I've seen that you're an admin, so I thought I'd comment on this story as you have some great PCM graphics and so long text walls over here.
It's so cool, great, I mean so, so great. I like these PCM pictures and all of these results, tables and stuff! I am glad that I am one of many followers of this great story! 
Edited by admirschleck on 12-05-2014 21:48
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 13-05-2014 17:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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@Sutty - Always hoping for more success for Karl
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 14: Coastal, Part II
Clearly they were doing something right, as with 20km to race the gap was holding steady at around 2’00. The wind and length were hindering the chase, and from here the roads became twistier and lumpier, yet more good news. Without much thought I upped the pace on a climb to see who had what left.
Not a lot was the answer as I accidently cut loose Malacarne, Hurel and Favilli. Sucks for them, but I’ve got a job to do. With me still were old teammate Valls and De Marchi, so we knuckled down to the task at hand of staying away. With 10km to go the gap had fallen, but only to 1’30, and victory was now a real possibility.
They knew I was the best sprinter and in turn placed attacks over the next 5km or so. Each time I was content to stick my pace and pull them back. So with 3km to race, and gap of 45” behind, I placed my own acceleration and left them for dust. Victory number two of my return, and my first ever World Tour win. Nice!
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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)
