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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 13-05-2014 17:08
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Tour de France Champion
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Karl is certainly getting a name for himself with these performances  |
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 13-05-2014 17:10
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Classics Specialist
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Great result for Karl, certainly bringing in some (I assume) much needed points for the team. Though I'm getting a little scared, where's the drama? There's always something Dramatic at some point in an act, but where is it here? What might happen? 
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 03:39
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 16-05-2014 14:21
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@Sutty - It's certainly going very well at the moment
@Dippo - It's Tirreno, rankings are not a real thing yet. I said this Act would be racing focused... so he's probably going to be shot 
@ALL - Slightly slower pace. I used up most of my pre-written stuff to get through exams, so i need to take some time over the weekend to stack scenes up again. Hopefully we'll be back to normal next week.
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 15: Coastal, Part III
Days 5 and 6 would be over to Wilco. Both featured summit finishes and would probably decide the GC ahead of the final days sprint finish. He was ready for the challenge coming of a relatively good early season set of results, but even so the likes of Aru, Quintana, Ulissi and Nibali would not make anything easy.
It kicked off early as outside favorites Villella and Cattaneo made long moves to gain time causing high paces behind. I dropped backwards about an hours ride from the line, leaving Wilco with Guldhammer and Assleman as his best help. All the big names pushed hard on the final climb as Aru took a win. Wilco ended Day 5 9th place 44” down, and in 11th GC over 2’00 behind once bonuses were added in.
The next day was calmer, with a big peloton of around 80-90 reaching the base of the final climb together. Quintana rode like a madman to win solo by 1’12 back to Aru and Formolo. Wilco had a better day to finish 5th place 1’38 down and climb up to 6th GC at 3’42 behind Quintana. A great effort from him.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 16-05-2014 14:28
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice that Wilco is climbing the GC |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-05-2014 10:09
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 16: Coastal, Part IV
Marcel Kittel took honours on the final day from the mass sprint finish on the Adriatic coast. There were no GC changes, making Tirreno a great race for the team. Between Wilcos good GC and my stage win we’d accumulated a great amount of rankings points to ease some pressures down the line.
I would have a short break before the Dwars Door Vlaanderen and major classics. So it was on a short flight north back home. I’d been on the road for a while now and I was missing Linkoping, which I didn’t think would happen. Actually I took a detour via Malmo first to catch up with Henig at Higher Roads first event of the season.
Just a smallish weekend event based out of a hotel where people can come and talk to us. We were hosting a few presentations as well, so it was basically a sort of conference. After that was finished Henig and I went to meet up with Natalie and some of her friends before going out for the evening.
“You know Karl, I’m pretty convinced she’s got a thing for you. And, now don’t get angry with me, I’m pretty convinced you’ve got a thing for her as well. Tell you what, I’ll go fishing…”
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 17-05-2014 10:23
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Team Leader
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Page by page, post by post - you're getting some serious problems with finding the image you didn't already use and that will suit the report.
Yes, that's all I have to comment as I missed few episodes and I don't have much time to catch up. Will soon come up with something better than this one and "new user" comments, hopefully. 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 17-05-2014 22:13
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Tour de France Champion
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I wouldn't blame Karl if he did have something for Natalie  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 18-05-2014 15:35
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Tour de France Champion
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@Admir - You underestimate my collection of Smulders/Portman pictures
@Sutty - That can mean two things
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 17: Doors, Dwarfs and Ned
The race across Flanders is the final testing ground before the major classics. This means all the big classics riders try and attend, partly because it’s still a prestigious race but partly to see what form the rest are in. Since 2014 the winner here had gone on to win Paris-Roubaix, like Vanmarcke from 2017.
It was a cagey day with probing moves up the Kattenberg, Valkenberg and Knoteberg. Finally it was Gallopin who gave it a real move up the Oude Kwaremont. It tore up the leading pack making a selection including Vanmarcke, Sagan, Kristoff, Van Kiersbulck, Stybar, myself and Thomas. Over the Paterberg we pulled further away as a group setting up a fun finish.
The lesser sprinters of Vanmarcke, Van Kiersbulck and Stybar each tried some attacks but they weren’t successful. Kristoff lead out the sprint, but Sagan used his experience to negotiate past on the line with Thomas edging me out about 20m further back. We were all pretty even on the cobbles, which doesn’t bode well for my chances.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 18-05-2014 22:33
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Tour de France Champion
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I think you know which one i mean  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 19-05-2014 17:52
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 18: Four, Part I
First of the Quartet is E3 Prijs. The outward journey was dominated by a breakaway headlined by former star Terpstra. Exiting Brakel there gap was only a couple of minutes and the pace stepped up as Bayer-QuickStep took charge for their leader in Van Kiersbulck. Coming into the Taaienberg Boom, Gallopin and Phinney attacked away.
Long way to go so the response was slow burn rather than rapid chase. Hitting the Paterberg their advantage was 1’05, not big but outside of the comfort zone. Terpstra was working with them as well just to make things trickier. I realised things weren’t just going to happen without some help, so I pressed up the Kwaremont. Behind riders started to crack.
Cresting the Tiegemberg the Quartet held 45” over myself, Van Kiersbulck and Degenkolb. A further 45” back was a group of 8 with Vanmarcke. The three groups duelled hard over the final 15km, but winds stayed strong giving the win to Taylor Phinney. I out sprinted Degenkolb for another 4th place 28” down. The third group was led by Sagan over 30” behind us.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 21-05-2014 21:34
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 19: Four, Part II
Second of the Quartet is Gent-Wevelgem. Classically a race more for the sprinters so my role is to act as a foil to Ahlstrand late on. The breakaway did it’s usual thing early on, going away and then slowly pulled back. The group of 12 were reeled in just before the Monteberg, setting up an interesting series of climbs.
Outside favourites tried moves on the first passes of the climbs, but to no avail. Then second time over the Monteberg Stybar made a real move. He was teamed up with Galloping and Thomas as they made serious threats to go away. The Kemmelberg was hit fast to keep the gap to a minimum, and coming down it the front of the race came back together.
Unfortunately Ahlstrand wasn’t there and I was in not real position to attack. A group of 30 contested a sprint finish in Wevelgem, with Arnaud Demare reigning victorius ahead of Degenkolb and Sagan. An anonymous finish for me, but it’s all saving energy for the upcoming Ronde and Roubaix showdowns.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 21-05-2014 23:54
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Another great day out for Karl at E3 Prijs
And a pity Karl wasn't able to help Ahlstrand due to him missing the break at Gent-Wevelgem |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 25-05-2014 23:31
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@ALL - Sorry i havn't been running at a normal speed recently. Got caught up clearing my final deadline for the academic year (bloody big 6000 word report) meaning i havn't had the chance to do any writing for a couple of weeks. As of Tuesday we should be back on track with some great great things. #Scene200
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 26-05-2014 15:59
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Tour de France Champion
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Hope the 6000 words will be worth it |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 28-05-2014 11:30
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@Sutty - Absolutely not worth it but that's for another thread...
@ALL - Does mean i am totally free now! So expect the pace to pick up for the next few weeks as i attempt to finish this story before i start summer work
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 20: Four, Part III
Third of the Quartet is Ronde Van Vlaanderen. This is a huge race, possibly the biggest in Belgium. Jumping right into the thick of the action, going over Taaienberg with the break caught and a lead pack of 60ish riders. The Taaienberg was becoming a popular place for attacks, so I was right at the front as the road went skywards.
For the first time this campaign Livshits showed himself with a big attack. Full on sprinting up the climb, cresting at least 20” ahead of 12 chasers. Reaching the Koppenberg Livshits extended to 40” and my chase groups shrunk to 7 other riders. We’d lost Gallopin and Thomas but still had Sagan and Vanmarcke and Van Kiersbulck.
Ladin was a man possessed ahead, and my group kept shrinking. Coming off the Paterberg for the final time he was 38” ahead, and it was myself with Vanmarcke, Van Kiersbulck and Stybar. It was manic chase into Oudenaarde catching Livshits under the kite! Stybar kicked it off first, I waited. And waited. And...
Then the line, victory for Karl Hammarling!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 28-05-2014 15:25
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Tour de France Champion
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Brilliant victory for Mr Hammarling |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 29-05-2014 21:15
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 21: #200
“Hey! It’s on, it’s on! 20km to go getting towards the Carrefour de l’Arbre. Van Keirsbulck crashed out on the Arenberg and Kristoff went down with Stybar, Boom and a couple of others over the Mons-en-Pevele. It’s practically a war out there in the rain and wind. I can’t believe you almost missed this to stay on and train”
“Shut up and pass me the wine. Look little Erik, it’s your Daddy! There he is on the tv doing his job, making Mummy so proud. You think he can win this Phil?”
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“GO GO GO! You’ve got to be at least a little interested Hannah. I know things didn’t end well but come one this is special. He is going to win if he can hold the pace.”
“Fine Dad I’ll watch the finish. It’s just hard… Makes me think he made the right choice and that he didn’t love me like I love him…”
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“YES! YES! YYYEEEEESSSS!!! Karl you are a beautiful man! The double is so cool! The second he gets back I’m… I’m… I am gonna jump him so goddamn hard…”
@ALL - 200 scenes of the revitalized story! Did not imagine this being so long but it's just so much fun to write. Thank to everyone who follows and your loyalty will be rewarded as things ramp upwards over these final Acts. (Didn't plan to have this fall on PR, it just kind of happened)
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 29-05-2014 22:54
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Tour de France Champion
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200 scenes and all have been nicely written and truly enjoyed , really looking forward to the Final acts |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 31-05-2014 18:59
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Tour de France Champion
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@Sutty - Thanks
Act 8: Resurrection
Scene 22: Sweet Reward
That was quite simply the toughest day on a bike I’ve ever had. It just rained and rained and rained all day and the wind… just the weather in general was a nightmare. To pull away and solo to a win really took everything I had in my tank, I havn’t been walking properly since the finish. But that Cobblestone could not be a better reward.
I put it in pride of place on the shelf in my living room for all to see, right next to the pictures of my Dad and my Mum. Henig, Christie and the rest of the Higher Roads team all came by to say congrats, as has Magnus who was the last Swede to win the race. Natalie is coming up in a few days, she waited to stack some holiday time together.
For me it’s time to get some rest in. Roughly three weeks of recovery before starting the 4 Jours at the start of May. Some of that time will be spent resting, some training, some with Higher Roads, basically just normal stuff. May will have to be a good month for me if I want to make the Tour team, no dramas!
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| Jesleyh |
Posted on 31-05-2014 19:06
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Tour de France Champion
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Wow, great season for him!
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
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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)
