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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 16-11-2014 23:05
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Tour de France Champion
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It was only a bad moment  , you'll get over it |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-11-2014 19:53
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 6: Emotion, Part I
The next trio of stages were flat days to end in sprints. Ludvigsson would make the break on Stage 5 but otherwise the team was protecting Wilco and trying to help Ahlstrand contest the finishes. Stage 5 to Reims was won by Bouhanni, with Ahlstrand 8th. Stage 6 to Montargis was won by Demare, who also took the Points lead on this stage.
Stage 7 was a run from Montargis to Gueugnon. It was bit lumpier than the precceeding days and by the end of the day it was being felt in many legs. Lindau and Ludvigsson put down huge efforts in the final kilometers to get Ahlstrand onto Demare's wheel for the final straight.
Arnaud opened up the sprint late, staying behind Senechal until the final moments. Ahlstrand managed to stick with him and pushed himself hard. A huge track style lunge for the line and he managed to get the wheel in front! Ahlstrand wins Stage 7.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:57
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 17-11-2014 23:05
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Good win from Ahlstrand  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 18-11-2014 17:55
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 7: Emotion, Part II
That was the teams first Grand Tour stage win and it felt great to be a part of it. It felt less great whenever I rubbed my side on something, but great none the less. But it is the nature of the Tour that you cannot dwell and we were back on the bike for Station des Rousses before you could draw breath.
Ex-teammate Valls won the stage from a breakaway which was great for him. Quintana went on the attack to gain back some of the time he'd lost and that was bad news for Wilco. The late accelerations dropped him and he slipped down out of the Top20.
The joy of yesterdays stage win was already lost as the moment passes away. Added to that a week of fast and hot racing and exhaustion was kicking in. The tiredness starts to mess with you. Sleep doesn't come easily on the soft and shitty hotel matresses. The cocktail of adrenaline, tiredness and pain would make my head spin.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:56
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 18-11-2014 18:07
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Tour de France Champion
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Bad news for Wilco  |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 18-11-2014 18:28
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Grand Tour Champion
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Great win for Ahlstrand, shame about Wilco
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 19-11-2014 21:49
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 8: Emotion, Part III
Stage 9 took us into the high mountains for the first time. No secret this was my least favorite terrain, but it was the key factor in these races. Wilco would now command the team and he set about by making clear we would leave as much work to the bigger teams as possible. Those of Quintana, Pinot and Froome.
In one of his last Grand Tours Alberto Contador was the big name in the breakaway, which would also include Bulgac. I took some of the early responsibilities by fetching bottles and doing some light pace setting. But as soon as the road went upwards I made no efforts to stay high up. I didn't have the energy to give.
Wilco would stay amongst the favorites group and finish 5th on the stage. His battle had just begun, as had the teams. Personally I was wondering how long I would last. The wounds on my left side weren't healing properly yet and with no sights of personal glory I just wanted to pack it in. Take some time and head home. Hopefully the rest day would be quiet.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:56
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 19-11-2014 22:13
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Hopefully the rest day would be quiet.
I sense something (or someone?) coming. Either Erik or a doping bust up, in that order of likelyness.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 19-11-2014 22:54
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Tour de France Champion
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Wilco should be able to survive up at the top end of the GC for sure  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 20-11-2014 19:14
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 9: Emotion, Part IV
In classic Tour style not even the Rest Day could be restfull. We started it with a two hour ride to stay loose. Spirits in the rest of the team were high, still loving the stage win and Wilco's good GC position. The weather was cooling a bit at the higher altitudes, still warm but without the dangers of overheating.
I'd finished my media engagements by about 3 o'clock. Monotonous work. The questions are always the same dull crap, passing the time until the big story breaks. We were sharing a hotel with several other teams including O2. I was chilling in the restaurant with Lofkvist when Phil walked in.
“Hey Phil, didn't expect to see you here.”
“Yeah well i'm just dropping by the squad... Giving out these wedding invitations.”
“Wedding invitations? You mean you and Lucy are...
“Getting married, yes. And I have one for you too Karl. Don't tell me now, all the info is in the card.”
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:56
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 20-11-2014 19:15
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Grand Tour Champion
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Good stage for Wilco. Karl needs to be hang in there
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 03:35
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 20-11-2014 19:26
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Yeah, that's kinda included in "Erik" too... 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 20-11-2014 23:24
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Wedding invitation ?????? |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 21-11-2014 19:24
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@Dippo - Not really... well you'll see
@sutty - Phil and Lucy have been together for a while now, so yeah a wedding!
@hoyle - Pick out the least surprising thing
Act 9: Redemption
Scene 10: Emotion, Part V
I barely even noticed the Col de la Madeleine, or Colombiere or Saisies on Stage 10. I didn't even notice my side for the whole stage. Quite frankly I was in more shock than i'd ever encountered after an accident. Firstly Phil was getting married. He had been my best friend for a couple of years and we had gotten close again recently.
Then there was the whole Lucy thing. That incident in California played over and over and over in my head. Perhaps I should have done something, anything, to get her. Of all the mistakes i'd made walking away from her was still my biggest. And this... this was the closing of that door, forever. The thought made me ill.
Wilco again finished in the main favorites group and I was again in the autobus. That night I flicked through the race manual and picked out a couple of days to make some efforts. Tomorrow to Gap and Stage 14 to Revel. If I was going to get anything personal those were the two remaining chances.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:56
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 22-11-2014 19:17
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Tour de France Champion
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 11: Emotion, Part VI
Which brings us to Bastille Day! The organisers took this as a sign to play that Pompei song at every opportuniy, and now years after it's release it hasn't aged well. The Cote de Laffery and Col du Noyer stood between us and Gap. Tough climbs but with a splash of luck not too tough. Wilco gave me the all clear to go for it.
I was joined in the breakaway by Alaphillipe, Gorka Izaggire, Robov and Slagter. It was a pretty powerful break so I doubted if I could win. I would have to drop Alaphillipe before a sprint and not be dropped by Gorka and Slagter on the climbs, tricky. At about the half way mark, about 90km in, I got the radio message that the peloton was relaxing.
With that info I knew this was my one clear chance to do something. After the feed zone I felt good and helped pace the Laffery. We managed to dislodge Alaphillipe so one task done. Hitting the Noyer Slagter began a series of attacks that shook Robov away. I dug deep but kept with the two climbers.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 22-11-2014 19:55
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-11-2014 21:08
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Its looking good for Karl at he moment |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 23-11-2014 11:01
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Grand Tour Champion
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Karl is riding well on Bastille Day
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 23-11-2014 18:20
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 12: Emotion, Part VII
The decent of the Noyer is famous and infamous. Lance and Beloki made it a known climb in '03 and now I was going to add my own mark. Neither Slagter nor Gorka could match my downhill speeds and I pressed it hard, taking way more risks than was reasonable. In fact I almost decked it at 'that' corner but held an impressive slide.
I couldn't afford to rest up as I was sure the two chasers would be working hard together to get me. I pressed ahead willing my legs to keep going around and forcing my hurting left side to play along. The outskirts of Gap blasted passed as nothing more than a blur, but I was fading. Going this long solo was a roolkie error and surely Gorker and Slagter would come up on me in seconds.
Not that I could look and check, I was commited and had to find everything I could. Mikel buzzed over the radio, a barely intelligable rabble through the static. There was only one word I could make out, “moment”. With that I knew what I had to do. I dug up those bad moments.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 23-11-2014 18:24
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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Lets hope you make it all the way to the end safely and as a Winner |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 24-11-2014 17:54
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 13: Emotion, Part VIII
The cobbles crash, the bust, everything I poured into my legs. This was going to be my best chance for a Grand Tour win in a while and I was not going to let this one go like so many other moments. The final straight was a long long long uphill drag to the line, punctuated with roundabouts.
Sweeping around one I glance backwards and was greeted with the best sight I could have imagined. Emptyness. No riders, no chasers, just unbroken lines of crowds. With roughly 1km to go I was clear and open to win a Tour de France stage solo.
The culmination of multiple years of work and toil was about to pay off. This was the moment every pro rider dreams of and only a handfull ever get to achieve. Zip the jersey up for sponsors and arms high and wide for me. Gliding across the line with the biggest smile ever. Pure golden moments are hard to find, and this tops them all.
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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)
