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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 24-11-2014 23:23
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What a Great solo victory for Karl  , the first of many more to come i hope  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 25-11-2014 19:04
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 14: Emotion, Part IX
A flamming Grand Tour stage win. This is the stuff dreams are made of. The media storm is of hurricane levels, just swamped by journslists and cameras the second I start slowing down. The peloton eventually rolls in as a big group having taken a self imposed rest after the big mountains.
Combine that with RVV and Roubaix and i've just completed two of my three long term goals in cycling. In fact i've now passed all but one of those goals I set myself at the start of my career, and that is ride the Worlds. Given this season I am set to pass that one as well. Probably time to take a moment and think about my career.
That moment won't come now though. A whirlwind of congratulations and engagements sweeps me up. The next time i'll get to think and be by myself will be after the Tour. After the Tour... Later that night I get both Wilco and Mikel together to have a chat about that...
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 25-11-2014 23:26
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Surely Wilco and Mikel will be overjoyed with your stage win !!! |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 26-11-2014 18:35
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Great win! I'm sure Wilco and Mikel be coming to see him with some champagne 
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 26-11-2014 18:54
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 15: Pain, Part I
We agreed i'd only be of minimal use to Wilco. His targets were the mountains and I could offer virtually no help there. Ahlstrand had gotten his stage win so he was given over to helping Wilco. All things considered, especially my injuries, it was probably time for me to quit.
So the next day I didn't sign in and it was done. I had about a week and a half extra free time to digest the events of the last 12 days and decide my next course of action. That day, spent in the hotel in Gap, I just stared at the invitation. As long as I was racing I could put it to one side but now I had not choice in avoiding it.
The date was for the off-season and I couldn't help but think that was incredibly close. Either I could fantasize about Lucy for 4 months or I could find a new goal. A new goal... The Worlds. It was a given really, my one last target in pro cycling. Especially with a course in Northern Belgium over cobbles.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 26-11-2014 23:14
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Hopefully the injuries will be fully healed after the extended rest |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 27-11-2014 18:19
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 16: Pain, Part II
So the next day I flew home to Linkoping. Trophy placed on my mantle piece I was overcome with an odd sense of calm. The Tour is just an instoppable jugernaught of intensity and racing. Stepping away was overwhelming in a different way, my house was just too quiet.
I considered calling Natalie but no that door was closed for the time being. Over the next week I tapped in both Lucy and Natalie's number into my phone but never made the crucial call. After winning a Tour stage you'd imagine life would be easier, less pressured.
But no-one tells you how to react to success. I wrote my feelings up into a presentation to give at the next Higher Roads conference in a few weeks time in Stockholm. Due to my busy racing calendar i'd given little time to Higher Roads recently. It was still going well with Christie and Lars were keeping a close eye on things.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 27-11-2014 18:19
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 28-11-2014 19:09
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 17: Pain, Part III
They were doing such a good job that frankly I had nothing much to do. Just turn up at the prescreibed events and give my presentations. This pokey little idea I had was now well and truly a multi-nationaly charity. No longer could I keep track of the scope with projects across Scandinavia, the Nordic Nations and Northern Europe.
This left the burning question facing me, the question of wedding attendance. Racing was simple in comparision, go to Eneco and Tour of Britiain perhaps with some others sprinkled in between. But this invitation as somehting else entirely. Could I really let go to Lucy and to some degree Karl. Karl was the unspoken between us. He was my son but I'd given up certain rights when I left her.
For now though my focus was given over to maintaining this TDF form for the Eneco tour. It had a cobbled stage and short time trial so was perfect for me. It was yet another chance I had to seize with both pedals.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 28-11-2014 23:15
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More success looms at the Eneco me thinks |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 29-11-2014 20:25
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looking forward to Karl's return at Eneco, and then bring home some success at ToB
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 29-11-2014 20:25
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 18: Pain, Part IV
Wilco ended the tour without a win. In fact the team didn't win a stage after mine into Gap. Still two wins is more than most teams would trade their mothers for. Kelderman eventually settled for 4th overall and the Youth Jersey. The guys ahead of him were just a level above and there was nothing he could do.
Ahlstrand would be happiest with the race. Finishing in Paris with a stage win and 4th in the Points competition. The bar was set high for the Vuelta team to follow. San Sebastian duly followed in quick succession where Lindau took a solid podium place.
The whole team had been having a good season, reveling in the leadership or WT roles offered up. Le Tour was a high point but we all knew that more was a possiblity. With a more conducive route and a bit more luck a podium place was not out or reach, or even a win. And with that in mind we hit the Eneco Tour.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 29-11-2014 20:26
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Posted on 22-11-2024 03:50
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 30-11-2014 15:11
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The Eneco will be a good time for an Overall win |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 30-11-2014 20:09
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 19: Steps to Freedom, Part I
The race kicked off with a prologue style time trial which was won by Julian Vermote. I finished 21st whilst EBH was best on squad in 8th. Days 2 and 3 were sprint stages won by Degenkolb both times. Johan contested both but could only get 9th on Day 3. Quiet start as the August Crawl began.
This time of the season always feels strange. The Tour is done, as are almost all the major classics. The Vuelta looms but that's for the Spaniards and those salvaging whatever they can. Everyone get's hot and tired in the late summer sun. Normal people go on holiday and relax. God I miss being a normal person.
Day 4 was the hilly one. Packed with a selection of short sharp efforts it would mix things up. As I was targeting the GC I needed a good day. So there was one thing I had to do before signing in, send the reply. Attending? Yes/No. Plus One? Yes/No. Two simple yet so loaded questions.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 30-11-2014 23:08
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YES and YES to both questions |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-12-2014 17:20
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 20: Steps to Freedom, Part II
The stage went relatively well. Both EBH and I remained with the favorites group at the finish line, with a small breakaway taking the stage by about one minute. The downside being that two of our guys, van der Lijke and Malmgren, both crashed out with some nasty looking scrapes.
Day 5 was easy, just another sprint. Johan improved to 5th, but Degenkolb was on fire with his third win. He was going to be tough to beat this race, clearly on good form. The next day was the cobbled stage. About 20km of the cobbles in total and almost all on the flat. Perfect for me to tear it up!
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-12-2014 17:52
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Hope Karl can tame the cobbles |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 05-12-2014 20:31
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 21: Steps to Freedom, Part III
Honestly, it wasn't me tearing it up. Degenkolb and Vanmarcke forced the splits over the pave and all I did was stick with them. The decisive split came with 10km to go and it was Degenkolb, Vanmarcke, myself, Thomas and Senechal who made the lead group.
This meant that John was going to take the GC but a podium and stage win were very much on offer still. We all worked together to establish a big gap back to the next chasers to make sure we'd get good GC placings. Then with about 3km to go we started playing the games.
As the best sprinters Senechal and Degenkolb were forced to do most of the work, with Vanmarcke just waiting at the back. Thomas launched a move with 800m to go and I jumped to his wheel. The others hesitated just the moment too long allowing an actual gap to form. With 200m it was no effort to swing around Geraint to win Stage 6.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 06-12-2014 00:46
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Tour de France Champion
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Great win for Karl , but feel oh so sorry for Geraint though  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 06-12-2014 20:37
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@Sutty - Of course you would feel sorry for Thomas  Thanks your continued comments on this story. Without you it would just be 100 scenes straight
Act 9: Redemption
Scene 22: Steps to Freedom, Part IV
As I said Degenkolb took the GC lead for good thanks to bonus seconds from his wins. I moved into second place and Thomas into third. Baring a crash or puncture on the final day the GC was now set for us. I had a couple of the guys take a few relays across the day just to keep us well placed.
Coquard surprised everyone to win Stage 7 but it did not affect too much. Degenkolb claimed a great win and I added another prestigious podium to my growing collection of results. It was pretty straight forward week of racing. I was comfotably settled back into the lifestyle and the racing. I had made some new friends amongst the guys.
I'd still get questions about my past but for the most part the media were happy to focus on my achievments now. Next up was the Druivenkoers Overijse followed by the World Ports Classic. A nice couple of races to kick off my Worlds prep. The day after Eneco I got a phone call from Skarsgard:
“Hi Karl. We've decided to put you on the list for the Tour of Britain.”
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 07-12-2014 17:29
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Tour de France Champion
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A Great time was had by both Karl and the team |
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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)
