I would like to inform everybody on a change of manager in Omega-Pharma Quckstep CT. Miguel didn't have the time it takes to be a manager in PCM CL so the new manager is me. I will post all the squads and everything later tonight or tomorrow. I hope all the riders are okay with this change of manager. I'm also asking all the riders to send me the promises made by Miguel in a PM so I know what races to sign you up for. I hope for a great season for all of us .
Take care!
Dag
Edited by Daggen on 30-10-2012 17:47
First of all, let me say how nice it is to be here. The staff and all the riders have given me a very warm welcome. I'm absolutely honoured to be part of such a great team. I'm 100% focused on the upcoming season, confident we'll have some great results!
You are all probably wondering who I am and where I come from, so I won't keep you waiting. My name is Rudy Verboven, I'm a 19 year old Flemish rider, and this will be my first season. Of course I was amazed that a ProTour team immediatly picked me up, and the terms they offered me were incredibly generous, so I didn't need to think about it much. "Just tell me where to sign already!", I remember saying.
I'm specialised in classic races, as it's only fitting for a OPQS rider. But of course I'm not going to win Ronde van Vlaanderen yet. I have two goals this year: learn and improve. The first one shouldn't be hard, I'll be riding for Tom Boonen, one of my childhood heroes. He's already given me a few tips, and I hope to learn much more from him during the season. I'm gonna keep an close eye on him, trying to see what he does where in the race. My second goal will be achieved with the help of my manager. It's not 100% set yet, but he let me have a vote in my programme for this year. Due to training and racing the right races, I hope to grow above myself this year.
As I said, nothing is 100% sure yet, but I'll probably start my season in Australia, then riding the Tirreno in preparation of Milan-San Remo. This will be my first real test to see how far I can get. I'm hoping to survive the Poggio, but we'll see. After my trip to Italy, I'm coming home to ride my favourite classics, the cobbles. I'm really aiming for the E3, and my manager promised me that if all goes well, I might even lead the team! I'll stick around for Wevelgem, and if all goes well, I'll be dropping off Tom 300m before the finish. One week later it's my highlight of the season, De Ronde van Vlaanderen. My form should reach a peek for this race, and I'm hoping I won't disappoint my team. Roubaix is one week later, of course this is another race where I want to do my absolute best. My form should still be good enough for the Amstel Gold Race, where I still mean to try something, despite the lack of cobbles. Fleche Wallon and Liege-Bastogne-Liege are probably a bit hard for me, but if the form is still good and them team needs me, I'll happily ride there
While Tour de Pologne is still a maybe, Eneco Tour is a Belgian race, so I really want to show myself to my fans. The GC will be for someone else, but I am going to try to go away with a stage win. Next I'm going to do a few more classics, San Sebastian, Vattenfall, Plouay, Montreal and Quebec. These should get me ready for the WC, where I want to be really good. My season ends in Lombardia, and if I still have some energy left, I'll show myself one last time!
As you see, I'm not riding any Grand Tours this year. Despite the challenge to finish it, I would feel completely useless there. I can't sprint, I've never seen a mountain, and my timetrial skills are like my firetruck: I don't have a firetruck. The team has better people to send out, so I'll just keep training. But who knows, maybe next year.
I hope you enjoyed this, now I'm going to hop on my bike again and do my daily kilometres. All the best and I'll give you more news once the season starts!
sutty68 wrote:
Congratulations on your appointment at Omega Pharma Quickstep
I am unaware of the PM by Miguel, could you let me know what it contained please
I'm unaware of that as well since i've just been appointed. I need to check the TDU right now and check the riders to send. So right now i can't check that.
Hello everybody and welcome to the Omega-Pharma Quickstep squad presentation for Tour Down Under in Austrailia.
Our leader will be Rudy Verboven from Belgium. He will aim for maybe a hilly stage win or the overall or young riders jerseys.
He will be joined by:
Tom Boonen Sprinter. Hoping to sneak away with a stage win
Serge Pauwels Team mate. Will help Rudy during hilly stages.
Tony Martin Free/Team mate. Join a breakaway or maybe go for a stage win
Michal Golas Team mate. Will be the water boy
Peter Velits Free/Team mate. Will try and get the KOM jersey
and Matthew Brammeier Team mate. Water boy.
So that's the team for the TDU. hoping for a really good race for us .
And i leave you with this brilliant image of Tony Martin
Take care
Daggen
Team manager of Omega-Pharma Quickstep
Edited by Daggen on 30-10-2012 17:53
I wish you all a happy new year, hope you partied for two, cause I sure didn't! Training, that's what I've been doing for a few weeks now. Highlight was the training camp our manager organised. Two things I learned, my team mates are training beasts and my manager missed a career as drill sergeant. Not that I'm complaining, never learned so much in a week. I feel like I'm already closing the gap between the superstars and me.
Next thing I know, I was on a plane to Australia. First time I've been there, in fact the first time I left Europe. Jetlag? Check! Temperature shock? Check! People riding kangooroos to escape from dingos? Well, those stories are overrated. I do like the country, totally different from Ghent. And in just a few days, I'll be starting my first professional season! Needless to say I'm totally nervous, but on the bright side it makes me eat less so I'm getting closer to my prefered weight.
The manager had a big surprise for me today. He said he was impressed with me at the training camp and wanted me to take my own chances! I thought I was just going to help Tom and Tony, but this is just perfect. The flat stages should pose no problem for me, and I might be able to try something on the hills to take a good GC spot. I'm already dreaming of a stage win in the hills, but of course I'll not be the only one going for that. On the flat, I'll try to get Tom in a good position for the sprint. He's not as fast as he used to be, but he can still win a stage if we make it tough enough.
That's all for now, I'll try to keep you updated after each stage, but we have this new young masseuse in the team, and she'll need to take care of my sore mussles after the race. That might take a while. If something big happens, I'll let you know of course. Let the season begin, and may the odds be ever in our favour!
Daggen wrote:
We have great news for all Omega-Pharma Quickstep fans. Rudy Verboven made it to a second on the first stage and Tom Boonen took a seventh and this means that the season couldn't have started better. Adrian Hanzen took the win in brilliant fashion
It was only a test race. fracopell just tested the DB, and such.
Let's face it, this is going to be a hard season for me. I am looking to ride two grand tours as well as two stage races before riding the Worlds so I will likely be extremely tired when I come to the end of the season. But the promise of an extremely good contract lured me to Belgium and I will ride a tiring schedule if I have to.
However, that does not mean this is not the schedule of my choice as I personally talked to the new manager about it. I boasted of how I was the second best stage racer on the team and eventually he caved in and agreed with me. So I set to work with my agent devising a schedule. and now I am here to release it to the world.
My main specialisation is a stage racer which is one of the reasons why I am at Omega Pharma. I knew this team is weak in the mountains so I thought I could change that, join the team and get a load of opportunities. It is fair to say that I am one of the two stage race leaders on the team: me and Jakab Zoltan. He is currently stronger than me but with the right training I feel that I can flower and surpass him. It'll take many seasons of dedication first though.
With Levi Leipheimer on the decline and Tony Martin lacking in climbing ability I am one of the most important riders on the team. Being Italian, I always wanted to lead a team in the Giro but I never thought the opportunity would come in my first season. However, it did and now I have a big chance to prove myself to everyone. Some people may know me from the Girobio where I finished tenth and that is still my greatest accomplishment. I now aim to achieve that same feat this year. But this time in the proper Giro, not the smaller one...
I am very energetic and that is how I should be able to handle two grand tours in leader roles. Although I am young, I am quite strong and nI am one of the new 'golden generation' of stage racers. I am one of the most promising prospects and I think I'll prove that, after all, I am a leader, the others are free elements at best. I will destroy the other younger stage racers and hopefully claim some white jerseys this year.
My greatest rival has to be Stefano Scalvini. He is a great young talent and my equal in every important capacity. This season he won't be beating me though, I predict he will work for a leader whilst for me there is no leader to protect. He could cause a few problems at Tirreno-Adriatico for me, but I don't think he will get the better of me this season. He is good, but will not have the team to support him like I do.
But who can support me? Leipheimer, Velits and maybe Cataldo and Martin but I don't see how they will be of too much use to me. They are close to my own level so they might go for their only glory, especially Leipheimer who is nearing the end of his career. Oh well, they'll work for me as was planned, the manager will be angry if they don't so I should be fine.
I also feel a bit of a minor rivalry with my team mate, Rudy Verboven. He and I are both very promising new riders on the same team but I can't stand to see him outperform me (well, I don't like anyone outperforming me but especially not him). The thing is, I want to be the best in my team, the best in the world. He does too, and that might start a rivalry between us.
Rudy is a good guy, nice and friendly. But he has a massive amount of potential that he could realise in the next few seasons. And his pre season training work only strengthens my claim, he is destined for the top. I think one day he will win Paris-Roubaix. Maybe he'll even one day win it over four times and set a record, he's certainly capable of it. He has the talent to after all. He is set to become a champion, if he can just stay safe and keep away from bad crashes.
However, me and Rudy cannot have a full rivalry after all. As he is a classic specialist and I am a stage racer. I dream of winning grand tours, he wants wins on tricky terrain. I am good on the climbs, he on the flat. Of course, there will be some opportunities where we race together but those will be few and far between, especially with me spending over eighty percent of my race days in Italy or Spain whilst he will be relaxing or training for E3.
I still have not told you my schedule yet though, have I? You may have a good idea of it but you do not know it, it is guessable but not certain. But here it is, my schedule for the 2012 UCI World Tour Season:
Tirreno-Adriatico Here I will be riding to win with a team behind me and a lot of hopes. It should be interesting and will see the first clash between me and Stefano Scalvini.
Tour de Romandie I am looking forward to this race as it is my first one out of my homeland. I think I can aim for a top 10 here with the support of my team mates.
Giro d'Italia This is the big one for me. My first grand tour, in my own country against some of the greatest stage racers in the world. I 'll enjoy this race, it will be a challenge but I think I am up for it.
Vuelta a Espana After a lengthy race I will be at the start of the Vuelta with my eyes set on a podium position in the overall. I will have progressed a lot from training for this one and I think I can face up to riders like Contador if needed.
And that's my schedule, a difficult one but an interesting one all the same. I shall enjoy it...
Still not sure what to think of today. My first professional race ever and I was ready. But we didn't win.
Everything was going well, until the end. I was ready to drop off Tom in a perfect sprint position. But then it was total chaos, I wasn't prepared for this. I was sure there would be a fall three times. I had to abandom Tom earlier than planned, and he was on his own. Second place is great of course, but I feel we could've done more if I protected him a little longer.
I don't know my position, a lot of people passed me there in the end. I'm not a sprinter, that I know for sure now. Tomorrow there's a few more hills though, that should suit our team a bit better.
Today in Australia Omega Pharma-Quickstep took a podium to kickstart their 2012 campaign. As one of the strongest teams in the world tour they were looking to score some early points and they did just that with Tom shooting off to second narrowly behind Adrian Hanzen. Although Tom is aging he still has a powerful quick and hopefully he will be able to show that in the coming stages.
Tomorrow will be one for our 19 year old Flandrien Rudy Verboven who unfortunately could not do any better than 24th today. However, we are sure he will learn with experience, he is still very young after all. He didn't lose any time on the GC today to anyone who is a threat so we are sure he will be able to show what he's made of tomorrow and on Old Willunga Hill. He'll learn and improve with time.
We'd also like to point out that we were non-existent in the race for most of the time until the end. Next time we will try and make a better lead out train and also help on the front, we can't let Argos do all the work after all. We'd rather control the race then let other teams do the work for us as it is a show of strength and with this tour being relatively easy we can afford to spend some energy on it.
Tomorrow is a hilly stage which we hope to work in. We will try and get the team to drop Rudy in a perfect place and then all he'll have to do is attack/sprint for the line. He is very strong and young and he could make a name for himself if he does a good performance tomorrow. A lot is dependant on tomorrow, the tour is more likely to be lost than won there. We have an advantage for the GC as Rudy can sprint as well as climb and ride hard on the flat/cobbles so the bonification seconds can be taken for him if he has a good day on the flat.
Wish the team luck for tomorrow!
Omega Pharma Quickstep press officer and Vincenzo Moretti's agent
Man oh man what a day. I told the guys that today we're working for Boonen. Golas moved in to protect Boonen while Argos were setting the pace up front.
Many riders tried to get clear and in the end Movistars Dag Jensen managed to do that.
Jensen went on to win one intermediate sprint and was second at the second.
A while later the breakaway got caught and i told the guys to give it all for Boonen. Rudy Verboven protected Boonen very well until the last 3 kilometers when I told Boonen to take Adrian Hanzen's wheel.
Boonen did so as Rudy went back and many riders passed him.
In the last kilometer I told Boonen to launch as I saw that Hanzen hadn't launched his sprint. It was all very tense as we watched Boonen go on to third, second!! and first!!! Hanzen was still in Farrar's wheel but he went lose and we thought he had gone to late. But Hanzen was sprinting like a mad man and in the end he managed to get first.
Boonen still did great in securing second place in his first race of the season. We were all very happy for him.
Rudy seemed more quiet than usual. I think he was a bit dissapointed with himself but he shouldn't be. It was his very first race and he protected Boonen very good.
Tomorrow we're hoping for an even higher place as there are hills and we know that Rudy rides great in hills.
My second race day today and it went a lot smoother. It was a race for the puncheurs, but we definitely did ok. In the end, I was too far back to sprint for victory, but I'm happy with 7th, and Tony got 8th. I'm now top 10 in the GC and we're 2nd in the team classification thanks to Tony, Peter and Serge. I should be really happy about my first top 10 result, but somehow, I'm not.
We are missing something. Even though our goals are later in the season, we wouldn't mind a good result here. We have been riding very passively for now, but we're definitely gonna try something in the newt few days. Tony and me are in a good position, and knowing our management, they are already working on a plan.
After writing most of this, a feeling of disappointment begins to rise. I know this is my first season and my form peek is a few months away, I felt something more was possible today. The team is counting in me, and I need to show something. I do not want to finish this race just safely sticking in the pack!
Well today was a really boring stage. The best thing was a fith place by Tom Boonen. The funniest thing was that Stuart O'Grady thought that he had won and then he threw his hands up in the air and thanks to that he only got third.
Macel Kittel dropped on the last climb and his hole team pulled him back. During the sprint Kittel wasn't pulled back all the way but managed to finish inside the first group.
That's all for now!
Dag
Hello fans, hoped you all enjoyed the last stage, I sure did!
Stage 3 and 4 was working for Tom, who unfortunately could not finish off. That Hanzen sure is fast! Tom doesn't have that speed anymore, as he's evolved into a classic specialist. Yet I managed to do a good job for him and still hang on to the GC.
Stage 5 was the one I had marked, but of course others had marked it as well. I have to thank the entire team and especially Tony for their work for me today. They got me in perfect position and the final hill, but my young eagerness took over and I started the sprint way too soon. I got overtaken by a real puncheur, but I managed to hold on for second. I also climb to nr. 3 in the general classification, so I'm really happy. I hope to hang onto to it, but it will be hard tomorrow.
Yet the victory we were hoping for still isn't there, so we need to try again tomorrow with Tom. It's been a good Tour, but we want to go home with a win.
Yes we did! We wanted to leave Australia with a bang and we did. We went full for Tom and he finished the job like a boss. Like last races, we took it a bit easy, staying well protected, the with 5K to go, it was money time!
Tony started the train prefectly, he dragged me and Tom from the middle of the peleton to the front, while most other sprinters were already very isolated. Then it was my turn, I'm not a sprinter but I can make good speed. There was a turn to the right, so there was plenty of room on the left, I accelerated and just kept going. As I said on day 1, I hate those nervous sprints, but when there's room, I can make decent speed.
So there we were, don't think I ever went that fast, but they gave me plenty of room. Finaly I saw Tom overtake me, and not much later he overtook the rest of them, easily taking home the stage win we wanted so badly. He was just unstoppable today, it's an honour to ride in the same team as him.
At the same time, I freewheeled my way to a 9th place, another nice top 10 for me. Furthermore, Tom's victory assured my 3rd place in the overall ranking, so I was called onto the podium! It was on the lowest part of it, but still, an unforgetable experience. I want to thank the entire team, Tom, Serge, Tony, Michal, Peter and Matthew. Thanks guys, without your support, I wouldn't have stood there!
Also a huge thanks to the Management, for having such confidence in me. I will pay this one back guys, don't worry about that! My first trip to Australia was a blast!
Welcome to the Eurosport Best Moments award show for the Tour Of Australia. We saw many interesting fights in the GC with a strong performance from Maxime Oget on Old Willunga Hill eventually securing the win and the lead in the World Tour Individual Rankings. In other stages we saw a dominative performance from new sprint star Adrian Hanzen. The 23 year old neopro has showed a lot to of skill so far and I can see him winning a points jersey in a Grand Tour later this season. Now here are the awards!
Biggest GC Fail
A harsh category to get us started. I think it has to be Simon Gerrans, he has shown aggression throughout his home tour in bis national jersey but it obviously wasn't enough. He drifted to 21st in the GC behind a number of riders. He is a good rider but he seems to be lacking in form despite all the hype. He will probably recover for an Ardennes campaign but he is a bit of a disappointment.
Best Stage Finish
This goes to Stage Four when O'Grady launched an exceptionally powerful attack and gained time on the sprinter teams with three km to go. But it inevitably resulted in a long range sprint from Garmin leader Adrian Hanzen who came from very far back to overtake many riders before taking it on the line from O'Grady. Oscar Freire also beat O'Grady yet O'Grady was bizarrely celebrating. He threw it away but it led to great viewing.
Best Rider Of The Tour
Adrian Hanzen. He stayed with them on the hills and killed 'em on the flat. He took home the points jersey and a number of stages. He is the king of Australia winning half of the stages. He went early on the final stage trying to show his strength but he made a mess of it. He is still the best rider dominating the tour. A close second is Henkjan Knol who showed strength on the hills and the flat.
Team Of The Tour
Despite the victory of Rabobank it is Garmin who win this category. They led out Hanzen perfectly with a fine attention to detail. They worked on the front, lead him out and dominated the opposition on the flat. They could be the dominant team for the future if they can keep this work up. The only team possible of beating them is probably Sky with Cavendish but he was not present in Australia.
Stage Of The Tour
This has to be stage two. With many attacks placed, the stage had everyone on the edge of their seat. Cunego launched a powerful attack with everyone working to catch him whilst fighting each other at the same time. There were quite a few duels on this stage and it saw Gerrans place a convincing yet failed attack. You never knew what would happen till Knol had crossed the line...
Thank you for watching this short but hopefully good award show. Join us at the end of Paris-Nice!
. 
Sprinter. Hoping to sneak away with a stage win
Free/Team mate. Join a breakaway or maybe go for a stage win
Team mate. Will be the water boy
Free/Team mate. Will try and get the KOM jersey
Team mate. Water boy.
Tirreno-Adriatico
Tour de Romandie
Vuelta a Espana
