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Rock Racing - "In It, To Win It"
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 21-08-2008 07:52
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Well, my first big assignment and I’m not sure what to make of it. I’ve been assigned to follow Rock Racing for the coming season as a kind of ‘embedded’ journalist. I’ve met most of the riders over the last few days, as well as the owner, Michael Ball, and Haldane Morris, their DS.
What I’ve learned so far is:
Ball is very enthusiastic about the coming season, and in his own words is ‘prepared to throw money’ at the team if it is successful. The first step for the team is to wear the leader’s jersey and finish Top 5 the Tour of California and then take the overall at the Tour of Georgia in April. Other season goals he’s set Morris are:
Obviously, I also asked him the main motivation behind the signing of Hamilton, Sevilla and Botero. Again, no surprises with his answer - they were mainly designed to generate publicity for the team. Also, he says the guys deserve a second chance and there are guys on ProTour teams who avoided being sanctioned for involvement in Op Puerto, so if HSB can bring the teams some wins then great. He also points out that the team has its own anti-doping program in place, operated by Scott Analytics.
Morris told me that he’s thrilled to have been given the chance to manage a team like Rock, that, potentially has a huge future. He’s a very ambitious guy too, and let slip that he is hoping to snag a place at the Vuelta later in the season for Sevilla and Botero. He thinks that by then Op Puerto should be nothing more than a dim and distant memory. Oscar Sevilla is going to be team leader at the ToC and ToG, though if Hamilton or Botero prove stronger the team will ride for them. Fast Freddy Rodriguez will be lead sprinter, though there are a gaggle of younger sprinters like Bahati, Curry, Leo Grande who will be there to learn from him and if they prove stronger they’ll be given lead sprinter duties. He said ‘Reputation means nothing on this team. We’re in it to win, and as long as it’s a guy in a Rock Racing Jersey first, then I don’t care who it is’.
https://www.rockra...m/home.php
https://scottanaly...index.html |
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| t-baum |
Posted on 21-08-2008 07:53
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Small Tour Specialist
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Oh dear god
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race." |
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| Levi4life |
Posted on 21-08-2008 08:15
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t-baum wrote:
Oh dear god
Roll with it Fenian. I'll read it
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| Setzel |
Posted on 21-08-2008 09:26
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Classics Specialist
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Succes with the story 
Dope the americans
Eating my daily Breakfast at 9 pm
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| Goldberger |
Posted on 21-08-2008 14:10
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Domestique
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Good luck with the story, Rock Racing is an interesting team if we can look past the doping |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-12-2024 16:16
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Bot Agent
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| G_Larsson |
Posted on 21-08-2008 14:33
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Sprinter
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Good Luck !
Team Manager of Team IKEA-Bianchi
[url=(color=#0000ff] Team Info[/url]
Media Room
You'll Never Walk Alone |
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| rodda |
Posted on 21-08-2008 16:09
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Small Tour Specialist
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t-baum wrote:
Oh dear god
harsh much?
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| t-baum |
Posted on 21-08-2008 16:19
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Small Tour Specialist
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rodda wrote:
t-baum wrote:
Oh dear god
harsh much?
I really wish that the past dopers on that team are clean now...but...
Just make sure Fast Freddy wins a stage and the story will be a success
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 22-08-2008 01:36
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Well, it was either QS or Rock, T-Baum. 
Could say I was caught between a rock and a hard place...
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| t-baum |
Posted on 22-08-2008 01:54
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Small Tour Specialist
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fenian_1234 wrote:
Well, it was either QS or Rock, T-Baum.
Could say I was caught between a rock and a hard place...
Was that a joke?
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
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| Deadpool |
Posted on 22-08-2008 02:04
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Team Leader
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t-baum wrote:
Oh dear god
x2
Actually, Michael Creed is awesome, but besides that, Oh dear god
Edited by Deadpool on 22-08-2008 02:05
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| t-baum |
Posted on 22-08-2008 02:48
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Small Tour Specialist
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Deadpool wrote:
t-baum wrote:
Oh dear god
x2
Actually, Michael Creed is awesome, but besides that, Oh dear god
 Bahati is the only person on the team I really care about, hope he does good in the coming years
Macquet wrote:
"We all know that wasn't the real footage of the Worlds anyway. That was just the staged footage to perpetuate the coverup that it was actually Vinokourov that won the race."
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| Levi4life |
Posted on 22-08-2008 05:27
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I'd like to point out that Rock Racing has the same Anti-doping program as Garmin-Chipotle.
Scott Analyst is run by a founder of ACE
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| issoisso |
Posted on 22-08-2008 09:01
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Tour de France Champion
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Levi4life wrote:
I'd like to point out that Rock Racing has the same Anti-doping program as Garmin-Chipotle.
Scott Analyst is run by a founder of ACE
You do realise that you're just helping to run Garmin's reputation right into the ground?
Not that it matters. There's no test for HGH, there's no test for blood transfusions and most types of EPO are undetectable.
So a rider can do whatever the hell he wants and not get caught. The controls are that bad.
The preceding post is ISSO 9001 certified
"I love him, I think he's great. He's transformed the sport in so many ways. Every person in cycling has benefitted from Lance Armstrong, perhaps not financially but in some sense" - Bradley Wiggins on Lance Armstrong
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 22-08-2008 12:20
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Well, I've had an interesting first couple of weeks with the team! I think if what has happened over the last 10 days or so is representative of the rest of the season then it's going to be a roller coaster ride.
- Morris decided that the Tour of Langkawi would be the ideal warm-up race for the Tour of California in February. The organizers were contacted and they seemed pretty positive about the application, so a pre-season training camp was booked down in Sagres, Portugal for 10 days to be held near the end of January, so that the team would arrive in Malaysia chomping at the bit. Ball insisted over Haydan's head that the team would also apply for a wild card to the Tour Down Under, as he is planning to launch Rock & Republic Jeans there in the next few years, so a bit of exposure now won't hurt the company. Both realized it was a long shot that the team would be invited to a ProTour race at this stage of its development.
- In terms of the riders, the big story so far is that Botero, or Santi, as everyone calls him has already spent some time with the team doctor. Now, I know what you're thinking...but it was for a badly bruised hand. How he did it remains a bit of a mystery - but one thing is for sure, Oscar Sevilla and him are no longer on speaking terms. In fact, Sevilla is definitely not the most popular guy on the team at the moment. Some of the younger American guys have complained to me that he's arrogant, and ever since Ball let slip that he's being paid nearly 3 times what Santi and Hamilton are getting, and twice as much as Fast Freddy, there's been a really poisonous atmosphere in the team. I think Ball was trying to motivate some of the big riders for the coming season, but it may well have backfired, what with Santi's hand and all....
- Ball has been busy on the additional sponsor front too. He was a whirlwind of activity, but completely failed to bring in any secondary sponsors. He was in talks with a few different companies, but the numbers they were talking were miles apart. He wasn't too downhearted though, especially as he's signed a deal with Cervelo to provide bikes to the team for the coming season. Wheel sponsor will be Lightweight and he's also brought Limar on board as Helmet provider. The riders are absolutely thrilled to have got hold of such great bikes, and will spend most of their time riding the Cervelo SLC-SL. A beautiful bike.
- Before we left for Portugal, the organizers of the Tour of Langkawi came back to us and told us we hadn't made the cut due to not having any Asian riders in the team. That was the official reason anyway. Both Ball and Morris were extremely annoyed and I heard Hamilton's name come up a few times in a pretty heated conversation I overheard. Morris moved pretty fast though to secure alternate preparation for the ToC, and before we left for Portugal we had invitations to the Grand Prix Cycliste La Marseille and the Vuelta a Mallorca in early February. Byran Pedersen, a new Danish coach, will be travelling with us too. Hamilton used to work with him in his CSC days and the team took him on as Tyler said he really knows how to get that little extra out of riders - whatever that means. And of course, some of the boys have been joking about it when Tyler's not around. We'll see what he can do with the team. And on a personal level, I was really, really dissapointed to discover that the Rock Racing Girls wouldn't be coming to the training camp with us...
- Sagres was beautiful, but no sooner had we got there than Ball was on the phone absolutely elated that he'd managed to wangle an invite to the Tour Down Under. Morris said it was something to do with a guy Ball had done a favor for a few years ago. In any case, everyone in the team was really excited about the prospect of going to Australia, even if it did mean having to cut the training camp short by 3 or 4 days. Morris told the team that whoever was in the best shape when we left Portugal would be riding in Australia and California and probably Mallorca too. Tyler Hamilton responded to the challenge magnificently and on the training ride on the last day put everyone, apart from Freddy, in trouble with the pace he was setting on the windy coastal roads.
- The TDU begins tomorrow. We're all knackered after the flight, and Morris has told us that Rodriguez will lead the team. He thinks a sprinter is most likely to finish high up on GC and Freddy seems to be in decent form. Hamilton will ride too, to build form for the ToC where it looks as if he'll be given the leaders role. Oscar and Santi will not race here, as Morris thinks their condition is a bit off and it's better to concentrate on getting those two right for Georgia. I'm not sure if this means they won't feature in California. Ball wanted Morris to put 18 year old Justin Williams in the team too, but Morris stood his ground and insisted he was too young to ride a race like this. Team for tomorrow is Rodriguez, Hamilton, Michael Creed, Jeremiah Wiscovitch, Cesar Grajales, Adam Switters, Sterling Magnell and David Clinger. The organizers, too, have told us Hamilton will be allowed to start - they've got their ProTour status, so no longer have to worry too much about what the UCI wants. Don't know if this will be a problem in California yet. Hamilton told me he fancies trying his legs on stage 5 here, and Creed, Grajales and Clinger are expected to get into at least one decent break over the course of the race. The others are there to look after Freddy. Tomorrow is about surviving though - the boys are jet lagged and tired and will be happy to finish the stage without losing any time. CSC have sent a strong team - and O'Grady I'm sure has his eye on the overall. I also wonder what kind of form Freiere is in....
- Oh, and I saw Cadel Evans at the Airport. He was waiting for a flight back to Europe. He had a big smile on his face after winning the Australian championships just a few days ago. Read in an interview that he was surprised by it too. Said he jumped off the front with about 20k to go, just to test his legs and just kept on going to the line. Would seem to bode well for his Tour de France challenge later in the year.
Thanks for reading. Until next time. |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 24-08-2008 07:49
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Stage 1 - Mawson Lakes to Angaston, 129 km
Well, here we are in Australia for our first race of the season. Here the Rock Racing riders are awaiting the start. What does this season have in store for Rock Racing, I wonder?
I know the team were hoping for a nice easy start to the day, but it was not to be...
The attacks came thick and fast. A group got away as we climbed the 7% gradients of Black Top Road.
They were quickly joined by others, and a group of around 13 riders ended a minute or so down the road. That was far too big a group to let go, and Cofidis, Rabobank and Astana really put the hammer down to bring them back. Wisco and Creed were asked to join the chase, but the pace was too hot for them to relay. In any case, the break were reeled in with 88k still to go.
Freddy was feeling good towards the front of the peloton, so Wisco and Creed went up front to watch for breaks. One wasn't long in coming, and Petito of Rabobank took off with 68k to go. Voeckler and Julich went with him.
It's a dangerous move and Euskatel, Colombia and Quickstep come to the front to help us out in the chase. It doesn't take them long to blow our guys out of there, and Magnall punctures at exactly the wrong moment. The pace will be far too high for him to get back on.
There's 17k to go and the break is over. Voeckler doesn't look happy, but I'm sure he'll try again over the coming days. Magnell is already 9'17 off the back with just a Toyota rider for company.
It looks like it'll be a sprint. No train for Freddy, as the Rock riders are too tired and struggling to keep to the pace. Freddy's going to be on his own - but he's been around long enough for that not to be a problem. He's nicely positioned as the sprint begins.
It's a crazy sprint for the line - for a moment it looks as if Freddy has the power to come thru' on the barrier,
but it's that wily old fox Freire who takes stage 1.
Freddy gets 6th and there's more good news for Rock as Magnall comes around Clarke in the final few hundred meters, over 10 minutes down, to avoid last place.
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| Ak4 |
Posted on 24-08-2008 09:48
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Stagiare
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Wow nice sprint, six riders within a bicycle of distance
And you're the last of them!  
Edited by Ak4 on 24-08-2008 09:48
[url=www.Dark-Alchemy.com]  [/url]
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 24-08-2008 15:22
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Not me - it was Freddy.
Told me after that he didn't feel too bad today and is optimistic about his chances over the next few days. The whole team is reasonably upbeat about the result and are pleased that Freddy is still capable of competing with some of the top fastmen on the PT. |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 25-08-2008 14:49
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Stage 2 - Stirling-Hahndorf, 149km
Today is the longest stage of this year's race and the day began at 6am with an early morning call from the UCI 'vampires'. Every single member of the team was tested. It was good news for Leo Grande though, as he won the sweepstake Kevin Klein had organized to see when the first visit would be. As far as I know, no other teams have been singled out yet.
Anyway, back to the racing. The strategy today was to get someone away in a break and see what the day would bring. Morris thinks a break will stay away one day - and the team needs to be in it.
The day gets underway and Creed is the first to go on a downhill just a couple of k into the stage. He's joined by around about 20 other riders and it's quickly evident that this is not going to be the break of the day. As soon as it all comes back together, Grajales launches himself off the front and it seems the others are happy to let him go. He takes an intermediate sprint and picks up some valuable bonus seconds and Morris tells him not to kill himself as the lone breakaway.
His lead builds to 3'00 with 78k to go, before Rabo move to the front of the pack and refuse to give him any more. At 60k, it's still 3'00 and with 50k to go, the peloton bursts into life. Voeckler jumps with Petito (LIQ), McGee (CSC), Verbrugghe (COF), and Roesems (PL). They bridge across to Grajales and reach him with about 40k still to go. The gap to the peloton is 2'02.
Grajales immediately attacks them!
McGee though, powers to the front and Grajales realizes it's a waste of energy persisting.
20k to go and Voeckler puts in a devasting attack. Petito struggles to hold his wheel and the others in the break realize that the game is up. Grajales can be pleased with his days efforts though, and if he can finish with the peloton he should move up the GC, with those 6 bonus seconds.
There is a furious chase on to bring Voeckler back, the pace is perhaps too high for this stage of the season. Even so, Hamilton and Wiscovitch are sent up front to help out and Freddy once again positions himself behind Forster. The roads are narrow and twisty and as we enter the last 5k the top sprinters are a fair way back and not in great positions. Tyler is up front and decides to try and grab the wheel of one of the GS boys as he comes past. He's the Rock Racer in about 7th position in the picture.
Wisco too decides to try his legs. He's tired and has used up a lot of energy getting up to the front, but as he says to me later "so had everyone else". He has a decent kick too and with 1k to go is on the front.
500m and he's surely not going to be the strongest is he? The fastmen may well have stuffed this one up - Freddy is behind Forster and Freiere a 100 or so meters back. Rock and Wisco are not going to take a very unlikely stage win here, are they?
They are! The boy done real good. It's Rock and Wisco with a completely unlooked for stage win. And so early in the season in a ProTour race too.
Amazing performance from Wisco, he takes the stage, the leaders jersey and the white jersey. Hamilton is also delighted with his 10th on the stage. Grajales manages to come in with the pack and is now 8th overall. Rock Racing's first truly great day!
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| MacC |
Posted on 25-08-2008 15:10
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Sprinter
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well done, though it's an easy race to do well in- break away and get a bonus sprint and you should be able to finish in the top 10 |
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