Daggen - Definitely. Though Asian artwork is not my own preference.
Selwink - Who is the Farrar clone?
SSJLuigi - Surprisingly many men are interesting in porcelain art objects. You wouldn't say...
kqyt - He sure is on a good roll here. I wouldn't be surprised to see him top 3 in Paris - Roubaix or the Ronde!
Thank you all for following! I think the pace of the story is better for you, compared to my previous stories. Makes it easier to follow, I reckon.
Still, any feedback is welcome, how to improve the story for you. So let me know, PM or post it here.
Yesterday was the biggest day in our existence, for 2 main reasons.
1. Greg Van Avermaet is our strongest rider, his favorite race and biggest goal of the season is the Ronde.
2. As a newly formed Belgian Team, this is the most important day of the season.
I pretty much took the squad that I took to Gent - Wevelgem, not taking any risks. They get along well and are all fighters. It's a mixture of young energy and years of experience: Greg Van Avermaet, Tyler Farrar, Damien Gaudin, Guillaume Van Keirsbulck, Benjamin Verraes, Rik Steenacker, David Veilleux, Kenneth Vanbilsen.
This year's route is about the same as last year. Three times Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg scare most guys in the peloton, and so it should. With Greg we had a favorite, or at least sub-favorite. We needed a battle plan. I'd been brooding on it for weeks, having several meetings with the entire classics squad about it.
We appeared at the start with a million different scenarios, we were ready for action...
THE RACE
Today's break consisted of many riders, including our Benjamin Verraes, in his first Ronde.
We fast forward a big 100 kilometers because, let's face it, nothing much happens as soon as the break is away.
[...]
An attack! Hayman, Boasson Hagen and Quinziato escape out of the pack.
That was our queue. The pace was low enough for riders to attack, so it was time to start our race, from far out! We were pleasantly surprised to see big chunks of the peloton being left behind instantly.
Rik Steenacker, also in his first Ronde, dropped out, after having done a lot of work. He did good today. His race was over, but he was keen on finishing his first Ronde, he even wanted to finish top 50.
Greg had one guy left, leading the small pack. We were destroying the field, but with 40 kilometers left to go, Greg would be isolated too soon.
As soon as he was alone, he thought the best defense would be, well, offense. He escaped, with Sagan following closely.
Only one man was still in front, one that had been able to sneak away earlier in the race. Stijn Devolder.
Peter Sagan with another attack!
But Greg didn't panic. He upped the pace and on the final Oude Kwaremont, it all came together. Greg Van Avermaet, Peter Sagan, Fabian Cancellara and Stijn Devolder, who was dropping out already, though.
Cancellara didn't do any work up until now because he had b]Devolder [/b]in front. Sagan had wasted some energy on attacking. Greg had attacked once and looked amazingly strong.
Nothing happened on the Paterberg. I don't think anyone had the energy, really. Three were headed towards the finish. I was in the car right behind them, going crazy with excitement. I think I might have killed three rabbits by accident with that car, and maybe even one race official.
Cancellara was the first one. He had to take up responsibility because he wheelsucked the first 230 kilometers of the race. Greg nestled himself in Sagan's wheel, who believed he couldn't lose and looked like the absolute favorite now.
"GOOOOOO" I yelled. I wanted to surprise Sagan in the sprint, instead of him dictating the sprint finish.
Greg really surprised him, and he was so amazingly strong! Sagan reacted but he was late, maybe too late!
And it worked! It's unbelievable, Greg Van Avermaet wins De Ronde Van Vlaanderen!
After the race, I parked the car over a little girl, sorry for that by the way*, and ran into Greg's arms. I yelled until he was deaf and then Greg went to talk with the press. I waited on the finish for the entire team and congratulated everyone for their hard work paying off.
Greg Van Avermaet wins this Ronde. Verraes hung on pretty well in the end. It was pretty obvious who our leader was today, though. Everyone worked 100% for him. Rik finished top 35, great for him after that work!
Well, that was the Ronde, our biggest day of the year. Needless to say, we celebrated until the early hours. I drank my weight in champagne and, in fact, I'm only about to go to sleep now. We'll see you later!
sutty68 - Thanks! Hope he does it irl, too, one day!
wogsrus - That'll be tougher for him, but he'll try!
547984 - Racing it halfway, I thought so, too. I had to bridge quite a gap to Sagan at a moment, had no red or yellow bar. But luckily everyone was dead for a while to the red and yellow bar slowly restored, just in time for the finale!
Maxime looks ready for the Ardennes. Tom, my only son (who throws a ball like a girl, though. No offense to you girls), was here, too. His one objective: get in the breakaway. He failed on all attempts. But he showed some good form uphill.
RIK STEENACKER
This man deserves a statue. No, really. Still so, so young (20 years old) and already on a pretty decent roll. In GP Cerami, this is what he did:
Rik Steenacker won the GP Cerami after riding an impressive final 50 kilometers. 20 years of age, Rik Steenacker is part of Citigroup, the team of Greg Van Avermaet, recent winner of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen. Steenacker is part of the young squad of the team and is definitely a name to remember for the future. Some experts put him right up there with Quintana and Vergnaud, even though it's early to say and all have very different skills.
Rik will be racing in Paris-Roubaix in a few days, where he hopes to help Damien Gaudin and Greg Van Avermaet to another team victory. But we have no doubt that we will see his name appear more often.
There was some commotion on the podium when Steenacker fell off, wanting to take a step back for the mayor. He seemed to be all right and had a word for us: "Well, I've been training on the bike so much, I guess being on the podium is a whole other discipline." After that, the camera shy Steenacker disappeared to the doping test trailer.
And this is what he did the day before, in the Scheldeprijs! After providing for a great lead-out for Tyler, he managed to hold on for the podium himself.
He's doing great, and to think I was going to kick his bottoms after E3 - Harelbeke. Must be my Jamaican fire. Wait, I'm Scottish...
KEEPING A CLOSE EYE
Anyway, besides Rik Steenacker, I'm also watching Vincent Beaufort train hard. He's not looking too happy, though. I will have a chat with him when things calm down a bit, but things are hectic now!
Tom Butler, my son, has not done a good job in the Basque Country. I have no option but to leave him home for the Ardennes Classics. We have many man capable of riding hard on such terrain and he doesn't make the first draft.
Well, I hope he doesn't follow my blog, because he won't like this. I'll tell him personally a bit later, though. He was kind of down after the Basque Country. To be honest, I think he was expecting more from his first year at Citigroup, he's not been able to show himself properly just yet. He works hard enough, though, in all seriousness.
Anyway, Paris - Roubaix is tomorrow. I've already got the best tactic ever.
Spoiler
First start the race, then make sure you're at the front and raise your arms while you celebrate
Oh dear, fixed now, thanks 
