The Rider - He sure is one of the main forces in the team. Thanks to an amazing first month of racing.
As you all know, I've been spending some time on the Story Writing Magazine, as well as on my internship. I hope to get the final stage in Crit. Int. done Thursday.
I've never had such a slow story, hope it's not too boring
Coming close to 10 pages, so might be a good time to do an intermediate evaluation. Let me know what you think of this story if you want to help a little bit. I hope you enjoy it, though Edited by Ian Butler on 18-12-2013 13:05
I woke up real early today. I was excited! Critérium International was my first true objective of the season. My season has been more than perfect so far, but I was still keen on doing this particular stage!
Critérium International - Stage 3
I love this profile. The mountains in the middle part will tire out the peloton, but the flat part between those and the final mountain is long enough to destroy any tactical masterplan going from long range.
I felt great and at dinner, to my biggest surprise, the team put their utmost confidence in me. I was the man for today.
The Race
The breakaway was a strong bunch so we put our team to work pretty early on. It was pretty warm today, which suits me fine! The surroundings were astounding to race around in!
But I wasn't here for the view. On the middle mountains, despite my pre-race talk, Euskaltel set up a major tactical plan, launching their leader with a helper. Luckily, we stayed calm!
We had to give away a full minute. That's when Pinotti stepped up. Unable to defend yellow on the final mountain and content with his stage 2 victory, he forced a new pace. I was honored someone like him was working for me!
Pinotti took such control of the speed that the peloton scrambled. Showing our strength in depth, 5 of us broke loose from the peloton, thanked solely to the fast pace.
These could be pictures of the team training camp, but it isn't. On the one but last climb of the day, we were close to catching the race leaders.
When we caught them, we just had about 15 kilometers of flat roads to go, and then the final climb. Duarte tried to escape from the group, but Pinotti and Manresa kept the pace high.
And then it was my turn. The team had done anything to bring me at the foot of the climb first. Now I had to step in and finish the team's job!
I chose to ride a constant pace, instead of attacking. The tactic sort-of worked, as I went into the final kilometer with only Montaguti and Navarro still nearby.
They refused to relay. They were either bluffing or at the limit of their abilites. I gambled on the latter, kept the pace up and sprinted away with less than 1 kilometer left to go.
I felt stronger than ever. I felt like a master at work, it was amazing! Nobody followed my attack. All I had to do was cross the line and the Critérium International would be mine!
The audience was cheering me on. There were French flags everywhere. I even saw a flag with my face on it. This was wild!
And I took it home! Oh damn, I couldn't believe it!
Thanks to the entire team today! Everyone did their part and everyone was equally important in today's victory!
Result
1
Henry Vergnaud
Citigroup Pro Cycling
4h46'00
2
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 12
3
Matteo Montaguti
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
4
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 1'10
5
Fabio Duarte
Colombia
+ 1'42
6
Jérémy Roy
FDJ.fr
+ 2'39
7
Sébastien Reichenbach
IAM Cycling
s.t.
8
Esteban Chaves
Colombia
s.t.
9
Philip Deignan
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
10
Warren Barguil
Citigroup Pro Cycling
s.t.
Spoiler
11
Marcel Wyss
IAM Cycling
+ 3'11
12
Egoi Martínez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
13
Robert Vrecer
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'26
14
Sandy Casar
FDJ.fr
s.t.
15
Silvio Herklotz
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 4'43
16
Ioannis Tamouridis
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 4'52
17
Pablo Urtasun
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
18
Romain Hardy
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 5'00
19
Marco Pinotti
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 11'22
20
Jacques Janse Van Rensburg
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
21
Tsgabu Grmay
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
22
Geoffroy Lequatre
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
23
Pierre-Luc Périchon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
24
Vegard Stake Laengen
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
25
Leocadio Manresa
Citigroup Pro Cycling
s.t.
26
David Le Lay
Sojasun
s.t.
27
Davide Malacarne
Team Europcar
s.t.
28
Florian Guillou
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
29
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Team Europcar
s.t.
30
Gaël Malacarne
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
31
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 12'09
32
Davide Frattini
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
33
Jussi Veikkanen
FDJ.fr
s.t.
34
Ricardo Mestre
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 13'06
35
Dimitri Le Boulch
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
36
Yannick Talabardon
Sojasun
s.t.
37
Maxime Méderel
Sojasun
s.t.
38
Ben Day
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
39
Aleksejs Saramotins
IAM Cycling
s.t.
40
Julien Bérard
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
41
Jérôme Baugnies
Citigroup Pro Cycling
s.t.
42
Juan Esteban Arango
Colombia
s.t.
43
Anthony Delaplace
Sojasun
s.t.
44
Yoann Bagot
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 14'20
45
Vincent Jérôme
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 14'54
46
Carlos Quintero
Colombia
s.t.
47
Michael Rodriguez
Colombia
+ 15'16
48
Florian Vachon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 15'31
49
Sven Vanthourenhout
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
50
Manuel Belletti
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
51
Guillaume Faucon
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
52
Jeffry Romero
Colombia
s.t.
53
Romain Bacon
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
54
Arnaud Labbe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
55
Flavien Dassonville
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
56
William Bonnet
FDJ.fr
s.t.
57
Arthur Vichot
FDJ.fr
s.t.
58
Joeri Stallaert
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
59
John Murphy
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
60
Samuel Dumoulin
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
61
Jani Tewelde
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 16'27
62
Jacobus Venter
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
63
Marcel Aregger
IAM Cycling
s.t.
64
Meron Russom
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
65
Kristian Sbaragli
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
66
Bradley Potgieter
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 16'44
67
Wilson Marentes
Colombia
+ 17'29
68
Gediminas Bagdonas
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 18'09
69
Tarik Chaoufi
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 19'40
70
Martin Reimer
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 20'27
71
Bradley White
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
72
Gert Joeaar
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
73
Kevin Lalouette
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 21'24
74
Armindo Fonseca
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 22'12
75
Edwin Ávila
Colombia
s.t.
76
Morgan Kneisky
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
77
Davide Appollonio
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
78
Steven Tronet
BigMat - Auber 93
s.t.
79
Matthieu Boulo
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
80
Aldo Ino Ilesic
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
81
Adrian Hegyvari
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
82
Jon Aberasturi
Euskaltel - Euskadi
s.t.
83
Adrien Petit
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
84
Kevin Peeters
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
85
Rudy Kowalski
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
86
Tony Hurel
Team Europcar
+ 23'40
87
Egoitz García
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
88
Jonathan Breyne
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
89
Pirmin Lang
IAM Cycling
s.t.
90
Benoit Jarrier
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
91
Martyn Irvine
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 24'43
92
Fabien Bacquet
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 26'17
93
Reinier Honig
Crelan - Euphony
+ 28'15
94
Maxime Le Montagner
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
95
Christophe Premont
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
96
Boris Zimine
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
97
Joeri Bueken
Crelan - Euphony
+ 29'34
98
Pieter Van Herck
Crelan - Euphony
s.t.
99
Rick Zabel
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 33'21
Final Classification
1
Henry Vergnaud
Citigroup Pro Cycling
6h29'38
2
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 22
3
Matteo Montaguti
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 23
4
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 1'14
5
Fabio Duarte
Colombia
+ 2'11
6
Jérémy Roy
FDJ.fr
+ 2'42
7
Sébastien Reichenbach
IAM Cycling
+ 2'55
8
Philip Deignan
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 3'01
9
Warren Barguil
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 3'04
10
Esteban Chaves
Colombia
+ 3'09
Spoiler
11
Marcel Wyss
IAM Cycling
+ 3'28
12
Egoi Martínez
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 3'36
13
Sandy Casar
FDJ.fr
+ 3'47
14
Robert Vrecer
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 4'02
15
Ioannis Tamouridis
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 5'11
16
Silvio Herklotz
Citigroup Pro Cycling
s.t.
17
Pablo Urtasun
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 5'12
18
Romain Hardy
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 5'31
19
Marco Pinotti
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 11'17
20
Geoffroy Lequatre
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 11'28
21
Leocadio Manresa
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 11'39
22
David Le Lay
Sojasun
+ 11'47
23
Jacques Janse Van Rensburg
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 11'51
24
Tsgabu Grmay
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 11'55
25
Davide Malacarne
Team Europcar
+ 11'57
26
Pierre-Luc Périchon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
27
Vegard Stake Laengen
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
28
Florian Guillou
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 11'58
29
Gaël Malacarne
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 11'59
30
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Team Europcar
+ 12'05
31
Blel Kadri
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 12'33
32
Jussi Veikkanen
FDJ.fr
s.t.
33
Davide Frattini
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 12'49
34
Aleksejs Saramotins
IAM Cycling
+ 13'22
35
Ben Day
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 13'39
36
Anthony Delaplace
Sojasun
+ 13'41
37
Julien Bérard
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
38
Juan Esteban Arango
Colombia
+ 13'42
39
Dimitri Le Boulch
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 13'43
40
Ricardo Mestre
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 13'46
41
Jérôme Baugnies
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 13'54
42
Yannick Talabardon
Sojasun
+ 13'55
43
Maxime Méderel
Sojasun
+ 14'00
44
Yoann Bagot
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 15'05
45
Vincent Jérôme
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 15'34
46
Carlos Quintero
Colombia
s.t.
47
Arthur Vichot
FDJ.fr
+ 15'43
48
John Murphy
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 15'45
49
Manuel Belletti
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 15'49
50
William Bonnet
FDJ.fr
+ 15'56
51
Romain Bacon
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 16'01
52
Michael Rodriguez
Colombia
+ 16'02
53
Sven Vanthourenhout
Crelan - Euphony
+ 16'04
54
Joeri Stallaert
Crelan - Euphony
+ 16'06
55
Florian Vachon
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 16'07
56
Arnaud Labbe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 16'08
57
Guillaume Faucon
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 16'10
58
Jeffry Romero
Colombia
+ 16'15
59
Samuel Dumoulin
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 16'16
60
Flavien Dassonville
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 16'25
61
Jani Tewelde
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 17'00
62
Jacobus Venter
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 17'01
63
Marcel Aregger
IAM Cycling
s.t.
64
Kristian Sbaragli
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 17'02
65
Meron Russom
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 17'05
66
Bradley Potgieter
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 17'26
67
Wilson Marentes
Colombia
+ 18'00
68
Gediminas Bagdonas
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 18'16
69
Tarik Chaoufi
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 20'24
70
Gert Joeaar
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 20'58
71
Bradley White
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 21'02
72
Martin Reimer
MTN - Qhubeka
+ 21'06
73
Kevin Lalouette
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 21'55
74
Adrien Petit
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 22'37
75
Davide Appollonio
AG2R La Mondiale
+ 22'44
76
Adrian Hegyvari
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 22'46
77
Morgan Kneisky
Roubaix Lille Métropole
s.t.
78
Kevin Peeters
Crelan - Euphony
+ 22'49
79
Aldo Ino Ilesic
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 22'53
80
Armindo Fonseca
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
s.t.
81
Edwin Ávila
Colombia
+ 22'55
82
Steven Tronet
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 22'59
83
Rudy Kowalski
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 23'00
84
Jon Aberasturi
Euskaltel - Euskadi
+ 23'04
85
Matthieu Boulo
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 23'07
86
Benoit Jarrier
Bretagne - Séché Environnement
+ 23'58
87
Jonathan Breyne
Crelan - Euphony
+ 24'05
88
Egoitz García
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
+ 24'18
89
Tony Hurel
Team Europcar
+ 24'19
90
Pirmin Lang
IAM Cycling
+ 24'26
91
Martyn Irvine
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
+ 25'13
92
Fabien Bacquet
BigMat - Auber 93
+ 26'54
93
Maxime Le Montagner
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 28'48
94
Christophe Premont
Crelan - Euphony
+ 28'55
95
Reinier Honig
Crelan - Euphony
+ 28'59
96
Boris Zimine
Roubaix Lille Métropole
+ 29'03
97
Pieter Van Herck
Crelan - Euphony
+ 30'19
98
Joeri Bueken
Crelan - Euphony
+ 30'25
99
Rick Zabel
Citigroup Pro Cycling
+ 33'39
Points Classification
1
Henry Vergnaud
Citigroup Pro Cycling
41
2
Jérémy Roy
FDJ.fr
33
3
Jérôme Coppel
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
30
4
Marco Pinotti
Citigroup Pro Cycling
29
5
Daniel Navarro
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
27
Mountain Points Classification
1
Romain Hardy
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
18
2
Dimitri Le Boulch
BigMat - Auber 93
10
3
Julien Bérard
AG2R La Mondiale
8
4
Henry Vergnaud
Citigroup Pro Cycling
6
5
Giovanni Bernaudeau
Team Europcar
6
Analysis & Daily Thoughts
This is beyond my imagination! I've always dreamed of winning Critérium International. I could never hope I'd do it in my first professional year!
Agreed, the field was weaker than usual, but you can't call Coppel, Duarte and Navarro bad competition, right? I'm real happy with my performance!
I hope this performance helps in getting some more wildcards after all. The wildcards for Critérium du Dauphinée will soon be decided, maybe we have a chance there?
Finally I just want to share a minor thought: Critérium International has been a dream for a long time. Now, at 21 years old, that dream has come true.
You know what else has been a dream? The Tour de France.
Maybe at the age of 22? (kidding)
Anyway, I'll leave you to it, I'm going to enjoy my victory some more and go out tonight! Though I'll be in bed by 11, I don't want to spoil my current, great form!
Henry
PS. I have a small competitive break now. Expect me back in the GP Camembert. I love Camembert cheese, so I hope I win! (the winner gets his weight in cheese!)
I might not comment much here but i read it and must say i like what i read... your story is making me to wish to try a 1 rider story as i never done one.. keep it up Ian, great win.
It's been around ten days since I won Critérium International. I have to say, the first few days was like a circus, I had several reporters at my house, coming to inspect "the next Bernard Hinailt", their words, not mine.
I'd rather they wouldn't make that comparison, though, no matter how charming it is. I'm Henry Vergnaud, not Bernard Hinault. I want to go my own way and I'll see how I do.
However, there's no denying I've taken a flying start. I've certainly made a name for myself in the (procontinental) peloton. Three months into my career and I've gathered 5 victories, quite an achievement in modern cycling. I'm hopeful and enthusiastic for the future, but also careful. I have to keep training and improving, to score that ultimate hit, my biggest goal: to win the Tour de France one day.
I've taken a big step in conquering Critérium International in the mountain stage, in a pure battle of strength. In fact, I feel I've improved somewhat in climbing since I started my career at Citigroup.
With one goal behind us, here's the second evaluation sent by the team management.
The management agrees that my mountain skills have gone up. (Van Impe's exact words were: "I recognize my former self in you!") They've given me one more point and that brings my total up to 75 in climbing. In their system, someone like Nibali has 82, so I'm doing real good, aren't I?
See you soon,
Henry
Edited by Ian Butler on 18-12-2013 16:03
Amazing victory, Henry! It's good to see that the team has so much confidence in you and does major part of the work. It's even better to see how you reward their effort. Only shame is that the Criterium didn't last one more stage, no riding in the leader's jersey this time around.
The guy with your face as a flag was me by the way, stole it from your dad.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Wednesday morning at 5 o' clock. I wake up from a nightmare.
"Did I really lose my legs?" I look down. Oh, okay, still got them.
Need some time to come to my senses, need to get back to sleep, though.
Wednesday morning at 6 o' clock. Someone's at the door. I wrap my bathrobe around me and go down the stairs. My sister opens her door and gives me a mean look.
"Hey, maybe it's for you, don't give me that look!"
Great idea, sharing a house with your sister...
I open the door.
"Mr. Vergnaud?"
Yeah, I see them coming. Blood test. Now, really?
"Can I at least eat some yoghurt first?" I'm starving to death over here, they don't care.
"It won't take a moment, sir."
Stop calling me sir, I'm 21 for Christ's sake.
Just take my blood, I'm tired, I need some sleep urgently. I'm so tired...
Wednesday morning at 8 o' clock. I hear shouting downstairs. What the hell is going on here today? Then I hear a glass breaking, maybe it's a cup, I'm not sure. So I guess my sister's boyfriend slept over. I turn my phone on and look at my calendar. Wednesday, wednesday, wednesday... Oh, there it is.
Great, a rest day from training today. Time to play some FIFA! I'm so close to winning the title with Everton, but I shouldn't have loaned out my 2nd keeper...
I go downstairs again. "Hi, brother". Yeah, yeah, spare me your shit today. I just want some rest. Yawn, still bloody tired. I decide I want some breakfast, so I go out to look for the paper. Can't have breakfast without reading the paper, nasty habbit of mine.
I open the mailbox. There's the paper, and some useless advertising. I go into the usual rant of trees being cut down, so my sister and her boyfriend leave the room. Objective completed. I sit down and enjoy the quiet.
-- Wait a minute, between the advertising there's an envelop, I didn't see that before. I open it up and there's a note inside.
Henry,
I'll be honest here. I'm not a fan of cycling.
But I've seen you. And I was impressed.
You've seen me, too, but I don't know if you remember.
It was a cold day, I was wearing a red dress.
You crashed your bike. I thought you looked cute,
but you were too embarrased to notice.
Saturday evening.
the little bistro at Place Clemenceau,
Montoire-sur-le-Loire
8 o' clock
Don't let me down,
Michelle
Heh?
I re-read the letter five times.
Of course I remember her.
But...
She remembers me? How does she know my name, my address?
Wait a minute --
I take another look at the enveloppe, there's no stamp.
This Saturday, great.
This Saturday?
My phone rings.
"Hello, this is Henry"
"Henry, good news for you. We've been talking it over and you're leading the race on Saturday! So give it your best, son!"
Critérium International - Stage 3 
