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Il Bimbo d'bronzo | Giro d'Italia 2015
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 26-06-2014 21:14
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Sounds promising. |
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 27-06-2014 14:02
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@dark_x2012
Good to know the prologue isn't boring you just yet! 
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 27-06-2014 14:04
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On the transatlantic flight home, I enjoyed the personal pleasure of admiring the various long legged air hostesses gliding up and down the passenger aisle. One in particular caught my attention. Porcelained skinned, brunette hair, tall and slender. (But not too slender mind you.) She wore her red Virgin Atlantic uniform properly fitted, accenting her ample bosom, tiny waist and slightly flared hips which turned into long slender legs below her skirt which was cut just above her knees. Her facial features which were a bit sharp suggested she was most likely not British. (Not a Team Sky secret agent then!) French or Italian maybe? The name on her crew tag read Daphné (an accent on the e, how exciting!)
A couple of flirting glances into her aquatic blue eyes and a pinch of idle small chat later. (During which her soft accent did indeed betray she was not British.) I ended up finding myself in the special care of Daphné. A care which consisted of her passing-by with a tray of refreshments and always having a special glass of cola with a finger of whiskey at the ready for me. (Among other things.) Making the rest of the slight a pleasant one.
Later that night when most passengers in the dimmed cabin were asleep, the only sounds filling the cabin being that of the humming engines, blowing air-conditioning and the Skyfall opening sequence sounding through the various headphones. Daphné came by with an issue of the latest Esquire magazine, suggesting it would make a good nights reading.
Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
After she had left I opened the magazine to find a pleasant surprise inside. On the first page across the thigh of Cristiano Ronaldo who was modelling his latest underwear (thighs that could rival my own, I noticed in passing), a phone number was written down with the name Daphné right below it. After dutifully reading the magazine back to front (she had such pretty handwriting!) I stored my now prized possession in my weekender.
Later that morning during the descent towards Heathrow (where my layover was waiting) a coy smile was exchanged between me and Daphné, as she had taken the crew seat across from me. A final goodbye to a memorable day.
Spoiler This should do it for the more longer pieces. And the racing is around the corner as well. Picture is the lovely Eva Green in Casino Royale!
Edited by Re Leone on 27-06-2014 14:06
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 27-06-2014 14:09
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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Think your in there mate |
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 27-06-2014 14:19
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Small Tour Specialist
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That was most.. descriptive
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 27-06-2014 14:32
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Tour de France Champion
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And she's a virgin.................................... (stewardess that is) |
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 27-06-2014 19:44
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@welker3257
I enjoy reading Ian Fleming his Bond novels. I guess it showed up there.
@sutty68
I bet she has a lot of miles on her... air miles that is.
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 27-06-2014 19:47
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It was a joy to tell mother about my various exploits on and off the bicycle in the United States over luncheon which naturally was her famous gazpacho; a cold soup with raw vegetables and bread mixed in.
After the small feast I decided to go out for a spin on my old Giant OCR 3, a birthday present from mother when I turned 17. A bicycle which had turned into my trusty stallion at the time during which I conquered various junior races around Malta and Italy.
My first stop was the apartment of childhood friend Gregor Fitzgerald son of an Irish couple who decided to retire on our humble little island.
Whenever one turned up to his apartment a sunglasses sporting Gregor was easy to spot on his balcony, the shirtless red shrimp with a poof of blonde hair on the top of his head. Resulting in him subconsciously performing the perfect impersonation of a British tourist.
Greg his case wasn’t helped by the fact that he always liked to wear one of those professional cycling kits instead of opting for something more casual. (Like my by Tjebco designed Castelli kit.) To join me on my bike trip he decided to sport the blue and white kit of Garmin while naturally riding his overpriced Boardman. To finish it all off he wore a green helmet. Unable to hide his dream of once winning the green jersey in the Tour de France. (A far cry from here with the little talent Greg possessed.) Indeed it was rather embarrassing to ride next to the cyclist tourist.
“They should have that Farrar guy be your lead out, Greg.” I joked.
After some banter and a bunch of interval sprints, we spotted a slender figure with darkly tanned leg just ahead of us on the road. A fancy Merida beneath his bottom. The man familiar to both Greg and I, as one we both admired and loathed.
Edited by Re Leone on 28-06-2014 00:58
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 28-06-2014 14:09
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Where out of the three of us Greg was the one exceptionally untalented, Aziz was on the complete opposite of the spectrum. The slender from Moroccan descent rider was a great climber. A bit of information he would gladly share with anyone willing to listen. Just like his recent engagement to Stella a local blonde who was the heartthrob of every young guy in town. A conquest surely aided by his fancy contract at LA Aluminios. Yes Aziz had it all.
After chewing the fat during our little tour and glorifying Aziz his 2nd place in the Tour do Brasil and his top 10 finish in the Volta ao Algarve (ahead of guys like Uran, Henao and Kelderman). The in his Portuguese team gear cladded cyclist explained how he had just signed a deal with Italian team Lampre-Merida for the coming season. (A world tour contract, the bastard!)
Two hours of pedaling later we finished our little training session and picked up the opportunity to enjoy the local nightlife. With Aziz about to be a married man and Greg heading back to the university in Italy this was one of the last chances for the three musketeers to together.
A bunch of hours, few drinks, regrettable one night stand and broken heart later, I couldn’t help myself and texted Daphné something in my hangover haze. Girls were fun for a good 10 minutes (as a cyclist you should not waste too much energy in the bedroom!), but they always left you feeling empty afterwards. (No pun intended my dear reader.)
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 14:43
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So far, this is maybe the best I've read on this board in terms of writing style and wit. Not to mention the very nice graphics and the top layout. If you manage to implement the racing on a similar level, then this story's got it all 
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-11-2024 21:20
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| Jesleyh |
Posted on 28-06-2014 14:45
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Tour de France Champion
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I agree, it's looking great at the moment!
Good pace though, and pleasant length too.
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 28-06-2014 21:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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After seeing the pic of you and Gregor, it reminded me of the film ''American Flyer'' with Kevin Costner
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 28-06-2014 22:49
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@cunego59
With some of the other quality stories on this forum, thanks for the huge compliment!
@Jesleyh
Thanks, good to know the pieces are not too long. 
@sutty68
As a movie buff you've now forced me to watch that movie.
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 28-06-2014 23:00
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Well, I can only repeat what I said before and what Jesleyh & cunego59 said already - it's definitely one of the best stories at the moment, both graphic-wisely and judging by writing style. I look like a nazi, but you posted last report twice, so you might want to delete one of them.
Lovely touch on screens, too!
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 28-06-2014 23:03
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Neo-Pro
Posts: 322
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admirschleck wrote:
I look like a nazi, but you posted last report twice, so you might want to delete one of them.
I don't think I did? It's probably the screens that look alike?
Anyway thanks for the compliment.
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 28-06-2014 23:05
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Team Leader
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Haha, I could swear these were two same reports. I even checked it twice. Yes, it's the fact that screens look-alike. Sorry. 
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 29-06-2014 01:24
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Tour de France Champion
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Re Leone said :
@sutty68
As a movie buff you've now forced me to watch that movie.
All i can say is that it is a good movie and you will enjoy it (hopefully) |
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| Re Leone |
Posted on 29-06-2014 13:22
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My preparation for the World Championship was far from ideal, or was it the Tour de l’Avenir? As I spent time between both my road bike and mountain bike I didn’t even really know myself what I was doing. The only thing helping against the mental fatigue; riding my bike, by now having explored every crack and wrinkle in the country.
The countless emails by Nick and his colleagues at Team Sky (in which they explained how they would be able to place me in the United States team for de Tour l’Avenir due to my American father.) Their offer looking less tempting as I had recently received an offer from Belkin Pro Cycling. A tempting offer with the very free role they provided, but Gregor (my unofficial official agent) assured me that Belkin were not dedicated to the sport and could cease their sponsoring at any moment. Still they were the best alternative. Until this morning when the message I had secretly been wishing for popped up on my newly sponsored HTC phone.
The subject line read ‘Welcome to Team Tissot.’ (Did he not decide to join the Trek project I kept hearing rumours about in the media?)
No it seemed those were just rumours. It were the Swiss watchmakers at Tissot who had decided to take over the sponsorship of Radioshack, commencing per 2014. As one could easily guess it was the opportunity of supporting Cancellara (the best Swiss cyclist of all time) that pulled them across the line. It seemed that together with Cancellara they had managed to keep most of the Leopard core together (or Radioshack, who knew at this point?), and now they were sending out offers to selected prospects.
Their pages long contract offer was a very detailed one which I immediately mailed over to Greg. As an economics student he knew how these things worked.
He quickly replied that their contract was an excellent one. I would serve as a domestique in the important World Tour races (of which I most likely would only ride the cobbled ones), but in the one week stage races and non-WT races I would be in the running for a free or leading role.
Certainly sounded better than Sky their offer which mostly sounded as a veneer to become a fancy water carrier.
Plus this meant I could compete in my final U23 MTB World Championship.
Yes my dear reader that day was the first time I used what I deemed the outdated technology known as a fax machine. Printing out and signing the contract at our local library. Sending a resounding ‘yes’ to Tissot their head of operations in Switzerland. Time to tell Daphné to pack her bags.
Spoiler Team Tissot is the exact same team that's Trek Factory Racing (same riders). I just decided to change the sponsor because I dislike the Trek kit. (And there might be a future potential storyline in there somewhere.  )
Edited by Re Leone on 29-06-2014 13:26
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 29-06-2014 14:03
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Tour de France Champion
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Nice read |
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 29-06-2014 20:02
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Small Tour Specialist
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I agree, not a fan of Trek's kit. On another note glad he didn't go to Sky since only the leaders are allowed to get marginal gains 
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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