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One in a Billion | Rise to the Summit
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 30-07-2016 08:22
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Directeur Sportif
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Equipped with a new bike, I dived head-long into the state amateur cycling circuit. The season was spread unevenly throughout the year. It started in February, covered March, was off from April till July because of the intense heat and then the Monsoons, resumed from August and ended in November. There was no racing in the winter months, mostly because of visibility issues at altitude. The race schedules were not very structured either, with races overlapping each other quite a bit. Very early on I realised that my strength lay in going uphill. I had a tough time keeping up with the pace in absolutely flat stages. As luck - or bad luck - would have it, out of the 15 races making up the season, only 4 races involved decisive climbing. And two of them started on the same date! Despite these difficulties, I had a fantastic season first up, finishing 3rd in the state rankings. To be honest, the competition wasn't the greatest, but I did what I had to do. The state federation encouraged me to go national and I was equally eager.
I was just 14. Convincing my parents to allow me to go national wasn't easy. Staying away from home from best part of 6 months meant studies would take a back-seat. Unlike the state schedule, the national schedule was better. The road races were held between April and November. One could choose the races that suited them. December through March would be time for school, and school only.
I was happy, doing what I loved. In a country where sports often took a back-seat, this was a big luxury. The thought of proving myself always nagged me though. I didn't want to go back to the old way of life. After two successful years in the national amateur circuit, winning a total of seven races, including the National U16s Time Trial Championships, I was picked up by the Next Gen program of the Indian Cycling Federation.
To be continued...
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 30-07-2016 08:25
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
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Really like the start so far, will be following 
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 30-07-2016 08:33
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Thanks Jandal. Glad to know you'll be following
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| DiCyc |
Posted on 30-07-2016 08:45
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Sprinter
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Joined: 09-03-2015
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It looks like he got a good start to his career  |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 30-07-2016 10:00
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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DiCyc wrote:
It looks like he got a good start to his career
So far so good. But it will get tougher from here, training and directly competing against the best in the country!
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 30-07-2016 11:20
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Team Leader
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AbhishekLFC wrote:
DiCyc wrote:
It looks like he got a good start to his career
So far so good. But it will get tougher from here, training and directly competing against the best in the country!
You can do it !
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 30-07-2016 16:29
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
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Tamijo wrote:
AbhishekLFC wrote:
DiCyc wrote:
It looks like he got a good start to his career
So far so good. But it will get tougher from here, training and directly competing against the best in the country!
You can do it !
I'll remember the encouragement!
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 31-07-2016 09:52
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
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Continued...
The Next Gen program consisted of 50 of the most promising riders of the country, training and riding together as a team. Cyclists from the age of 16 to 19 were allowed to be a part of it. I was lucky I got in at 16 itself. There were riders coming at 18, who could only benefit for a year. I was sure three years in this program would teach me more than I otherwise would've picked up on my own.
The riders in this program had two-fold participation opportunities. Firstly, they would ride in the National Championships as a team. Secondly, they would participate in invitational events of nearby, mostly SAARC nations. As a newcomer, there was no chance of being selected for the latter. So it was another year of competing in the national circuit, in higher profile races.
It was frustrating in the beginning. Going from competing for race wins, although in lower prestige races, to being relegated to the role of a water-carrier for the first six months wasn't what I had been hoping for. But then, in age category teams, age itself is often a decider of importance. Skill-based appreciation comes after you earn the respect of your coaches, and perhaps more importantly, your team-mates!
To be continued...
Edited by AbhishekLFC on 31-07-2016 17:59
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 31-07-2016 17:58
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Continued...
Year 2 in Next Gen was a bit better. I was allowed to go out into breaks in a few races. I was also picked for a couple of invitational races, one in Malaysia and another in Sri Lanka. I got to go abroad for the first time in my life. I was still the water carrier for the most part, but the experience was brilliant. I met a lot of new people and got to know about the state of cycling in neighbouring countries.
Two highlights stand out from these couple of races. The first was a day long outing in the break. The break consisted of 8 riders out in front for over 100 km of the 125 km route. The peloton did not catch up and although I ran out of steam in the final kilometres, I finished a respectable 6th on that stage. The second was when I was a part of the climbing 'train' in Sri Lanka where we chased the breakaway, reeled them in and set our team leader on course to a stage victory. He thanked us all after the stage and it felt really good to have executed our plan to perfection.
With the good also came the bad. Over-enthusiasm led to me being dropped by the main pack in a handful of stages in races back home. Either I was trying to hard to get into the break when the peloton was clearly unwilling or I was pulling the train too hard too early and being of no use to the team at the end. I soon realised that the learning curve would be very steep at the national level. I started coaching myself for calmness when I felt I was getting too excited or too nervous in stages. I got better as the year went on and I was picked as a domestique in the Junior Asian Championships.
To be continued...
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 01-08-2016 06:26
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Team Leader
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So many fine details in this prologue, great read.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 08:22
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 01-08-2016 07:29
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
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Thanks! Taking my time writing them. Glad you like them
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 01-08-2016 12:35
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Directeur Sportif
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Continued...
Spoiler This is the last post of the Amateur Years. We go back to the present from the next post
The race was anything but slow. Although we were ranked high as a team, 4th among the 16 teams present, our leader was only 7th favourite for the title. This put a lot of pressure on the domestiques to keep our leader on our wheels. The profile consisted of one small but steep climb and a higher but less steep climb, followed by the finish at the bottom of the second descent. We lost the sprinter from the peloton in the first climb itself, the high pace too much for him to keep up on the ascent. Another rider crashed out on the descent. A third rider was dropped from the pack on the flat between the two climbs. A group of 40 reached the bottom of the second climb, with 4 of our team still in the lead group. The breakaway was in sight now. That's when the toil started. The attacks started as soon as the break was caught. We had to hold a high pace to get back the gap after each attack.
Then, disaster struck! The chief domestique pulled off to the side, unable to pull our leader on any further. I was automatically promoted to chief domestique. I had never heard a sterner message from my manager over the ear-piece. "Pull", he kept repeating. "Pull, pull, pull!". It was left to the two of us to get our leader to the top of the climb in a good position. About a kilometer before the summit, the other domestique pulled out. I was the only one doing the chasing. There were three riders out ahead with a 10 second lead. In our group, along with me and my leader, there were 2 more riders. Neither of them were willing to chase, either out of tiredness or they were not cooperating, I wasn't sure. I didn't have time to think about it. Pedaling as fast as my legs would allow me, I closed the gap to the leaders till they were within touching distance. I could hear my manager shouting "Attack now. Go!" to my leader. He went off in pursuit. I slowed down and coasted over the summit.
As I reached the finish, I saw the board glowing saying that  India had won bronze in the race. I crossed the line in the top 10 myself. I was overcome with happiness as I rushed to my team to join in the celebration. Later that evening my manager told me that he was starting to expect big things from me now. He said he wanted me to push on in the next season.
And push on I did. The following season was my breakthrough year on the circuit. I was picked as the leader for multiple races and won 3 of them. I won the Junior National Time Trial Championships again, this time in the U19 category. I did pick up an injury in training a month before the 2014 Junior Asian Championships. Thus, I was selected as Co-Leader, only to go for the win if the Leader was not in a position to do so. What happened next is history! You can read about that here...
Edited by AbhishekLFC on 02-08-2016 11:01
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 04-08-2016 11:12
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
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SO DAMN COLD!!
It is my third day in Amsterdam. I spent the whole of the first day sleeping and most of the second day unpacking. This was going to be my home for the time I'd be staying in Europe, which I hope will be for a long time. My uncle, who lived alone (not any more ) in Amsterdam had gleefully taken me in. I've been taking full advantage of his hospitality since I arrived here. This is the first time I've come visiting and I could see he too was excited, seemingly more at my being here than about my career. It must get lonely living here I guess, so far away from family.
He was taking me out sightseeing today. This week was quite relaxed for me. The signing date was still 10 days away. It was afternoon time and the moment I stepped out was like walking into the refrigerator! Thanks to central heating (small mercies!!), I hadn't realized just how cold it was outside for the past two days.
Living practically on top of the Tropic of Cancer, the coldest winter day I've ever experienced was 9 degrees. 10 degrees used to be a cause for celebration for me. Winter has always been my favourite season. Summers can get unbearable in the tropics. I guess one appreciates more whatever one gets less. It was the first week of December now and the temperature at 3 PM in the afternoon was 7 degrees! 7 degrees, 2 degrees below the coldest temperature I've ever experienced. I could barely walk 
What had I got myself into!!
Edited by AbhishekLFC on 04-08-2016 11:20
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 04-08-2016 14:54
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Team Leader
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Welcome to the North.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 04-08-2016 18:41
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
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*shivering* Thank you
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 07-08-2016 09:27
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
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Prologue - Settling in...Somewhat
It's now eight days since I arrived in Amsterdam. My body seems to be finally getting used to the weather here. The evening that I last wrote about, I managed to stay outdoors for all of 90 minutes, before I couldn't take the chill anymore.
Since then, I've been around the city a couple of times, once in the morning with the sun out and then once in the early evening. It wasn't that bad this time around. Amsterdam is lovely! The bridges, the canals, the boats, the houses, all of this is new to me. And so few people compared to what I'm used to. I caught myself thinking a couple of times, 'I could get used to this.' Homesickness hadn't set in and a lot of that is thanks to the time I've spent exploring.
I am still waiting for my bike to arrive from back home. It was in transit, and was scheduled for delivery in another couple of days. I wish it would get here soon. I wanted to find out how riding felt in this weather. In the meantime, I've been hoping to hire a bike and go around the city, making use of the lovely bike paths. Nothing as such exists back home either. Must be easier cycling around the city without the sweltering heat turning your clothes into damp rags.
Oh, and I'm due in Luxembourg in exactly seven days' time. Getting a little anxious now. My heart skips a beat every time I get a small scratch or get a knock against furniture and the like. There's no way I can afford to mess up the medical. Need to be very careful this following week...
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 07-08-2016 10:37
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Team Leader
Posts: 7406
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Ya, be careful 
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 09-08-2016 06:25
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
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Prologue - The Night Before
I heeded friends' advice to be extra careful and thankfully there has been no mishaps in the week since I last wrote.
It's 2:30 AM on the morning I'm supposed to leave for Luxembourg. I can't sleep. I've been having those dreams of crashing again! Two nights ago, I dreamt of falling on a steep descent while leading a race. Yesterday, I dreamt of falling while riding in a Time Trial. I'm scared of what I'll dream of next!
Staying awake all night won't be the wisest thing. I'm writing this now to kill some time, hoping to take my mind off the worrying. It's not working yet. Just hope I get some sleep before morning arrives. I'd be taking the four and half hour drive down to Leopard HQ in exactly 6 hours time. I won't be the one driving, but I never get much sleep in transit, so it might be a long tiring day ahead.
Tomorrow, 17th December, 2014, is the big day...
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 09-08-2016 09:53
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Team Leader
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Good luck !
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 10-08-2016 11:35
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
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Thanks
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