Tour Down Under - Stage 2 January 23 - Stirling-Hahndorf
So a great start yesterday, and we were aiming for another good stage today. Me and Karl knew we had a great chance to take the climber's jersey if he could get in the break, so he attacked early, and was joined by 19 other riders!!!
It was a huge break, and the pack was forced to work hard to control it.
Only one aim for me today though, and given nobody else was interested in it, Karl easily took the mountain sprint, and so he will wear the climber's jersey!
Mission Accomplished
After that, I told Karl just to take it easy. He is a good sprinter, and as the break was doomed to fail, I told him to go for the bunch sprint.
He found the wheel of Rene Haselbacher, and showed we didn't need a train to sprint (which failed completely), as he took a great 5th spot, behind stage winner Fabio Baldato.
Another strong sprint for the American team
So a great day for me and the team. We take on a jersey, and have another strong sprint.
Well, two more days have passed, and I've done absolutely nothing. Rory Sutherland hasn't been feeling great, so full team support for him just to keep him protected and safe in the pack for Willunga. So Mike's been running the show, and I've watched. Not that I'm complaining, me and Karl Menzies have formed a great bond already, and after two stages, he still holds his jersey.
Stage 3
A typical sprint stage, with Oscar Freire edging out his lead out man Graeme Brown for another stage win.
Stage 4
3 riders broke away and took a minute on the pack. It was great to see David Millar take a stage win and the race lead, but we're kind of disappointed as the media attention focuses on Garmin - Chipotle, the other American team.
So disappointment for us on stage 4 with the break making it, but we've got Rory safely in the pack, so hopefully on Willunga tomorrow he'll be able to produce a good performance
Tour Down Under January 26 - Willunga-Willunga
I thought Mike would have the whole team working for Rory today, but he gave Kirk O'Bee the nod for a break, bringing me back into the action.
He joined a break of 8 riders, who nearly made it all the way to Willunga, but were caught at the base.
So Willunga hill, and Rory could only try and hang onto the pack as the favourites attacked. It all came back together on the line though, no time differences, so no matter.
We had Kirk, Karl, Rory and Kyle Gritters in the peloton on the descent, until Kirk fell. Pretty spectacular crash, as I jumped out the car, made sure he was OK, got him back on his bike and pushed him off. It's always scary when a rider goes down, so much so when he is one of your riders, but luckily, he was fine.
Rory launched an attack towards the end, and that provided him with the gap to lead home the pack in 11th, as Fabian Cancellara won.
KOM:
1 Rubens Bertogliati Saunier Duval - Scott 4 8
2 Karl Menzies Health net presented by Maxxis 0 6
So not a great stage. Rory is placed nowhere in the overall standings, and we lost the King of the Mountains Jersey. But given how small a team we are, the positives should overlook this. But you can't help but feel they don't
Tour Down Under - Stage 6 January 27 - Adelaide-Adelaide
The final stage, and I was again taking the back seat. We missed the 3 rider break that took a minute on the pack, and the chase was so fast, we just couldn't get anyone near the front, as Jimmy Engoulvent won.
So overall, a solid start for me in my career as an assistant DS. The field is strong given this is a PT race, and I finally have time to sleep as I go to America (still got no place to live though!)
Well, it's been hectic for a while for me. I just got to America, when straight away, Mike wanted me to help out the team in Malaysia for the Tour de Langkawi. Still no place for me to live then, another trip for me and my cat, who's getting a bit stressed with all this travelling.
It was a shame I was called so early, I'm only needed for 1 stage, the mountain stage which is tomorrow. Here's a round-up of the stages so far, all of them flat
Stage 1 - A good sprint from us, Kyle Gritters took 2nd just behind Robbie Hunter Stage 2 - 2 riders gained 1'19 on the pack today - Darren Lapthorne (Sparkasse) and Bert De Waele (Landbouwkrediet). Robbie Hunter led home the pack, Kyle Gritters finished 17th, our best rider for the day Stage 3 - Robbie Hunter took his second stage win, whilst Kirk O'Bee was strong enough for 7th Stage 4 - We got in the right break today with Corey Collier, which meant I was called into action. He did the majority of the work to hold off the pack by 27 seconds, so come the sprint, he was the last breakaway rider home, finishing 4th. Volodymyr Zagorodny won, but Darren Lapthorne gained some more time as he was in the break again Stage 5 - Robert Hunter continues his domination by taking yet another stage win. We completely botched the sprint, best we could manage was way down in 30th with Kyle Gritters Stage 6 - This guy is in a different league. A 4th stage win for Hunter, and with all those time bonuses, he takes the GC lead by 1 second too! John Murphy was our best in 17th Stage 7 - This is simply insane. That's now five stages for Hunter, all the other sprinters may have well as not turned up. All his wins haven't even been close. Frank Pipp, a lead-out man was our best in 19th
So the story of the opening week has been all about Hunter. The Barloworld rider is in impeccable form, but tomorrow, we aim to make it our day in the mountains. We have two leaders, Rory Sutherland, who's preparing for the Tour of California, and Phil Zajicek, who I'll be managing tomorrow.
Edited by Crommy on 25-07-2008 09:25
Tour de Langkawi - Stage 8 February 16 - Temerloh-Bukit Fraser
With guys like Di Luca and Danielson racing, it was going to be tough for us to get a result today, but that was our plan. Big hats off to Kirk O'Bee today, who did all the work to bring in the breakaway before the real climb began. By the time he peeled off, he was struggling to even stay on the bike, but a quick recovery, and he tempoed in.
Going up the climb, and it was tense. All the favourites were waiting for the move to come, eyeing each other up. So when I sent Phil Zajicek on the attack, I don't think anybody could believe some small time American from a small team had attacked. There mistake. Rory Sutherland saw the move, and went after him. A few riders followed, then a few more, before everyone was out of their saddles trying to reach up to our two boys. I told Phil to keep the tempo up, not to give anybody a break, but unfortunately, a front group of 15 established itself. From then on, it was simply a case of me telling Phil to hold on, just keep holding on. Nearing the summit sprint, Phil was in pain, he was hurting. But this was a rare opportunity for him, and I made sure he knew that. As soon as the sprint began, he went after Yuri Trofimov, the KOM jersey holder, who was giving it all for those mountain points, and getting away.
But Phil was riding hard and fast, the gap slowly decreased.
Five bike lengths, not 4, 3, 2,1...
Big celebrations over the line, the first thing Phil did was look me up, and give me a crushing hug.
"You kept me going out there Rob!"
I haven't stopped smiling yet, and I don't think I will for a while yet
Nice win you got there, and Zajicek is third in GC. It looks very promising
"Kraftværket fra Rostock, en stor bastant trampende tysker, en torpedo, der skydes gennem luftrummet, en bombe af kraft, pløjer nærmest asfalten op, benene går som store stempler på den tyske maskine, en rullende bismarcksklump."
Tour de Langkawi - Stage 9 February 17 - Kuala Lumpur Criterium
The final stage of the Tour, and I'm having a great time. During those boring flat stages before yesterday, I used my laptop to get me a small apartment in Oakland, California, near our Team HQ. And yesterday, I won the respect of a rider on the team, Phil. I'm getting along with the whole team, I'm getting used to the workings and mechanics of a pro team. Life is good.
John Murphy, tired after the mountain, can only watch as Robbie Hunter finally doesn't win a sprint
So a good strong Tour of Malaysia for us. We bagged a stage win, a podium spot overall. But more importantly for me, I'm fitting in and proving my worth. I have found my dream job.
Your career has been up to a good start so far. Keep it up
"Kraftværket fra Rostock, en stor bastant trampende tysker, en torpedo, der skydes gennem luftrummet, en bombe af kraft, pløjer nærmest asfalten op, benene går som store stempler på den tyske maskine, en rullende bismarcksklump."
