Now lets take a look back over Node4 Rexona's 2013 season. And it has been one hell of a season!
January
The year began with the team presentation in Stoke-on-Trent. The whole team, including several new signings, were shown off to the gathered media. The end of the month was when things really got going. Most of the team went to a training camp in Lisbon.
Rico went to the NZL NC's. He put in decent rides, nothing of note. After that a team took part in the New Zealand Cycle Classic. A slow start, but without form that was expected.
February
No racing, just lots of training
March
Our European season began with the Dorpenomloop Rucphen. Luke Rowedelivered a win at the first time of asking, with Matt Cronshaw in 8th.
A small group went to the Volta ao Alentejo. No special results at all here, just form gaining and practice.
The month ends with Le Triptyque des Monts et Chateaux. This was new DS Mikel Hammarling's first time out. Stage 1 saw Luke 2nd, with Michal and Matt also in the Top10. Michal was 2nd in the time trial on Stage 2, with Luke again in the Top10. Luke was 2nd again on Stage 3, with Matt and Michal in the Top10. Michal finally won on Stage4 after a late attack. We finished the race Two and Three in the GC after a debate about time gaps.
Around the same time the UK season began with the Maldon Dengie Tour. Philip Lavery attacked late to finish 2nd, with three others in the Top10.
April
Our first race of the month was the Tour Doon Hame. Luke was second on stage one, before hitting back to win Stage 2 and the GC, Points and Youth. Matt was 2nd on stage 2. Karl Hammarling was in the break on Stage 2, collecting enough bonus seconds to finish 5th on GC.
At the Himmerland Rundt Matt put in a terrific late dash to win the race. At the same time Luke put in two Top15's in the Netherlands.
The final race in April was the Rutland-Melton Classic. Karl puts in a terrific turn in the final 10k to hold the race together for a sprint, which Luke wins ahead of Matt in second.
May
The Premier Calendar continued with the Tour of the Reservoir. Luke finished 4th and Scott 9th. On the continent Phil got a Top20 in the Ronde van Overijssel.
The Lincoln GP was dominated by the team. Phil soloed to victory with 4 others in the Top10!
The Halfords Tour Series also kicked off in the middle of the month. Karl finished 2nd in Round 1 having been in the days break. Luke's solo break won him the race in Durham, with Michal in 3rd.
The month also saw the An Post Ras. Scotty won the opening stage, while on the same day Marcin outsprinted his breakaway companions to win in Oxford.
Scotty was 3rd in Stage 2 and 5th on Stage 3 over in Ireland. Luke took a mass sprint win in Redditch to keep the great month rolling.
The break beat everyone to win Stage 4 in the An Post Ras. Back in the UK Karl rode solo all day to win in Aberystwyth, his first ever win! And back in Ireland Michal dashed to 3rd on Stage 5 to keep the race alive. Michal attacked late on Stage 6, but was unsuccessful. But Scotty saved the day with a stage win.
Michal went long again on Stage 7, and headed a Node4 1-2-3 with Scotty and Phil at the end of the day. The break won again on Stage 8, but Michal won the GC and Youth. Scotty picked up the points jersey as well.
The final two races were in Peterbrough and London. Luke and Matt did a 1-2 in Peterbrough, then Luke finished 3rd in London. A truly great month for the team
June
Michal began the month by winning in Torquay. Luke finished Top10 Colchester and Stoke. Phil and Scotty both finished Top10 in the Tour Series final round in Woking.
The end of the month heralded the NC's of Poland and the UK.
In Poland Michal finished 3rd in the ITT, while Marcin broke away to win the RR! In the UK Karl out did himself to 12th in the ITT, while Matt was 6th in the RR.
July
Began slowly with a Top20 in the Beaumont Trophy. Scotty picked it up for the Stockton GP with a Top10, before Michal was Top20 in the GP Wales.
Luke picked up two Top10's in Hungary, before an 11th in the Ryedale GP.
The team also confirmed its new signings, but more on them later.
August
This was International Month. Scotty was 11th in Italy, Michal 8th in Spain, before Luke won in the Czech Republic.
In France, Luke was 4th on Stage 1, then Top20 on both Stage 2 and 3. Karl put in a decent ITT on stage 4, before Luke finished 6th on Stage 5.
David rounded out the month with 4th in Ljubljana-Zagreb.
September
The Tour of Britain!
Karl won the opening stage after an all-day break, while Michal, Yanto and Luke all finished inside the Top10 as well.
A late crash meant that the sprint team finished 1-2-3-4-5-6 on Stage 2! Things were going incredibly well.
Michal and Karl finished 1-2 on the "Queen" stage in the Lake District. The race was now all but sown up.
A large break stole the honors on Stage 4, and gave the team a well earned break.
Luke delivered a strong finish to win Stage5, and then again to win Stage 6!
But between Stage 6 and 7, Karl had to drop out for personal reasons, handing the GC lead over to Michal.
Luke and Scotty took a strong 1-2 on Stage 7, just in case we hadn't dominated enough by then.
Michal won the final ITT in London on Stage 8 to secure the GC win! Luke took the points, and Michal also took the Youth.
The month rounded out with 2 riders going to the Worlds in Italy. Karl rode a great race in the U23 event to take a Bronze. Michal finished 4th the Elite ITT to cap off a magnificent season for the team, which earned us promotion to the PCT for 2014.
How do i write an end of year piece for 2013... I have no idea what to start with. Do i start back in April, my first win in May, the Tour in September, the Worlds or my dad... Regardless it is safe to say that 2013 has been the craziest, best, worst, hardest, funnest and most truly unbelievable year of my life.
Really drawing a blank here... Ok lets start with the racing. The whole team really stepped it up a level this season. No-one could live with us when we went for it. Luke really stood out. His sheer consistency is something to admire, let alone the wins themselves. Michal also had a stand out season. It took him some time to settle in, but in Ireland he exploded. His Tour win would have been the highlight but for an amazing ride at the Worlds ITT to grab 4th place. I cannot write enough about everyone's rides this year. Just fantastic work from the whole team all year long.
My riding has come on leaps and bounds this year. I was happy to bury myself for the team time and time again in the early season. Then with the Tour Series came some freedom. I was ecstatic with a podium in Round 1, let alone a win in Aberwystwyth. Then of course there was the Tour. I cannot begin to talk about the Tour, just .... yeah, i'll come back to that.
2014 is going to be a big year. The team is now Pro Continental, and that means bigger races. Bigger races means tougher competition. It is going to be hard to achieve the same level of success, but i must say don't count us out. Of course i can't say much about it now as its still a whole off-season away. The off-season will be filled with a well earned rest for a few weeks, then back onto the bike so we can start off straight away next season.
I'm keeping this blog fairly short as i don't know exactly what to say, but the first one of 2014 will have more i promise. I will just end with a few words, something my dad once said to me: "The best thing you can do, is just to make someone else feel a little better"
Thanks Erik. You were my biggest fan, my coach, my mechanic, my dad. And it was more than i deserved. 2014 i will make him proud.
Various Page 1 bits and pieces updated. New calendars and goals are up!
Full presentation and 2014 previews will wait until Photobucket and my internet decide to work properly... grr
Hello and welcome to today's presentation. I am Malcolm Elliot, Team Director of Node4 Rexona.
2013 was the teams best season yet, and was truly exceptional. We have strengthened the squad, and gained a lot of experience, which will make this season that much better again we hope.
There have been no sponsor changes for this season. So our main sponsor is still Node4. Our co-sponsor is still Rexona. And we are still in partnership with: Subaru, Pinarello, Schwalbe, SiS, Rudy Project, Corima and Northwave.
Also this means that our jersey has not changed for the 2014 season. It saw a lot of action in 2013, and we hope will be on the podium just as much again this year. It was very kindly made by bwiggins.
Spoiler
And again there is no major change to our team equipment. We upgrade to the 2014 version of the Dogma, which is even better than last years bike. We also will use updated wheels from Corima, which are lighter and more aerodynamic.
So lets get on and meet the 2014 Node4 Rexona riders.
Luke Rowe
Luke was the stand out rider in 2013 racking up 10 wins over the season. He is one of the UK's leading sprinters. Luke is from Cardiff and is 23 years old.
Michal Kwiatkowski
Michal was a sensation is 2013, taking the overall win at the Tour of Britain. He also proved himself to be one of the worlds top time trialists. Michal from Dzialyn and is 23 years old.
Matt "Matty" Cronshaw
Matty had a great 2013 picking up several wins across Europe and the UK. He is the teams 2nd sprinter and Luke's key man. Matty is from Carnforth and is 25 years old.
Scott "Scotty" Thwaites
Scotty grabbed several results in 2013 including a ToB stage win. He is one of the best all-rounders in the team. Scotty is from Burley and is 23 years old.
Peter Kennaugh
Pete spent 2013 with Team Sky. He wants to lead, and is excited by the success we have had at Node4. He is the teams top climber. Pete is from Douglas and is 24 years old.
Karl Hammarling
Karl really developed in 2013, picking up Bronze at the U23 WCRR. He is one of strongest riders on the team. Karl is from Stockholm and is 20 years old.
Philip Lavery
Phil was ultimately unlucky in 2013, but he is looking good to grab some wins in the tough races this season as the teams best classics rider. Phil is from Dublin and is 23 years old.
Marcin Bialoblocki
Marcin became the Polish National Champion in 2013. He is also the best possible team-mate you could think of. Marcin is from Poland and is 30 years old.
Yanto Barker
Yanto nearly retired, but he's got at least another season left. He is a terrific team-mate on several terrains. Yanto is from Hereford and is 33 years old.
Felix English
Felix spent 2013 with Rapha Condor. He is a promising sprint talent, maybe the next Sean Kelly. Felix is from Brighton and is 21 years old.
James Sampson
James spent a lot of 2013 out with illness. His return provides more flat power and lead-out assistance. James is from Huddersfield and is 27 years old.
David Clarke
David may be starting his final season. He is a solid climber and will be looking to aid on the steep stuff. David is from Swadlincote and is 34 years old.
Peter Williams
Pete was a great team player in 2013, and had a few breaks. He is looking for more of the same this season. Pete is from Southport and is 27 years old.
Thomas Moses
Thomas spent 2013 with Raleigh. He is a promising puncher and climbing talent. He will be a team-mate this year. Thomas is from Oakworth and is 21 years old.
Andrew Magnier
Andrew had a quiet 2013, but he was crucial to the teams success. He happily spends all day running for water and pulling the race along. Andrew is from Leek and is 25 years old.
Edward Laverack
Ed spent 2013 with Rapha Condor. He is a good flat rider and will be a great addition as a team mate. Ed is from Llanelli and is 19 years old.
Again as in the past we still have a small womens team, which is again headlined by former Junior World Champion Lucy Garner.
Our backroom staff have not changed either:
Malcolm Elliot - Team Director
Bill Nickson - Director Sportif
Mikel Hammarling - Director Sportif
along with several trainers, scouts and doctors to keep the team on the bikes across the season.
The riders and staff will be open for question shortly, but first we hope you enjoy this short performance by Modest Mouse.
Thank you for your time.
Well a brand new year. 2013 was an introduction to the team and working as a DS, and i feel it went pretty well. Piloted the guys to a few wins and took on a fair amount of behind the scenes admin duties, which i enjoy to be honest.
2014 heralds a whole new set of challenges. I am taking on a lot more races as an actual DS, with the highlight being a month spent in the USA in August. I cannot wait to get into the car and out into the action. Looking to get the lads a few wins. The racing will be a lot harder this year with the step up. Now we will reguarly come up against WT teams, and the very best of the CT division as well. I think that the PCT is the toughest and most competitive division in professional cycling. Having said all that i know our guys are up to the task and will bring in the results.
Behind the scenes i will still be coordinating the scouting end of things. When July rolls around i will be handling most of the transfer stuff as well. It is going to be a busy year.
Next week the whole team is going down to Faro again for an 8 day training camp. Usual mix of training and testing, with some relaxing and team bonding thrown in as well. Weather should be nice and sunny and everyone is looking forward to the first team event of the season. I just hope the riders have kept up with their winter fitness schedules so we can jump straight in.
My schedule doesn't kick off until March but as always i'll be beavering away at HQ. So until next time. Signing off.
Nearly at the start of the season for us now. We start later on, but it is then a packed few months of racing. And its a tough start as well, right into the classics season. We are expecting many big names at most of those races so its tough to expect any real results for a few races.
The off-season has gone quite nicely. Still sharing a flat with Phil so i do most of my training with him. Ed (Laverack) has also based himself in the same building so we join up with him a fair amount as well. Ed has now taken over as the "baby" of the team which makes my life easier, i suffer a lot less practical jokes. The training has gone well and i will be a decent enough condition to start the season, but real form comes with racing. I don't think i've got any better over the off-season but that might just be where we have been taking to slower and longer.
In other news, my mum has moved back to Stockholm to be closer to the rest of the family, so Mikel now has to pull extra duty as substitute family figure for me, apparently. Frankly i don't care, i can handle myself. The training camp was a lot of fun, and a fair amount of pain. Starting to get to know Faro well now... its average, would rather go to Lisbon or Porto.
But thats about it i think. Quiet time without racing which commences on the 28th with Le Samyn for me. Other guys are in action in France a bit earlier. And also my cousin Johan rode his first race. He went to the New Zealand Cycle Classic. So lets bring on the racing!
187km cobbled classic. There are 4 cobbled sections in the back quarter, combined with an uphill final 1'5km. Its not the hardest route, but the weather today is terrible. Its just above freezing, the wind is high, and the rain is torrential.
The first 50km were covered in under an hour as everyone and their dog tried to get away. Eventually a move of 4 made the break. Hammarling(N4R), C.Sorensen(TST), Havik(RIJ) and Pauwels(SKT) built a lead of 5'00 with 75 to go as the race hit the finishing circuits.
50km to go - The gap is down to 2'45 with Blanco and Cofidis doing most of the work
25km - Only 1'30 separate the two groups.
21km - Gallopin(RLT) is the first to show with an attack. He sets off solo.
15km - Sorensen leads by 40" over the chase which now includes Gallopin, but they are about to be swallowed by the peloton
11km - Big attack now. Tjallingi(BLA), Tosatto(TST), Jerome(EUC), Stannard(SKY) and Gallopin(RLT) go clear! This will be the winning move for sure
5km - The leaders have 23" on the peloton!
2km - Stannard breaks free and gains 10"
1000m - Stannard still holds a gap, but is starting to run out of power...
FINISH - Stannard holds on to win! Tosatto grabs second and Gallopin a well deserved 3rd
(sorry screen didn't take apparently)
Comment
Well that was tough start to the year. Weather was so bad i really considered just packing it in at several points. That said its good to get out and stretch the legs, start building form you know. Its also a bit of a wake-up call that this season is going to be tough...
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Luke Rowe
Michal Kwiatkowski
Philip Lavery
La Drome Classic
Le Samyn
