Not much news, I'm training for the world championships on my own, but our nation still needs a coach. Don't listen to the American and South Korean lies, we will not always execute you! Help us now!
obviously, I got mixed up about my dreamed forecast. The top 10 that I saw was not reachable in Quebec but I could finish right there in Montreal. I think that is a great result for a young cyclist like me.
Together with my podium in USAPCC this proves that my form is raising for the Worlds which is how we hoped it.
Talking about the WC:
The final line-ups for the Worlds are out and you will see me racing a lot.
As already told I will be starting in both road races : U23 and Elites. German sport magazine Kicker already speculates that I could well be top favourite of the juniors' race. I tend to disagree as riders like my friend Po-Ding or my team mate Dominik Nerz have already made a bigger impact on the world cycling scene but we'll see.
In the Elites RR the official team leader will be John but everyone else is allowed to counter attacks so that we do not have to work too much.
Those two starts were expected but on top of this I will start two more times:
My first start will be the team time trial. I could convince our team manager that we have a bigger use if I can get some more race rhythm if I can help pacing here. It will surely help my future development if I can practise those TTTs here.
And rather surprisingly, I was nominated for the U23 TT, too. Together with two other neo-pros Thomas Schwabe and Josef Hintermüller I will get some more experience in TTs. I don't expect any result here but it is nice to participate.
So you will see my quite often and I hope that I can see many of you at the sidewalk to cheer for us.
With the end of the season fast approaching, I've found some time to write about my performances in the last few races.
While everyone was looking to France for the Tour, I was racing in Austria. The stage I was looking forward to the most was the time-trial. Other than that, it would be a week of working for Johan and Lue. With a lack of results, I have no idea how we did in the first few stages, except that Johan was getting some good results. After all these stages, I did not have the best legs anymore and rode a decent time-trial. I finshed 18th, but I know I can do better than that.
After racing in Austria, I started in the Tour de Pologne. This would be my only time racing in Italy this season, although I don't really like the mountains of Northern Italy. I lost a lot of time here, so I did not mind waiting for Rolland on stage 3, after he got involved in a crash a few kilometers before the finish. After this we went all out for Kim, but he did not have the legs this time. He finished 11th in the GC. The last stage was a time-trial, but it was too hilly for me. I finished only 44th. In the GC I finished 90th, over an hour down on winner Uran.
Time to have a look at the last few months for me.
Quite a while ago I was racing in Austria in a free role without any other responibilities.
That race proved several things to me.
First of all I have a lot to learn in how to avoid wasting energy from sitting teh wrong place in the peloton. Especially stage 1 was hard, but there I also proved that I have some decent climbing legs when I get the chance to show them. In fact I was the 9th rider to get to the final summit even though I found myself far behing at the start of the climb and had to ride a lot all by myself.
The race also showed me that I'm not ready to race on a higher level than this, which is why I decided not to try staying on the team after they promote to WT from next season.
End of the season for me, was not very good. In Chrono des Nations, I had bad result and disappoint mr. Car. In Canadia, I learn I still have much to learn for classics, maybe in a few years I get better results, but for now I stick to stage racing.
I did get 2nd place in USA Pro Cycling Challenge. American won, but we all know results were fake. I won that time trial with a lot of second on Gardener, but officials gave him the win. Glorious nation of North Korea has filed a complaint with UCI, but no response yet.
All that's left for me know is the World Championships. I have no team and no coach, but I still hope to do well in the time trial. Until then!
Yes, I haven’t quite left the team yet and I promise you I have the motivation left to do my work throughout the season.
While classics is hardly my forte it has turned out kind of lucky that the Europcar management have forced me to ride a few of them this fall as I (to my great surprise) have been awarded a wildcard for the U23 World Championships. It will be really amazing to show the Icelandic colours there already!
First I raced the traditional Tre Valli Varesine mainly in support of Tommy.
It was a crazy race with slippery roads due to heavy rain so most riders had plenty to do just avoiding to taste the tarmac. I was one of the lucky ones and I even managed to help Tommy stay out of trouble and finish 5th as well even though he usually prefers riding at the back most of the day…
In fact a 36th place overall is quite a bit better than I had expected myself so I’m happy overall.
After that I was put on a plain to Canada for two more classics. As you all know we actually have a Canadian on the team and with the country being more Northern than most other races I was actually looking forward to it quite a bit!
Voeckler and Schroder rode a fairly decent race I’m told. At least better than the results table suggest? I myself didn’t really cope that well with the travel and ended up far down in the 2nd peloton 6 places behind Sagan. Juraj Sagan that is…
The 2nd classic went much better for me reassuring me that I’ll learn this discipline at some time. Even though I didn’t have much to offer in terms of a sprint in the end I finished inside the peloton in a pretty solid 37th place. Perhaps the UCI wasn’t so crazy in allowing me to sign up for the Worlds anyway?
At the moment I’m sitting in a hotel room in Spain waiting for the day that I came here for, namely the mountain stage of Vuelta a Burgos. More about that later, for now I have to attend to my Polish-homework.
With the World Championships coming closer, I will update you on my last races for Team Europcar. After this season I will transfer to CCC, together with Johann.
In the United States of America we were trying to get Kim a good overall finish. On the first stage, a prologue, I could ride for myself and with a 13th place I did pretty good. I did not think I would be high up ini the GC after the final stage, but with the peloton refusing to do any racing on the mountain stages, I could hang on there. In the end I finished 25th overall.
My final race for Team Europcar was the Chrono des Nations. This would be a good indication on how much I had progressed over the season. With all the top time-trialists coming here though, I only finished 29th, which was quite disappointing.
All in all, I really enjoyed my time here and hopefully I gained some fans here who will follow me at CCC.
Great, great news! An amazing thing happened at the World Championships! I am the first ever gold medal winner of North Korea!
First, it was Team Time Trial. I was very strong, but team wasn't. I had to lead most of the race, little Iceland friend Nokkvason kept hiding behind me. Voeckler did his absolute best though, I could tell from his face he was incredibly suffering. Still, only 15th place for Team North Europcar.
Next was U23 time trial, my main event. After winning Continental Championships, I was favourite here. This also was my only chance to win, as I'll be 24 next year, so it was now or never. I was very nervous, but once I started riding, it was just the old routine. Set a pace, keep the pace, speed up where you can take some time.
I had a great race, so I saved enough power for the uphill part in the final. Even though I had no manager to give me times, the spectators cheering made me realise I was winning. Then I turned around the corner, and I saw I almost had a minute left to cross the line.
I did not crash, I did not puncture, I won. First gold medal ever for North Korea. But no time to party yet. After podium ceremony, it was time for nap, cause Elite Time Trial the next day.
I was tired the day after. I knew I needed a very good day to win, and it just wasn't there. my legs still felt sore. I was not going to win, I was not even hoping for podium anymore. I the end, I finished 5th. One day I will win this race, but I need to become stronger for that to happen.
Next up are road race, again North Korea federation asked me to ride both races. I'm very honoured, but first I must nap. Very tired now.
In the U23 road race, I really felt tired. Maybe riding all 5 races what not so smart move. I had good race, but no acceleration to counter real puncheurs. I finished 10th, not bad!
In the elite road race, I was even more tired, and the lack of helpers was hurting me a lot. Let's forget about that race soon. Only thing to remember, Rodriguez won race, and I beat Rodriguez in every time trial so far!
This is the end of my time with Europcar. I really want to thank Mr. Car for the chances he has given me. The race that will stay most with me is the Tour of Algarvia, holding on on the climbs, and destroying everyone in the time trials, that will be my plan for next year with Champion System!
Hello Europcar fans,
it's me, Lue! I know things have been quiet around me in the last part of the season, which if of course down to the lack of cobbles. Nonetheless, I had a big racing program racing as far afield as Canada and as close to home as Paris - Tours. Sadly I couldn't get a win anywhere there, but at least I showed myself a bit. Now all I can do is look forward to the next season, and train hard on the cobbles, to fullfill my goal of being the first Asian to win a monument. I know it will be hard, but I fully believe I can win a cobbled monument in the future, and I fully believe I can do it with Europcar. I'm hoping the team will sign some more helpers for me, so that I have the chance to fullfill my potential. Other than the early season cobbles of course the cobbled stage of the Tour de France will be my big season goal, so I'm hoping to ride my first Grand Tour there. That's all from me for now!
The first time riding the World Championships was very exciting for me. I was so proud that I got to represent Italy and I believe that I did quite well. I focused everything on the Time Trial and while I could have done a bit better, I'm very happy with a 6th place. Most riders in front of me will be out of the u23 category next season, so I might even have a shot at winning next year.
Here I am in the World Championships.
The Road Race did not go to plan at all. I crashed early on in the race and while I came back, with 70 kilometers I got dropped from the peleton. My body did not react well after the crash. However, as an Italian racing in his own country, I did not give up and finished the race 15 minutes after winner Riquelme.
The season is now at an end. While I will be sad to leave Europcar behind me, I'm excited to start at CCC next season.
My time in green shorts is almost over, but last a couple more assignments.
In Burgos my entire focus was on the final stage hoping for a good GC result. So when I lost a lot of time due to a puncture on stage I was obviously a bit bummed out. This is not the way I want to show this jersey!
So on the final mountain stage I went in the break. For some reason the team had run out of Icelandic jerseys so I had to ride this stage in the normal kit.
We didn’t last all the way, but I was able to help Peeters and Rolland a bit so they both finished in the top 5 today.
General Classification: 38th / + 13'05
Young Riders: 11th / + 9'09
Team Classification: 2nd / + 24
The very last race was the Japan Cup. Here I rode in support of Schroder.
It was a hard race with lots of action, but I did my job without much hazzle and in the end finished 45th myself just over two minutes slower than Purito, which isn’t all that bad considering that I really don’t like hilly classics that much.
So now I just want to send a thank you to the team for taking me in last year. I have been happy with the experiences I have gathered, but I also feel confident that my move is the best for all parts. Both Europcar, me and CCC will be better off next season, but Europcar will always have a place in my heart.
~ Johann
P.S. Oh yeah I also rode the U23 World Championships on a late wildcard. Let's just say there's a reason I wasn't selected in the first place. I was there all by myself with no real national federation to back me up or team for that matter so I had way too much on my mind to prepare properly for the races.
Edited by Atlantius on 08-12-2014 22:49
Name: Thomas Hinault
Nickname: Le Faucon
Age: 22
Nationality: French
Specialty: Climbing
Hi, my name is Thomas. I hail from the South Pyrenees and this will be my second season of pro cycling. My neo-pro year was spent at AG2R where the highlights were a Stage win, Youth Jersey Win and GC win at the Criterium International and finishing with a Silver Medal at the U23 WCRR.
I decided to stick with a French team for a number of reasons. Primarily i have always lived in France and French is my native language. My agency did their best for me and Europcar guaranteed me a range of leadership opporunities, including at the Tour de France. Hopefully i can crack the Top20 this season.
The management structure seems a lot more stable here are Europcar and i've already been making friends with Rolland, Gautier and others in the squad. Hopefully i can stay here for a few seasons and reward the faith the manager has shown me in my contract.
I will be here regularly to update you through the season where i will be eyeing up the Dauphine and Tour as my biggest goals.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 10-12-2014 17:27
Coquard told Europcar I want to ride me Tour this year, I think I can get a stage win!
we understand that you would like to race Le tour and we didn't even dare to not consider you. you are one of our most important riders and Le Tour is easily our most important race of the season.
on our current provisional tour list (which is highly likeable to change because of possible transfers and we haven't asked anybody for imput; it's basically an draft made on a napkin) we have three certainties for Le Tour and that's you and the two Thomassen (Hinault as GC leader and Voeckler to do whatever the hell he feels like) Rolland preformance in this years Tour dissapointed us where he was supposed to be in the higher rankgs of the GC and only got there thanks to a breakaway.
Schröder is a little bit surprised by the idea of letting him ride Le Tour. He thinks that he would be more valuable to the team by concentrating on classics and smaller stage races and that he and French Legend Voeckler would steal each other chances for stage hunting.
He'd prefer it if one of them would not ride it although he could be convinced if the team management could explain him a good strategy to use both of them efficiently.
Hello Mr Manager. It's great to see you sticking by your word and planning to have me tackle the Tour. Expanding on Schroeders comments i'd prefer to race alongside Tommy at the Tour because of his top level experience and never-say-never attitude. I'm ok with Coquard taking most of the squad for him following his advances but one more climber like Kern or Gautier in the team.
thank you both on your imput and @Christian if you prefer to skip the Tour then we can certainly make a schedule when time is due that doesn't involve a Tour. still I would like to ask if you have any objections against an different grand tour?
@La Faucon, we are looking to improve on our mountain support the most (with some focus on cobble and sprint support). looking at our (already outdated) provisional list we've changed some riders already (Schroder being the most notable change)
@Lue, we haven't heard from you yet but we've been thinking about perhaps sending you to the tour as support for Coquard and as a challenger for the high ranked position on stage 5 (which will feature the cobbles of Roubaix). we would like to hear what you think about it.
Bonjour,
Whilst the manager has been busy dealing with transfers i've been busy tackling the Pyrenees as my pre-season training. The weather is cold and damp but that won't stop me climbing to altitude to train. Hopefully i will start the season i good form so by the time to more mountainous races roll around i can be in contention in some fashion. I'm not going to rush my growth though with my eyes more focused on June and July than March or April.
The manager has been doing a good job in the transfers. It's been a struggle apparently but the deals he's done have been very good and should take Europcar to the top end of the table. I will play my part and i can not wait to get started on the new season.
I will also, like TMM Management compatriot Hanzen, won't be going to CCC's Savona thing. It doesn't appeal to me as a competition and the timing wouldn't suit my targets either.
Edited by TheManxMissile on 07-01-2015 16:29
Thomas "Le Faucon" Hinault 
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
