|
In The Pursuit of Glory | Thank You!
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 13-07-2014 22:34
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
@mvh: Future races could turn into a Cancellara type of Swiss dominance... The RR has been played, and all I can say is that despite a peleton of only 13 riders, there is no real small peleton bug. Every rider is classed as a favourite so the breaks are chased down like in the large peleton races 
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
 |
| |
|
|
| andrewsius |
Posted on 13-07-2014 22:49
|
Under 23
Posts: 55
Joined: 02-08-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Congratulations on the ITT victory! However, I believe the RR will require an even more impressive effort! GL |
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 07:47
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| fernando97 |
Posted on 13-07-2014 22:51
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2167
Joined: 01-01-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
wooooooow, great result for Martijn!  Really glad that he came through. |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 14-07-2014 10:08
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3803
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
Great victory.Now do the double.
Edited by Forever the Best on 14-07-2014 10:09
|
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 14-07-2014 13:44
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
What a Great TT Performance from Martijn  |
| |
|
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 14-07-2014 20:18
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
@andrew: Thanks! The RR was great fun to play, and I hope that is shown in the report
@fernando: Thanks woop woop a banana!!
@Schleck: Thanks as well another banana!
@sutty: Again... thank you!
*****
Thanks to everyone for the comments, and the votes in the NSoTM! Really keeps me going with the story
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
|
| |
|
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 14-07-2014 20:59
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
In The Pursuit of The Double!
The night of my ITT victory to be come National Champion, I slept in the jersey. The feelings I was having was so great. I was on the verge of tears, whilst sitting at the dinner table, but with a huge smile on my face. People who didn't know what had happened, must have thought I had escaped from the local madhouse!
Like the ITT, the Road Race was a profile that suited my strengths. It was hilly, with some fast descents, where I hoped to slowly break my rivals on every lap.
The small peleton, with only MTN-Qhubeka forming the large proportion of riders, could result in a one sided results, but Impey (Orica), Jense Van Rensburg (Giant) and I would have other ideas.
In the group behind, Impey (Orica) was the man forced to chase the break, and the gap was never over 2'00. The Orica man would soon have help from Jense Van Rensburg (Giant), and within 2 laps, it was all back together again.
I had less than half a lap to catch my breath, as Louis Meintjes (MTN) made his move and attacked. Like with Thomson, I made the move with him, but the gap would only reach 54" before Impey again began to chase us down.
When Impey brought us back, he had only Jense Van Rensburg and Thomson with him. The favourites were together, and there was still around two-thirds of the race remaining. Whoever said that this was going to be an easy, one sided affair clearly misjudged the effect of urge to be National Champion.
As the race progressed, it turned into a 5-way boxing match. Little attacks would be countered by another, for the same to happen again a lap later. The pain in my legs was out of this world as the pace increased to close a gap. With two laps remaining, I looked to throw my knock-out blow. Thomson was tiring and lost contact, whilst Jense Van Rensburg couldn't react.
My attack distanced all but Meintjes. Impey had used up all his energy chasing attacks, whilst a mechanical issue saw to the end of Jense Van Rensburg's bid for glory. The sprint opened up and I could feel the burn in my legs!
I counted the metres to the line, almost expecting my MTN rival to come past me in the closing metres. Hitting the line, I screamed with delight, throwing my hands in the air. I was the Champion... I was the Double National Champion.
| 1 |  Martijn North | Team Europcar | 7h22'19 | | 2 | Louis Meintjes | MTN - Qhubeka | s.t. | | 3 | Daryl Impey | Orica - GreenEDGE | + 1'43 | | 4 | Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg | Giant-Shimano | + 5'25 | | 5 | Jay Robert Thomson | MTN - Qhubeka | + 9'18 | | 6 | Dennis Van Niekerk | MTN - Qhubeka | s.t. | | 7 | Songezo Jim | MTN - Qhubeka | + 9'50 | | 8 | Bradley Potgieter | MTN - Qhubeka | s.t. | | 9 | Willie Smit | Vini Fantini - Nippo | + 11'27 | | 10 | Jaco Venter | MTN - Qhubeka | + 12'02 | | 11 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg | MTN - Qhubeka | + 13'20 | | 12 | Johann Van Zyl | MTN - Qhubeka | + 17'19 | | 13 | Devan Dunn | Jelly Belly p/b Kenda | + 20'28 |
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
|
| |
|
|
| fernando97 |
Posted on 14-07-2014 21:05
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2167
Joined: 01-01-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
YOU DID IT!!!!!!! Great race, what a battle it was! |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 14-07-2014 21:09
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Amazing double here  |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 14-07-2014 21:12
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3803
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
The double!! |
| |
|
|
| andrewsius |
Posted on 14-07-2014 22:00
|
Under 23
Posts: 55
Joined: 02-08-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Incredible! |
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 15-07-2014 00:19
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Martijn does the D O U B L E |
| |
|
|
| Re Leone |
Posted on 15-07-2014 01:09
|
Neo-Pro
Posts: 322
Joined: 25-06-2014
PCM$: 200.00
|
Love the way you report the races. Keep it up!
One Rider Story
Team Story |
| |
|
|
| VoetsT |
Posted on 16-07-2014 08:28
|
Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 851
Joined: 29-06-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Oow, missed a lot 
A shame that it didn't worked with Trek, but as I can see, Martijn is doing very good at Europcar
|
| |
|
|
| mvhoogdalem |
Posted on 16-07-2014 09:36
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2244
Joined: 30-06-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Great victory for Martijn. |
| |
|
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 16-07-2014 13:28
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
@all: Thanks so much for the great comments! So happy to be double champion, and even happier that the small peleton bug turned into a great battle, where everyone was a favourite
*****
No updates over the last few days due to some graphical work. Remodelling the SA National Champions jersey for Europcar, as I was not liking the version found in the db. Also, I go on holiday for a week tomorrow, so the story is on hold. I have quite a few holidays over the two months, just as a pre-warner so the story might continue a little slower
Edited by the_hoyle on 24-07-2014 17:12
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
|
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 16-07-2014 16:04
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Enjoy your holiday (holidays sorry) hope you have a good break |
| |
|
|
| fernando97 |
Posted on 16-07-2014 16:29
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2167
Joined: 01-01-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Have a good time on your holiday!  |
| |
|
|
| Forever the Best |
Posted on 16-07-2014 21:36
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3803
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
|
Have a good holiday
The user formerly known as 'The Schleck Fan'
Gracias Alberto.
|
| |
|
|
| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 19-07-2014 23:07
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4478
Joined: 30-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Have a nice holiday
|
| |
|
