So, here we are. It's time for the World Championships, and I have the huge honour of riding in the South African colours and have the chance to do battle for the coveted Rainbow Jersey in both the Individual Time Trial and the Road Race.
First up was the Time Trial, and I was South African's solo entrant for the race. The ITT is not my strong point, and my only strong performance to date was when I won the National Title. However, as it was mentioned in the press at the time, South African is not exactly known for it's big Time Trialists. I just want to ride the race and keep my legs loose. Any thing else is a bonus really.
Race Report
I had felt fine in the build up the Time Trial, but when it came to my time in the starting gate, the nerves suddenly hit me. All I could think of was what lay ahead, and the possible embarrassment I might cause myself and South Africa. Not the best way to do when about the roll down the ramp.
At the first checkpoint, I has managed to calm myself down and settle into a good rhythm for the race. I was never going to be setting the quickest time, but I still wanted to know how I was getting on. I had lost nearly 50 seconds to the Provisional Leader Chris Froome
CheckPoint 1
1. C. Froome 19'39
50. M. North+ 49
Approaching the second checkpoint, and the weather had taken a turn for the worst. The rain came down hard on the circuit, and the wind was not helping in the enclosed built-up areas. The straights felt like wind tunnels. I was losing more time to Froome as well, surprised to hear that I was not losing positions in the standings.
CheckPoint 2
1. C. Froome 44'40
21. M. North+ 1'04
Gladly the rain had passed by the time I reached the hillier final section of the profile, but it still made for a tricky descent down to the finish. Maybe I was over cautious, or maybe it was tiredness in my legs, but I crossed the line in provisional 35th place. Thankfully, I wasn't last and there were 4 riders that had suffered more I had on the course.
The battle to be World Time Trial Champion was a close fought race, but at the end, the crown when to Bradley Wiggins (GBR). The 2012 Tour de France winner led the race at ever checkpoints, and took Gold ahead of Taylor Phinney (USA) and the defending Champion Tony Martin (GER).
@HuDCC: Martijn is only 20, so I am not expecting miracles at the Worlds. I am playing out of the career as well (due to the WC bug), so the fitnesses of riders could be completely different to in the game...
@fernando: I still can't believe Martijn won in Canada. His biggest victory to date and only in his 2nd season Only 3 races left (WC, Vendee and Paris-Tours) and then onto the next season
I had to keep telling myself that the Time Trial was just a ride to keep my legs loose and ready for the Road Race. 60th place is not the best result, and to be honest, I left feeling a little down and disappointed.
The Road Race suited me nicely, and after my performances in Canada, I was confident of a good showing. There are a lot strong riders in the race, and a lot of Nations trying to take home the famous Rainbow Jersey.
Race Report
A break of 5 riders attacked at the beginning of the race, and looking riders involved, it was difficult to understand why it was allowed to go. Chavanel (France), Ciolek (Germany), Zoidl (Austria), Brutt (Russia) and Gaimon (USA) were all present, and Kessiakoff (Sweden) was in the gap between the lead group and peleton.
A big scare for one of the favourites. Sagan (Slovakia) punctured and after a slow wheel change, finally made it back to the peleton with the aid of his teammates. Would the extra effort cause him problems at the finish.
A number of Nations set themselves up at the front of the peleton, as Italy, Spain, Belgium and Netherlands worked together in peg back the advantage of the 6-man break.
With 3 laps remaining, the gap to the lead group was under 2 minutes, and the favourites began to attack. Mollema (Netherlands) and Betancur (Colombia) jumped out of the saddle, and opened a gap on the other favourites.
Over the top of the climb, other groups began to form, as the number of accelerations split the peleton into pieces. I found myself in a small group with Kwiatkowski (Poland), Nibali (Italy) and Valverde (Spain), as well as many other favourites.
As we all grouped back together with 2 laps to go, Kwiatkowski attacked again, taking Betancur, Nibali, Gilbert (Belgium) and Mollema with him. With no one reacting behind, it looked like the winner of the Gold Medal would come from this quintet.
Approaching the line, any one of the five riders could win the Title, but just like in Montreal, Kwiatkowski was the first to open the sprint, and he had gone too early again. Gilbert was struggling, and the same could be said for Betancur. Mollema was looking strong, but everyone's money looked like it was on Nibali.
And Nibali wins the World Championships! The Italian played his cards perfectly in the spront for the finish, and the Astana man will be wearing the Rainbow Stripes for the next 12 months. I was dropped by the favourites on the final lap of the race, but rode strongly to finish my first World Championships race in 22nd place.
After the World Championships, it was nice to have a few days rest and relaxation before my final two races of the season. During the 7 days in Geneva, I didn't really touch my bike, which was strange and I think it showed me that I was ready for the end of the season.
My penultimate race is the team's home race, the Tour de Vendee. Flat in profile, I will work for the team, giving that last acceleration in the lead-out train before Yohann Gene will hope to take home the win.
Race Report
Waking up to thunder, lightning and heavy rain is never what you want to do when you haven't ridden a bike in a week, but that is what greeted me in Vendee.
Majority of my race was spent in the peleton, sheltered as much as I could from the conditions. My job was to work in the lead-out, and I needed to make sure I stayed safe to give Gene the best chance in the finish.
The lead-out was almost perfect for the team. Engoulvent dropped me off at the front with 3km to go, and drilled as hard as I could. Yohann opened his sprint, but was just bettered on the line by Markus (Belkin) and Haussler (IAM). Wanting to really test my legs, I kept up my sprint, finishing in 6th.
My final race of the year comes at one of the most prestigious of the Late Season races, Paris-Tours. Billed as a sprinter's classic, the profile can some times throw up some surprises.
Whilst the team will work for a Mass Sprint finish, I was given the freedom to attack if my legs felt good. The two short climbs with 10km and 6km remaining have been launch pads for late attacks in the past, and that is what I have planned today.
Race Report
Just like in Vendee, we were greeted by terrible weather conditions, and the rain fell from 0km right up until the finish line. It was not going to be a pleasant day in the saddle, and the run into the line could be tricky under the wheel.
As all but one of the break was pulled back just over the first steep climb with 10 km, I moved towards the front. Hitting the climb with 6km to go, I jumped out the saddle and accelerated. The team were struggling to organise for Gene, and I was feeling strong. Anthony Roux (FDJ) was the solo rider left from the break, and I wasn't willing to wait for him either.
The slight downhill to the finish gave me the helping hand that I needed in my charge for the line. My attack had panicked the lead-outs behind, and I had the DS shouting encouragement in my ear. Under the Flamme Rouge, I had 30 seconds on the peleton, with an FDJ rider in the gap, but not closing in on me. 300 metres to go, and I knew I couldn't be caught. Zipping up the jersey and throwing my arms in the air, the delight was clear to see. A hard fought win and a great way to end the season.
If someone could have given me the perfect year, I don't think it would have been any different to what I had ridden with Europcar. My first year with a fully Professional Team, and I have gone from strength to strength and grown as a rider over the season.
I began the season looking at whether I had a future in the sport, but there was some faith shown in me by Team Europcar, and I gave it my all to prove my critics wrong.
I end the season with six stage wins, one Overall Classification victory and three Classification Jerseys. I can't wait for next season to start.
@all: thanks guys! Looking forward to the next part of the story.
*****
I am currently tweaking some parts of the game (pcm logic transfers, changes to WT races etc) so should that ready to go tonight. Unlike last time, I will carrying on with the 2015 season straight away, and there are going to be some twists along the way
The season might be over cycling-wise, but there was still some big announcements to come before the year was out.
The end of the October saw the UCI first release the details on the Promotions and Relegations throughout the Cycling Divisions. Orica-GreenEdge and FDJ.fr were the unlucky teams to suffer relegation to ProContinental, whilst it was IAM Cycling and NetApp-Endura who won the battle to join Cycling's Top Division, the WorldTour.
Elsewhere, La Pomme Marseille, Veranclassic, Terengganu and Funvic became ProContinental Teams for 2015, with UnitedHealthcare, CCC Polsat, Drapac and Novo Nordisk going the other way.
Further news from the UCI saw some changes to the Classifications of the races. After 4 years as part of the WT Calendar, The Tour of Beijing saw its status dropped to 2.HC, however, there was some good news from the UCI.
The WorldTour Calendar will now run during every month of the year, with the addition of the Tour of Oman in February, and, replacing the Tour of Beijing at the end of the year, the Paris-Tours One-Day Classic in October.
First, great racing in Canada. Martijn learned quickly from his bad positioning in Quebec to winin Montreal.
Second, Rolland rode well in the Vuelta.
Third, not a bad performance from Martijn in the WC RR. Happy with Nibali's win though.
Fourth, great way to end the season with a victory in Paris - Tours. Also nice to see it back in the WT again next season. Not sure why you decided to upgrade Oman's status, but you probably have your reasons.
C. Froome 19'39
Taylor Phinney
Tony Martin
Michal Kwiatkowski
Fabian Cancellara
Luis León Sánchez Gil
Edvald Boasson Hagen
Vincenzo Nibali
Only 3 races left (WC, Vendee and Paris-Tours) and then onto the next season 
Bauke Mollema
Philippe Gilbert
Carlos Betancur Gómez
Thibaut Pinot
Heinrich Haussler
Luxembourg
Canada
