Team Raleigh February Update Posted online at teamraleigh.co.uk, direct from the laptop of DS Allan Smile!
The guys have been bonding brilliantly over the first 2 months, and that was on show in the Tour du Haut Var, where Dan Fleeman and Liam Holohan produced some great top 10s in both stages thanks to some great team efforts that they could get these results. The whole team has to work to produce these results, a fact often forgotten.
Next month is the start of the ProTour, but for us, it's trips to France, Belgium and Malaysia! Don;t forget to keep following us!
Results:
--Tour du Haut Var: Dan Fleeman 7th GC, 4th stage 2; Liam Holohan 6th stage 1
Rankings:
Continental Individual Rankings:
1. Giovanni Visconti ISD – NERI 283
2. Preben Van Hecke TOPSPORT VLAANDEREN – MERCATOR 193
3. Leonardo Duque COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE 186
70. Daniel Fleeman 17
87. Tom Barras 12
133. Liam Holohan 4
Physio's Report: Dr. Mike Jensen reports an injury free month, with the team ready to come into some great form in the next couple of months
Rider of the Month: Dale Appleby
A lot of work goes into putting the leader into the right places so he can get the results, and nobody showed that more than Dale Appleby this month. On stage 1 of the Tour du Haut Var, he not only got in the break, but when captured, despite being exhausted, he somehow managed to put Liam Holohan in a great position to claim 6th
Next Month:
A busier month for March, as we start the month in the Far East for the Tour de Langkawi. Dave Jones will take leadership of the team there, hoping to bring us home some good performances. We'll then be in France and Belgium for some tough classics, the Cholet - Pays de Loire and the Dwars door Vlaandren, which includes our first foray onto the dreaded pavé!
Date: 7th March 2010
From:
To:
Subject: Tour de Langkawi
Hey Allan. Do you remember 4 years ago when we took Gonzalo Bayarri to 2nd behind Jose Serpa? Start of something special. Same winner this year, although with only 1 mountain stage, he only won by 15 seconds, not the 2 minutes of 2006. Boys did OK, race has become a bit tame with only 1 mountain stage now. Back in the old days this race had proper mountains...
Stage 1: 4 riders got away and held off the pack. We all finished in the pack
Stage 2: Rabo CT didn't mess up the chase today, or the sprint neither, taking the stage. Liam Holohan messed up his positioning, managed 25th
Stage 3: Dean Downing showed what a classy rider he was today. Picked a bit of a hill, then whoosh! He was off, took a minute win and the leaders jersey to boot. Liam finished 22nd. Slight improvement, could do better.
Stage 4: Another sprint, Liam managed 35th. That boy needs some positioning training pronto
Stage 5: Up to the Genting Highlands, and Serpa dragged up some pretty decent climbers then attacked late to take the win. Peter Smith was a real surprise package, looks like a good climber in the making, with our best placing, 26th, only 1'44 down. Rest were over 6 minutes down.
Stage 6: Everyone a bit exhausted after mountains, so crazy soloist Lilian Jegou pretty much given victory by pack in admiration for his insanity. How can he have the strength to go solo after such a tough mountain day?!?
Stage 7: Final stage in Kuala Lumpar, sprinters back on it, we were still off of it. Not even a top 50 placing out of 100 riders.
So a very average performance in Malaysia boss. Peter Smith the only redeeming performance, finishing 25th. Fairly sure guys just didn't have enough time to adapt.
We're flying on tonight, then I'll start whipping these boys into shape.
Dave
1. José Serpa Androni Giocattoli 23h37'46
2. Leonardo Bertagnolli Androni Giocattoli + 15
3. Domenico Pozzovivo Colnago – CSF Inox + 17
4. Clément Lhotellerie Roubaix Lille Métropole + 21
5. Nicolas Roche AG2R La Mondiale + 32 25. Peter Smith Team Raleigh + 1'54
Cholet – Pays de Loire
Disappointing in Langkawi if I'm honest. Peter Smith put in a good performance, but not even making it into the top 20 for a single sprint by Liam is simply not good enough. He's in form, the team helped him well, and he's better than that. Lets just hope it was a one off.
Anyway, some short sharp hills here in France. Dale Appleby joined 7 others in the BOTD, and managed to get in the front 3 when the break broke up over a very steep 9% gradient hill with 50km to go.
Dale working hard in the break
The pack was chasing hard, but then the wind really started gusting, somebody didn't pay attention, and the peloton split.
The bunch splits
30km to go and with the break caught, the first peloton of 30 had a lead they would keep, but the strong gusts kept on breaking up this group, until 15 would contest the sprint, with only Dan Fleeman representing us. He tried hard, but could only manage 7th behind winner De Ketele (Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator). Good work by Dan, solid result.
1. Kenny De Ketele Topsport Vlaanderen – Mercator 5h04'49
2. René Weissinger Voralberg – Corratec s.t.
3. Lloyd Mondory AG2R s.t.
4. Davy Commeyne Landbouwkredit s.t.
5. Bert Scheirlinckx Landbouwkredit s.t.
7. Daniel Fleeman Team Raleigh s.t.
Dwars door Vlaanderen
Looking at the startlist, you can tell a top 50 would be a huge achievement for the team. All the cobbled classics guys are here, approaching top form: Ballan, Pozzato, Nuyens, Langeveld, Klier, Hoste, Van Summeren – this is nearly a preview of the Ronde van Vlaandren itself!
We started the day, saw the weather, and their was a slight groan from all the riders (and a cheer from Dave Jones: “Great day for it lads!”) Bitterly cold, a steady downpour and strong winds.
Richard Handley unexpected went on the attack (“That's it my boy, go for it!”), and was joined by Boeve of Rabo CT (how can the main team and feeder team both race together?). They built up a maximum lead of 6'30, which peaked as soon as they hit the first climb (which unsurprisingly happened to be cobbled).
Rich battles the weather, the cobbles and the pack
60km to go, and the lead was 3 minutes, but the ProTour teams were setting a ferocious pace, which none of our riders could stay with. With 20km to go, the pack was down to 37, and Rich was caught up front and straight out the back. Time for the ProTour boys to show their class, as they attacked and fought each other to the finish line. Pozzato passed Hoste on the line in a really exciting finish.
We managed to get that top 50 finish. Liam Holohan came in 8 minutes down with the first large gruppeto to take 48th, whilst Rich managed to stay with that group and take 52nd.
Pozzato passes Hoste - what a finish!
A great day for Rich, but he was knackered – an 180km two man escape in atrocious conditions. The youngster got some approving looks from guys like Ballan and Pozzato, and Leif Hoste even gave him a thumbs up. Best kind of thing a young cyclist could get, he was buzzing afterwards.
www.cycling24.co.uk/latest_news/
Already Trouble at Raleigh London, England – 24/3/2010 By M.J. Caboose
Controversial director sportif Allan Smile appears to not be as reformed as Team Raleigh may have wished. The team has already been forced to lay off staff, a clear sign that the team is in financial trouble. We managed to catch up with Smile at the finish line of today's Dwars door Vlaanderen.
C24: So Allan, what's all the financial trouble about?
AS: No comment
C24: Have you overspent? Have you comeback too soon?
AS: No bleeding comment
C24: Do you fear for your position after the sackings?
AS: Listen, do you not understand. No comment means I'm not going to tell you a bloody thing. [storms off]
C24: Well there you have it. His defensiveness is surely a sign things are not going to plan for Smile.
The media, my greatest friends. I'd forgotten what it's like when you're under the media spotlight, every journalists sniffing for a story that paints you in a bad light, especially when it's one such as myself.
They did hit the mark though, but the financial troubles were by no means my fault. Our owner, Alan Finden-Crofts was adamant a co-sponsor would come in so we could have the technical staff to make this a really professional team, like aerodynamic specialists, nutritionists etc. But the co-sponsor never materialised, and now we're in the red because we've hired these specialists before the money was there.
The riders have expressed a few concerns, but I've reassured them, there's no way this team is disbanding.
---
Team Raleigh March Update Posted online at teamraleigh.co.uk, direct from the laptop of DS Allan Smile!
Another really good month for the team, with some positive and promising performances by the riders. Peter Smith showed off his climbing potential with a good placing up the mountains of Malaysia, and Dan Fleeman took a fantastic top 10 in France, and the riders finished off the month with it's first excursion on the pavé with a good top 50 by Liam Holohan against the best cobble riders in the world.
The ProTour also kicked off, with a return of French patriotism in France as David Moncoutié won Paris – Nice, whilst Alejandro Valverde won Tirreno – Adriatico (having only got his ban overturned the week before the race started). In the newly moved Gent – Wevelgem, a 2 man break managed to get away and stay away, as Staf Scheirlinckx outsprinted companion Pablo Lastras for one of the wins of his career. The highlight though was Mark Cavendish's stunning victory on the Via Roma, outsprinting Tyler Farrar for the Milano – Sanremo title.
Results:
-- Tour de Langkawi: Peter Smith 25th, 6th U25 rankings.
-- Cholet – Pays de Loire: Dan Fleeman 7th.
-- Dwars van Vlaanderen: Liam Holohan 48th; Richard Handley 52nd.
Rankings:
Continental Individual Rankings:
UCI website has crashed! No rankings until next month
Continental Team Rankings:
UCI 's website is rubbish!
Physio's Report: Dr. Mike Jensen reports yet another injury free month!
Rider of the Month: Richard Handley
Richard earned the respect of the peloton for his ambitious and hard fought escape in the Dwars van Vlaanderen. 180Km in driving rain, strong winds and cold weather is not for the faint hearted, but then getting caught and still staying with the grupetto is a fantastic achievement showing the spirit if a bornh fighter. Incroyable!
Next Month:
A busy month for the team in April, with the team taking on 6 classics, culminating in the East Midlands CiCLE Classic, our first race on home soil! We hope to see you there!
Hel van Het Mergelland
A horribly hilly 196km race, Dan is our leader here, but with the likes of Quick Step, Sky and Milram here, we're looking at a top 15 as a success.
James Stewart slipped himself into the 3 man TV break, but in a do or die move, they were caught and passed by Chris Froome, who bridged a 5 minute gap and led solo with 70km to go.
A bizarre attack from Froome
However, it proved to be a 'die' move, as Quick Step reeled him in with 30km to go. This was the cue for Dan to join 2 others as they tried a surprise attack with 30km to go. They built up a lead of a minute, but the pack slowly brought that back to 30 seconds with 13km to go.
Dan goes for it
Cue Bobbie Traksel to explode from the bunch, bridge the gap then go again, holding off the pack for a stunning solo win, whilst Dan finished with the bunch to come 20th.
Traksel emerges triumphant
So a decent day for the team. Dan's move with 30 to go was gutsy, and on another day may have paid off. But today was all about Traksel, that attack was insanely strong!
1. Bobbie Traksel Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team 5h02'37
2. Davide Malacarne Quick Step +35
3. Addy Engels Quick Step s.t.
20. Daniel Fleeman s.t.
Albert Achterhes Profonde van Drenthe
We were randomly given a top 10 objective for this race. Don't ask me why we were given this race as a goal, because I haven't got a clue either, but if the board wanted it, I'm supposed to deliver it.
The race consisted of a five lap hilly race. My notes follow: Lap 1 – 4 riders breakway, including James Stewart, forming a 4 minute gap by the end of the lap Lap 2 – Gap up to 5 minutes Lap 3 – A flurry of attacks in the peloton gets the chase going, and by the end of the lap, the gap is only 2 minutes 30, with 4 ridrs 30 seconds in front of the bunch as well Lap 4 – The pack eases up a bit, and 6 riders bridge up to the leading group. However, with 1 lap to go (40km), the break only has 1 minute 30 Lap 5 – The peloton just explodes with attacks, earlier than we expected. From then on in, we were out of it, and Dan did well to only be a minute behind in 24th, as Bert De Waele took an impressive win.
1. Bert de Waele Landbouwkredit 4h58'49
2. Eddy Ratti De Rosa – Stac Plastic + 26
3. Coen Vermeltfoort Rabobank CT s.t.
24. Daniel Fleeman + 1'11
Paris – Camembert Lepetit
Back to France for some more hills, and another assault by Dan Fleeman to try and break into the top 5, and possibly our first podium.
We send Michael Cuming into the BOTD, but the other 8 riders set too tough a pace for him, and he is forced to drop back into the pack. It wouldn't be an easy day for him.
The 8 had a lead which peaked at 7 minutes, but with 26km to go, that lead was a matter of seconds. Cue the attacks!
And a giant muck up by our team. Dan was nowhere near the front, and by the time he'd worked his way to the front, he was not only breathing heavily, but way off the pace.
23 riders formed a front group, and Dan was trailing solo behind them, absolutely dead.
Dan struggling
The front group finished as a selection of 13 riders, with Casar and Geslin making it a Francaise des Jeux 1-2, much to the French crowd's delight.
Dan managed to claw back a few spaces to finish 21st, but not a good day at all really. The team left dejected and down – our early season form was beginning to look a bit like a fluke.
1. Sandy Casar Francaise des Jeux 4h49'22
2. Antony Geslin Francaise des Jeux s.t.
3. Bert de Waele Landbouwkredit s.t.
21. Dan Fleeman + 3'43
Succes, I like your story very well!
bloody hell! Are you really can be bankrupt?
