Today I didn't have the legs. My team did a nice job for me but I was just too much weak. I am not in form. I hope to get in form fast, so I can win at least an stage in the Tour Down Under. But still I was in the 9th place, still Top 10 isn't such a bad start!!
Today was my first race for Rabobank, and basicly my first big road race.
I was a bit nervous, but it did go well...
At the first km's there was formed a breakaway. I chose not to go in the breakaway. After all, it was my first day, and my legs do need rest for the rest of the Tour Down Under. Not sure if the peloton would let me go though, because I have a decent hill ability.
The breakway was reeled in some km's before the finish, so it was no problem. I had no problems at all keeping up with the peloton, so that's good news . We didn't saw this as an important stage to win time, so no attacks from Rabobank. In the last few km's it was my job to get Jablecnik to the front... I think I did succeed in that, although I could have been better... Here you can see me just after my leadout work. I'm the one just in front of the Saxo rider
Jablecnik didn't win the stage, he wasn't one of the favorites, since he's a bit lacking form. But still he surely did a good job, with a Top 10 finish.
I can't wait for tomorrow, since it will be the kind of stage that suits me best
I'Il aim for a top 5 finish, but if I feel well I can go for the stage win.
I report back to you tomorrow, just after the race.
Edited by Jesleyh on 06-11-2012 13:02
1st stage was all about getting into shae and not to loose too much energy before stage two where are some nice hills and for me as a punchuer that´s much better then this flat roads. I don´t know yet what will be my role tommorow as we didn´t talked about it yet with Timo. But I hope I can get some decent result, if not for me than for team.
Edited by JuanMotr on 01-11-2012 16:29
This was amazing race! From start we let Garmin to do the pace and we were perfectly placed behind them. When first favourites tried to get away I came to front and neutralized them for Knol. When it come down to a sprint it was all somehow hectic. Nobody made an sprint train and that was exactly what me and Knol needed. I ended on great 3rd place so nice podium place for me, but what is more important Knol took a briliant victory!
Tommorow is another flat stage. So nothing for me. My turn will hopefully come in 5th stage when we will climb the Old Willilunga hill. So stay tuned!
Seeya.
Henkjan Knol, Tour Down Under Stage 2, An amazing Day
Today was more interesting than yesterday.
It was a hilly stage, and it suits me well... I wasn't considered as a top favorite, but I was an outsider for today.
I knew that there were people who were going to drop from the peleton today, but I knew that I wouldn't be one of them. I couldn't have dreamt that this would happen...
After 30 km before the finish, everyone suddenly started to attack... I realised that it's possible that an attacker wins this race, so I started to attack, along with the GC leader Hanzen.
But we were reeled in, but I wasn't tired at all... I felt really great today... So I decided to participate in the sprint, especially because it was uphill...
But I had to come from far, this is the situation at 1500m from the finish:
But I overtook everyone, and I felt like I had a chance to win, so I really went for it! And Guess? I won!!!! Yeah!!!
And it's in just my second race for Rabobank!
Of course I searched for a picture with me celebrating, and I found it... I surely will keep this picture and it will get a nice place above my bed...
And we may not forget the 3th place of Dasko! He did a great job too and he deserves a banana for sure:
Tomorrow is a flat stage, and I don't think I've got a chance for a stage win... Maybe a top 10, but my priority is to be a great leadout for our talented sprinter: Jablecnik.
And I almost forgot in my enthusiasm: I've got a second place in the GC now, and I will wear the young jersey tomorrow!
I will report back to you tomorrow Edited by Jesleyh on 06-11-2012 13:01
This stages weren't that important for me... Plus stage 3 was not on TV(at least not in Holland), because there was an important football match at the same time of the race...
So I didn't have a major result... But at stage 4 Matthews got a 5th place... Tomorrow is in my opinion the most important stage of the race...
Its stage 5, the stage Snapper Point- Old Willunga Hill. It finishes uphill, at 377m... That's kinda like the highest 'mountain' in the Netherlands, so it will fit me well...
So please cheer for me Henkjan KnolEdited by Jesleyh on 03-11-2012 18:08
Today was an important day for the GC. The stage ends at Old Willunga Hill. The whole team was working for Dasko & Me. We gave the breakaway a comfortable lead, but we didn't need to work to reel it in... Garmin did... And of course they had to, because they had the GC leader: Hanzen.
With about 20km to go, the attacks of the favorites started... But they were all reeled in with 5 km to go... And of course in the last km's there were some attacks too... I decided not to attack, but instead just set a high pace... I think it was the right decision, but I couldn't keep up with the pace of Oget, unbelivable how hard it was... But I only lost with 10 secs, and finished third... And Dasko, who came from behind, sprinting at the other side of the road, finished 4th
Hanzen lost time in the GC, but Oget took over his position of GT leader, so I'm still 2nd in the GC. Of course that's great, but I was so close... That means I will wear the youth jersey tomorrow, but I won't take it home...
Tomorrow is a stage for the sprinters, where there will not be big GC differences... Theoretically, I can still win the GC, but I think it will not happen... Maybe I can get a Top 10 in the sprint tomorrow...
See you tomorrow with a report of stage 6 and a review of my very first stage race!
Bye, Henkjan Knol
Today we decided to take it easy and play it tacticaly. Timo said to us before the race that we don´t have any leader and that we can fight it out for victory.
Both me and Henkjan took it easy. I decided to stay in the pack until the final sprint will began. Unfortunetly there were few riders in front and I could only achieve 4th place and thus no bonus seconds. I was still able to jump to 4th place in GC. Knol was a little bit faster and took a great 3th place!
He is now 2nd in GC. I will try to hang on to my 4th place but with Adrian Hanzen being right behind me it will be very tough.
Team Leader Robert Gesink: He's the GC Threat, as he is the best climber of the team, and has a decent TT.
Sprinters Mikulas Jablecnik Simply our best sprinter... Although there are a limited amount of flat sprint stages in Paris-Nice. Michael Matthews Matthews is the leadout for Jablecnik, and the hilly sprint stages are probably his.
Free Roles Carlos Barredo He's pretty allround, and he will aim to get into breakaway's... Filip Dasko Great hilly rider, therefore deserves a free role, especially for the hilly stages
Other Riders Laurens Ten Dam Great Domestique Paul Martens Great rider for the hilly stages. Steven Kruiswijk Good MO rider, mainly as assistance for Gesink
Edited by Jesleyh on 04-11-2012 12:10
We selected many time trialists, because of the 16km long TTT
Team Leader Wesley Hoogenboom He's the best stage racer we have here in Italy, thats why we made him a leader.
Sprinters Mark Renshaw A good sprinter, but only of use in completely flat races... Henkjan Knol He's for the hilly stages, and he's the leadout in the flat stages... Officially a sprinter, but has got a free role in some stages... Also a favorite in the last short TT.
Free Role Lars Boom Quite allround, and another favorite for the last stage... Also a good TT-er for the TTT. Luis-Leon Sanchez Good TT-er and hilly rider... Might get a stage win in a hilly stage, and will get in the breakaway if he gets the chance. Might grab the KOM jersey...
Other riders Bauke Mollema Another good stage racer... Takes over the leading role if Hoogenboom loses too much time... Wilco Kelderman Good TT-er with also some climbing abilities. Maarten Tjallingi Will be our bottles man and will help the stage racers and sprinters if necassary...
Edited by Jesleyh on 04-11-2012 12:10
Today was the last day of the Tour Down Under.
Today was for one of the sprinters, unless they let a breakaway take it... Soon there was formed a breakaway, and we planned to send someone it... It was Wynants, along with some others, of course
Argos took the lead in getting the breakaway back... But they were reeled in, just a few km's before the finish.
We didn't set up a leadout train, nope, Jablecnik only got help from me and Renshaw, and after the breakaway was reeled in, he just got me... Argos got the amazing Degenkolb->Kittel leadout, so I think that's why Hanzen, the stage favorite, did sprint from 2km's out... But it was a mistake, just inexperience... And after Hanzen was overtaken by several sprinters, Boonen took it! I took a 15th place.
If you look very good, you can see me, around the 15th place, in the young jersey(that isn't mine )
Jablecnik dissapointed today, with a 16th place, even behind me... Of course maybe he could finish higher if I was a better leadout, but it was mainly his fault... But of course, I won't be angry... He's just as inexperienced as I am, and everyone has a bad day sometimes...
And we have very good news: The team classification is ours! We're very happy with that!
I will report again very soon, because I want to do a small review of the Tour Down Under for me, and my team...
Edited by Jesleyh on 06-11-2012 18:08
It has been a great week for me!
The Tour Down Under was the first professional stage race for me. I enjoyed it really much. It's a shame that it doesn't contain a Time-trial, because if it did, it would be the perfect stage race for me. But I won't complain about this, because the GC is decided on the hilly stages, one of my specialities. On the flat stages, I was the leadout for Jablecnik. It was a good experience for me, because my abilities on the flat seems great, I just needed to learn to be a good leadout. I was decent, I think.
The highlight of this stage race for me is obvious, I've got a stage win. And just because I like it so much, here is the screenshot:
But not only a stage win, I also grabbed a top 3 in the 'Queens stage' of the TDU, the uphill finish at Willunga Hill.
All that gave me a second place in the GC. But still, I'm slightly dissapointed. I was very close to the GC and the young jersey(so close that I even weared the young jersey for 3 stages )
But after all, I think it has been a great Tour Down Under for me, and for Rabobank. We even grabbed the team jersey, because of splendid results of Dasko&Jablecnik, but also me The +'s and -'s of our TDU: +++ I got a stage win ++ A nice second place in the GC ++ Team Classification + 2 third places, one for Dasko, and one for me +- The sprints, some were good, some weren't good. Best sprint was a Top 5 for Matthews. We can't blame Jablecnik, I mean, he had a nice top 10 finish, but he can't finish top 10 every race - The last stage. Our best finish was 15th. -- I was so close to the young jersey, GC, and I wasn't that far away from the points jersey. But I came home without a jersey(except my Rabobank one )
There already is a short break now... I will enjoy it, but will train as hard as I can. I'Il be back at Tirreno-Adriatico
Maybe I will give some comments on Paris-Nice, but you will surely see me back in Italy. I will be riding Tirreno with Wesley (Hoogenboom), I really can't wait for that!
Bye, Henkjan KnolEdited by Jesleyh on 06-11-2012 18:35
Paris-Nice starts with a flat prologue, there are many prologue specialists participating in this stage race... A few examples are Veenhof and Po-Ding(North-Korea)
After the prologue, there are, as you can see, some flat stages. But stage 3 is uphill. I think there will not be any GC differences though, and my money is on Mike Pye, although our own Jablecnik has got a chance there too...
After another flat stage(4), there will finally be some hills in stage 5. It's officially a hill, but the climbers may have a chance here too...
Stage 6 is again flat, and the last stage is a mountain time-trial...
Favorites for the GC are the climbers, e.g. Andy Schleck and Mathijs Ruiter, but hilly riders with a good prologue, like Kim Po-ding might have a shot at the GC too...
Our GC-man is Gesink and Jablecnik(for the flat stages) and Dasko(for the hilly stages) will hunt for a stage win or top 3.
Goals
- Top 5 at the GC
- Stage win, or at least a stage top 5
- KoM(optional)
. We didn't saw this as an important stage to win time, so no attacks from Rabobank. In the last few km's it was my job to get Jablecnik to the front... I think I did succeed in that, although I could have been better... 
: He's the GC Threat, as he is the best climber of the team, and has a decent TT.
Simply our best sprinter... Although there are a limited amount of flat sprint stages in Paris-Nice.
Matthews is the leadout for Jablecnik, and the hilly sprint stages are probably his.
He's pretty allround, and he will aim to get into breakaway's...
Great hilly rider, therefore deserves a free role, especially for the hilly stages
Great rider for the hilly stages.
)
, although our own Jablecnik
and Mathijs Ruiter,
