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Operation Take Down
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 21-02-2014 05:52
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
PCM$: 500.00
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Some interesting results.........
What are the guys stats?
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 21-02-2014 09:54
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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What an odd story! But I kinda like it 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Adamb |
Posted on 21-02-2014 09:59
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Domestique
Posts: 642
Joined: 22-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Good story but why did you have to do it to SKY!!!!!!!!!! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 21-02-2014 10:00
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Henao is going to hate you  |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 21-02-2014 10:22
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Shonak: Thankyou very much, I really appreciate it. Thankfully there isn't much to catch up on so far.
@Welker: I guess that depends on results. They'll certainly want him to do a bit better at his current mission first!
@Luis Leon Sanchez: Thanks. I'd rather not give away full stats, but I'll say this. He's good everywhere, but really good. He massively overachieved in the classics, put it that way, and if he does similarly on any other terrain, he's massively overachieving there too.
@Ollfardh: it sure is! I'm glad you like it though.
@Admab: Thanks. If you are a Sky liker, then sorry. I had the idea, and Sky made sense, as lots of people aren't fans, so they'd be more likely to follow.
@Sutty: He seems to be the victim a lot!
Le Tour, stage 1
For Sky, the biggest race of the season, for me, a beautiful chance for mischief. Furthermore, I can do whatever I want, as it is my last major race!
The race started with a sprint stage. I was leading out Boasson Hagen, at least I was, until I slowed almost too a stop, right in front of the line! He had to come round me and go back up to speed.
Unfortunately, the Norwegian did that pretty well. Not nearly enough for a win of course, but he did recover to 6th place. Kittel won in style, with myself 12th, after sprinting in after my sudden slowing.
This was pretty easy, but I need to conceal my mischief, at least until the mountains, where I can really damage Froome. |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 21-02-2014 17:46
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Tour de France
A nice hilly stage, but with a flat finish. No one in Sky should try anything, so maybe a breakaway.
Henao punctured early in the race, and lost quite a bit of energy getting back to the front, this was looking good.
Irritatingly, Argos looked intent on preserving Kittel's jersey, they chased hard, no breakaway today, so no day off for me.
But then, Argos stopped, and only Katusha made even a tiny effort. Soon the gap was over 4 minutes, with only 20km to go.
Unsurprisingly, no one tried over the top, there was no stage win, and GC men were waiting for bigger things.
Credit where credit is duel Wiggins gave a monster lead out to Boasson Hagen, let's hope it's for nothing 
Well, it was in a way, Van Avermaet won the stage, with Gerrans and Wegmann rounding off the podium.
Meanwhile, I casually stopped riding in the middle of a train, well, not stopped, I am not an ideot, but you get the idea. Off goes Wiggins and Eisel without even looking over their shoulders.
Boasson Hagen is a monster! He flew through the pack, despite his setback, and took second in the peleton sprint. He must be pretty annoyed right now though...
Then it flashed up.... He'd gone into yellow, this wasn't good. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-11-2024 03:48
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Joined: 23.11.09
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-02-2014 12:54
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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That stage backfired on you didn't it  |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 22-02-2014 13:36
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Sutty: Just a bit
Uh oh...
I was now in double trouble. Not only were the team raging at me for almost killing half the peleton, but my 'sponsor' was going to be angry at Sky in yellow! In fact, I was pretty worried. As soon as we reached our hotel, I locked the door. I put in my headphones and tried to drown out the loud rapping and Norwegian swear words. Then I made a mistake, I checked my emails.
If you thought the last email was menacing, think again. I was told that I needed to pick up my act. Little tricks and pranks weren't good enough, I had an arrangement to fulfil. This wasn't a massive deal, but a stage win or any kind of jersey again, and they'd pull the plug. And that didn't just mean the contract, that was my career, my life, and so much more. I had to raise my game.
The only good part of this was it made my scuffle with Edvald rather trivial. Obviously I had to come out at some point, by which point my dazed self was pushed around, shouted at and generally talked in ways which are not part of polite conversation, even the DS joined in. Something tells me I am not going to enjoy this tour...
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-02-2014 14:02
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Looks like things are getting really Messy  |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 23-02-2014 11:44
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Sutty: They are, hopefully things will be cleaned up now
Stage 3
Another hilly stage, a bit tougher than last time. I needed to do whatever it takes to dislodge Edvald from yellow, fair play or not.
As soon as we were even close to the final climb, I was on the front, maybe I could drop the Norwegian on the climb.
I pushed harder and harder, the gradients got harder and harder, but Edvald hadn't dropped yet.
Then I attacked, maybe I could work with someone else, a favourite, who would take the jersey?
It worked! A chasing group formed, Henao made it, Edvald didn't.
I let them join, then set out the pace, it looked like I was working for Henao, but I was working for myself.
In the end I was leading out Sagan and Albasini. Since Sagan was on the same time as Edvald, surely he'd take over yellow?
Of course, Sagan did it, I was 4th, and Henao 5th. Not brilliant, but I'd managed a stressful day, and got through it.
Rodriguez took yellow, Boasson Hagen lost over a minute. As did Froome.
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| Selwink |
Posted on 23-02-2014 11:45
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8856
Joined: 17-05-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice to see the plan working
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 23-02-2014 14:05
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Feel really sorry for Edvald, but that was the plan so |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 24-02-2014 07:12
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Selwink: for once
@Sutty: I guess, but still...
Stage 4
This was the TTT. A very technical, precision discipline. Sky were the favourites, but they had 8 riders, and one nutter trying to mix things up...
I decided my best bet was to go out hard, really hard, then cruise the rest of the stage.
Sky is a well ordered team, and one full of TT champions, this was going to be hard to ruin.
Things were going well! Sky were 1:00 down at the first checkpoint, this was going to be very easy! I hadn't even done anything major yet!
Then I hit the front and pushed as hard as I have ever done. Even the veteran TTists, like Wiggins were struggling.
Then I slowed. In a few seconds I lost 20kph. Wiggins tries to get through, but I was blocking him!
I had dropped some of the weaker TTists, and hung on to them for the rest of the stage.
Boasson Hagen led the team across the line, last, 1:23 lost. Mission accomplished 
Sorry, image exporting failed |
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 24-02-2014 07:17
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
PCM$: 500.00
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Yay good work.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 24-02-2014 08:12
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Making Sky lose a TTT, now they won't be happy with that   |
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 24-02-2014 08:24
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4478
Joined: 30-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Good job! Or bad? Idk
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| Adamb |
Posted on 24-02-2014 13:15
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Domestique
Posts: 642
Joined: 22-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!! Even though I don't like what you're doing to Sky, you're doing a good job |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 24-02-2014 17:49
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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@Luis Leon Sanchez: Thanks
@Sutty: Definitely not something they enjoy
@Cycleman: See what I mean?
@Adamb: Thanks, but I see this must be bad for a Sky fan
Stage 5
Today no one was really going to bother and waste energy. It wasn't worth it. I was given a free role but I wasn't using it unless it could be helped. The downhill finish was not to any if our likings. Edvald was tired so we were resting till the mountains.
Goss won, from Roelandts
I was our best rider, coming home in 14th, without much effort |
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 24-02-2014 19:02
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Stage 6
Another boring stage
Another boring Cavendish win
I was our best man in 35th.
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| The Hobbit |
Posted on 25-02-2014 17:00
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Stage 7
The final stage before we head back to GC country. I was again free to try, but wasn't expecting much, or hoping for much
A very close win, but it goes to Cavendish again!
Again, I was best off in 29th
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