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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
Ian Butler
So how does he like riding around in that jersey? Grin
 
TheManxMissile
@Sutty - Funny you should say that...
@Ian - It's not really a problem with the team, just with Malcolm... the team manager... yeah....

Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 22: Post Danmark Rundt Part 2

The time trial came round. Without Michal in the team I was the best against the clock. Even so I could only manage 16th position, not bad but not special. Luke went well but slipped down the GC table a bit. Our hopes of good GC finishes were gone, but stage glory could still be achieved.

So Stage 5 was back to normal, working for Luke and the early team attempts to get away. Daily routine was getting easier now and Luke kept up his end of things with another 5th place finish.

Stage 6 was the final one. Again we worked our asses off for Rowe hoping that he could finally move up the results sheets. He managed it! Luke found a final extra bit of speed and rounded out a good race with a podium finish, 3rd place on the final day!

The Danmark Rundt wasn’t particularly great. The whole team was consistent for 6 stages, which was promising. Luke bagged some good results and the general team atmosphere was upbeat and happy heading into the final phases of the season.


velopress.dk/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/1ad5596915b14fbe9414845642b15b9e_1cada1.jpg

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
sutty68
At last Luke delivers Wink
 
TheManxMissile
Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 23: World Ports Classic, Part I

Lets skip over August somewhat, hardly any racing anyway and nothing much of consequence. I continued to think about 2015 with Motorola’s offer resting heavily in my mind. Phil could tell I was a bit stressed and kept asking me why, but I couldn’t tell him that I might be leaving.

Then the World Ports Classic came around. It was the team’s final race before the Tour of Britain, so the last chance to bag a spot on the squad. A two day race most likely for the sprinters. Stage 1 was hit by big winds, and that changed a lot.

Early on the pace was high as no-one could quite decide on who would be allowed into the break, resulting in no breakaway being allowed to form. With about an hour left to race the route took a sharp right turn, and the wind switch. Suddenly there was a strong crosswind blowing up to 30mph!

I don’t know who started it but suddenly the pace sky rocketed. A line of riders stretched across the road and the echelon started to roll away. Cronshaw was designated team leader, but I couldn’t see him. So I accelerated across the gap, only two more riders made the junction behind me, and then the echelon just put the hammer down and went away.

Over the radio I could hear the DS, Mikel, panicking trying to figure out who was where. Matt had missed the split, but had the rest of the squad with him. I was the only one to make the move.


1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pu0v9yuAJX4/Ue8A2wevg8I/AAAAAAAAUPM/pSosRwFKjP4/s1600/Wind+on+Stage+13+TDF+2013.jpg

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
sutty68
Decisions, decisions Frown
 
Jesleyh
Yeah, the region around Zeeland is famous for it's echelon stages Wink
i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u660/jesleyh/Junk/0ca5fb14-ed59-44b1-8eb0-596097ba5c01_zps8e97f370.jpg

Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy


PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
 
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Ian Butler
Let me guess, he has to drop out and help? Frown
 
TheManxMissile
@Ian - You think i would be that obvious?
@Jesl - Yes it is, fact.

Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 24: World Ports Classic, Part II

“Ok Karl, you’re ok to go with the move”. That was relief. I joined in the work up front and the echelon powered down the roads. The gap behind was opening up without a strong team organising a chase. The front group was about 30 strong and included at least one rider from almost each team.

There were a few attacks coming in to the finish, but I couldn’t cover them. I came across the line about 30 seconds behind the winner in 14th place. Matt and the rest of the team were another 2 minutes behind my group, putting them over 2’30 down overall. Barring anything crazy on stage 2 the GC looked pretty much set.

We were about half way through the second day when things went south. Matty punctured but the pace was pretty calm. A couple of guys dropped back and paced him up to the peloton again, no problems. Nothing special, no drama, just simple teamwork. Then, with about 50km to go I punctured. The pace was still not too high, but the chase was on.

I swapped wheels from the team car and started chasing back. After a few minutes I started to wonder where my support was. A few more moments later and I voiced my thoughts. “Mikel, is anyone coming back to help me?”
“Oh Karl, ermm… They rest of the guys are busy aiding Matt towards the finish. You’re only 30seconds or so behind now, just push on and it’ll be fine”

Not again…


d.yimg.com/i//ng/sp/eurosport/20120831/14/927359070-world-ports-classic.jpg

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
Shonak
I've read The Breakup in one sit now, really liking. Great writing and nice personalities in the story. Nice way of telling the story and you add quite some depth with a few key sentences I think. Over time I'll read the other parts too, but for now let's just say: Go for Motorola, these guys are behaving like utter fools by now. I doubt they would even want to re-sign Karl. Sad
Edited by Shonak on 28-11-2013 18:01
pcmdaily.com/files/Awards2016/team.png
pcmdaily.com/files/Awards2017/manager.png
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
 
TheManxMissile
Shonak wrote:
I've read The Breakup in one sit now, really liking. Great writing and nice personalities in the story. Nice way of telling the story and you add quite some depth with a few key sentences I think. Over time I'll read the other parts too, but for now let's just say: Go for Motorola, these guys are behaving like utter fools by now. I doubt they would even want to re-sign Karl. Sad


Thanks for the comment. Glad you like the story. Also nice to now my style is working. It's hard to tell because i know what i mean when i write, but i can't look at it from a fresh point of view, so being told the small sentences create the emphasis is a great thing.
Motorola or Node4. It's a tough one but the answer is just around the corner.
i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
sutty68
The B******s are at it again Angry
 
TheManxMissile
Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 25: Confrontation

Luckily I was only a few seconds behind and re-joined the peloton. Matty even went on to win the stage with a beautiful sprint. But I was fuming with the team, again. After the stage I went to find Mikel. He was back at the team bus chatting with Malcolm.

Well that made sense, of course it was Malcolm. I walked up to them both and stared down my boss.
“Malcolm! I’m signing with Motorola for 2015.”
“… Ok Karl, fair enough. I guess that’ll do your season then. Come by the HQ next week and we’ll finalise things.”
“Wait, ‘do your season then’? What do you mean…” Except I knew the answer.
“The team has only got the Tour of Britain left and you have not made the squad.”
Then Mikel butted in, “Hang on Malcolm. You were just telling me that Karl was in the squad as key lieutenant to Michal again.”
“Well he was… I mean… But… Fine”

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
sutty68
Its about time Malcolm was taken up a dark alley and sorted out Angry
 
TheManxMissile
@Sutty - At least Karl won't have to deal with him in 2015 now

Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 26: Tour of Britain, Part I

The pinnacle of the teams season, the Tour of Britain 2014. Last year this race was just so off the hook. We dominated in great form bagging multiple stages and jerseys. I won a stage and was leading the race before… before…. Well, you know what happened. This year is going to be different again, with it being my last race for Node4-Rexona. It’s a strong squad as well. Michal is here to defend his GC title, Kennaugh and I are focused on those hillier stages with him. Luke is the best sprinter in the field, aided by Scott and Matt to make a deadly finishing trio. Yanto and Marcin top it off as general help and breakaway riders.

Stage 1 is a time trial. A quick 20km on open roads to set up an early GC fight. Michal is of course the best here and delivered the relevant time to take a comfortable stage win. I went out ahead of him, just like in Bayern, and posted a decent time. I ended the day in 15th place about 1’40 behind Michal. I was hoping for better but I couldn’t find the power.

Day Two was the first Road stage of the race. Pretty much flat the entire time and the final 6km or so were pan flat and arrow straight, to make for a perfect sprinters finish. The team set about keeping the breakaway in check and ramped the pace up with 20km to go. The sprinting trio did not disappoint on home turf delivering Rowe comfortably to the finish line in first place.

Two days, two wins. Perfect start to the race and one we hoped to continue as things got tougher on stage three.


i3.dailyrecord.co.uk/incoming/article2289680.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Bradley-Wiggins-2289680.jpg

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
Ian Butler
Good start in Britain
 
TheManxMissile
@Ian - Based off of actual gameplay! It's what happens when you get a WT level sprinter and one of the Top5 TT'ers.

@anyone - Made some final edits to Act 1, which is now totally finished. Act 2 also pretty much finished. Plus lots of free time and i will try and increased to two updates a day. Shouldn't get too serious... yet Wink

Act 1: The Breakup
Scene 27: Tour of Britain, Part II

The third stage of the race was certainly tougher. The day was punctuated by a number of short sharp ascents, with a big climb about 15km from the finish line. Big meant it was 4-5km long and 5-6%, so not exactly a mountain but certainly enough to make things difficult for the sprinters and flat specialists.

We began the day by selecting the breakaway, allowing a couple of younger British guys from Raleigh and the GB team to go away as a duo. They would be no threat and easy to catch later on. From there it was just settle down, manage the gap and prepare for the fireworks later on.

At 50km to go a couple of people attacked, not exactly any one special but just hoping for a surprise victory. From here to roads got lumpier, so Yanto upped the pace to shake out a few guys if possible. We continued pace making up to the base of the final climb. The earlier duo and the later chasers were caught as we reached the climb. Peter and I again upped the pace but the climb was not hard enough to make a serious selection.

Michal tapped me on the shoulder as we got near to the summit. We exchanged a look and knew what to do. The climb crested out, the road dropping away down the far side. I opened up the taps and plummeted away


www.awdphotos.com/imgs/news/18484_19684012104f80be9a762e1.jpg

i.imgur.com/UmX5YX1.jpgi.imgur.com/iRneKpI.jpgi.imgur.com/fljmGSP.jpgi.imgur.com/qV5ItIc.jpgimgur.com/dr2BAI6.jpgimgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpgi.imgur.com/C1rG9BW.jpgi.imgur.com/sEDS7gr.jpg
 
sutty68
Looks like a possible stage win could be on the cards for Karl Wink
 
Dippofix
Come on Karl, show us what you're made of! Smile
 
Shonak
Michal and Karl are quite a good combo, but if Karl attacks together with Michal successfully,
Spoiler
I'm pretty sure that Malcom demands that Michal takes the win.
Calling it now! Wink
pcmdaily.com/files/Awards2016/team.png
pcmdaily.com/files/Awards2017/manager.png
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
 
Ian Butler
Hope they can make the split!
 
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