I have no idea how good/bad he will become, I am attempting to create a realistic rider, who love thin air but is rather weak on the flat and lousy in the time trail.
After Rund um Duren, Aram and team mate Mads (Würtz Schmidt), hired a car to get to Liege, to follow Liège–Bastogne–Liège. Mads had a female friend working with the Astana Team, she had invited them to watch the race from within the Astana Camp, not to mention invited them to get a preview of Lars von Trier’s “Road Salt”, a film about the teams early season.
The movie was ok, although Aram had expected to hear more about the star Nibali.
This was where Aram first met Layla the girl Mads knew, it was no love at first sight, but maybe there was something, she definitely caught his attention, even though honestly Mads did most of the talking.
Layla looked at Mads: “How was your race in Germany?” Mads: “Well seen with my eyes, it was just pain from start to finish, just had a bad day.
Mads sitting far back in the peloton
"But our hero here” Mads smiled looking at Aram. “Had more fun, attacking on the second climb”
Aram Attacks
Mads was interrupted by a loud voice from the speakers shouting. “The first group is splitting now just 16 riders, we still got Nibali in the group; Valverde, Rodriguez, Wellens, Martin a lot of good rider in that group.
Things calmed down and Mads continues: Aram closed a huge gap to other riders already out in front, and we got times where they had more than 4 minutes, on a relative short stage of just 132 km.
“But sadly, when we got close enough with just 6 km left, I could see than Aram was done, having a hard time holding a fast pace from Team Heizomat’s Simon Redmers”
Speaker shouts again: “Now just 10 rider and 3 km left… Alaphilippe attacks Wellens and…o no Nibali is hanging…It is over for Nibali”
Mads continues“That’s correct you were finish there, Weren't you Aram” - Aram’s face turned slightly red: “Yes I was” – Mads did not mean to embarrass Aram quickly saying: “But you did great, we was not expecting anything in that race, and at least you got very close” Aram replied: “Getting in as 45th, is not great not when the breakaway did win, but you are right, looked good for a long time.”
About to get caught
They are now all watching the big screen - Its Joaquim Rodriguez winning the 2016 Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Nibali came 7th.
New from back home:
Despite his sometimes uncontrolled drinking and a joint here and there, John is doing fine at University, it looks like he will pass his first year exam with ease. His relation with Susanne has cooled a little, but they are still spending some weekends together, mostly in bed.
Aram’s parents, Amin and Lisbeth left on 27/4 to Iran, with a group of Persian experts and journalist to make a TV series about Iran and the changes happening under President Hassan Rouhani. They will be gone until November.
Hassan Rouhani:
9.15 PM - Hotel ibis Sheffield City
Sports directors Michael Skalde and Jan Bojsen evaluating Tour de Yorkshire (2.1) the first stage race of the season. They take another look at the profiles:
Michael: Let’s make a walkthrough, rider by rider from top to bottom, or rather bottom to top.
Jan: OK
Jan: “Andreas H. Jeppensen (19), was set to be domestic, but truth told in a race with this many world tour teams and a fast peloton, he was not much help.”
Michael: “No, we have to work with his uphill to make him more durable. He melt at 2%” the boss smiles. "He was also down two times he has to learn to be more aware in the peloton."
Jan: "It was shitty weather sometimes, many riders was down."
Jan: Mads B. Rahbek (20), as opposed to Jeppensen, he did a great job as domestic, getting bottles and energy gel to his teammates, and sitting with Daniel at crucial moments.
Michael: Ya he did great.
Jan: Mark S. Pedersen (24): Did good, sitting with Daniel or Aram, on stage 1 and 3 and sprinting at stage 2 making it 10th, can’t complaint.
Michael: No comments.
Steen making a perfect leadout for Pedersen at stage 2
Jan: Nicolaj Steen (21), As a free rider he did a perfect job, getting away on every single stage. Not to mention that perfect lead-out he did on stage 2, so fast that Petersen never passed him for 9th.
Michael: He did good, but he should not lead faster than his sprinter can follow, and cool to see the “Trefor” jersey, but he did not take a single KoM or Sprint point. You need to work with him on the hills to make him stronger in the breakaway.
Jan: Aram Mukhtari Ryborg (19): His first stage race, and he makes it 14th on the very first stage, much better that anyone on the team.
He had a hard time on the last stage, but that is only natural with rider like Nieve, Denifl, Kennaugh, De Clercq, Pantano ect. – Overall 27th that is actually 11 better than his captain.
Michael: Yes I am impressed too, the only thing I don’t like about this, is the fact that with a free role, he was never able to get away, in races where a win against the favorites is impossible, we need him to be more of a fighter. He will never become Jens Voigt, or anything close to a tempo rider, but I think you should work just a little more with him on his pace at the flat road.
Nicolaj Steen and behind him Aram Mukhtari, both having a good Tour de Yorkshire
Jan: “Daniel Foder (32) was a disappointment, protected by his teammates from start to finish, never making a stage result better than 28th.
Michael: Don't be too hard on him, he is obviously a bit out of form, you don’t win a stage in tour of Denmark if you can’t ride a bike !
Jan: Looked down on the stage profiles to avoid eye contact, “Ya, you are right”
I’m fine – but you did not call me at this time to ask me that?
No, I got my first ranking points today, can you belive that?
wow – nice nice tell me more!
Ya, we have got this race in Norway, Hadeland GP a little north of Olso, and it looks like a profile that might just suite me pretty good. The only thing is that on the morning briefing I’m doomed to be domestic – First thought was holy S%&. No Mont Ventoux but some steep climbs and a hard uphill finish.
But didn’t you just say domestic?
Yes that was the tricky first hurdle, I would not get any help and I had to sit close to Daniel Foder. I knew I would try something, but with an early attack from teammate Mads Würtz I decided to sit and wait close to the others.
On the first 140 km all developed ok, others brought me water and I was sitting close to Foder, secretly just saving myself.
Getting this close to the finish, I thought better move forward. that was stupid because I had no water and bottle carrier Nicolaj Steen, could not reach me, he was empty. Everyone else got water, but not me and Mads Rahbek.
I had to go back! In hard wind and rain, with Christina Jewelry Pro Cycling pulling like mad to bring in the breakaway.
With help form a long downhill and all my focus, I manages to get water, hand a bottle to teammate Rahbek and get up to the front before the 2nd last climb, just 15 km to the line.
Over the top with just 7.5 km left we had teammate Mads Würtz Schmidt and race favorite Markus Eibegger in front, they had about 1’30”, me in the next group of 13 riders
Then some of the favorites attacked, including Christina Jewelry’s Schumacher.
But where was Foder at this point?
Oh yes forget him, already 30 sec behind me.
We caught the rest of the original breakaway on the final climb, now only Markus Eibegger and Stefan Schumacher in front of my group.
Laurent Evrard (Team 3M) beat me on the final 100 meters, was truly almost done at this point, but I made is fourth. Mine and Team Tre-For’s first 7 CQ ranking point of the season, not many but my first.
So glad to hear, but it is almost midnight I have to sleep, exam’s tomorow
Aram was waiting for a checkup at Civil Hospital Marie Curie in Charleroi, just some 15 km from the finish line, after Circuit de Wallonie. Thomas Riis was in the emergency room first, more hurt than Aram, bleeding from a cut over the left eye.
Coach Bojesen came in: “Not looking too good Aram, what happened?”
Aram: “Well as requested I was sitting in the peloton right in front of Foder, just doing my best to keep him out of trouble. Thomas (Nybo Riis) also there, ready to help if anything should happen.”
Bojesen: “Great, as planned!”
Aram: “Then after a little more than 50 km, I don’t know who it was, but somebody went down just 10-15 meter in front of me. Foder swung left and got free, but there was no way for me and Thomas.”
Bojesen: “So that was it, race over for you and Riis.”
Aram: “No no this was a huge crash, more than 100 km left, with a bit of extra effort we got back, and took our position in front of Daniel again”
Bojesen: “But you guys lost 8 minutes?”
Aram: Ya, you won’t believe it, but the same shit happened again with 55 km to the line and we were both down again, this time in a smaller group. Even though Wallonie Bruxelles send the entire team back to help their leader Baptiste Planckaert, there was no way we would get back.
Bojesen: Right, not the best day in the saddle, hope you are both ok, gotta go give my regards to Riis, see you both at dinner…..I hope.
Aram was called in to the doctors, turned out that a few stitches and both rider was ready for dinner. With 11 days to the next race they would all head back to Denmark tomorrow.
Uncle Jens had a small house on Paradisvejen in Virkelund, working as a teacher at the local school. Jens had no wife or girlfriend, it had crossed Aram’s mind that he might fancy men, if that was the case, he was very private about it.
Aram would as often as he could, make a route from Vejle to Virkelund to combine a training in the hills south of Silkeborg, with a coffee and a chat with his uncle.
Uncle Jens house
But this time Grandma and Granddad would pick him up, and they would all spend the Pentecost holidays together in Uncle Jens house. Aram would even let go of this normal diet just having a good time with the family.
Pentecost lunch
The speaker was playing Meddle, Granddad no doubt in charge of that.
As they were enjoying the lunch Aram said: Strange that father and mother is not here, first time I have spent my Pentecost without them.
Hamid replied: Yes, but you are a man now, time to get used to making it on your own.
Jaleh, rather hard: Nonsens, you can miss your family no matter what age you are.
Hamid, took a piece of bread, he knew where that was coming from, regretting have said it.
Click to listen
Uncle Jens broke the silence, trying to direct the conversation in a different direction: Aram, how is life as a professional sportsman?
Aram glad that Jens was opening a way out: It cool, just sometimes hard to focus on the team goal’s rather that my own. They want me to help my captain, even if I am sometimes the better rider.
Uncle Jens: I think they can’t just change the roles from day to day. It may well be part of his contract that the team should be helping him, just be patient.
Daniel Foder comes up from behind, giving Aram a slap on the shoulder just as Aram was on his way down from the podium. Daniel smiles: “How does it feel to be waring your first jersey in pro cycling”
Aram: “Not too bad!”
Daniel: “I figure, but could you please tell me in a bit more detailed?”
Aram smiles back: “Yes sorry”
An Post Rás stage 1: Dunboyne – Dundalk 138.4 km
Aram: Guess you saw me following Laurin Winter from Team Heizomat into that breakaway. Winter had rather good legs, doing a lot of work, the other rider Carl Fredrik Hagen from Sparebanken, was weaker but he did what he could.
The first KoM was hard, because there was not much climbing and Winter could accelerate on the flat, but I just made it past him on the final meters.
On the first intermediate sprint I took the wheel of Winter hoping to be able to pass him in time and to my surprise I made it, not that important but why not.
Daniel: The bonus sec. is nice enough.
Aram: I was afraid our collaboration would end and we might get caught before the final climb, but no, we were working together fine having more than 2 minutes, Winter opened the attack for the KoM from 1.6 km and got a small gap, but there was no way he could hold me of on a climb as hard as this one, I took the KoM and the Jersey with ease.
As you know we did soon get caught, and congratulations with your top10.
Daniel: Ya 9 is kinda ok, but on stage level it won’t gain us points. We have to hope one of us can get inside top 15 GC or KoM/Points top3.
Aram: Just nodded thinking: was this an invitation to a joined ledership? Right now Aram was CG 4th due to the bonus sec.
1
Peter Disera
H&R Block Pro Cycling Team
3h05'55
2
Morten Øllegaard
Riwal Platform Cycling Team
+ 4
3
Benoît Sinner
Equipe Cycliste de l'Armée de Terre
+ 6
4
Aram Mukhtari Ryborg
Team Tre-For
s.t.
5
Alexis Bodiot
Equipe Cycliste de l'Armée de Terre
+ 10
Niklas Larsen joins them saying: Just heard Nibali is now leading the Giro with 3’15 to Richie and 4’56 to Alberto after 15 stages, sounds like he will take it.
Daniel: “As long as he stays on the bike, it sounds like he is safe, haven’t found the time to follow closely, too bad Jacob is not there”
Niklas look's at Aram: I hear you won on "Long Womans Grave" congratulations.
24/4- Liège, Belgium
1/5-2016 Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Hotel Scandic Gardermoen
11-5 2016 Charleroi
15/5 2016 Paradisvejen, Virkelund
Sunday 22/5 Dundalk, Podium and press area.
