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One in a Billion | Rise to the Summit
AbhishekLFC
Giro d'Italia


Stages 20 & 21


Stage 20

i.imgur.com/d67rln1.png

I entered the last mountain stage knowing full well I might lose the Pink Jersey I have now held for 15 stages! The gap to 2nd place Nairo Quintana has reduced from nearly 5 minutes after stage 17 to 1'40" seconds after yesterday's stage! If ever there was a time to defend for my life, this was it.

The early break of eight were allowed a free run. They had built up a 20 minute lead by the second climb. On top of that climb, the quartet of Aru, Landa, Yates and Quintana made the first move. They did get a gap, but Mollema and others helped close the gap down. At the end of the descent, Nairo attacked again! He didn't succeed this time either. The lead group was now down to just fifty riders. I had two men as help. The GC leaders stayed together up the third climb as the break extended their lead. Dunbar atatcked with 10 km to go but was caught 3 km later. Nairo got a gap with 4 km to go. He increased it to 1'15" at its highest. I kept chasing and chasing, now on my own, till my I almost got back to him on the line. I finished 7th, losing 18 seconds to the Colombian.

Stage 21

i.imgur.com/58GMElK.png

I started this stage with a lead of 1'22". The five man break included Uran and Kennaugh. They got a eight minute lead. The peloton was down to just 45 riders on the sixth climb. We maintained a high pace from the fourth climb which ensured there were hardly any attacks. My climbing train did their job perfectly till the last climb. On that climb, Nairo and Landa attacked and my train couldn't pull them. I went after them alone, and with a little help from Yates, caught back to Quintana. Landa got away, taking nearly 30 seconds to the rest of us. This didn't change any positions at the top of the GC. I finished in the same group - in 4th place on the stage - as all my other GC rivals, and secured my first ever Grand Tour!!

General Classification

1 Abhishek Sinha Duvel
2 Nairo Quintana De Koninck + 1'22"


The last stage being such a drain on all of us, we couldn't even celebrate as we approached the line, half out of chasing my rivals, and half out of exhaustion. As I crossed the line and got off my bike, I was swamped with virtually every member of the extended team, who raised me on their shoulders and cheered wildly. A lot of hard work has gone into this victory, and we were making sure we enjoyed every last minute of it.

This was unreal!! I am now a Grand Tour champion! After seven and a half years of being a professional cyclist, one of my dreams has come true. To top it off, I beat my climbing idol, Nairo Quintana, to win it! I don't think I could've written a better script for myself. A lot of help from the team who put me into commanding positions all through the race, and then to defend my jersey in the last two days. They were a big part of my success. Let the celebrations begin!
 
Raziz
What a historic moment!
 
Kiserlovski01
Way to defend after a couple of rough stages, congratulations!
i.imgur.com/whwk8g9.png


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Croatia14
Yes! What a tactical masterpiece on the last 2 stages, holding on to every edge of possible resistance and taking the maglia rosa home. Congratulations my friend!
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Aquarius97
Yes! You've done an incredible race, and now you get the reward. Your 1st GT, hopefully only the first of many to come Grin
Manager of [MG] Repsol - Netflix


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jandal7
Amazing performance to hold onto pink, chapeau! That deserves some bananas, what a win!
BananaBananaBananaGrinCool
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."

[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] i.imgur.com/c85NSl6.png Xero Racing

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AbhishekLFC
@Everyone: Banana Banana Banana Banana
YESSSSSSS!! WOOHOO!!!!
 
dominox
All I can write now is: BananaBananaBanana

Now take a rest and prepare yourself for le Tour Grin
 
Aquarius97
Wait... you broke the Dutch curse??? Pfft
Manager of [MG] Repsol - Netflix


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AbhishekLFC
@dominox: Thanks Grin

@Aquarius: If this counts, then yes!
 
AbhishekLFC
Leaving at the Top? - Duvel Retracts Sponshorship
-A La Gazzetta dello Sport Report
In a strange turn of events, just days after their first ever Grand Tour success, Duvel have announced that they won't be renewing their sponsorship of the team managed by Patrick Lefévère.

We were able to get a muted response from the team management regarding this announcement where they simply said they were caught off-guard. They are looking at options for a new sponsorship deal to take the team ahead.

While Giro winner Sinha still has another year left of his contract with the team, the contracts of Dumoulin and Barguil end this year. It is not clear at the moment where these riders will ride next season.

None of the riders were available for comment, with most of them heading off either to their home nations for the upcoming national championships, or to various preparation races for the Tour de France. The situation is likely to become clearer in the coming weeks.

 
Ripley
Congratulations, a great victory, a bit of a shame that it happened after switching nationalities, though I think we can still call Sinha the first Indian (and Asian) GT champion!
 
Tamijo
Havent had time to follow this close - but huge congrat with the Giro win
 
AbhishekLFC
@Ripley: Yeah it's kind of ironic, and a little sad! But I'll take that title Grin

@Tamijo: Thanks Smile
 
AbhishekLFC
June


National Championships – Individual Time Trial

i.imgur.com/ZzXfhEH.png


Four riders from Duvel were in the line-up for the Dutch national time trial; Dumoulin, Bosvelt, Mollema and myself. I was really feeling the pressure today, as this was a new experience. I didn't want to come across as having taken away the spot from someone more deserving.

The course was simple enough, just a long flat straight to the finish. I went on with my job in unspectacular fashion. I was one of the early starters and took provisional first place when I finished. I held on to that position for some time before being beaten by Sam Oomen. Few more of the late starters went faster and I ended up 7th. Dumoulin won and became the Dutch TT champion.

Result

1Tom DumoulinDuvel38'03
2Sam OomenSwissair+ 55
3Steven LammertinkTeam Roompot-Oranje Peloton+ 1'02
4Sieben WoutersContinental+ 1'07
5Paolo RoquesSwissairs.t.
6Wilco KeldermanTeam LottoNL - Jumbo+ 1'13
7Abhishek SinhaDuvel+ 1'15
8Timo RoosenTeam LottoNL - Jumbo+ 1'28
9Cees BolUnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Teams.t.
10Gert-Jan TahyaStibo Systems+ 1'31

Spoiler

 
Aquarius97
Well, could have been worse, but i guess Giro hangover is still there Pfft
Manager of [MG] Repsol - Netflix


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dominox
7th place is not that bad after really tough Giro. Looking forward for le Tour.
 
Tamijo
what dominox just said Grin
 
AbhishekLFC
@Aquarius: Nah, more about the course being absolutely flat. A small hilly section would've done the trick I think!

@dominox and Tamijio: Yeah I'm not too disappointed with it. In the NCs, the road race is where I'm concentrating. le Tour has to wait a little bit more...
 
AbhishekLFC
National Championships – Road Race

i.imgur.com/an2NIB1.png


The same four riders from Duvel also started the road race. There was a three man early break which had a seven minute lead at one point. One more rider attacked out of the pack with 40 km to go. The break's lead at this point was just over two minutes. The speed in chase went incredibly high and the gap was wiped away very fast. The break was caught with 27 km still left.

With 8 km to go, the peloton was 50 riders strong. I attacked on the climb uphill, with 5 km left. With the distance remaining halved, I had a lead of 40 seconds. I had no energy to sprint as I approached the line. i took a couple of glances over my shoulder as I entered the final 500 meters. The peloton were coming but I still had about 20 seconds over them. Danny Van Poppel launched the sprint and kept getting closer and closer as the line approached.

i.imgur.com/35SoDXy.png


In the end, I just about managed to hold on! 10 more meters and I would've been overhauled! I am the new Dutch national champion! Unbelievable!!

i.imgur.com/JKC4HF3.png


i.imgur.com/bIwpDjh.png


Result

1Abhishek SinhaDuvel5h19'50
2Danny Van PoppelContinentals.t.
3André LooijMTN-Qhubekas.t.
4Wouter WippertTeam LottoNL - Jumbos.t.
5Jan MaasContinentals.t.
6Floris GertsTeam Roompot-Oranje Pelotons.t.
7Nick Van Der LijkeTeam Roompot-Oranje Pelotons.t.
8Paul BosveltDuvels.t.
9Martijn TusveldRusVelos.t.
10Niels GoereeTeam LottoNL - Jumbos.t.

Spoiler

 
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