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In The Pursuit of Glory | Thank You!
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 22-12-2014 19:38
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Fantastic reclaiming of that jersey. Now he can shine in the national jersey in all disciplines  |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 22-12-2014 19:52
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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 WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!
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]  Xero Racing
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 22-12-2014 19:56
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 857
Joined: 13-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Awesome job by the team and great to see Martjin taking the jersey back  |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 08:47
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 22-12-2014 22:54
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@Ian: Being double champion is a good feeling 
@jandal: I couldn't have put it better myself
@dark: On any other day, Nkumbula would have been a worthy champion, but sadly his work for Martijn took too much of him. The favour will be repaid at a later date
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 22-12-2014 23:26
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Great to see Martijn get the road race jersey back on his shoulders |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 23-12-2014 09:28
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@sutty: It was nice to get it back, but one of the most boring races I have ever ridden 
.: Manager of :.
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| Forever the Best |
Posted on 23-12-2014 09:32
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3803
Joined: 27-06-2014
PCM$: 400.00
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Great win
The user formerly known as 'The Schleck Fan'
Gracias Alberto.
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 23-12-2014 09:39
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@Schleck: Thanks
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| OZrocker |
Posted on 23-12-2014 13:34
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1280
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 300.00
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Well done to both Mashama and Martijn! I really thought that MTN with Impey, Meintjes and Chisiza could be a threat but the HTC crew were just too good
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 23-12-2014 15:06
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@OZ: To be fair, so did I! However, as soon as an MTN rider was the break, they stopped riding completely and caused no threat
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 23-12-2014 18:06
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Addressing a Worrying Issue 
Another issue was the number of South African riders racing on a team that was weren't riding for MTN-Qhubeka. As the principal team in South Africa, they were the major team for National riders to join. However, outside of MTN, South African riders could only be found on 4 other teams. Taking into account for injuries and schedule clashes, that would only give a maximum of 13 possible entrants in the event.
Thinking on my feet, I looked to arrange a meeting with the Main Management at Cycling SA. I knew that a Junior National Team was set up on the track, but it was nothing substantial. Joined in the meeting by Louis Meintjes, Daryl Impey and Robbie Hunter, I proposed to them a simplified version of the system used by British Cycling. Being a product of the Team GB Development Team, I knew a little bit about how it worked.
A dedicated group of riders, all under the age of 25, would train, ride and even live together, growing as a group and honing their skills both on the track and the road. With the right coaching and guidance, they could be the next stars of the future.
The words seemed like music to their ears, and the meeting ended on a positive note. They would look into a Development Team, hoping to have it off the ground for the 2017 season. Over the season, Hunter will work as a consultant, putting the ideas into place, whilst I will offer direction from my past experience.
In my eyes, one of many steps in the right direction.
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 23-12-2014 18:32
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 857
Joined: 13-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Hopefully this means a brighter future for South African cycling. |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 23-12-2014 22:30
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Hopefully South African cycling will have a healthy future (fingers crossed) |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 24-12-2014 10:34
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@dark & sutty: It's a step in the right direction
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 29-12-2014 02:54
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Great idea, interested to see this panning out.
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 30-12-2014 13:23
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@jandal: Thanks I won't have much input on the team. I will created the team in the db and the rest is down to PCM! I will just monitor their transfers to make sure they meet the criteria for a Development Team
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-01-2015 17:23
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Thank you so much for the nomination! Just like the others I am nominated for, I am truly honoured
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-01-2015 19:10
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Turning My Mind Back to the Racing
I flew back to Geneva very happy with my efforts in South Africa, and the meeting to give cycling in the country a possible future. Now, I needed to turn my attention back to the season ahead, and hitting the Spring Classics in the best form.
Tirreno-Adriatico was a success for me last season, and I hoped for something 12 months on. It would be my first race back in the Rainbow Flag jersey, and I hope to do it justice, just like I did in 2014. Stage 6 would be my main target, and looking like it could be the GC decider.
The race was going perfectly for the team. On Stage 4, the break took the win, with Andriy Grivko (Trek) taking the win, and I lead home the peleton in 5th.
Stage 5 was tailor-made for me as well, and the plan was to lead me out for the win. The finish was uphill, and up for challenge. The early break was pulled back on the last lap of the hilly circuit, and the HTC train got going. Tony Martin did the job perfectly, and as Geraint Thomas kicked for the line, I lost his wheel... But instead of waiting for me, I shouted for him to go for the win. I was too far back, and the Welshman stormed to the win! I crossed the line 6th, and delighted for Gee.
I sat 33rd on GC going into the possible Queen stage of the race. Stage 6 was classed as Mountainous, which would normally rule me out of contention, but most of difficult climbs came at the beginning of the stage. If taken at a slow pace, whilst the break gains time, I could survive for the finishing circuit.
That was plan, and that is what happened. A break of 4 riders attacked, and we slowly let me go. The sprinters had no issue getting over the climb, and I was feeling nice and fresh. As the favourites attacked on the finishing circuit, I tried to follow. The gap grew, as 6-man group consisting of Nibali (Cannondale), Quintana (Movistar), Betencur (AG2R), Gesink (Belkin), Fugslang (Tinkoff) and myself, pressed on. Quintana tried to break to group, but it would be Betancur who would go on to take the win. I would finish with Nibali in 5th, and climbing into 8th on GC and into the U25 Jersey. The result couldn't have been better considering the competition and the profile before the start.
The race ended with a flat stage into S. Benedetto delo Tronto, and Cavendish got his second, and the team's third, win of the race to secure the Points Classification. I finished within the main peleton, and looking good for the Ardennes Classics in a month's time.
| 1 |  Carlos Betancur | Ag2r - La Mondiale | 27h50'00 | | 2 |  Andriy Grivko | Trek Factory Racing | + 31 | | 3 |  Jakob Fuglsang | Tinkoff-Saxo | + 33 | | 4 | Nairo Quintana | Movistar Team | + 52 | | 5 |  Daniel Moreno Fernández | Katusha Team | + 1'03 | | ... | | 8 |  Martijn North | Team HTC-Highroad | + 1'32 |
| 1 |  Mark Cavendish | Team HTC-Highroad | 47 | | 2 |  Nacer Bouhanni | Sky ProCycling | 33 | | 3 | Carlos Betancur | Ag2r - La Mondiale | 30 | | 4 | Andriy Grivko | Trek Factory Racing | 30 | | 5 |  Michael Matthews | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | 28 |
| 1 | Florian Senechal | FDJ.fr | 10 | | 2 | Daniel Moreno Fernández | Katusha Team | 8 | | 3 |  Moreno Moser | Cannondale Pro Cycling | 7 | | 4 | Andriy Grivko | Trek Factory Racing | 6 | | 5 | Carlos Betancur | Ag2r - La Mondiale | 5 |
| 1 | Martijn North | Team HTC-Highroad | 27h51'3 | | 2 |  Wilco Kelderman | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 53 | | 3 | Simon Yates | Orica - GreenEDGE | s.t. | | 4 | Jeremie Dumon | Ag2r - La Mondiale | s.t. | | 5 |  Ian Boswell | Team HTC-Highroad | s.t. |
| 1 | Ag2r - La Mondiale | 83h35'00 | | 2 |  Tinkoff-Saxo | + 29 | | 3 | Trek Factory Racing | + 44 | | 4 | Movistar Team | + 52 | | 5 | Katusha Team | + 1'06 |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 01-01-2015 19:38
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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No Overall Race win this time around but Martijn is looking in good form for the upcoming campaign |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-01-2015 19:47
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@sutty: For the first time in 5 races, he doesn't win a stage or take the overall
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