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In The Pursuit of Glory | Thank You!
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-01-2015 23:46
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
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My performance so far this season had really buoyed me, and it was easy to see that I was enjoying my time on the bike. Everything I touched seemed to turn to Gold, and even the Mountains of the Tirreno-Adriatico couldn't stop me from taking a Top 10 finish.
Next up was Milano-San Remo, the first Monument of the Season, and a race that is normally seen as a 'Sprinter's Classic'. Saying that, Paris-Tours is a Sprinter's Classics, and that hasn't stopped me winning it in the last two years.
HTC came with a solid gameplan to take a victory. We would effectively have three leaders - Cavendish, Degenkolb and myself. On the Cipressa and the Poggio, I would follow the attacks of the Puncheurs, and if they take it to the line, I would go for the win. If the attacks are brought back, then Cavendish would be led-out for the Sprint. If Cav is struggling on the climbs, then in steps Degenkolb! I have never been in a team that had Plan A, B and C!
I sat comfortably in the peleton, with Tony Martin for protection. The big German was my right-hand man for the day, and his experience was going to be vital if I was going to be in the best shape at the finish.
The day's break gained a maximum on 9 minutes on the stage, but it was never going to make it all the way. OmegaPharma and Sky took control of the peleton all day, and as van Avermaet (BMC), Gallopin (Lotto) and Gasparotto (Katusha) looked to break clear on the Cipressa, it was pulled back.
I was watched every move on the Cipressa, and at the base of the Poggio, I led the peleton onto the climb. Everyone seemed to be thinking that I was working for Cav or Degenkolb. My radio crackled into life, and I was given the freedom to attack. Over the crest, I opened a small gap, and at the base, I had 22" over a group of 6, containing Nibali (Cannondale), Betancur (AG2R), Stybar (IAM) plus the 3 others who tried to attack on the Cipressa.
Under the Flamme Rouge, and I was convinced that I was about to be caught. I even tempted fate by looking behind. The gap was around 100metres, and van Avermaet was closing fast.
My legs felt like they were on fire, as I raced towards the finish. The sprint was underway behind, and I could feel them closing me down. 300m, 200m, 100m... I took my final look behind and knew I had it. The jersey was zipped up, threw my airs in the air and I savoured the greatest victory of my career so far!
| 1 |  Martijn North | Team HTC-Highroad | 7h12'37 | | 2 |  Greg Van Avermaet | BMC Racing Team | + 6 | | 3 |  Zdenek Stybar | IAM Cycling | s.t. | | 4 |  Carlos Betancur | Ag2r - La Mondiale | s.t. | | 5 |  Tony Gallopin | Lotto - Belisol | s.t. | | 6 |  Vincenzo Nibali | Cannondale Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 7 | Enrico Gasparotto | Katusha Team | s.t. | | 8 |  Fabian Cancellara | Orica - GreenEDGE | + 33 | | 9 |  Matthew Goss | Sky ProCycling | + 46 | | 10 |  Thomas Löfkvist | Trek Factory Racing | s.t. |
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| Roextro |
Posted on 01-01-2015 23:50
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2370
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Great monument win for Martijn! |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 02-01-2015 05:22
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
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WTF JUST HAPPENED?
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!
Hopefully there is more to come, with his evolution to a punchy sprinter. With the question mark on the thread title I thought something might happen, but wow, just wow!
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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| sutty68 |
Posted on 02-01-2015 07:56
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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AWESOME, simply awesome  |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 02-01-2015 13:09
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@jihardy: Thanks  Plan A worked just fine
@jandal: I think you just won the award for the most number of Bananas! More to come will domination in the Ardennes and of course, World Champs  Whether that will be this year or not, might be another thing
@sutty: Thanks Martijn's greatest victory so far I think!
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| OZrocker |
Posted on 03-01-2015 01:58
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Protected Rider
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Yes! Excellent win for Martijn, that's got to be his biggest win so far! He's become a really versatile rider and a threat on almost any race profile this past year.
Also, well done to Cav and the team in Tirreno-Adriatico, HTC are really dominating in Italy too!
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 03-01-2015 08:25
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Holy damn! Perfect execution of plan C |
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| dark_x2012 |
Posted on 03-01-2015 08:41
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 857
Joined: 13-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Well deserved |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 03-01-2015 11:18
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@all: Thanks guys! Looking forward to the Ardennes Classics after this start to the season
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| HuDCC |
Posted on 04-01-2015 22:58
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Domestique
Posts: 515
Joined: 07-02-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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oh my god, I was out for a few days and Martijn won M-SR...congratz, great win!
Thank you Andy for everything!
Thanks to the_hoyle for banner! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 04-01-2015 23:13
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
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Bring on the Cobbles  |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 13:30
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 05-01-2015 13:23
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@HuDCC: It was a good way to bring in the new year!
@sutty: No cobbles this year. It is Scheldeprijs and then Amstel Gold
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 05-01-2015 20:09
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
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If someone had given me the perfect start to the season, I don't think it would have ever got close to this. I was feeling unstoppable, and Cloud 9 had my name written all over it.
I had one race between Milano-San Remo and the Ardennes Classics - the Scheldeprijs in Belgium. Flat, windy and tough. It was the simple way to sum it up really. It had been a week since my Italy success, and I had another 5 days before I attacked the Ardennes. This would be all about turning the pedals, and also working for the team.
Lotto, Garmin and Giant set themselves up on the front of the peleton, and it set from the off that it would end in a Mass Sprint. The pace was high, the wind was strong, and this was hurting!
The break was pulled back with 21km to the finish, and the attacks began to happen again. Westra (Sky) and de Gendt (OmegaPharma) tried their luck, and panic began to happen amongst the peleton.
If you ever need a calm head at this moment, Bradley Wiggins is the man to have in your team. The TT World Champion took instant control of the situation, I sat on his wheel, with Thomas and main man Degenkolb last in line. The train was at full steam, no looking back!
The lead-out was textbook, but Kittel (Giant) jumped early, going for a long sprint. De Gendt was still yet to be caught, and the German was hunting him down. Degenkolb tried to kick but there was no matching Kittel.
The OmegaPharma man was caught with 600m to the finish, and Kittel took the victory. Degenkolb took third, as Greipel snatched second on the line, and gave the race a carbon-copy of last year's podium. I finished in the bunch, rolling over in 17th.
| 1 |  Marcel Kittel | Giant-Shimano | 4h12'47 | | 2 | André Greipel | Lotto - Belisol | s.t. | | 3 | John Degenkolb | Team HTC-Highroad | s.t. | | 4 |  Geraint Thomas | Team HTC-Highroad | s.t. | | 5 |  Tyler Farrar | Garmin-Sharp | s.t. | | 6 |  Moreno Hofland | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | 7 | Maxime Vantomme | Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise | s.t. | | 8 | Michael Matthews | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | 9 | Giacomo Nizzolo | Trek Factory Racing | s.t. | | 10 | Thomas De Gendt | OmegaPharma - Quick Step | s.t. | | ... | | 17 | Martijn North | Team HTC-Highroad | s.t. |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 05-01-2015 20:31
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
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Nice regular day at the office to keep the race days up and the legs turning
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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| sutty68 |
Posted on 05-01-2015 23:14
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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17th is not a bad result at all but Geraint rode a Great race only beaten by the German triplets |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 06-01-2015 08:58
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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@jandal: That was the plan Martijn can't win every race 
@sutty: Thomas could have been better going as the main sprinter in the end. He was lead out for Degenkolb and still finished 4th...
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 15-01-2015 20:21
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
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In the Search of Amstel Gold
I was hoping to come to the Ardennes Classics with more than just the Scheldeprijs in my legs after San Remo, but my schedule meant that that would be the case. On the plus side, I am feeling nice and fresh on arrival in the Netherlands.
First of the Triple in the Ardennes is the Amstel Gold Race, where I will be looking to improve on my podium from last year. The route has slightly altered, but it will still give the usual favourite in the end. With any hope, I will one of them.
As always I sat close to the front, with good number of teammates for protection. Alex Howes was my main right-hand man, with Peter Stetina bringing me everything I need.
With 34km to go, the favourites began to show their cards. Peter Sagan (Movistar) and Philippe Gilbert (OmegaPharma) made the first move, and I needed to react.
I kicked after them, and felt the heaviness in my legs. The lack of race days since my victory in San Remo was showing, and my chase of the leading pair was slow and steady. I just didn't expect them to go again as soon as I made though...
Every attack took more and more out of me, and as the other favourites made their move behind, it was clear that it was not going to be my day. On the last climb before the finish, I was battling just to stay in contact in a fight for 5th place.
I could only watch as Sagan easily took the win. Gilbert crossed the line a dejected man in 2nd, and Dan Martin came from nowhere to grab the final podium place. I would crossed the line in 7th, in pieces and angry that I wasn't able to do more. I just hope that my legs will come back for Wallonne.
| 1 |  Peter Sagan | Movistar Team | 6h18'20 | | 2 | Philippe Gilbert | OmegaPharma - Quick Step | s.t. | | 3 |  Daniel Martin | Garmin-Sharp | + 31 | | 4 | Roman Kreuziger | Orica - GreenEDGE | s.t. | | 5 | Greg Van Avermaet | BMC Racing Team | + 55 | | 6 | Diego Ulissi | Cannondale Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 7 | Martijn North | Team HTC-Highroad | s.t. | | 8 |  Rui Costa | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | + 1'23 | | 9 | Carlos Betancur | Ag2r - La Mondiale | + 2'00 | | 10 | Jelle Vanendert | Lotto - Belisol | s.t. |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 15-01-2015 20:28
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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That's annoying, let's get better for Fleché and Liege!
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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| HuDCC |
Posted on 15-01-2015 20:39
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Domestique
Posts: 515
Joined: 07-02-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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I should say it's a little of disappointment from Martijn...hopefully he will feel better and he will show his class again in La Fleche!
Thank you Andy for everything!
Thanks to the_hoyle for banner! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 15-01-2015 23:05
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Martijn may be disappointed but 7th place is still a Great result |
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