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Karl Hammarling - Scene 25: The Grand Finale
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 11-02-2015 18:40
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 39: Eyes Wide Shut, Part III
The organisers decided to include as many climbs as possible in the final 5km through the city proper. None were particularly long, no more than ~500m, but they were steep, often above 10%, and they were regular. The first one shed Henttala an Sobota as expected. The second ignited the group.
Offredo was instantly out of his depth against the three of us and Kwiatkowski accelerated to shake him. It worked but also put myself into some trouble against the better punchers. I knew my best chance to win was either in a sprint or to attack downhill between climbs. Wiles would be best uphill and Michal between us in ability.
The third climb, the penultimate one of the day. Michal lead onto the 400m 9% climb. He pressed hard to prevent an attack. Wiles bobbed in his wheel and I gritted my teeth to cling on. We crested as a trio, Michal relaxing slghtly. Slightly was all I needed and didn't let off at all and shot into the sharp downhill. Wiles jumped with me and moved to take the inside line into the corner at the bottom. I cut across to block his line before the climb and... and....
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 08:54
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 11-02-2015 18:43
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Grand Tour Champion
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and...
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 11-02-2015 20:42
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
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It's Great to see Node4 suffer for a change  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 13-02-2015 19:31
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 40: Eyes Wide Shut, Part IV
The world slowly emerged from a hazy fog. Faces looing down in an instantly recognisable fashion, i'd crashed. Slowly I untangled myself from the barrier and looked around in a daze. Wiles was still sprawled out on the road, his bike completely wrecked. A quick feel around suggested no broken bones.
I could kind of tell that something was no right, the fans weren't in their usual rush or activity to see or help with the accident. Jack hadn't moved since I stood up... Being so close to the finish it was only a few more moments before paramedics arrived. A couple went straight for the still figure and once came to me.
Before I could protest I was forced to sit down as the medic went over me. The race carried on in front of the fans, riders coming through and continuing to the finish. Mikel pulled over the team car and I was given a bike. Slowly I eased my way to the finish line. As I left I saw Wiles being placed on a stretcher and being carted off. There was a hole in my stomach seeing that.
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 15-02-2015 15:00
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
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Oh that's not good...
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| Forever the Best |
Posted on 15-02-2015 15:26
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3803
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Nooooooooooooooooo
Fuck Node4
The user formerly known as 'The Schleck Fan'
Gracias Alberto.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 15-02-2015 17:59
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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@hoyle - clearly 
@schleck - Not sure what Node4 had to do with that last one, but previously very much f*ck 'em!
Act 9: Redemption
Scene 41: Quiet, Part I
I was lying down in the team bus when the news came through. The force of the impact had broken Wiles neck and he was in a coma. The soigneur who delivered the message couldn't tell me more so I hobbled my way over to the Alpecin bus. They were almost silent just ghosting around.
Their DS saw me and pulled me inside away from the media. He gave me a fuller update that made me feel a whole lot worse. Wiles injuries were extensive enough the doctors were not convinced he'd make it through the night. It was a horrible moment realising a crash I was in might have killed a rider. I spent the next hours alone on the bus in silence.
Mikel tried to talk to me about the race, he confirmed the obvious that I was out of the GC battle. We sat together and watched the TV footage, it was sickening. We were both goig flat out, must have been over 60-70kp/h to a dead stop in about 2 meters. He went to the inside and then I chopped across to block him. I forced him into the nearside barrier.... It was my fault.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-02-2015 20:47
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Tour de France Champion
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Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 42: Quiet, Part II
Jack Wiles passed away during the night. His neck had been broken, his skull broken, several other bones fractured. Ontop of that some carbon-fibre from the bike had pierced his lung. The doctors did what they could but sometimes there's nothing they can do. News reached me at about 3am, I wasn't asleep.
By 6am I was knocking in Hannah's door on the outskirts of London. I think this time I could be forgiven for running away from a race. We watched the news break publicly on the TV and I fended off a phone call from Mikel before finally going to sleep at about 9 o'clock. This was the lowest i'd felt since the end of 2015.
It was a good thing I dropped off the grid. The media pinned the blame for the crash on me, and they were right. I made a reckless blocking move that was only ever going to cause an accident. Perhaps Node4 were right about me, perhaps I was the “wrong guy” for the sport. Big bust ups, doping and now this...
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 17-02-2015 21:58
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
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No no no no no no no! Oh, no no no!
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 18-02-2015 09:43
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Noooooooooooooo oh so sad  ................ but very well written mate !! |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 19-02-2015 15:21
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 43: Twelve, Part I
There were lies I couldn't live with anymore. I didn't sleep properly for days, so much weighing on my mind. Hannah could see it and cleverly ambushed me on Mondays, four days after i'd joined her. Not for the first time, and i'm sure not for the last time, she was the voice I needed to hear.
“Hey Karl, I was looking through your bag for some washing and found these... You need to tell me what they are. Now.”
In her hand was a small washbag that contained a few vials of clear liquid and some medical syringes. This was the dirty secret I hadn't been able to get away from in years. The vials were mixtures of PED's, low level adrenaline and caffine. A potent cocktail that made me the winning cyclist, that I hadn't gotten away from.
And outcame the empty alcohol bottles as well. That was the reason for the adrenaline and caffine. I drank enough that I needed a pick me-up for training and racing. Not hugely damanging amounts but enough to hurt me. It was my escape from the harsh life of a cyclist, my escape from so much.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 19-02-2015 19:27
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World Champion
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Just as Karl was growing on me... I'm going through that period that some people want through in the Comeback where nobody liked the main character (no way is he a protagonist, though I guess he is ). You can be sure I will keep reading though.
Edited by jandal7 on 07-10-2016 23:02
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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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 20-02-2015 18:29
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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@ALL - I could have gone a lot deeper into this, and probably would have prefered to. But i've kept it relatively brief to try and keep focus on the racing aspect for the time being.
Act 9: Redemption
Scene 44: Twelve, Part II
Hannah flushed the liquids away and broke the syringes. She didn't yell, didn't get angry. All she did at first was get rid of it all, clear out anything related to the dope I had in my stuff. I just sat and watched; tired, emotional and broken. It was a good thing she found out, I was well into a spiral that would not have ended well.
Hannah wouldn't let me out of her sight for the next 48hours. Not through any anger or righteousness just that she cared for me. And it wasn't like I had withdrawl, I was just not in a good place and needed some company. She also fended off a few calls from the team, telling them I was ok and would be at the Worlds.
The Worlds. They were being held in Flanders on a course that was perfect for me. Think Gent Wevelgem but double the cobbles. Primarily flat with some sharp clims and rough cobbles. A power route that I was one of the top favorites for. Through the week she slowly coaxed me to get there. I would race and this time I would do it right.
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 21-02-2015 13:25
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
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I hope Karl stays clean...
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 21-02-2015 18:10
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 45: Twelve, Part III
Pre-race I was torn. I wanted to go out on the bike, ride hard and win the race as a tribute. I also knew that if I did it was because I still had PED's in my system. But not winning, letting my teammates dowwn and not getting to give a tribute... It was an almost impossible choice to make myself.
I tried to get some guidance from Mikel, who would DS for the Sweden team, but I couldn't tell him all the details. As such his advice wasn't great. In the end I had to go to Hannah. “It's your call in the end Karl. You've got to find the right thing for you, not what anyone ele thinks is right. As incentive, do the right thing and i'll come to the wedding with you.”
Suitably motivated to “do the right thing” I got myself ready to race. Johan was in the team, along with Ludviggson, Malmgren, Lindau and Balck, all Millenium riders. They were here to give me the best chance at winning and I had to respect that. Thousands of avid Flemish fans crammed the barriers in anticipation.
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| weirdskyfan64 |
Posted on 21-02-2015 19:15
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Protected Rider
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Hang on... so Karl was on dope at Roubaix?
Disclaimer- Most of my posts are me thinking aloud. And most of what I think is rubbish.
Winner of a FIFA Prediction Fair Play Award (a phrase becoming increasingly ironic)
"... Because he (me) has a sound tactical mind in general..." jandal7, at 9:30 am GMT on 12th May 2016
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 22-02-2015 19:20
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 9: Redemption
Scene 46: The Ninth Finale
I could see Vanmarcke, looking calm and collected somehow in the mess. At least half of the fans were cheering for him! The other half cheering for Van Kiersbulck, he inter-team battle dominaed the pre-race media. Degenkolb was surrounded by his German team, eyeing up a perfect course for him as well.
Phinney lead the Americans but would have to do it alone. Unlike the French with Gallopin, Senechal, Alaphillipe or Demare as possible winners! Sagan chatted with various riders, like Taylor he would be fighting solo. Stybar would probably help him though, or win himself. Thomas couldn't be counted out either for the Brits.
Tough-man Livshits for the Russians would be interesting to watch. Boom probably best bet for the Dutch if things get tricky. Put it this way, Sweden wasn't going to have it easy. Good thing I was rested and running on emotion. This race was going to be seriously tough and draining. I had a plan, one that would surely shake things up.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 22-02-2015 21:05
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
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Go Vanmarcke!... I mean the one, the only, Johan Hammarling!
No? I'm still supposed to support that doper? Dammit Karl you better die a painful death so I don't have to pretend to like you
Anyway can't wait for the Final Act!
Edited by jandal7 on 07-10-2016 23:03
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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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 23-02-2015 21:57
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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@ALL - Act 10 is here! The Final one! Fair warning now, i'm really not that happy with it. What i've got is good, but it's not perfect. But having re-written most of the act about 5 times better to post it now than never. I will continue to fiddle with it so whilst i'm targeting one update a day that might not be entirely accurate. Right-ho, on with the concludifying!
Act 10: The Final Act
Scene 1: Win or Lose, Part I
Part one of my plan was simple, just let the race play out for as long as possible. The first few kilometers were nice and quiet, no-one busted a gut knowing we had 250km to ride today. Weather was good, sunny and warm with just a light breeze. Eventually a breakaway eased itself over the horizon, it didn't contain anyone serious to the jersey.
The GB team had put Grivell-Mellor in the move and he was the strongest one there, though he'd need a miracle to win. The peloton was in no mood to chase the break though letting them scamper away to a huge lead very quickly. The route did tackle a couple of short, no more than 700m, cobble sections in the first third of the race.
No-one struggled due to the easy pace although there were a few punctures for the unlucky. Passing through the 60km after roughly an hour and a half the breakaway was 7minutes ahead and the peloton was in one piece. Still far far too early to think about action just time to sit in and drift the kilometers by.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 26-02-2015 18:30
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Act 10: The Final Act
Scene 2: Win or Lose, Part II
The break hit the 10minute mark around the 100km sign. This saw an increase in pace from the peloton. The crowds were surprisingly big even out here in the countryside. Belgians do love their cycling. They know every rider, every race, ever stat you could think of. And they always come and watch a race.
I could understand why Lucy and Phil had moved to Leuven. It would be a great place to live even away from cycling, I had seen that much in my visits. And for me as a classics rider it would be a perfect place to base myself for training. Within easy reach of most major Cobbled routes and plenty of other great riding.
Plus Linkoping was causing problems for me. Their were too many ghosts in my house these days. It was isolated from the team and from pretty much all my friends now Higher Roads had relocted to Stockholm. I know that after the Worlds I was going to go back and stay with Hannah, perhaps I should move out of Linkoping properly.
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
