Similar stage again. Undulating terrain, but a longer and less severe climb to the line. Will probably be a reduced sprint today.
Not everyone was waiting for the sprint though. Attacks began at 32km out, and we were the only chasers. Erki Nool managed to decimate the rest of our own team's domestiques on the climbs, then went flat out for about 20km. He killed the peleton, and left only Niki Søresen out front.
Even Erki's steam train chase couldn't last for ever though! When he was tired I hit the front, hard. No one wanted my wheel, so in a minute of confusion and squabbling I cleared the peleton without even attacking.
We entered the town with only a few kilometres to go. I had Sørensen in my sights. He was tired, I was fresh.
I looked over my shoulder. The peleton was massing like a ghostly horde, running me down. I willed myself forward and went into full TT mode, nothing else mattered. It was just me, and the finish line. My legs were burning with lactic acid, but I was so close, I couldn't let it slip now!
I was almost empty. I gave up on time trialing. Aerodynamics and efficiency went out of the window in an instant. I was throwing myself up the hill now, I just had to beat the people behind me.
It was enough. I felt all my adrenaline sap from my legs. I didn't celebrate, I honestly think I would have fallen off. I was feeling a bit dizzy, and staggered back to the team bus for a nice lie down. Ahh, that's better..
I didn't get the results back until, just now actually! I can tell you my legs we still burning, but I'm more motivated than ever for tomorrow. I have a time gap and quite some lead, so all I have to do is keep up. Even so, let's see if we can make it 3/3 eh?
@Ian: Yeah he's had a good start to the season, but it'll be put out by the next race as he has a gap coming up.
@Cycleman: my secret identity has been discovered...
Yeah, the opposition is ok, but most people are merely warming up for Paris Nice, for Walter this is the real objective.
My favourite event, the time trial. It's flat, and not so long, so the time gaps won't be huge, but I hope to solidify, or maybe even improve on my lead.
Not all our lads love time trials. Our domestiques were largely given a rest today, so they trundled in about 5 minutes slower than everyone else. It was a just reward for the work they'd put in the days before.
However I had to have some idea of the course. So the better time trialist so were let lose to tell me what they could. Toms Ozolinsh was first up, he went through in 40:05
Our next guinea pig was Bruno Ramires da Costa. He was clearly much closer to the sweet spot. He finished in 39:21, provisional 2nd place!
Ricardo, didn't try, again! A shame as he isn't actually that bad at time trialing!
Erki Nool's efforts earlier on had got him a high GC placing. He tried pretty hard to keep it, completing the course in 40:49
The same logic applied for Firmansyah Sinaga. He was only slightly better, finishing in 40:34.
Then it was my go. My teammates, particularly Bruno, had done a remarkable job gathering information, now I had to put it to good use.
Thankfully my legs had had time to recover from the gruelling finishes to the last two days. I felt really good, it took me a while to get into my stride.
Before I knew it I had flown past the first checkpoint. The DS shouted down the radio, I was 17 seconds off! It wasn't that bad, but the guys behind seemed to be expecting some form of miracle! So far I was in 6th spot.
I didn't speed up. I knew my pace, and I had heard from Bruno that you had to stick to a steady rhythm, no distractions, no accelerations, and definitely no slowing down!!
I pushed on until the second checkpoint. I must say the photographer who took this deserves an award! Beautifully timed, and framed as well!
Anyway, I was quickly informed I was 6th again, 15 seconds off the pace.
For the final stretch I gave into their calls for me to "absolutely go for it Walter you..." Handily cut off quote...
I pushed as hard as I could, my legs were burning, Argh, not this again!
I finished the line, again, I was dizzy, I kept my composure, I kept listening, finally it came through...
"Walter, you finished in ....." Radio interference, just my luck...
There I was. Half on my bike, waiting, for the radio, for the announcers, for anything!
Then it came, crackly at first, but becoming clearer. I head Tonton's voice. My time, was 37:53. Was that good? In my race state I had not been focusing on the other times.
I was waiting again. Tonton was a real drama queen!
Then it came, I'd won! I'd done it!
It was only 13 seconds, but it was enough!
This podium was one of my best. The race was brilliant, and 3 out of 3, is amazing for me and the team. Let's keep it going, maybe not just me, but winning every stage for the team, would be... Well let's not get ahead of ourselves shall we?
My 3 victories meant I now had a pretty convincing GC lead. I had 1 minute to spare, with only one GC stage yet to come!
Here you can see some more full results. The team did Ok, but I was the only top 10 finisher. Erki and Firmanyah look good in GC too.
@Ian: It really is a amazing for him and the team. Unfortunately the next two are flat stages, so Walter won't continue his streak, but who knows if Ricardo can pull something out of the hat
Today was a flat stage. Everything went pretty much to plan, with the team chasing the breakaway. Then we put together a lead out train and pulled as hard as possible. I was resting, so didn't take part.
And then, it came to Toms Ozolinsh. In another feat of amazing domestique work, he broke the peleton, and we escaped, with only Matti Breschel on the wheel of Ricardo.
Bruno Ramires da Costa extended the lead, and after a strong leadout from Djaja, Ricardo was neck and neck with Breschel, who has gone early.
As Breschel faded, Ricardo grew stronger. Soon he was in a commanding position.
In the end, Breschel was blown away. He had been dominant, but his success was down to the team really.
In the end Ricardo won dominantly, from Breschel and a few of the break who'd been mopped up along the way. I only wish I had latched on, as the time gaps were quite significant. Well, there's always tomorrow.
Today was a flat stage, with a slightly uphill finish. Rejuvenated from yesterday, I decided that today I'd go for a result, by hugging Ricardo's wheel, this benefited us both, as now no one could surprise him from behind, except me of course.
Most of the team were quite tired, so we let the other teams chase as a reward. They messed it up quite badly though...
And an hour or so later, all our work came to nothing, the break was victorious. Only just though...
The peleton sprint ended up as a private duel between me and Ricardo, this type of terrain is just about the only sort we're evenly matched on, so we were giving it everything.
In the end I was beaten to it in a tight 1-2. If only we had taken the break back in, this would have been a great result.
Here is the full result. As you can see, less than a minute separated us from a stupendous result, and the continuation of our streak! Oh well, I suppose it wasn't to be. See you for stage 6
Here it is, the final stage. A time trial up one of the steepest climbs on the calendar, featuring 'The Wall' a 25% section of pure pain. I have been briefed, briefed again, and triple briefed. I know exactly what I have to do, and with a 1:00 lead, I can't let the pressure get to me. Minutes can slip by easily on such a tough stage.
Some of the lads may have been given a rest earlier, but that certainly wouldn't be the case on this, the last stage. We all gave it our all. Budi Darmadi was our first rider off, and he didn't disappoint, finishing within 40:27, provisional 1st!
The next man for the team was Latvian Toms Ozolinsh, this really isn't his terrain, but he put in a valiant effort, finishing in 40:59
Even Ricardo Acosta gave it his best shot. It still took him 40:20, but that was enough for him to go top. Turns out he can climb and time trial pretty well!
Erki Nool fought hard to defend his still quite impressive GC position. He finished the course in 40:27.
He was well beaten by Firmansyah Sinaga, my fellow Indonesian was strong with a time of 39:56, the first under 40 minutes.
Having seen all of this before me, it was soon my go. I was controlling my nerves, I had a decent cushion, if I rode normally, I'd be fine, I just had to not do anything stupid.
I pedalled and pedalled, up till the first checkpoint. I was hating this course. Considering this race was basically designed for me, they could have asked my opinion! I guess television is more important to Mr Hobbit than a home win, and for the good of Indonesian cycling, I can't blame him.
Unfortunately, 41 seconds of my lead had already been soaked up, I was down in 16th place! I had to push harder!
The view was amazing, but I could barely see 2m ahead of me, never mind see the entire beautiful mountain range. It's a lovely place, but I hate mountains, particularly steep ones...
Then I hit the Wall, literally! It was killing me, but Tonton was shouting at me to push as hard as I can. Some other riders had been taking it easy, but out whole strategy was to push here, as minutes can be made up in just a few metres!
I was dying out there. The gradient was almost vertical, I was almost falling off! This was where U had to push, but it was hard to even get traction, never mind storm up it.
Over the wall it almost felt like descent! For the final Km I was buzzing, and steamed to the line.
I again waited for Tonton's voice in my ear, but all I got was
"Hissss cccccsssskkkrrrrnnnaaaaaa"
"Oh very funny Tonton, now tell me my .... Time!
He told me I finished in 39:36. This was just enough to get 4th, and to preserve my lead. I'd done it!!
Somehow Mr Hobbit had managed to borrow the Tour de France podium from Paris. I must say it's a masterstroke, the view from the summit is stunning.
Then it was my turn. It was an amazing experience, I'd won my home race, and I'm quite some style, by over a minute! It would have been nice to cap it off with the win though.
3 stage wins and 2 top tens were also enough for the points jersey, Ricardo also made third, so we were successful here.
My age + the GC = the young rider's jersey, but there was some stiff opposition.
My final trip up to the podium was for the team jersey. I now had a lot of flowers and trophies! Maybe I should install a trophy cabinet?
Tonton's strategy worked, despite the pain, we were by far the best team on this stage.
As well as my win, Firmansyah Sinaga and Erki Nool did well in GC
The points ranking
Young Rider stakes.
Team standings
I'd done it! This was a new best day for the team. We had another 4 wins for the collection, as well as the 4 stage wins, this was the best ever week for Indonesian cycling. I have a brake now, so I might party just a bit, so don't expect too much on here, at least for a day or two!
Cya then,
Walter.
![imageshack.com/a/img15/7021/poq9.jpg/img]<br />
<br />
I caught up to him, but he barely had the strength to hold my wheel, never mind beat me.<br />
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[img]https://imageshack.com/a/img809/3637/kkpc.jpg](https://imageshack.com/a/img15/7021/poq9.jpg/img]<br />
<br />
I caught up to him, but he barely had the strength to hold my wheel, never mind beat me.<br />
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[img]https://imageshack.com/a/img809/3637/kkpc.jpg)
On fire 
