Jan Bojsen sends a mid-race brief report back to headquarters after the fourth stage of An Post Rás.

This was another good stage for the team, we knew it would be hard to get Aram in the breakaway, being too well placed in the GC, but he had some good luck, as only one rider was in the breakaway, when we got to the only KoM mid stage.

Aram attacked on the climb passing 2nd, further increasing his KoM lead, now with 12 points down to 2nd Laurin Winter (Team Heizomat).

In the sprint our best was Daniel 7th, After the stage we had Aram 5th and Daniel 7th in GC.

This was worse, with two category two climbs close to the finish. At least we avoided to get a break with riders already amongst the top KoM contenders, but we could not avoid Simon Redmers (Team Heizomat) collecting 20 solid points.
With only two rider in the break Aram could attack from the peloton getting 6 points on the day. Still leading with 6 points to Redmers.

We had no rider in stage Top 10, but two rider in CG top 10.

Then today a stage with two category 3 climbs.





Aram knew this could be the swansong for his KoM dreams, you could see that he was anxiously watching for the other KoM contenders as soon as the race started.

He saw a group with Redmers open and he closed the gap, but with Aram to well placed in GC, it was reeled in by the peloton. The third time Aram could not close, and Redmers got away in a group of four.

I was really sorry for the boy, this had been the highlight of his short career, he could not let it go, he was even trying to pull the front alone to close the gap, but of course a climber type like him, would never do this alone.

Simon Redmers took the 12 points today and the jersey.
Foder got a stage 6th, we still got two riders in top 10

GC

1	Alexis Bodiot	Equipe Cycliste de l'Armée de Terre	14h41'28
2	Morten Øllegaard	Riwal Platform Cycling Team	s.t.
3	Peter Disera	H&R Block Pro Cycling Team	+ 2
4	Philipp Zwingenberger	Team Heizomat	+ 14
5	Benoît Sinner	Equipe Cycliste de l'Armée de Terre	+ 16
6	Aram Mukhtari Ryborg	Team Tre-For	s.t.
7	Daniel Foder	Team Tre-For	+ 20
8	Jean Bosco Nsengimana	Stradalli-Bike Aid	s.t.
9	Jonas Aaen Jørgensen	Riwal Platform Cycling Team	s.t.
10	Jack Burke	H&R Block Pro Cycling Team	s.t.

I had a talk with young Aram after the stage, pointing out that tomorrow is the big day in this race with a harder route, he should focus on that instead of a lost KoM.

Regards - Jan Bojsen

Aram was waiting in Cologne Bonn Airport for his plane to Copenhagen. Distressed about the fact that he had a tendonitis knee and the possibility that it was something chronical that could somehow ruin his career. In a way also relieved that he would get a few day off the intense training.

When you are tired and done, a Starbucks coffee is not bad at all.

With closed eyes he was thinking back. Back to the days in the KoM jersey, and how he was forced to lose it, sitting too far up the leaderboard. And then stage 5 to Seskin Hill, where he had the option to do something on that final climb.

With teammate Kasper Asgreen sitting in the breakaway, it looked like a quiet day in the peloton, but it was not to be, with a cold rain and winds above 50 km/hour it was 100% concentration from start to finish for everyone attempting to get to the finish with the best and avoid getting caught behind the many crashes.

First under the red kit, was KoM leader Simon Redmers the last survivor from the breakaway and Jean Bosco Nsengimana, right behind them a group of 5 with Aram and Daniel.

Aram was thinking: “could I have done better…maybe I did attack a little early on the final climb, and was empty to soon….but I am not sure, I might as well have lost more time waiting.�

“Passed by teammate Daniel Foder on the last 300 meters, making it 7th Foder 5th. The stage won by Jean Bosco Nsengimana from Stradalli-Bike Aid, was hoping….but I haven’t got the punch for this shot hard climbs�

Aram moved his knee a little to ease the pain, looked around but none from the team in sight, he continued his line of thoughts: “Then the stage to Gorey, another very mixed profile, another depressing result�

“A missed opportunity to get back in the KoM race, got some nice TV time attacking over the climbs, but all day behind the early breakaway never close enough to catch up, and losing 1'04� - 24� and 4 positions behind Daniel Foder.�

Worst of all Aram thought: “not even having bad legs on these stages, not in bad form either…just not good enough.
"The good thing is that I was consistent and still in GC. Maybe I was just too ambitious.

Teammate Mads Rahbek was sitting next to Aram in the plane, they were all getting back to Copenhagen, the other would continue to Vejle, but he would be off duty for some days due to the knee, staying with the family in Hvidovre.

Rahbek said not to loud, almost whispering: “Some impressive results you got there, on the last few day, you were very strong that day on the stage to Kilcullen.�

Aram: “Ya, just a shame that Daniel lost so much time�, Aram looked out the window, to hide that he was laying, he surely did not like Daniel Foder thrilled that his main rival lost time.�

Rahbek: "Did you just have diamonds in the legs or what?"

Aram: “When I saw the profile, immediately I was aware that with good legs, it might just be possible for a rider like me to put enough pressure on the two category 1. climbs, to make a result even though the last 15 or so was mostly down or flat and it turned out that a had very good legs�

Aram: "As oppose to you certainly working you as off up there in the breakaway, we had an fairly easy first 100 km in the peloton, race leader Nsengimana had a puncture after 90 km and fair enough we were waiting for him to get back."

Rahbek: “Ya I heard that on the radio, actually we did not work that hard, not until you started attacking on that unbelievable steep cat 1�, Rahbek laughs a little to show it was fine. “The better climber in my group was also hunting KoM points, they would have left me behind no matter what.�

Aram: “I did not get away, over the 2nd cat.1 I was in a group of 27 with the race leader, the white jersey and most of the favorites. I knew there was 5 riders still in front of us, radio said about 3 minutes.�

“Over the next 25 km we caught two of them, and we could see Markus Freiberger from Tirol Cycling not to far ahead. Some 5 km to the line.�

“I knew I would lose a sprint in a group this large, it was now or never I had to make a move, I attacked�

We never saw Hermansen and Janssens, but we almost caught Freiberger. As I would expect Bodiot beat me to the line, 5th only losing to a single rider from the favorite group, I was very happy with that

Rahbek: Ya, clearly your best result on our team, congratulations.

Aram also had a good ride on the last stage, again getting 5th, but this time with no time gained, 60 riders getting the same time.

With his parents in Iran, Aram could have their house for himself, but with only three day in Hvidovre, that was the only thing he did not need, he was feeling much better staying with Jaleh and Hamid in the apartment on Egevolden 8.

Hamid Hi-Fi was playing My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts:

“No will whatsoever. No will whatsoever! Absolutely no honor.

No will whatsoever. No will whatsoever! Absolutely no integrity."




A great album, very mystic and surreal, an album Aram had loved from early childhood.

Even though his knee was hurting like hell, the team insisted that he should follow the calendar, and that stupid team doctor had allowed it. He would have to ride 4 painful days before he could take a 9 day break.

It was quite late, Aram was thinking about his visit to John’s apartment earlier, two girls and John was sharing a bottle of white wine when Aram came, not what Aram was hoping for, he would have liked some time with just John.

John: Wow not looking good that leg,I saw on CQ that you did very good in An Post Rás
Blonde Girl: What a cutey, don’t you want some wine?
Aram blushed a little, but ignore the girl.: Yes that went very well, but got this shit in Rund um Köln
John: Did rather well there too




Yes came in 11th, was ok during the race, but my knee was swelling up after the race.
John: Anyway sit down and have a drink!
Aram: Ok, just half a glass, promised to get back to Jaleh and help in the kitchen.

John knew that was a lie, and Aram was aware of that, but that did not matter, they both knew Aram did not like the sort of company John kept and they accepted their differences.

Hamid entered the living room, Hamid: Things going well on the team?
Aram: Yes and no, sometimes we have a lot of fun. But to be honest I am without contract.
Hamid: They don't want to resign.?
Aram: Was my fault, I was asking for a raise in salary and that closed the door, I think this Daniel Foder is very influential on the teams decisions.
Hamid: Never mind Aram, I’m sure you will find another good team.
Aram: Yes I think so too. I will miss some of them but I never really fitted into that team.

In the beginning of July Aram’s knee injury was a lot better, during 8-10 day he has able to regain his former strength through hard training in the gym and on the bike.

Volta a Portugal do Futuro would be the first time Aram could be able to fully use his climbing skills in a professional race, with the 25 km climb first the steep Rua Corujeira up to Montalegre and after just a short downhill 11 km even harder climb up to a summit finish at Serra do Larouco.

Team Trefor was not as interested in the race is Aram, only sending a small group of 4 riders, but at least Aram persuaded Bojesen to allow them to get there in time to ride the Serra do Larouco climb once before race start, and travel other parts of the race in a car just to have some idea of the route.

Later this was a happy moment in his early career, that Aram would often recall. Just 6 people (the riders, Bojesen and one mechanic) sitting in the restaurant at Montalegre Hotel. Having the last nice dinner before going to �gueda for the race start Sunday.

Grilled Sardines with boiled potatoes and the test had been good, a hard climb but Aram was flying, almost a bit sad that he had to leave the team.

The climb to Serra do Larouco would be so important, this was his chance to get a contract offer from a much better team if he had an impressive ride.

Aram was sitting in his room feeling a little bit lonely, he had just been talking to John on skype, always felt a bit empty after that if he was alone in the apartment. He missed John and the family a lot.

Aram opens the laptop, reading cyclingnews.com:

Quintiana won the TDF, with 1’21� down to Froome, and impressive tour for the Colombian this time, he also won 4 stages, another 4 stage podiums, the mountain jersey and was riding in maillot jaune for 10 days. Cyclingnews shows ecstatic celebrating Colombians in Paris and Bogotá.

Aram suddenly notice an link to an article about Volta a Portugal do Futuro:

Preview: The race has existed since 1993 but only from 2014 a professional race in the 2.2U category. One of the few U23 races to favor the true climbers.

Cycling news pre-race favorites:
We believe there is only two favorites to win the race, most obviously would be South African Keagan Girdlestone from Dimension Data CT, who won two races last season but also Henn Luca from Kuota – Lotto, he did not have the best season in 2015, but he sure showed some protencial back in 2014.

But then we have also got the outsider, Danish-Iranian Aram Mukhtari who has sometimes shown very good result in this his first season, especially a fine GC top10 in An Post Rás. We haven’t seen him on the harder mountains, but according to unconfirmed rumors that should be his terrain.

Aram was smiling to himself, not national television, but never the less the first time he saw his name on print.

The first stage was expected to end in a sprint, there were climbs but far from the finish line.

78 riders started the stage in �gueda heading for Oliveira do Bairro, some 75 km south of Porto. A small breakaway of just two riders: Tymur Maleev (ISD – Jorbi) and Christian Koch (LKT Team Brandenburg) get the deserved TV time today.

EFC-Etixx is by far the strongest sprinter team in this race, but is was Lotto U23 controlling the race, hoping for Enzo Wouters to have the legs today.



It turned out that no one could challenge EFC-Etixx sprint train and the stage was won by Lindsey De Vylder, Lotto U23’s had to settle for 2nd.

Stage two was expected to be too hard for the true sprinters, with about 15 km to the line from the top of the last and harders hill, it was very likely that it would be a reduced group, making it to the finish. The wind speed was about 30 km/h enough to also create some problems for the riders on the open sections.



A stage where you might expect a larger breakaway to challenge the peloton, but that was not to be, we saw just one riders slip away and the peloton never allowed anyone else to follow. Christian Koch (LKT Team Brandenburg) was the lone wolf in front, until he was caught right after the 2nd intermediate sprint.

Another odd unexpected thing was that Team Tre-For’s GC leader Aram Mukhtari Ryborg constantly attacked for KoM points, either having unbelievable great legs or more likely an expression of youthful foolishness, he should have saved all he had for tomorrow.

With nobody out in front the peloton took it easy, and quite unexpected almost the entire peloton make it to a mass sprint finish, won by Markus Hoelgaard (Team Joker).

After two stage the race is still completely open, only 3 rider have lost more than just the bonus seconds.

Stage three would be the stage to decide the outcome of the race, the last 100 km consisting of first two very hard climbs before the final climb up to Serra do Larouco close to the Spanish border.



This would be a very though challenge for the upcoming youth of professional cycling, at least the weather was fine and sunny with little wind.




Five riders got away from the peloton, but was only able to build a limited gap of 2’20� before they hit the bottom of the first climb. It was Davy Gunst (Rabobank Development) Luuk Lohuis (Metec) Gauthier Vandevyvere (EFC-Etixx), Senne Leysen (Lotto U23) and Tymur Maleev (ISD – Jorbi) forming the early breakaway. On the climb they were joined by Christophe Noppe (EFC-Etixx) closing up from the peloton.

Behind them the hard climb thinned the peloton fast, soon the favorite group was down to 19 riders, amongst them race favorites Keagan Girdlestone (Dimension Data) and Luca Henn (Kuota – Lotto), also Freddy Ovett (Chambéry) Illya Klepikov (ISD – Jorbi), Markus Hoelgaard (Team Joker) Aram Mukhtari (Team Tre-For) and Loïc Bouchereau (Vendée U) was in the group. Race leader Enzo Wouters (Lotto U23) was also in the group.




The pace was intense and the break was not able to hold out against the favorite group, they was caught half way up the cat.2, only 14 riders was able to pass the top together, all the above mentioned rider, was still in the group.





It turned out that Team Tre-For’s young climber, had good reason for his aggressive riding. When the favorite group was on the first steep section of the final climb to Serra do Larouco, a slope of stunning 13%, Mukhtari spilt the group with a hard acceleration.




The first victim of the acceleration was race leader Enzo Wouters, over the next 7 km he would lose 3’36�, in front of his a group of 5 including Girdlestone and Bouchereau at 2’01�, Luca Henn and Markus Hoelgaard had not lost sight of Mukhtari, with 18 km to the top Hoelgaard had closed the cap, with Henn not far behind.

But this was just for a brief moment, after the short downhill at the middle of the climb Aram Mukhtari attacked again. Hoelgaard was marked by the catching up he had just done, this time he could not follow.




Form here it was just a solo ride, Aram Mukhtari harvesting the fans cheers and applause, while laying more and more distance to the competitors.
Aram Mukhtari won the stage and most like also the race at the top of Serra do Larouco, Markus Hoelgaard came in 2nd at 3’53� and Loïc Bouchereau 3rd at 5’14�

Pre-race favorites Henn Luca 4th at 6’21� and Keagan Girdlestone disappointing 9th at 10’01�

The final stage ends in Maia, a municipality in the Porto Metropolitan Area. Maia was in ancient Greek religion, a mountain nymphs, the mother of Hermes, a nice reference in a race like this, but honestly the name of the area is probably related to the ancient Madea meaning "wet land". Anyway a sprinter stage that should not affect the GC.

Three riders formed the breakaway of the day, Christian Koch (LKT Team Brandenburg) Florian Nowak (Christina Jewelry) and Tarlan Mammadov (Synergy Baku). But the sprinter team and Team Tre-For was holding them in a short line all day.




It all came down to the expected mass sprint finish, won by Kuota – Lotto’s Joshua Huppertz in front of Lindsey De Vylder (EFC-Etixx) and Enzo Wouters (Lotto U23)

Aram’s mobile phone was ringing, this late.. it was a foreign number.

Turned out to be Mike Tamayo - General Manager of UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling. They would like to add Aram to the team roster, he would send the final paper over the next day and just wanted to say “welcome to the team�.