|
A Day in the Life | Sweet Delight
|
| FonsDeSpons |
Posted on 01-02-2014 13:02
|
Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 30-10-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Super season for Henry, let's hope 2016 will be just as good!
Good luck Henry and Ian! |
| |
|
|
| wogsrus |
Posted on 01-02-2014 13:44
|
Protected Rider
Posts: 1200
Joined: 12-01-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Couldn't have imagined that this season would go so well. Top stuff. |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 13:56
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Jakstar22 - Thanks a lot, Jak! Appreciate it 
FonsDeSpons - Having a season just as good will be hard. But definitely not impossible 
wogsrus - I didn't expect it, either  |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 13:56
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Hey there,
1st of January 2016. What better way to start the new year by updating your blog? It's been a couple of months since my last visit. I've been busy. This Rainbow Jersey comes with a few strings attached, responsibilities. My vacation with Becca was real good. I've resumed training weeks ago and I'm feeling quite good. The first team camp with the new arrivals was good. We have another camp coming up soon! But first, some news!
Brilliant news to start the year with as I came out as the winner of the Vélo d'Or, as 2nd in the UCI Rankings, right in front of Valverde (1st UCI Ranking) and De Gendt (3rd UCI Ranking)!
This award is for everyone who's helped me along the way.
Team Celesio - Macquarie: A Sense of Direction
Time to take a look at our team goals. Did we achieve our goals for 2015, have we succeeded in a few long term goals yet and what are the goals for 2016?
Green = Success
Red = Failed / No Success Yet
2015 Goals Podium a Grand Tour (Won 3 GTs)
Top 10 Tour de France (Winner)
Stage Wins in each of the Grand Tours
Win a Classic (GP Montreal)
Win Tour Down Under
Conquer at least 3 National Jerseys
Defend De Gendt's World Champion Jersey
Top 3 UCI Team Rankings (team) (1st Team Rankings)
Top 5 UCI Individual Rankings (Vergnaud 2nd, De Gendt 3rd)
CONCLUSION: 7/9
Long-Term Goals Reintegrate cycling in Germany
Win a Grand Tour by 2017
Win a Monument by 2017
Win the UCI Team Rankings by 2018
Win the UCI Individual Rankings by 2019
Podium a Grand Tour with a German rider by 2019
Podium a Grand Tour with an Australian rider by 2020
Win the World Championships Team Time Trial by 2017
Win the World Championships Road Race by 2018
Win the Tour de France by 2020
CONCLUSION: 4 Long Term Goals Achieved
2016 Goals Win a Cobbled Classic
Top 3 Milano - San Remo
Win Santos Tour Down Under
Win a Monument
Win 1 Grand Tour
Win UCI World Championship Road Race
Win at least 5 National Jerseys
Win UCI Team Rankings
Win UCI World Championship Team Time Trial
Get Herklotz on a Grand Tour podium
Ambitious goals, but I think we can do it!
How will we do it? Easy, we brought reinforcements.
Other Transfers Nibali -> Saxo
Van Den Broeck -> Katusha
Hushovd -> Astana
Phinney -> Team Sky
Van Garderen -> Cannondale
Hesjedal -> Cannondale
Greipel -> Team Sky
Quintana -> Team Sky
Cavendish -> Lotto
Froome -> Movistar
Henao -> Lotto
Lotto and Cannondale are growing stronger once again. Sky and Movistar swap talents Froome and Quintana.
Anyway, we'll be discussing our calenders soon, I'll keep you posted!
I'll also bring more news on the team and the team camp.
See you later,
Henry |
| |
|
|
| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 01-02-2014 14:08
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8058
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
|
Slow down Ian! I can't keep up. 
Last night I went back and tried to read the story in full, because I'll admit, I was skimming and missed a few reports from time to time. After going through and counting your 67 updates for January I decided it was time I caught up fully. I'm on page 17 and working my way through, but it amazes me how you can produce quality reports so damn fast.
Hoping to finish it up today and move on to TMM's story with I have also fallen behind in.
Good luck in 2016!
|
| |
|
|
| FonsDeSpons |
Posted on 01-02-2014 16:20
|
Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 30-10-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Degenkolb is a great addition to the squad but it's sad that you lose roche. Anyway, good luck to the whole team in 2016!
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 23:11
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 01-02-2014 16:34
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
FonsDeSpons wrote:
Degenkolb is a great addition to the squad but it's sad that you lose roche. Anyway, good luck to the whole team in 2016!
Exactly what i was thinking. Anyway, good luck at defending the Tour title, but i will stop following this story for good if Henry wins the Triple Crown. (So is that the secret reason why Roche left? ) 
|
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 16:56
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Mresuperstar - Thanks for dropping in again glad to hear you're reading it from the start, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for the compliment!
FonsDeSpons - Degenkolb is a perfect addition - a sprinter who can do without a lead-out
Dippofix - Roche has no chance of leading a GT with De Gendt and Vergnaud in 1 team, so he's looking for leadership elsewhere. Triple Crown won't happen as soon as you think Now I know why Henry can't go to the Giro for you
Thanks for the support! I'm setting up the 2016 season right now. |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 17:17
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
Hi there!
I'm two days away from starting my 2016 season. It'll be a special season, that's for sure. I hope that the Rainbow Jersey may bring me some good times. In the mean time, the season has already started with the Australian Championships. Van Impe has also decided the schedule for each and every rider. I'll give you mine here!
 Australian Championships - Time Trial | 1 | Rohan Dennis | Team Saxo - Tinkoff | 38'29 | | 2 | Cameron Meyer | Orica - GreenEdge | + 7 | | 3 | Travis Meyer | Efapel - Glassdrive | + 20 | | 4 | Richie Porte | Katusha Team | + 31 | | 5 | Jack Bobridge | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | + 40 | | 6 | Christian Posa | Team Celesio - Macquarie | + 57 | | 7 | Michael Hepburn | TEAM 8up | + 59 | | 8 | Rory Sutherland | Team Saxo - Tinkoff | + 1'02 | | 9 | Cadel Evans | MTN - Qhubeka | + 1'04 | | 10 | Luke Durbridge | Team Celesio - Macquarie | + 1'10 |
Australian Championships - Road Race | 1 | Allan Davis | Orica - GreenEdge | 3h45'25 | | 2 | Lee de Jong | Team Celesio - Macquarie | s.t. | | 3 | Cameron Meyer | Orica - GreenEdge | + 44 | | 4 | Cadel Evans | MTN - Qhubeka | s.t. | | 5 | Danny Posa | Team Celesio - Macquarie | s.t. | | 6 | Caleb Ewan | Orica - GreenEdge | + 1'22 | | 7 | Heinrich Haussler | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 8 | Jack Bobridge | Belkin Pro Cycling Team | s.t. | | 9 | Christian Posa | Team Celesio - Macquarie | s.t. | | 10 | Travis Meyer | Efapel - Glassdrive | + 1'46 |
The Posa brothers are really developing great lately. Both still very young, I can see them turn into world class riders one of these years!
My 2016 racing schedule is pretty much based on the one I had last year. After all, it was a very successful season, so I shouldn't change much. I've chosen for more stage races and less one day races.
Some races are left optional. Which means I can decide on racing them a few days before the actual race, depending on form, required form, fitness, fatigue...
Races:
Tour de San Luis
Tour of Oman
Paris - Nice
Milano - San Remo (optional)
Paris - Camambert (optional)
Amstel Gold Race
Flèche Wallonne
Liège - Bastogne - Liège
Bayern Rundfarht (optional)
Tour de Suisse
National Championships
Tour de France
San Sébastian (optional)
Vuelta a España (optional) OR Plouay and Canadian Classics
World Championships
Il Lombardia
As you see, a very serious calendar with all very important and big races. We decided it would be best to limit my race days, despite wearing the Rainbow Jersey, if I'll be going to do 2 Grand Tours the first time.
I decided to start in San Luis instead of the Tour Down Under mostly because the profile didn't directly suit me. I wanted San Luis because there is less pressure. To be totally honest, I didn't have the best winter. I feel pretty good but that jersey got me in more commitments than I wanted to. I could've trained better and more.
We'll see how it goes!
Personal Goals:
Tour de San Luis: Build form
Tour of Oman: Top 5
Paris - Nice: Win
Milano - San Remo: Show Jersey
Paris - Camambert: Build form
Amstel Gold Race: Top 3
Flèche Wallonne: Top 3
Liège - Bastogne - Liège: Top 3
Bayern Rundfarht: Build form
Tour de Suisse: Top 3
National Championships: Win Road Race
Tour de France: Win
San Sébastian: top 10
Vuelta a España: Stage Win, Build form
World Championships: Win
Il Lombardia: Win
Wow, It seems my 2015 season made me into a viciously ambitious rider. But I don't see anything wrong with that. I know what my abilities are and I want to get the most out of this season.
Winning the Tour won't be easy at all. With a Team Time Trial and two individual time trials of 30 and 50 kilometers, I'll have a hard time fending off Froome. There are a lot of mountain stages to make up for lost time, though.
Another tricky extra is De Gendt. Personally we connect quite well, we're both calm men. But our ambitions are starting to crash into each other. We'll both be going to the Tour and neither wants to work for the other. Van Impe is caught in between. I hope things turn out all right and that I don't have to fight my own team, too. I feel my victory in 2015 has earned me the role of absolute leader.
The Championship in France, along with the Tour, is the main goal. It won't be easy, but the profile couldn't be more perfect for me!
I'll see you later, starting the Tour de San Luis!
Henry
PS, here's my fitness schedule.
Edited by Ian Butler on 01-02-2014 17:23
|
| |
|
|
| admirschleck |
Posted on 01-02-2014 17:20
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6690
Joined: 11-10-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
What about trying to get Tour-Vuelta double this season? Henry can definitely do that.
|
| |
|
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 01-02-2014 17:22
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
Personally i'd do the Autumn Classics instead of the Vuelta, to test the classics form right before the WC. Then again, i don't know how exactly fitness, rythme and all that works in PCM 13, so maybe it is best after all to ride the Vuelta to get in to peak form.
|
| |
|
|
| The Hobbit |
Posted on 01-02-2014 17:32
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Interesting and ambitious schedule. I'd appreciate a team stats photo if that is allowed... |
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 18:31
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
admirschleck - The double wouldn't be impossible, but not our main goal at the moment. Tour and WC are valued higher than Tour - Vuelta this year
Dippofix - Well, we'll see after the Tour. The Vuelta is definitely no guarantee, but just a plan. Maybe I'll do the Classics instead. It will also depend on how the Ardennes went!
The Hobbit - Of course. In the spoiler.
Thanks for the support everyone! That's it for today, going upstairs!
See you tomorrow for the start of the 2016 season |
| |
|
|
| the_hoyle |
Posted on 01-02-2014 18:44
|
Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Nice end to the season. Well done on the Velo d'Or award
Some nice signings for the team as well. Good luck for 2016
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
 |
| |
|
|
| Jesleyh |
Posted on 01-02-2014 18:46
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15274
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
Looking forward to see what Henry can do in 2016.
That team is getting really, really strong, though...
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
|
| |
|
|
| welker3257 |
Posted on 01-02-2014 18:47
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2336
Joined: 29-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
I think that I sense a certain Belgian leaving the team at the end of the year
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
|
| |
|
|
| sutty68 |
Posted on 01-02-2014 20:35
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Three very good signings for the team this season, especially Degenkolb and Team Sky signing Greipel could spell danger for other teams
And Henry has got a very nice schedule to look forward too |
| |
|
|
| The Hobbit |
Posted on 01-02-2014 20:42
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2730
Joined: 18-08-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Oh my what a team!! Amazing, but I can't see Thomans being even half the GC rider Henry is. He should focus on small tours and TTs. Leave the real stuff to the big boys |
| |
|
|
| duxili |
Posted on 01-02-2014 21:15
|
Domestique
Posts: 562
Joined: 18-09-2013
PCM$: 200.00
|
Great reports, Henry fully deserved the velo d'or but I would have bet he would be WW n1 too. What season for Valverde it should have been!
Very ambitious goal. Playing Extreme might I bet you will hardly get them all done
|
| |
|
|
| Ian Butler |
Posted on 01-02-2014 21:47
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
|
the_hoyle - Thanks I'll need it on extreme!
Jesleyh - Yeah I know. But unfortunately the sponsors can't pay all these riders anymore, so we'll have to give up on a big part of the team, though. It's even possible our entire cobbled squad leaves and Celesio focuses on stage races and hilly classics only.
welker3257 - I hope not, but it might just come down to that 
sutty68 - Thanks! Degenkolb will hopefully bring in quite some victories. Castroviejo and Kennaugh were brought in for one reason only: help Vergnaud win the Tour again. They have been specifically chosen for the task: good climbers, good punchers, good time trialists and strong on the flat. Perfect domestiques.
The Hobbit -  I hope the big boy makes it in 2016, though
duxili - Valverde was everywhere. Liège, Flèche Wallonne, some high places in GTs and other stage races, San Sébastian... What surprises me is that Henry beat De Gendt in UCI Ranking, seeing how De Gendt won Tirreno, Giro and Vuelta
Thanks for following everyone! Tomorrow I'll start the new season. I'm very excited about it. I hope Henry doesn't suffer from the Rainbow Curse! |
| |
|
