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A Day in the Life | Sweet Delight
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 01-02-2014 21:53
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Lets hope he doesn't 
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 01-02-2014 22:13
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Team Leader
Posts: 7294
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Your team would have the best leadout ever. Take the 3 top sprinters to the Tour and sit back and watch 
Imagine winning the Tour in the World Champs jersey. That would be amazing!!!!!!
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| FonsDeSpons |
Posted on 01-02-2014 22:46
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Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 30-10-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Overpowered team level 1000!
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 07:54
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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sutty68 - Yeah, indeed
Jakstar22 - That could be true Though there won't be many races where all my sprinters are together 
FonsDeSpons - The team's pretty strong, but there are other strong teams out there, too! |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 08:36
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Okay, we got it over with, the first two races of the season. It felt amazing getting out there in my Rainbow Jersey!
My goal in Argentina is just to build up form. There is a hilly stage, a time trial and a mountain stage. A good result would be nice but I won't panic if it doesn't come. Still too early in the season if I'm peaking for the Tour and the World Championships.
 Tour de San Luis
de Jong, still in good shape after the National Championships, went into the break.
Argentina is beautiful, and quite warm. I was packed away in the peloton, having a good time.
de Jong tried to avoid a mass sprint!
But it was no use. There was a sprint. With Zabel as a lead-out, Cavendish takes his first race for Lotto.
Result | 1 | Mark Cavendish | Lotto Belisol | 3h40'00 | | 2 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 3 | Rick Zabel | Lotto Belisol | s.t. | | 4 | Dennis Cooke | Jamis - Hagens Berman | s.t. | | 5 | Francesco Lasca | Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela | s.t. | | 6 | Arthur Vichot | Colombia | s.t. | | 7 | Thor Hushovd | Astana Pro Team | s.t. | | 8 | Filippo Fortin | Lampre - Merida | s.t. | | 9 | Tony Hurel | La Pomme Marseille | s.t. | | 10 | Sergio Henao | Lotto Belisol | s.t. |
Nothing important here, too. In fact, the race was quite uneventful, until the final sprint, where Boonen proved he's still not thinking of slowing down!
Result | 1 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | 3h48'12 | | 2 | Filippo Fortin | Lampre - Merida | s.t. | | 3 | Matthew Goss | Cannondale Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 4 | Mark Cavendish | Lotto Belisol | s.t. | | 5 | Rick Zabel | Lotto Belisol | s.t. | | 6 | Sep Vanmarcke | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | s.t. | | 7 | Dennis Cooke | Jamis - Hagens Berman | s.t. | | 8 | Andrea Guardini | Cannondale Pro Cycling | s.t. | | 9 | Francesco Lasca | Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela | s.t. | | 10 | Thor Hushovd | Astana Pro Team | s.t. |
General Classification | 1 | Tom Boonen | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | 7h27'40 | | 2 | Mark Cavendish | Lotto Belisol | + 6 | | 3 | Rick Zabel | Lotto Belisol | + 20 | | 4 | Filippo Fortin | Lampre - Merida | s.t. | | 5 | Pieter Vanspeybrouck | Crelan - Euphony | s.t. | | 6 | Aurélien Duval | FDJ.fr | + 24 | | 7 | Pablo Urtasun | Movistar Team | + 26 | | 8 | Daniel Lloyd | Sky Procycling | + 28 | | 9 | Lee de Jong | Team Celesio - Macquarie | s.t. | | 10 | Volodymyr Zagorodny | Vini Fantini - Selle Italia | s.t. |
My Rainbow Year - Days 1 & 2
How good am I? That's a big question mark. I guess we'll see a clue tomorrow in the hilly stage. All I know is that my winter was far from perfect. Too many obligations, not enough focus.
I'll see you tomorrow,
Henry
Edited by Ian Butler on 02-02-2014 12:06
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 23:03
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Bot Agent
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 02-02-2014 09:20
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Team Leader
Posts: 7294
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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A good start. Cav and Boonen already opening up their accounts!!
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 02-02-2014 10:59
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
Joined: 28-05-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Cav at Lotto... I think I might cry 
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 11:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Jakstar22 - They sure are.
the_hoyle - Why? Look at the lead-out he's got. And VDB and Vanendert are gone so Lotto going all in for sprints |
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| VoetsT |
Posted on 02-02-2014 11:08
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 851
Joined: 29-06-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Good luck in Argentinia, in the mountains
Edited by VoetsT on 02-02-2014 11:08
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Voets - Thanks, it's a different start than the usual Tour Down Under. Maybe more suited to Henry  |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:06
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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And the race goes on!
Tour de San Luis
Devenynsreally came here to test his legs. He went into the break.
Things didn't went to smoothly for me the first two days. But I was really pulling through today. I moved up to the front.
Devenyns took enough points to wear the Mountain Jersey tomorrow.
When they got caught and the final climb was drawing nearer, I felt better and better. Malori caught my eye and I nodded. He went to the front and turned up the pace.
As soon as we hit the climb, I accelerated! Cataldo tried to follow but couldn't hold my wheel.
I created a gap. 3 kilometers to go. Could I hang on?
I looked over my shoulder and noticed Henao was coming. Remembering losing to him in the sprint in Lombardia two years ago, I wanted to hold him off at all costs.
It's still early in the season, so I'm definitely not 100% yet. But neither is Henao. He was unable to bridge the gap!
Oh, this feels so sweet! I could only hope my first Rainbow victory would come so soon. At least that pressure is off my shoulders now!
Result
It wasn't my best time trial. But it was enough to keep the leader's jersey. With three more stages (mountain, hilly and flat), I have a fairly good chance of taking the Tour de San Luis and start my season much better than last year.
Result | 1 | Michał Kwiatkowski | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | 22'48 | | 2 | Andriy Grivko | Vini Fantini - Selle Italia | + 1 | | 3 | Adriano Malori | Team Celesio - Macquarie | + 2 | | 4 | Tejay Van Garderen | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 3 | | 5 | Jérémy Roy | Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | + 9 | | 6 | Dario Cataldo | Sky Procycling | + 11 | | 7 | Thibaut Pinot | FDJ.fr | + 15 | | 8 | Jonathan Hivert | Cofidis, Solutions Crédits | + 18 | | 9 | Maxime Monfort | Lampre - Merida | + 19 | | 10 | Thor Hushovd | Astana Pro Team | + 20 |
General Classification | 1 | Henry Vergnaud | Team Celesio - Macquarie | 11h33'45 | | 2 | Sergio Henao | Lotto Belisol | + 19 | | 3 | Michał Kwiatkowski | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | + 24 | | 4 | Dario Cataldo | Sky Procycling | + 43 | | 5 | Thibaut Pinot | FDJ.fr | + 47 | | 6 | Ryder Hesjedal | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 56 | | 7 | Rigoberto Urán | Sky Procycling | + 59 | | 8 | Damiano Cunego | Lampre - Merida | + 1'10 | | 9 | Tejay Van Garderen | Cannondale Pro Cycling | + 1'24 | | 10 | Jelle Vanendert | Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team | + 1'40 |
I will fight for the General Classification. A win is not a must, however. If I want my season to last all the way to the World Championships in September, I have to stay smart and not blow my legs up too soon and too early.
My Rainbow Year - Days 3 & 4
As soon as I received this beautiful jersey, a little voice inside my head started whispering: "you need to win now. You can't wear this jersey and not win..."
I'm real happy and proud to win my first race in this jersey, I hope it's not my last. At least a big part of the pressure is off my shoulders now. I can work towards Paris - Nice, my first goal, more relaxed.
Edited by Ian Butler on 02-02-2014 12:06
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:09
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3904
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
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Ah that's nice, proving there's no such thing as the curse of the rainbow Jersey right from the start.
Spoiler Or did i speak to soon? 
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:15
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Team Leader
Posts: 7294
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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A great start for Henry  No curse so far let's hope it stays that way
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| VoetsT |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:38
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 851
Joined: 29-06-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Back to winning mode 
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 02-02-2014 12:46
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8058
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
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All he does is win... No matter what... Got Rainbows on his mind... It will never be enough. 
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| FonsDeSpons |
Posted on 02-02-2014 13:33
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Stagiare
Posts: 160
Joined: 30-10-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Perfect start of the new season! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 02-02-2014 14:49
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 34654
Joined: 22-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Great picture of Henry winning in the World Champion Jersey, the first of many i hope |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 02-02-2014 18:47
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Dippofix - Don't speak too soon, but it is a good start
Jakstar22 - I couldn't agree more
VoetsT - That's his favorite mode
Mresuperstar - I guess 'Extreme' will work out after all. I'm curious what Henry's palmares will look like at the end of his career!
FonsDeSpons - Indeed. Maybe we can do even more and take the GC as well.
sutty68 - I hope so, too, thanks |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 02-02-2014 18:51
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
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So i finally decided to read one of your stories properly from start to finish.... Only 17 pages in (roughly one season) so i'll save a big comment until i catch up. But (and this has every chance of changing, although you won le Tour at 24 so maybe not) you seemed to fall into your classic problem of being too good too young. Certainly not a killer for me like in the old ones because of the nice personal touches though.
And back to reading...
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 02-02-2014 18:52
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2336
Joined: 29-05-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Good to see Henry get that monkey off his back
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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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)
