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Garmin Chiptole - Fast Track to Promotion
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| Crommy |
Posted on 21-07-2008 21:49
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Source: www.teamhealthnet...
January 1, 2008
Health Net Pro Cycling Team are excited to announce the completion of their 2008 line-up. No, it's not another rider, but the hiring of a second assistant director sportif by team manager Mike Tamayo.
"We decided to hire Robert Lewes as he has the right attitude for this team. He has some new and exciting ideas, and has already proved to us he is dedicated to the team and determined to see it grow."
Robert Lewes, 29, from London, was equally excited about his new found role.
"Cycling has always been my passion, and having worked on and off on the journalism scene over the past few years, I felt the time was right to change my career path."
Nervous? "Of course, but I'm really looking forward to working with such a great bunch of riders and a very professional team. They have show great faith in me, which I aim to repay. I really want to leave my mark on the cycling world."
So watch out America, as Robert Lewes is here to make an impact.
Edited by Crommy on 13-08-2008 15:44
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| Smoothie |
Posted on 21-07-2008 22:05
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Team Leader
Posts: 6622
Joined: 04-02-2007
PCM$: 300.00
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Good luck Crommy. Im sure this story will be great! |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 21-07-2008 22:10
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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January 5, Ballarat, Australia
I'm still in a state of shock. Me. A job in an actual cycling team. It's just unreal. But no time to dwell on that, I've been thrown in the deep-end of the job. The team has 2 Australian riders, Rory Sutherland and Karl Menzies, both of whom will be competing in this years Australian RR Championships. And I'll be managing them. Just me. I don't even have a place to live in the US let, I'm currently living out of a hotel, my cat definitely is not happy.
Rory Sutherland
Anyway, time to look ahead. Our schedule for the season focuses heavily on 3 key races:
Tour of California
Tour de Georgia
USA National Championships
So the whole team will be training towards those 3 peaks, and we'll pick who's looking the best out of the riders. My role as assistant DS is to take manage the team at some minor races (like the Nat. Champs coming up in 8 days), and to give support to Mike at the bigger races, the ones the sponsors are watching.
So I'm out here in Ballarat for my first experience, and I'm already nervous. Mike has been great, he talks to me everyday, and I'm pretty much following instructions at the moment. But training out with the 2 riders is great fun, except when I get dropped repeatedly every session. But they are pro's, and I'm nowhere near their level. They are looking in decent shape for the race, even though it's so early in the season, and we're going other the route, so hopefully, that'll be our advantage.
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| untal |
Posted on 21-07-2008 22:34
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Sprinter
Posts: 1727
Joined: 02-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Good luck  |
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| THNDDK |
Posted on 21-07-2008 23:31
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Junior Rider
Posts: 35
Joined: 12-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Interesting choice of team. Goof luck
"Kraftværket fra Rostock, en stor bastant trampende tysker, en torpedo, der skydes gennem luftrummet, en bombe af kraft, pløjer nærmest asfalten op, benene går som store stempler på den tyske maskine, en rullende bismarcksklump."
- Jørgen Mader
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| Smoothie |
Posted on 22-07-2008 00:09
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Team Leader
Posts: 6622
Joined: 04-02-2007
PCM$: 300.00
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Nice diary entry, like the part with the cat  |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 22-07-2008 00:12
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Team Manager
Posts: 33046
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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I am expecting Kirk O'Bee to shine with you as a directeur sportif
Good luck!
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| Deadpool |
Posted on 22-07-2008 01:07
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Team Leader
Posts: 7357
Joined: 06-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Hallelujah |
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| Wiggo |
Posted on 22-07-2008 06:54
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3212
Joined: 07-06-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice story. And nice avatar Smothie. |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-07-2008 07:54
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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SportingNonsense wrote:
I am expecting Kirk O'Bee to shine with you as a directeur sportif
Of course. No story of mine is ever complete without a bit of Kirk O'Bee
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| trueatfirstlight |
Posted on 22-07-2008 08:13
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Free Agent
Posts: 121
Joined: 20-07-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Ha, awesome. Kudos for the Health-Net story. Kirk O'Bee is great, I saw him dominate a crit at BC Superweek last year. Anyway, best of luck. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 25-12-2024 01:13
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| Chesis1994 |
Posted on 22-07-2008 08:45
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Amateur
Posts: 17
Joined: 29-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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I always liked Crommy's stories. Looking forward for this! |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-07-2008 16:19
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Thanks all
Australian Championships
13th January - Ballarat, Australia
My first race. And an impressive line-up, Cadel Evans, Robbie McEwen, Stuart O'Grady - Australia's finest cyclist were up against us. Rory Sutherland was our leader, and the plan was to attack hard, fast, but late.
Manion of Toyota was the early break, and we let the other teams do the work - with 2 riders, it wasn't our job to do the chasing.
And chase they did, the capture coming with 17km to go, just after I'd sent Karl Menzies the final instructions for Rory along with a water bottle.
The instruction? Attack up the hill, on the final circuit. He came, hard, fast and late, and from the back of the pack, so only Simon Gerrans could provide an answer, as they went together in the run-in to the finale.
Rory attacks, just as we had planned
And the two fought each other to the line, but Rory just had the edge to bring in the win!!!
My first race, my first win
What a great result! My first ever race, and I manage to produce a national champion for the team. Plenty of congratulations for Rory, and a few for me even. I'd started off with a real spark, all the nerves leading up had vanished, and I began to look positive, even after just this one race. Cos that's what cycling does when it goes well. I hope it continues.
We'll hear about our wildcard place for the Tour Down Under tomorrow, I think today may have been crucial in getting a place
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| Smoothie |
Posted on 22-07-2008 16:35
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Team Leader
Posts: 6622
Joined: 04-02-2007
PCM$: 300.00
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Great win Crommy, Its great to have the Aussie champion in the team bet it feels great!  I hope you get the wild card and im sure you'll represent the jersey with Pride |
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| Chesis1994 |
Posted on 22-07-2008 17:30
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Amateur
Posts: 17
Joined: 29-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Sorry, Croomy but I think you have little mistake in your description about Rory-
Anyway, time to look ahead. Our schedule for the season focuses heavily on 3 key races:
Tour of California
Tour de Georgia
USA National Championships
Isn't he Australian?
Offcourse nice win!!!
Edited by Chesis1994 on 22-07-2008 17:30
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| G_Larsson |
Posted on 22-07-2008 18:20
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Sprinter
Posts: 1779
Joined: 25-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Nice story Crommy!
Chesis1994: The schedule was not Rorys, it was Health Nets schedule. He had a picture of Sutherland because of he was going to race the Aussie RR with Karl Menzies.
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-07-2008 18:35
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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G_Larsson wrote:
Nice story Crommy!
Chesis1994: The schedule was not Rorys, it was Health Nets schedule. He had a picture of Sutherland because of he was going to race the Aussie RR with Karl Menzies.
Spot on.
Sorry, should have made it clearer
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| Chesis1994 |
Posted on 22-07-2008 19:27
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Amateur
Posts: 17
Joined: 29-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Sorry, my bad. |
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-07-2008 20:10
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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14th January - Adelaide, Australia
We managed to get the wildcard for the Tour Down Under, which is a great start for the team. Lots of pats on the back for Rory Sutherland, the organisers actually said we got our place as he was Aussie RR champ.
So an extended holiday for me as the rest of the team flies out here. Mike will be leading the team, but I'll be with him too, organising the secondary goals for the teams, the secondary riders. The best we're hoping for is to get in some breaks, maybe bag a stage podium, but we're not too hopeful.
Anyway, this is just surreal. I'm going to be an assistant DS in a ProTour race. And I still have no place to live in the USA!
Team:
Rory Sutherland - Team Leader
Kyle Gritters - Sprinter
Kirk O'Bee - Secondary Sprinter
Frank Pipp - Lead out Sprinter/Team Mate
Karl Menzies - Team Mate/Breakaways
Corey Collier - Team Mate
Edited by Crommy on 22-07-2008 20:25
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| Crommy |
Posted on 22-07-2008 20:24
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World Champion
Posts: 10018
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Tour Down Under - Stage 1
January 22 - Mawson Lakes-Angaston
This is the big time already. Devolder, Hincapie, Cancellara, Zabel. These guys are my heroes, the riders I idolise. And I've just sauntered around and chatted to them. How am I so lucky?
Anyway, onto the racing.
Flat stage today, so the aim was to do as good as possible in the sprint. Secondary objective was to get in a break, which was where I cam in with the second car. Karl Menzies was the rider under my leadership, so he attacked after Bertogliati at 5km. With a mountain sprint coming up at 8km, I told Karl to make that his aim, to try to get the jersey. But Bertogliati had other ideas, so he could only take 2nd spot.
After that, it was a simple matter of keeping Karl company in the break, until it was caught. Time for the sprint to begin.
We set up our own chain of Sutherland-Pipp-O'Bee-Gritters. Yes, we were using our captain, but Rory felt strong, and was adamant he would lead out.
Rory in I can do everything mode
And a fine job he did too. Kyle Gritters bagged himself an excellent 5th spot on the stage, as Oscar Freire took the win, but what a great result for us already. Not only that, Rory Sutherland showed just how strong he was by taking 7th, with Kirk in 8th spot.
Freire wins, but we feel like we have already
So a good start to the Tour Down Under. A nice presence in the break, a 5th in the sprint with3 top 10 riders. Not bad for a small American team.
Stage:
1 Óscar Freire Rabobank 2h58'59
2 Erik Zabel Team Milram s.t.
3 Filippo Pozzato Liquigas s.t.
4 Daniele Bennati Liquigas s.t.
5 Kyle Gritters Health net presented by Maxxis s.t.
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