So a fresh story from me on hard level. If I suck as bad as I could, then I'll probably get fired The story will begin with Richard Dubois will be the main character. If things go fine then we may see the fabled art return to my stories, namely
Totoing! (all be it that was taken from a normal difficulty level I was playing)
So.....
Richard Dubois, 35 years old. The name hoodwinked people as Richard spoke perfect English thanks to his English mother. His father was French and obviously had the family name, he had lived in Ledbury, Herefordshire, for a little while as a child before the family moved to Saint-Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.
Cycling naturally became a big part of his childhood, he could remember his father taking him to many stages of Le Tour, to Paris-Roubaix, to Paris-Tours and lots of races at various levels. Richard naturally developed a love for it and was a promising junior. However, in his early teens, Richard became a father himself. Amidst all the words and recriminations and a strain in the relationship between himself and his own father, Richard knew he had a serious choice to make, thus he sacrificed his cycling career to raise his son.
In his twenties and with his son now at school, Richard had more free time, his (now) wife suggested he get involved with cycling again. Richard knowing that his chance had passed, approached with a measure of trepidation. He need not have worried, the local club was friendly and welcoming to new blood. Over time Richard became an important part of the club, organizing races, transport to other races and everything and anything that was needed to keep things running smoothly.
In late 2008, he took a call, it was from a French cycling team, Auber 93, they were willing to offer him a role as a DS. It's not how Richard had imagined his involvement in cycling would be as a teen but now......
Richard entered his office, well the team's office but his name was on the door now. He settled into his chair and checked his e-mails, the first one was the most obvious one, the season goals.
Richard exhaled a breath, some tough ones to say the least but he was determined to give it his best effort. The second e-mail was on similar tracks, the key races.
At least there's a chance I salvage something if things didn't go as planned, he thought. It was then down to the important business. First up time to get some extra money in, Richard spent the next few days reaching out to French business, in the end only three made offers but Richard was happy enough with what he got.
No easy task with equipment, in fact a lot of difficulty and with the team racing soon, Richard had to move quickly. Thus he signed lease deals with Kuota for bikes. Fulcrum for wheels and Selev for helmets. This would ensure equipment for La Tropicale Amissa Bongo and give Richard time to work out permanent deals for equipment.
Squad: Brouzes, Mederel, Mazet, Haddou, Mombaerts, Thire, Gallopin and Bacquet.
Thire joins the initial attacks.
MTN have two of their team bridge across.
So there is a nice break on the road which works well together.
Thire is the star of the break, taking the first intermediate sprint and both classified climbs, meaning he'll start stage 2 in the mountains jersey.
The sprinters teams have had enough, the break is close to being caught.
Buffaz has one last dig at staying away but with no joy.
Bacquet cannot get to the front quickly enough as a mass of Agritubel riders lead out for Feillu.
Feillu gets a healthy lead but Geslin comes charging. Feillu...Geslin, neck and neck as they hit the line.
So close that neither celebrates, the race jury decides...... Geslin!
1 Anthony Geslin Française des Jeux 2h06'42
2 Romain Feillu Agritubel st
3 Wesley Sulzberger Française des Jeux st
---------------------------------------------------------- 35 Fabien Bacquet Auber 93 st
Just as a point if anyone is confused, that first screenie is from a normal difficulty game I was playing, this is a fresh start on Hard. Now that you mention it though......
(I get a runtime error with stage 2 so it was simmed.)
Thire joins today's break to try and retake the lead in the mountains classification.
A Roubaix rider joins the break and all are soon working fluidly.
Thire attacks at the first classified climb, he takes it and that'll put him back in charge.
Kristov launches from the peloton in a futile attempt to bridge across.
Thire loses contact shy of the second climb! It doesn't matter as none of the break are threats just yet. The peloton is coming, the break falls apart...
Geslin and Simon going 1-2 over it but they are quickly caught. The sprinters form a little group to contest the last intermediate. Amazingly five Auber riders join them. The sprint is contested, onto the final climb to the finish.....
Brouzes goes for it!
A dominant performance from Auber!
1 Niels Brouzes Auber 93 2h19'13 2 Nadir Haddou Auber 93 +12
3 Julien Mazet Auber 93 st
----------------------------------------- 5 Fabien Bacquet Auber 93 st
6 Johan Mombaerts Auber 93 st
With 45kms left Lilian Jegou destroys the cohesion as he launches an attack. The others respond apart from Thire who sits up.....
As the Cofidis led peloton is motoring now.
The rest are caught bit by bit and it's over with 20kms left, thus it's down to a sprint...
Mondory triumphs!
1 Lloyd Mondory Ag2r-La Mondiale 3h09'20
2 Jimmy Casper Besson Chaussures - Sojasun st
3 Anthony Geslin Française des Jeux st
---------------------------------------------------------- 26 Fabien Bacquet Auber 93 st
Richard was back in the office the next day. There was still work to be done before the French season began. Getting online he found an e-mail from Selev helmets. They had been impressed with the team's form in Gabon and were now ready to offer a full year deal. Richard was delighted and accepted that same day. Over the next few days he received more contracts for the rest of the year. Both Kuota and Fulcrum would not be a part of the team from February. Cube bikes and Sonic wheels taking over for the rest of the year.
Squad: Le Boulch, Thire, Mombaerts, Mederel, Mazet, Haddou, Gallopin and Brouzes
Gallopin is the man to represent Auber 93 in the breaks today.
The break working nicely along.
However, another group set of from the peloton and soon joined them.
Resulting in a monster break up front.
The Diquigiovanni team, carrying race favourite Rebellin, don't like it and soon shut it down. Words are exchanged in the break and insults are thrown amidst some finger pointing. Reports that a rider got his knickers in a twist, are as yet, unconfirmed.
Other attacks soon take place and Gallopin again goes forward.
He rides alone for some time struggling to keep tabs....
With the break.
With 80kms left, he's back with them.
But Offredo launches an attack a kilometre or so later!
The view from the helicopter shows that he cannot build a large gap.
Gallopin on a new bike, again having to forge a lonely road.
As he again loses contact, it's tough going out there.
Caccia at the front of the break as they make their way towards a mass of fans.
The pace in the peloton is upped and splits begin to form.
Le Boulch is among those who fall off the back.
It'll soon be over for Gallopin and then the rest of the escapees as the peloton is really motoring now. With 18kms left, the attacks begin.
Meaning that Brouzes and Mombaerts attack.
Mombaerts soon has to let go but Brouzes keeps on going.
He keeps on going, trying to finish as high as he can.
Up front Rebellin has attacked and gone solo.
He reaches the final climb to the finish alone and soon wraps up the win.
Jimmy Casper's Besson Chaussures - Sojasun squad control the pace in the peloton.
As another small group of riders set off in pursuit of the break.
The break has no time to stop and admire the beautiful blue sea.
Their focus is on the road, especially with these tricky roundabouts.
Out here in the fields..... a rather unique perspective of the peloton.
Technical problems force coverage to continue from the chopper for a bit. Here it's clear that those in pursuit have made it across.
The peloton is starting to push now, in pursuit of the leaders.
With 30kms left it's paying off, it continues to develop until the break are reeled in and it comes down to a bunch sprint....
Jimmy Casper getting his nose in front of Geslin who'd led most of the way.
1 Jimmy Casper Besson Chaussures - Sojasun 2h55'13
2 Anthony Geslin Française des Jeux st
3 Alberto Loddo Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni - Androni Giocattoli st
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 15 Fabien Bacquet Auber 93 st
The story will begin with Richard Dubois will be the main character. If things go fine then we may see the fabled art return to my stories, namely
