OOC: Due to me doing a boneheaded thing...and accidently deleting my saved game which was the basis for this thread .. https://www.pcmdai...ost_230333 ...I have started this one......Explaining that previous thread as having been a dream.
Will the dream become a reality … Or will the nightmare prevail ???
I awoke with a start from my dream…or more accurately my nightmare. What an awful start I had envisioned for us. Losing it in Down under and then doing even more dismal in Lankgawi. I wasn’t sure if it had been a simple race day jitters…. Or panic at having borrowed $728,500 from loan sharks and arranging a business deal with them. It hadn’t been the smartest decision in the world to make, of that I was sure. However I had been bound and determined to see to it that Team Martenson Racing became a reality by the beginning of the 09 season, and probably had had tunnel vision in possible consequences in the future. After all we were already looking at a -$146,291 deficit come October if the team didn‘t do well. I guess my quest for a dream had surely overcome common sense. Or maybe it was simply a quest to capture at least a piece of what could have been. Sometimes I felt I’d been born maybe a decade too soon. As a child and even a teenager I had loved being upon my bike, traveling large distances and constantly trying to beat some previous best time. Unfortunately that was a long time before Lance Armstrong brought Professional cycling to the forefront of American television and News. That fact and the one that I’d grown up and an extremely redneck part of town where Football and Super Bowl Parties were what it was about and Cycling wasn’t even known about. A shame too, considering my love for biking and the fact that I grew up in Idaho State and it’s beautiful mountain ranges….maybe I could have been. Instead…. I had fallen into the many vices of the world…and found myself at 41 in absolutely no condition to pursue such a quest. If my smoking, Age and extra 10 pounds weren’t preventing me from it…My Chron’s disease was. If only Cycling had shown itself to me years earlier maybe…. But no way I could now. There was no way this body could handle the hours upon a bike as it once had. Not to mention with a wife and three teenage boys at home to support, I couldn’t afford to not be able to be home when needed…. So instead I was living the dream another way…through those I had signed to contracts in the quest to always set new personal bests. Another way of pursuing that glories’ innocent and exhilarating feeling I had as a child when setting a new personal best time upon my bike.
A foolish attempt to recapture a feeling of youth….maybe. A reckless pursuit in doing so… most definitely when one considered where I had gotten the money. Actions crazy and insane….. Yes some would say so. Chances of success….. Yet too be seen. Was I in over my head…..oh hell yeah….
I quietly slipped from the covers of the bed, as to not disturb the wife and headed down to the hall towards my office. If my dreams were an indication of anything and there was a lesson to be learned…it was that I had much to learn about the sport of professional cycling. That point had already hit me long before as contracts were negotiated and season scheduling had began. I was in way over my head and I was positive it would be quiet a few years before I fully understood all the nuances of the sport. There was more to it then simply going from point a two point b and being first. While that was they way in most sports world wide…it wasn’t so in cycling. Cycling was a mix of Chess like strategy…the game of cat and mouse…and truly knowing the course and your opponents. You always had to fit in a large variety of variables in everything from weather to how your riders were feeling that particular day…. It was going to take a while for this good old back woods American boy to fully understand everything the sport involved. However I knew my riders and I shared on thing in common….heart. We all had the drive and desire to succeed….and to me that was a heck of a place to start. As I sat at the black desk of my office and switched on the HP computer….I knew with certainty that the year would surely contain both highs and lows for TMR. Hopefully more of the first then the latter. Or at least enough to keep the loan sharks from breaking my bones and draining the blood from my body.
We were only a few days away from Down under and I was hopeful we would be off to a good start. We’d have a better picture of what sort of season lay before us at least. After the screen flickered to life I went into the company database and reviewed TMR’s Roster one last time.
Lance Armstrong
Alessandro Ballan
Levi Leimpheimer
Cadel Evans
Joseph Barnes
Collins Lansing
Maybin Ockley
Jonathan Chodroff
Morgan Chedhomme
Christian Bonfanti
Chanda Harold
Cole House
Chanda Nab
Marannase Sponser
Grisha Janorschke
Yasuke Hatanaka
Cameron Meyer
Ok…. It wasn’t exactly the dream team that I had envisioned in my dreams. That hadn’t come to be due to contract negotiations falling apart at the last moment. However on the flip side…one of my nightmares wasn’t going to come true. I had Lance at least locked into the contract for another year after this.
I ran through the database, reviewing the goals I and TMR’s secondary sponsors American Express, Japan Airlines and AEG Worldwide had agreed upon…
Win
Gent-Wevelgem
Tour De France (A requirement I felt was very demanding of us considering it was our first year as a team)
Vuelta Espana
Stage Wins
Amgen Tour of California
Criterium du Dauphine Libere
Finish Top Ten
Paris-Roubaix.
I wasn’t exactly pleased with the list of demands that had been placed upon us. At least in my dreams I had felt our goals obtainable. These I felt were a little on the harsh side for a company as young as ours.
Before switching off the computer and returning to bed, I ran through the current training reports. I’d managed to secure 3 trainers who were legendary in stature. Rony Haebman, Johan Miseeuw and Elia Castillo had all come aboard. Course it hadn’t been cheap in securing their services. Their services were the reason I currently was looking at a budget written in red ink. I rubbed my eyes before switching off the desk lamp. It was time to attempt to grab a few more hours sleep…. Later in the day we’d be flying off to Australia….
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
They day began with me sending out TMR scout U. Waldman to Italy. The Trentin, Veneto and Frioul region of Italy to be exact. I had heard rumors floating around in the hotel bar that there were some decent stage riders to be found in the area…and I wanted them to be checked out. By the time I had finished the conversation and began studying the stage, my coffee was luke warm…though I did not notice it much as I was in a deep level of concentration regarding the stage to come. The day would contain two Sprint Markers. One at 30km in, the other 95 km in. It also contained two mountain stages as well. At 39km and at 61km. I sat there studying the stage, forming a game plan. I began to think that maybe my dreams had been a warning. Trying to hard…giving too much of ourselves. It would be a warning that as team owner I chose to heed. At the pre race meeting I would advise the riders to attempt a new tactic when it came to sprints, rather then the one we had been using in training sessions… Instead of going all out…we would only go forward on the counter attack. I am sure this sudden change in plan baffled many of the teams riders…but it was one that I had a gut feeling would play importance in. In my dreams we had always arrived at the finish line spent. We had also many times failed in our attempts because of moving forward to soon. That was something I wanted to be sure did not happen.
The one thing I dislike is heat…and for that reason I found myself hating Australia. It was a hot 93.2f/34c at the beginning of the race. This wasn’t made any more bearable by the fact that the team cars’ Ac was only working part of the time. The wind was blowing a steady 31k, but occasionally would whip up to 38.
Ballan and Evans set the pace right from the start and found themselves at the front of the Pelaton and were soon joined by Meyer. This was surprising to me as they were going at what I had felt was a slow rate. I radioed them to slow down even more, reminding them they had a lot of race in front of them. As the team neared the first Sprint, the new strategy proved successful as Ballan, Evans and Meyer would take the first sprint…. Having used maybe only one tenth of the energy they had during our training strategy of going all out. The funny thing was before we knew it the first mountain stage was upon us and again with just a little counter attack, Ballan, Evans and Harold rode away with it. The water was beginning to run low after some time had gone by and I told them to come back and get some fresh water bottles. I was distracted by the fact I was so soaked with sweat that my shirt clinged to my body that I didn’t realize we were only 13.k away from the second mountain. I screamed out the window at the riders…
“Ballan…Ballan….Meyer….Meyer…”
I was able to catch Meyer’s attention…
“Don’t worry about the second mountain…..just move back towards the front…. Juan Jose Oroz is 3 minutes ahead anyways…”
Meyer nodded his head in understanding and moved forward to pass it along to our other riders. However things turned out better then we had thought they would. The TMR riders made their way to the front quicker then I had expected and chose to stay with the original game plan and counter attacked as an attempt to break away was made
The mountain stage went to Juan Jose Oroz, Evans and Ballan. Again our riders hung with the back and held their own as we ventured towards the final sprint stage.
Again they would stick with the game plan and the stage would go to Juan Jose Oroz, Ballan and Steven De Jongh. The good news by this time was we had reduced the lead of the soul breakaway rider Oroz down to 1’ 14”
By the time we were 5k out, the lead no longer remained. As we rolled closer and closer to the finish line…it became a waiting game and at just 1.5 K out, the TMR riders counter attacked.
Ballan fought Valiantly to hold back Boonen but as they rounded the corner he lost some ground…
And was never able to regain as they came to the finish line.
But none the less I was smiling as I looked up at the result times. Because Boonen may have taken the line for the day…but it had been my game of chess that allowed us to walk away with the yellow jersey….at least...for this day...
Stage Results
Current Standings
1) A Ballan TMR
2) T. Boonen QST 1”
3) M. Goss SAX 3” 4) C. Evans TMR 5” 5)C. Meyer TMR 6”
6) S. De. Jongh QST 6”
7) J. Rohas GCE 7”
8) M. Cavendish THR 7”
9) D. Napotitano KAT 7”
10) M. Elrniger ALM 7”
Team Member Race Result
3) A. Ballan
8) C. Evans
11) C Meyer
136) M. Chedhomme
153) J. Chodroff
155) Y. Hatanaka
156) C. Harold
“Mr. Martenson….Do you feel vindicated against the critics….”
I stopped in my tracks and slowly drew in a deep breath. The only vindication I wanted at the moment was to get out of this blasted heat. However I knew if I ignored the press, they’d have a field day at my expense. Slowly I released the breath and turned to face the press members whom had been laying in wait outside the team area.
“Why would I feel the need to be vindicated? Just because everyone including yourself Mike have been using TMR to make headlines by throwing insults our way. Why would I need to feel vengeful for that or seek vindication?”
“You’re not answering the question.”
“In my own way Chang, yes I did. But if it’s an answer you want… If I WERE seeking Vindication.. which I’m NOT, don’t you think it’s a little early to say vindication was found. Winning one race by one second does not make a tour. There are still many days left and many Kilometers yet to be ran. Next question.”
“Why are you refusing us access to the riders?’
My eyes narrowed slightly as I tilted my head slightly.
“I’m not refusing you any access to the riders George, just limiting it. TV still get’s access to the top ten for an hour after the race… You still get access to them any time the day after up to the team meeting. I told you all before all you have to do is contact the PR department to schedule it”
“Yes but that isn’t much time when you think of it.”
I shook my head
“I disagree with you, I think it’s ample time.”
“Why can’t we see them for more then an hour on race day?”
A sigh escaped my lips. I was not known for being one whom liked having to explain my decisions….my teenage boys and grown daughter could attest to that.
“I told you all before Maria… The riders and I feel that win or lose, it is important for them and myself as an owner to reflect upon what transpired during the course of the race. To reflect upon both the positives and negatives. It is impossible to do that in the circus environment that you guys tend to bring these events. They need not only time to reflect upon the days events, but prepare for race day as well.”
“It must feel nice to see a return on your investment after all that money you’ve spent”
I faked a half hearted smile
““Actually Juan, it felt 1000 times better seeing Ballan up on that podium wearing the Yellow Jersey. Now if you’ll excuse me….”
I hastily made my way inside the team area. It wasn’t until the door was securely closed behind me that I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief. I hated the press. Especially since they could turn vicious on you in a heart beat if they chose to do so. Plus I hadn’t been completely honest with them. Truth of the matter was, the money we had brought in from the first day had been a great relief to me. It had been just enough to replace the funds I had withdrawn not only to enter the Tour Down Under, but had used to pay for the riders 10 day training camp in Sagres, Portugal. Course what I wasn’t about to tell the nosey bunch outside was the fact I was still $300,000 in the hole for the month thanks to the signing fees of our legendary trainers.
As I made my way towards where I would be meeting the team riders, I went through my mind one last time what I knew about the upcoming day. It was a matter of boom, boom, boom…three stage markers one after another. Sprint at 16 and 54 and the only mountain in between the two at 36. It was going to be full of ups and downs as it was indeed a hilly stage. I’d decided we’d once again try the approach which had worked for us so well the day before….one of counters. However I also knew I was going to have to keep a close eye on breakaway times. If they got too far, Ballan could easily lose the jersey. The pelaton would be sitting back with him, following his and the other TMR riders lead….
The temperature outside was worse then the day before… A blistering 104f/40c. Not exactly the kind of temperature I wanted my riders out in. The wind also wouldn’t be much of a factor since it was blowing at a light 9k. During the course of the meeting all of the team looked fully refreshed and ready to take on the new day, something I was pleased to see. During the course of the meeting the lead riders and I decided to change the game plan slightly, going after the sprints instead of the mountain. If we had the chance to take the mountain we would, but it would not be the priority. The team burst away from the starting line. Which proved to be a foolish gesture, as the Pelaton wasted little time in catching up with the riders. Nonetheless the TMR riders charged forward in a sprint counter attack . Ending with Ballan and Evans taking the first two sprint positions. It was time for the riders to relax and regain some strength and catch their breath as they made their way towards the mountain stage. Well that had been the plan, however interestingly enough they found themselves at the head of the Pelaton.
Once again they took it upon themselves to follow the original game plan and counter attacked, allowing Evans, Ballan and Chehomme to take those points for the day. That meant one thing, only one more sprint stage to go. Interestingly enough, Evans had gained a lead head of Ballan and Meyer by well over 40”. And they themselves had a substantial lead. It was at this point and time when these two knuckleheads chose to do something that while as a team owner ticked me off, but as a fan made me have to laugh once the anger subsided. Obviously the two must have been feeling real good about themselves this day, for they decided to play cat and mouse with the pelaton. They continue to ride at a steady pace. Allowing the Pelaton took catch up to them. However just as the pelaton looked about to overtake them, they’d put on a small burst of speed, breaking away. They did this time, and time and time again.
Which surely had to be frustrating for the group of riders trying to overtake them. So taken up in their concentration with catching up with Ballon and Meyer were the riders of the pelaton, that they completely forgot about Evans…who easily took first in the final sprint stage. And I am sure their frustrations were made even worse as Ballon and Meyer would sprint away at the last moment, taking second and third. So taken up with the antics of these two was I, that I hadn’t noticed the teams younger riders had fallen behind the pelaton. However I couldn’t help but be proud of their fighting spirit because by the time they pelaton had reached the ¾ point of the race, they had all managed to return to the pelaton. Even Harold, whom had been several minutes behind and I‘d thought was down for the count. Several breakaways would take place, but TMR’s riders would hold strong and stick to the plan. Of course by the time we reached the point of only 35k remaining, and the leaders being ahead of us by 6’50”, I began to worry if maybe we’d allowed them to much leeway. This would be a fear that would stay with me the entire remainder of the race. Our riders and the Pelaton began increasing their speed. It was my hopes that we would catch up before the final decline that would lead to the final hill leading up to the finish line. The plan was to hit the incline quick enough that it would surprise anyone ahead of us, and that by the time they had a chance to react, we’d already be halfway up the hillside. The plan almost worked perfectly…almost. We’d managed to catch up with the breakaway group, with the exception of one rider, As the finish line began to draw near.
However the TMR riders weren’t about to simply just sit back and let Guesdon take the win easily. After all I was sure their thoughts like mine were upon keeping the time clock close. And I am sure as he looked back and saw them nipping on his heels as the finish line drew nearer…
His heart rate had to at least increase slightly as they barreled down upon him. Overall however the day turned out to be very rewarding, Not only had we managed to hold onto the yellow jersey for yet another day,….but were in store for another surprise as well as
Evans had also managed to take the mountain Jersey as well, and Meyer was only 2” back from capturing the white……
Race Results
1) F. Guesdon FDJ 2) C. Evans TMR 3) A. Ballan TMR
4) Man.Mori LAM
5) F. Ginanni SDA
6) M. Elmiger ALM
7) A. Geslin FDJ
8) P. Brutt KAT
9) T. Boonen QST
10) K. Averson SAX
99) C Meyer TMR
138) M. Chedhomme TMR
148) Y. Hatanaka TMR
154) J. Chedroff TMR
155) C. Harold TMR
Current Standings
1) A Ballan TMR 2) C. Evans TMR 3”
3) F. Guesdon FDJ 8”
4) T. Boonen QST 31”
5)M. Goss SAX 33” 6) C. Meyer TMR 35”
7) S. De Jongh QST 36”
8) M. Elmiger ALM 37”
9) A. Geslin 37”
10) J. Rojas GCE 37”
148) M. Chedhomme TMR 10’14”
153) J. Chedroff TMR 13’01”
156) Y. Hatanaka TMR 14’07”
157) C. Harold 15'00"
We hadn’t won a race, yet our strategy was paying off as we were winning the tour. However as I reminded our riders, now was not the time to get cocky. Our lead on Guesdon was only a short 8” and we still had several days ahead of us. I had a feeling that the day to come was going to be our toughest to come. It was a relatively short course. Not so much in distance, but in the way it was set up. With mountains at 33k and 98, and the sprints set up at 58 and 117, the finish could be upon a rider very quickly. Quickly and with a rider not having enough gas left in the tank for the forward charge at the end. While it was our hopes to at least take the sprints, the riders would have to be careful not to push themselves to hard. Especially because of the hilliness of the route. There would be only 19k after the final sprint, and it was imperative that Meyer,Evans and Ballan had something left. I stood before the riders, sweat glistening on my brow despite the ac being cranked. I couldn’t wait to get back to the states. Even though I hated winter there, it was a lot better then being in a constant state of being soaked. I took another sip from my bottled water before turning my attention back to the group of riders sitting before me.
“A lot of people told you all you were being foolish in your decision to sign with TMR, I know that. Everyone thought you were crazy in this decision, Not going with the quote standard top tier organizations, unquote. I know that.”
I paused as I allowed the personal translators of several riders to do their job.
“You took a leap of faith. Just as I had faith in all of you when I approached you, you had faith in me to get the job done. And I am sure there were times when you found yourself questioning your own decision, just like I have,…especially with all the negativity and laughing that was going on at our expense. But right now…”
Several riders nodded their heads as the translators translated… I turned and pointed towards the door…
“But right NOW…..there are a hundred plus riders…and thousands of fans….NOT laughing…. Right NOW……they are feeling rather STUPID for taking us so lightly. Only NOW…do they realize that TMR is a group to be taken SERIOUSLY….and THAT…is all because of …”
I spun around and pointed towards the riders..
“YOU…. And let’s see too it…that we continue to make them feel that way….”
Several riders were smiling widely in agreement, nodding their heads as I turned my attention back to the board with the course map…
“ We have only to main goals today. The sprint here (pointing toward the first sprint at Marker 58) and the finish line. (Pointing at the finish line. I turned around and once again faced the riders) If we can get the first sprint and keep things close…we should be in good shape. Take the others if you can, but don’t make them your priority. ESPECIALLY when it comes to that final mountain stage. I’d rather we let someone else get it and be near the front, then waste all your hard work by falling back at the end.”
A paused a moment for the translators.
“That ESPECIALLY means…no cat and mouse games…ok Mr. Meyer, Mr. Ballan……please…not today…”
The two just smiled liked two children caught with their hands caught in the cookie jar and shrugged as they looked at one another and shrugged.
“Ok, any questions?”
The team meeting broke up about ten minutes later. I like our riders hoping that the day to come would be yet another success for TMR…Course had I known before hand what the day was about to bring…I probably would have passed on the cup of coffee at the concession stand and headed straight to the bar for a couple of shots of Jack Daniels to settle the nerves.
It had cooled of during the course of the day thankfully. Only 75f/24c. Maybe…. Finally….the cycling gods were having pity upon this poor drenched soul. There were two breakaways as soon as the race started, totaling 9 riders in all. I wasn’t to worried about them though as we approached the first climb of the day, and neither were our riders
They were only 1’05” in front of the pelaton at that point and by the time we crested the hilltop, the Pelaton had overtaken them. At this point I lost track of several kilometers of the race and was totally unaware of how our riders were handling themselves. This due in part of because of having to have the car driver pull over and running into the fields to relieve myself…. Guess I really shouldn’t have had that extra cup of coffee. When I returned to the car the group was about 13k out from the first mountain marker, there was also a total of 4 breakaway groups in front of ours. I kicked myself for having not fought the urge to go pee. . Our riders however were patient. They were following through with the game plan of wait and see regarding that first stage. They saw their chance though at 2k out and rushed forward…
Ballan and Evans eventually managing to take the first two positions of the stage. It was time to turn our attention to our first goal of the day, the first sprint marker. The riders continued to be patient, not allowing the fact that several groups had broken away from the pelaton. The riders continued to ride at the front of the group as the lead had grown to 1’44”
The riders increased their rate of motion, forcing the pelaton to also quicken its pace. Unfortunately it was clear that at the current rate, they wouldn’t catch up…so it became a simple question I found myself asking…. Did I order them to push forward, or not.
“Abort … abort…. I say again Abort the plan. Do NOT attempt to get the first sprint.”
I found myself mentally kicking myself. We’d failed our first goal because I hadn’t had the riders react quicker. The first sprint ended up going to De Greef, T. Vaitkus and A. Vierhouten. Disgusted with myself I told the riders to come back to the car for water. However as they made their way back, it was evident that they were down on themselves as well. I knew I needed to stop the downward motion of their emotions before it factored into the race. I had to keep them motivated and upbeat. As each one came up to the car I told them the same thing.
“It’s ok….it’s ok. Everything will be fine. There’s a second sprint. Even if we don’t take it, it doesn’t matter, just be sure that when you reach the top of the final mountain stage, you are ready to charge down that hill.”
Each rider shook his head in understanding. Basically getting the drift of what I was saying, those not understanding my English,…at least understanding my hand gestures. Unfortunately we were unable to take the second sprint either. That going instead to Usov, Del Nero and Vaitkus whom had gained a 3’30” lead along with about 10 other riders. I found myself hoping that the team’s riders weren’t allowing it to get to them. It would be way to easy at this point for everything to completely fall apart if they did. The riders began moving in, closing the distance. However as Vaitkus, Del Nero and Duval took the final mountain, I began to get a sick feeling in my stomach. There were still 10 riders ahead of us with still a good 1’44” lead. Not to mention they were at the top of the mountain, and we were still climbing. TMR riders were still climbing steady following the game plan, while the leaders were already at the downhill. Had I told them to break to late??? So sick was the feeling in my stomach, that I had to work hard to fight the urge to have the driver pull over. I couldn’t help but feel that my bad judgment had just cost us the race. As planned, upon reaching the summit, TMR’s Riders charged forward.
The managed to quickly over take the first of the two forward groups at 12k out. Still charging forward though…I began to feel even sicker.
Ballan and Evans were moving forward, doing their best but at 4k out, the eight remaining riders in the lead group still had a good 28” on us. My guys couldn’t have much left…. What I hadn’t counted on was the fact that Ballan and Evans were pissed. They’d blown the sprints, but their fighting spirit wasn’t about to let them lose their current standing positions without a fight. For this reason I was extremely amazed when less then a kilometer later they had caught up to the forward group.
I was even surprised as the sprang around the turn leading towards the finish line, well in front of the group….
“Come on…please…please …please let them have something left in the tank….”
Apparently they still did as they burst in sprint towards the finish line.
I couldn’t help but join the crowd in my loud cheers, Team Martenson Racing had taken it’s first Race win home….
Race Results
1) A. Ballan TMR 2) C. Evans TMR
3) J. Del Nero FUJ
4) S. Poulhies ALM
5) M. Cavendish THR
6) C. Sutton GRM
7) A. Vierhouten VAC
8) J. Rohas GCE
9) M. Ljungqvist SAX
10) A. Geslin FDJ
143) C. Meyer TMR
156) J. Chodroff TMR
157) Y. Hatanaka TMR
158) M. Chedhomme TMR
160) C. Harold TMR
Current Standings
1) A Ballan TMR 2) C. Evans TMR 5”
3) F. Guesdon FDJ 14”
4) T. Boonen QST 37”
5)M. Goss SAX 39”
6) J. Del Nero FUJ 39”
7) T. Vaitkus AST 40”
8) F. De Greef SIL 40”
9) A. Usov COF 40” 10) C. Meyer TMR 41”
148) M. Chedhomme TMR 10’14”
153) J. Chedroff TMR 13’01”
156) Y. Hatanaka TMR 14’07”
157) C. Harold TMR 15’00”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
I couldn’t help myself, I really couldn’t. Picking up the paper and once again looking at the headline, I couldn’t help but smile again.
Here it was the morning after and I still couldn’t believe it. With everything that had gone wrong during the course of the day, Ballan and Evan’s had still managed to pull it out. Talk about your heart. Once again I had to force myself to set the paper down to the side of the small oak breakfast table. Taking a bite of my ham and egg omelet, my eyes turned towards the course map I had laid out to the right side of my plate. Middle of the road I thought to myself. And basically there was no better way to describe it. At about midway through the course was a sprint marker. 30K to each side of it were markers. Before it a Sprint at 40k and after it a mountain at 104. A took a bite of my English muffin and frowned, could use more butter. Setting it down I took a sip of my coffee to wash the dry feeling away as I concentrated upon the map. I wasn’t too worried about the first sprint. Anyone too foolish to burst forward at the start would find themselves out of gas way to soon. Any breakaways in the first 20k would probably be reeled in fairly easily. After the first sprint, with 30 k between each of the stages, it was anybody’s ball game. It was my hope that the team could lay back as it had in past days and attempt to take at least one of the sprints. As for the only mountain, if we got it great, but we weren’t going to push ourselves for it. Not with only 39 k to go afterwards. Our goal didn’t even have to be to win it, all we had to do was keep it close. That was a point I would have to remind Ballan and Evan’s of in the morning briefing. I took another sip of my coffee as my eyes scanned the map one more time. I’d chosen to stay in the room and miss the morning team breakfast to go ever the course. Allowing the guys to eat in a relaxed atmosphere as well, enjoying the feeling their hard earned victory had given them. My thoughts were interrupted as their was a knocking upon my hotel room door. A puzzled look came across my face, as I wondered who would be bothering me at this early an hour.
I opened the door to discover a messenger standing there. He was holding a rather large box. And apparently he was about as thrilled to be delivering this early in the morning, as I was about being bothered. Which was of course not thrilled at all. He said little as I signed for the package. It wasn’t until I had closed the door and made my way back into the room, that I got a good look at the box. It was your standard clothing box. Black in color with gold lettering across it. The letters spelled out Calzone’s. I have to admit I was puzzled. I knew of Calzone’s. It was a shop over in Finland that made some of the best cycle wear there was out there. And that was the reason for my bewilderment. I had approached the shop during the preseason in attempts to get my teams wear. After all if you we were going to go all out, why not go to the best. Of course apparently every other team in the circuit had had that same idea I guess. Mr. Calzone’s reply had been that he wasn’t taking any new customers at that time, being busy with Astana, Lampre and all the other teams already having placed orders. I couldn’t blame him really. You had to go where the money is, and we were a small team with only 17 riders. My eyes scanned the note.
Mr. Martenson,
Was able to find the time to get to your order after all. I would be honored to have Team Martenson Racing wear the Calzone’s line. Enclosed you will find one of the team uniforms, the rest will be delivered to today’s starting point. ( well that explains the deliveryman’s foul mood I thought to myself, Having to deliver all those boxes) I sincerely regret any misunderstanding from our previous meeting and as such accept these as my gift to you. I look forward to doing business with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Mr. Calzone
Ps. Congratulations on your current standings in Tour Down Under.
Ahh, there it was, smiling slyly. The whole hook of the situation. The man smelled future money. And better view of his products if we continued to do well. Not that I blamed him. I’d have done the same thing in his position. It was smart business. I made a mental note to have Scarlet at the home office send him a thank you note. Opening the box I received my first look at what would be the teams official uniform for the year.
They were beautiful, I had to admit. And yet…Something was missing it seemed. I pulled the uniform out, looking front and back. Yep I was right. No where was the team’s initials TMR. The uniform in front of me was telling me…. You’re good enough to wear my line, but not be associated with it yet. I shrugged half heartedly as I folded the uniform up and placed it back into the box. Oh well. Beggars couldn’t be to choosy. My thoughts were interrupted with the ringing of my cell phone. I knew it was the head office by the fact the ring tone was playing shift work. I quickly picked up the phone. Turned out it was Scarlett. She was calling to inform me that we had come to an agreement with Levi Leipheimer, and signed him to a new contract. I couldn’t help but smile widely. Another thing I had taken away from my nightmares was the importance of having all of my ducks in a row. In the dream I had been broadsided by the fact Lance had only signed a one year contract. First thing I had done after the nightmare was wake up and go over all my contracts. I had lance until thru 2010. In fact of all those signed to one year contracts, the only one that deserved immediate attention was Levi’s. But that wasn’t the reason exactly that I was smiling. Not because of the fact I had re-signed him… But had signed him for $11,000 a month less then his current contract. I couldn’t remember right off hand if it had been for 2 or 3 years, but did know that I was saving myself $132,000 a year. That was definitely good news for my pocketbook. Well as long as he performed like I was hoping he would anyways. Scarlett reminded me it was time to head to the race….
It was another hot day. The type of heat in which your close immediately stick to your body. The kind of heat in which even the insects and animals seek shelter and a strange natureless hush falls upon the land. However I figured our riders had become slightly accustomed to it and it shouldn’t play as much of a concern as it had at the beginning. From the start are riders mingled with the pelaton. In fact it took me a few moments to find them, my eyes naturally searching for the old uniforms.
As we had suspected would be the case, several groups broke away right away. It didn’t worry me to much though. The hill leading to the first sprint marker was only a short incline of about 1 percent. All of the boys with the exception of C. Harold had looked pretty much refreshed and it was only a simple matter of their increasing their rate of motion slightly and they had easily reeled back in the breakaways. Several more groups broke away, but the team was patient. I knew Ballan and Evans hungered for a chance to take the sprint points, and hoped they had learned from the previous day regarding the hazards of going to early. They kept their rate up slightly, just enough to keep them at the front of the pelaton as they waited like a coiled snake for their moment to strike.
At about 14k out from the first marker, they increased their rate even more, attempting to close in on the breakaway groups without expending too much energy. I could see Ballan as the team rode, Changing positions occasionally, talking with the other riders. I wasn’t exactly sure what he was doing, but chose not to interfere and allowing him to his job as leader for this event. My suspicions were that he was keeping the other riders settled down. Keeping them calm and from moving to early. At about 7k out, He and the other team riders broke away from the pelaton. It took them little time to catch up with the 2nd of the two breakaway groups.
Once they had managed to reel that group in, they settled in, waiting for the next appropriate moment to launch their counter strike. I felt myself admiring their patience. After all the leader was only about 9” ahead of them. My impulse would have been one of wanting to charge ahead and make him eat my dust. However as team manager, I had to agree with their strategy. They knew they still had over 2k left to go. What they were attempting to do was cut down the distance, while expending the least amount of energy to do so. They were drawing off their experiences and in their wisdom was a sound game plan. For the less energy they used, the more the would be able to charge forward with when they needed it. At the same time they were trying to make the other rider nervous as they slowly closed in. It was attempt to make him make a break for it, early then he should have. And at least this time their strategy paid off as he bolted for it as they closed in. The group countered and in the end Ballan and Evan’s managed to take the sprint, followed E. Rigatto. So powerfull and fast was the sprint, that at one point Ballan found himself way ahead of everyone. His lead grew over one minute at one point. I found myself wondering, would he get too ambitious. Would he charge forward and attempt to take the second sprint. If he did that, I feared he would have nothing left in the end. However he stuck to the game plan. Instead of charging forward, he rode at a steady fast pace. I had to agree with his strategy. He was forcing the other riders to have to catch up to him. Making them expel the energy, and not him. As an advanced group charged forward and passed him, he made no moves. Rather being patient as he allowed the pelaton and his team mates catch up with him. Because of this D. Nardello, B. Grahsch and P. Fedrigo would take the second sprint.. Heading towards the mountain marker, the lead group would grow to lead by 2’40”. I wasn’t worried to much as it was a fairly steep mountain and the pelaton was moving at a pretty good pace and in reality would probably catch up. Just before the mountain with about 48k out, I called the riders back to replenish their bottles for a second time.
I did this as a precaution. They had enough water at that point, but I wanted them filled because I wasn’t 100% sure how the mountain climb and the heat would affect them. By the time Ballon and Evan’s returned to the front of the pelaton there were only 7 riders in the break with a lead of 1’06. Unfortunately the heat and rate of incline on the mountain would prove more then the remaining team riders could handle and they would slowly drop back behind the pelaton. The mountain stage went to P. Fredrigo, P. Nardella and L, Bodrogi. By 10k out, the pelaton had managed to catch up with the leaders. By 3 K out, Ballan and Evans had moved to the front of the group. I found myself holding my breath as the two continued to be patient. Neither man jumping the come as the distance to the finish line grew less and less. As each second passes and they continued to ride steady, I wondered when on earth were they going to make their move. They were still a good 40 or so riders back. I watched as the group started to sprint, and they sat there still riding steady. What the heck I thought to myself. They waited only a few seconds before responding, then I realized exactly they had been doing. Saving their energy just enough to be able to begin overtaking the others. I watched as they quickly moved thru the back, and as Boonen took the win.
I felt myself disappointed that we hadn’t gotten the win, but then pushed it away with the reminder that they goal for the day had been to play it safe and keep it close. And that was exactly what we had done.
Race Results
1) T. Boonen QST
2) J. Rojas GCE
3) B. Traskel VAC
4) F. Ginanni SDA
5) C. Sutton GRM
6) B. Shpilevsky FUJ
7) M. Goss SAX
8) W. Sulzberger FDJ 9) A. Ballan TMR
10) D. Napolitano KAT
15) C. Evans TMR
156 ) C. Meyer TMR
157) M. Chedhomme TMR
158) Y. Hatanaka TMR
159) J. Chodroff TMR
160) C. Harold TMR
Current Standings
1) A Ballan TMR 2) C. Evans TMR 6”
3) F. Guesdon FDJ 17”
4) T. Boonen QST 34”
5)J. Rohas GCE42”
6) M. Goss SAX42”
7) J. Delnero FUJ 42”
8) T. Viatkus AST 43”
9) F. De greef SIL 43”
10) A Usov COF 43”
137) C. Meyer TMR 7’32”
156) M. Chedhomme TMR 24‘51”
158 ) J. Chedroff TMR 27‘38”
159) Y. Hatanaka TMR 28‘44“”
160) C. Harold TMR 35‘17”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
The bad thing about your team going into it’s fourth day of wearing the yellow jersey, and with 2 days of competition remaining is…. Paranoia begins to set in. I couldn’t help but feel that fear in my belly as I studied the map in the car as we headed towards the race. Someone was going to try to get that yellow jersey from us, and I had a feeling that since tomorrow’s stage was basically flat, the attempt would have to come today. Tomorrow’s stage would be a simple keep up and reel in any fast breaks. Today was totally different. It wasn’t the sprint stage at 42k that worried me. I was more worried about the two mountain stages, one at 97 and the other at 127. Too close to the end of the race, and I didn’t like it at all. The wear and tear was showing on the boys. The series was taking it’s affect. I’d watched as Meyer had dropped totally out of the top ten, and as the younger riders had struggled yesterday with just one mountain…and now we were looking at two. If an attack came during those last two stages, Evan’s and Ballan would basically be on there own to fight it off. I begin finding myself if I had not made one heck of a mistake at the start by taking Levi and Lance off of the list of competitors. They’d been on it at the start. I’d taken them off and put them back on half a dozen times, finally leaving them off after much debate. My reasoning had been to save them for Amgen Tour of California. I was going need all of my heavy hitters then to make the sponsors happy. I had justified it by telling myself that the younger riders needed the experience. Course right at this particular moment I was wishing I had brought my other heavy hitters along. At least then Ballan and Evan’s would have had support. 17” stood between us and the threat of losing the jersey. Our team had worked so hard up to this point to keep it secure and I hated the thought that they could possibly lose it so close to the events end. However I forced that fear away as we pulled in towards the race parking area. Last thing I wanted my riders to see was my self doubt. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had that I was missing something important…
The day was a lot cooler then it had been. I almost felt comfortable really. It was 77f/25c with a wind blowing anywhere from 1 to 9 k. From the very start it seemed like everyone was breaking away and charging forward. Almost immediately there were 6 break away groups in front of us. It didn’t take very long to real in the rear three, but I didn’t like it, not one bit. I also didn’t like the fact that we seemed to rather quickly wind up at the rear of the pelaton.
Considering it had just seemed like we were at the front. I was nervous and getting more so by the minute. I quickly radioed the group and requested that they move towards at least the middle, if not the front. They promptly did so and the remaining breakaways were gradually reeled in. The riders continues to move at a steady pace, catching up with the first of the two groups. I told the group over the radio they could go ahead and try to take the sprint if they wanted to when they were about 16k away from it. I wasn’t real sure if they would be able to take it, but was more interested in cutting the 2’20” the lead group had built up. I wasn’t sure if it was just a simple matter of paranoia or not…but I wasn’t feeling very comfortable with how the race was proceeding.
The riders made a good attempt in catching the breaking group, however the sprint went instead to B. Cooke, S Minard and F. Negri, who along with three other riders still had a 30” lead at the marker. I was disappointed we hadn’t taken it, but at least we had cut down the time between us.
At this point I wasn’t liking how I was feeling, or more aptly in the fact that not only wasn’t I feeling comfortable with how things were going, but was also finding myself questioning my decisions. I found myself canceling out every decision I was coming up with. The constant breaking away and reeling in of riders was adding to my befuddlement. Go…stay…wait …rush… I couldn’t make up my mind. That nagging feeling still remained with me as well….I was forgetting something important….but couldn’t grasp what it was. Because of this, I radioed the riders to come back to replenish their water bottles. The lead riders had broken away yet again, rebuilding their lead to over 2’30”, and I wanted to take a few minutes to watch the pelaton and see how it was reacting. I advised the riders to hold back and go easy on the first mountain stage. I wasn’t sure how the mountain would affect our riders, but I was more interested in seeing how it’s grade of 4.2 to 6.6 percent affected the lead riders, and the distance between the groups. The lead between us and the front group had built up to 3’55”. Something I wasn’t exactly thrilled about, but I found myself holding the riders back out of fear of them expending themselves to soon. As they climbed the mountain I have to admit I was surprised. I’d sold the younger riders short it appeared. By the time they had reached the top of the mountain, the younger riders were still hanging in there, supporting Ballan and Evans. By the time we’d reached the bottom of the mountain, we’d managed to cut the lead down to just under 3’00”.
The Riders rounded the corner just before the second mountain stage and another group managed to break away. In fact it seemed that the whole group of riders were beginning to splinter into multiple breakaways. My eyes widened in sudden realization… The nightmare…oh my god how could I have forgotten…
“Go…GO….GO….GO…GO ….GO!!!”
The riders hesitated, both out of surprise and confusion. I found myself cursing out loud as they continued to not move, then forced myself to calm down before keying the mic. Of course they didn’t understand the reasoning, it had been my dream. I watched as the lead packs broke to 2 then three, then four groups…
“Guys, you need to get over this mountain as quickly as possible. Those forward groups are going to start splintering once they do and we may be unable to catch them.”
What I didn’t tell the riders as the charged forward while S. Minard, F. Negri and B. Schroder took the stage, was that I was beginning to think we reacted to late. A 5th group had broken free as the riders charged up the mountain side. The group reeled in one, then another group. The forward groups began splintering off even as we made our charge down the mountain. Just as we’d overtake one group, those before us would splinter off even more.
We’d go from E5,to E3 to E5, to E4 to E6 to E5 to E8..E9... All in what seemed a matter of a few seconds. No mater how hard the riders pedaled, or matter how much success they made in their forward progression, it seemed their were always riders ahead of them as the forward riders attacked and counter attacked one another in the forward groups. I was helpless as I watched that nightmare which had haunted me, became a reality. There was nothing the riders could do as our lead, and all their hard work came crashing down around us. All because the foresight the dream had given me, lay hidden in the dark recess’s of my mind. Hidden by the fates who were determined to make that nightmare a reality upon that day. I could almost hear the fates laughing as our car followed our riders to the team area. Laughing at me because they had revealed their very plan to me for that day. And even in doing so, I had been able to stop them.
Race Results
1) B. Shpilevsky FUJ
2) K. Aversen SAX
3) S. Minard COF
4) T. Boonen QST
5) S. Auge COF
6) B. Schroder MRM
7) F. Negri LPR
8) Y. Trofimov BBO
9) M. Lloyd SIL
10) G. Bosisio LPR
12) C. Evans TMR
15) A. Ballan TMR
66) C. Meyer TMR
98) M. Chedhomme TMR
155) J. Chodroff TMR
156) Y. Hatanaka TMR
160) C. Harold TMR
Current Standings
1) T. Boonen QST
2) B. Shpilevsky FUJ 6”
3) K. Averson SAX 8”
4) S. Minard COF 8”
5) S. Augi COF 12” 6) A. Ballan TMR 44” 7) C. Evans TMR 50”
8) F. Negri LPR 51”
9) Y. Trofimov BBO 52”
10) F. Guesdon FDJ 1’01”
136) C. Meyer TMR 9‘31”
156) M. Chedhomme TMR 26‘50”
158 ) J. Chedroff TMR 32‘21”
159) Y. Hatanaka TMR 33’27”
160) C. Harold TMR 42‘20”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
Wanted to make sure they had enough, plust as I said in story... wasn't sure what to do whether to charge or lay back so I had mentally decided to see if Pelaton decreased the lead time or not. Have to remember that I am fairly a newbie when it comes to the world of cycling and what it takes to be successfull. My exposure is limited to watching Lance win Jersey Six and Seven. Thois year I couldn't even watch the tour...thus missing out on reminding myself of the sports suplties (spelling ???)Like the story says I am new and learning...why I chose to write the story, so others could watch my trials and tribulations lol. Learning more and more everyday plus hoping to watch the Tour of Missouri in person this year
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
Angry, Crushed, Devastated and destroyed. We’d had it. It had been right there in our grasp. Victory at Tour Down Under had been ours for the taking. 4 days worth of hard work gone in an instant. Well not exactly in an instant. It had actually taken 1’18” to crush our hopes. It had taken that much time for T. Boonen to take our Yellow Jersey from us and push us back a seemingly impossible 44” back from the lead. And all that we had was Adelaid. 90 Kilometers of the flatland. How cruel a twist of fate, that our race for the yellow would be all wind up in one day, one last chance and the prayer of that we were not only the first to reach the line, but so fast to leave Boonen way behind. Something I felt likely would not be possible. I comforted the riders with the fact that we still had riders in the top ten and that wasn’t bad for a team that was just arriving on the scene, but inside I was kicking myself. It wasn’t the riders fault, it was mine. They’d placed their faith in me and my wisdom. And even though I had foreseen the possible disaster, I hadn’t been able to stop it from happening. I’d blown it, and blown it majorly. I just hoped as a team we’d be able to still hold it together and leave with at least some of our integrity intact. Ballan and Evan’s would be fighting to hold their positions considering their were so many behind them, closely nipping at their heels in attempts to improve their positions in the standings. Yet those two had a long way to go rather quickly if they were to make up the 30”+ they were back to the nearest rider in front of them.
Needless to say I felt pretty numb watching them on the monitors in our team area. There was no reason to follow them in the team car, as the final stage of the Tour was basically a circle. There wasn’t much to say about the race, for it wasn’t much of a race. Groups would break away, yet to only be reeled back into the group. This kept us from making any attempt to break away. There was no point expelling the extra energy. Especially considering that the temperature out was 104f/40c. Instead we kept with the back, and close to Boonen.
Prior to the race Ballan, Evans and I had discussed in great length as to what to regarding the race, and had all agreed that as long as Boonen did not break, we would wait until the end to do so. I think we all knew that in all likelihood our attempts would be futile, as Boonen had been running strong all of the tour. However we had to at least make an attempt. At one point, Chodroff was directly ahead of him, and I found myself hoping that maybe the new comer would take a tumble and take Boonen and a few of the others ahead of us in the standings with him. Mean to think I know, and of course the way our luck was running nothing of the sort happened. Of course behind us several riders did take a tumble, taking Andrea Grenden down with them. At the appropriate time Evans and Ballan would go for the attack.
The would even manage to get a decent amount of space between themselves in Boonen. But as I had been afraid of, His legs were as strong as they had been in previous days and by the time the riders broke into the sprint he was nipping at our heels.
And before we or the other riders he was pulling well ahead of the group as he came up upon the finish line.
I took in a deep breath and let it out in slow disappointment as I watched the riders cross the finish line and kept my eye looking up at the boards. It hadn’t ended as I hoped, with the yellow jersey. Boonen had even managed to take away the points jersey as well. We’d come in to the final day knowing our chances of regaining what we had lost, of course that didn’t make it any easier of a pill to swallow. However my disappointment began to slowly dissolve away as I continued to stare at the board as the times appeared. I was a wash in a wave of sudden realization as the riders names appeared. We had all gone in how slim our chances were, and yet here while I had been discouraged and ready to throw in the towel, my riders had not been. Ballan and Evans had fought valiantly…. Chedhomme, Chodroff, Hatanake, and Harold had rode their best rides of the Tour and even Meyer whom had been struggling rode one of his best rides. I couldn’t help but smile. They’d shown their heart despite it all. I whistled as I walked along the path towards the awards ceremony….. We’d come in as the underdogs…no one had given us a chance….and yet here we were, still walking away with at least one jersey….and that was something we could build on….
Race Results
1) T. Boonen QST
2) M. Elmiger ALM
3) M. Fischer LIQ
4) A. Goslin FDJ
5) J. Rojas GCE
6) D. Napolitano KAT
7) K. de Larrea EUS
8) M. Goss SAX
9) M. Muller MRM
10) M. Cavendish THR
14) C. Evans TMR
15) A. Ballan TMR
31) C. Meyer TMR
69) M. Chedhomme TMR
82) J. Chodroff TMR
87) Y. Hatanaka TMR
141) C. Harold TMR
Final Standings
1) T. Boonen QST
2) B. Shpilevsky FUJ
3) K. Averson SAX
4) S. Minard COF
5) S. Augi COF 6) A. Ballan TMR 7) C. Evans TMR
8) F. Negri LPR
9) F. Guesdon FDJ
10) N. Terpstra MRM
134) C. Meyer TMR
156) M. Chedhomme TMR
158 ) J. Chedroff TMR
159) Y. Hatanaka TMR
160) C. Harold TMR
I took a few moments to gather my composure as I looked at the man sitting behind the desk. I never could figure that about him. Every time I came to see him there, he was behind the desk. Funny considering firstly he wasn’t even listed as being part of the clubs ownership or management, and secondly someone in his actual line of work, wasn’t stupid enough to keep records on paper. Actually I believe his W2 listed his occupation as having something to do with construction, or sanitation….something along those lines. Whatever his supposed “occupation” supposedly was, it was a long way from the club. Yet there he was, as usual sitting behind the desk. Maybe it was to present power image…heck I didn’t know. I watched him through the cigarette haze as I slowly exhaled, slightly gesturing to the side with my right hand and cigarette.. As if to say….Meh…
“Nothing was blown. As usual your perception is looking at the black and white and not the hidden subtleties.”
“Explain to me then Genius…..how was our not winning is a ……good….thing?”
I sighed, turning slightly to put my cigarette out in the crystal ashtray.
“You know… for a man who’s family hails from the same region of Italy as mine does, it is amazing how locked into the American way of thinking you are. Win… Lose…. Black …white…”
“Don’t get smart with me…”
I shrugged. The chair creaked slightly as I shifted position in the chair.
“ Ok fine, I’ll break it down for you in simplest terms for you (I ignored the accusational look of you think I’m an idiot he shot me why. Just because I thought that at times about him, I wasn’t about to say it) TMR just finished it’s first race with two of it’s riders in the top ten out of 160 riders. Doing that is a good thing. The more top ten finishes they have, means more exposure. More exposure means the more dirty money you can make look legitimate coming into your sponsorship companies. Did or did not your actual legitimate sales in the companies you have listed as our main sponsor, prosper during the race?”
“They did”
“And did you not add padding to their numbers.”
The man across from me shot me a look that read … That’s none of your business. I smiled slightly, acknowledging that I knew he had as I continued to speak.
“Exactly what I’m saying. Your concern isn’t and shouldn’t be whether my team wins or loses. Your attention should be on whether or not you are reaping awards financially because of our arrangement.”
“I don’t need YOU telling me what I need or don’t need to do!””
I returned his icy glare.
“No you don’t. But at the same time I don’t need you telling me how to run my team either. Nor do I need you to tell me whether we are being successful or not. This isn’t NASCAR or Swimming or Track. You’ve become Americanized in your thinking. Professional Cycling has several layers of success. Not simply just winning. Our agreement was for me to enhance and visualize your Sponsorship Company so you could launder a little extra cash while increasing the legitimate side of it. I’ve done that so far. I shouldn’t have to, nor can I afford to take the time to constantly be flying over here to re-assure you that everything is ok. As long as you see an improved cash flow, you should be satisfied. Stop worrying about how the team does, that’s my job…”
The mood remained tense for several seconds. Then he smiled slightly and leaned back in his chair.
“Ok… Your right. So what now….Tour of Qatar?”
I shook my head
“No. I screwed that up somehow when I sent the boys down to Africa to train for a few days. Apparently their was some problems with flight schedules and they won’t be back in time for the event. No…. Next event will be the Tour de Lankawi, and Amgen Tour of California. Then we’ll participate in Trofeo Lagueglia and Giro di Sardegna.”
“I read somewhere there were going to be a lot of heavy hitters coming to California.”
I nodded my head.
“Yeah there are from what I’ve been reading in the local reports. Valverde, Hinkapie, Cancellera and maybe even Contador from last I heard. It will give the team a good workout for sure. At least it will bring out our visibility slightly and give us a good testing. At least I’ll see how our heavy hitters work together. Now if you don’t mind….”
I stood up
“I have a flight to catch. I’d really like to get home to my wife and kids, and have a few details to work on regarding the team as well.”
I was glad to get out of there. Heck, truth be told I was glad that my car was heading straight to the airport. Not because of the man I had been talking to. I knew in that regard I had nothing to fear at the moment, no it was because I hated New Jersey. Hated everything about it honestly. Back before I had settled down into married life for the second time, I had driven Big rigs across all 48 of the continental United States. That had included unfortunately New Jersey. And it seemed that every time I was in New Jersey, something bad happened. The final time had been totally terrible. The trucks clutch plate had totally shattered do to the abuse put on it by it’s previous owner. I’d ended up being towed to a local shop and having to sleep there over night. Thank God I hadn’t known about the neighborhoods reputation beforehand, or I wouldn’t have slept at all. I awoke the next morning only to be informed I would be stuck there at least another day as the machine shop had to cut a completely new plate. Course the man behind the desk warned me about the neighborhoods rep, but I shrugged it off. After all I had seen my share of bad neighborhoods in my time. I checked into the nearest hotel and several hours later found the hunger pangs setting in. There was a convience store about a city block down the road, so I figured I’d head down there for a bite. After all It was 4:40 pm, the sun was out lighting up the sky, the steady flow of rush hour traffic was beginning to form….what ill will could possibly happen. In the five minutes or so it took to make the walk to the store, I was confronted by two crack whores whom had propositioned, then continued to follow me. Meanwhile as I was going along watched as two rather large men (I assumed they must have been the pimps, went from being across the street, to making a beeline straight for me. I quickly avoided them and made my way straight into the convience store. Thinking it a safe place to be….only to discover it had been robbed about ten minutes earlier. Standing there waiting for the grill portion of the store to make my burger and fries… Ok I admit it…I was also killing time waiting and hoping the prostitutes and their pimps would disappear)…. I discovered that they had just found a man stabbed to death just down the alley from the store. I spent a little while talking with the female officer whom had responded to get the report regarding the robbery. As a side note, just how brazen the prostitutes were, one had walked into the store and nodded at the officer whom knew her. I asked if it was always like this. The officer replied yes, much to my amazement. They knew about all that went on the area, did what they could to slow the flow, but it was an ongoing saga. They’d bust one pimp or drug dealer or pimp, and two more would return in their place. It was a simple case of the lesser evil being the one they knew. They’re way of dealing with it, advising people not to be out after dark. Backward thinking at it’s finest. Needless to say that I quickly returned to my hotel room, locked the door and didn’t budge till morning. I’d burned rubber the next morning and hadn’t been back until arranging the deal to secure the teams coming to be. But even then I flew in, and flew out. I had no desire to be there any longer then needed to be. It seemed to me an area of the world where all sense of morality and right and wrong were a totally forgotten concept.
Well at least I was back in the states. Back to a land where winter had the country in it’s icy grips. Anything was better then the heat I had been subjected to During Down Under. Of course the riders weren’t as lucky. I’d sent the whole lot of them down to Africa to train for a few days. They hadn’t exactly been thrilled with the idea, but the bickering quickly came to an end when I replied to them by saying…
“Would you all prefer to go back and fill out all the checks that need to be written out for the coming month???”
No takers, not a one…..imagine that. Course I hadn’t foreseen the decision to send them for a few extra days training, messing up our entry into Tour of Qatar. According to my calculations we should have been back in time. Oh well wasn’t anything to be gained by kicking myself for something that couldn’t be changed.
Over the course of the next several days as the team was preparing for Langkawi, I was busy playing the role of owner. All in all, January hadn’t been that bad of a month for us. We’d walked away from the Tour Down under with an additional $103,000 in our pockets. Course I’d dipped into $10,000 when I sent the boys down to Africa to train, but still over all it was a productive month. With it and everything else we had put aside in the bank, we were now only looking at a $52,600 hole come October. I was sure pretty sure that soon I would begin seeing a positive cash flow. One that I could put aside for the coming year, and the rest going towards making the team even stronger. I knew I really needed to hire more scouts. Plus I was bound and determined that I would have the cash flow needed the upcoming year to gain the services of some talent I was eyeing. I’d felt extremely limited at the beginning of the year thanks to our small cash flow. I wanted next year to allow for a little more freedom.
My attention, usually late at night when the kids and wife were all tucked asleep soundly in their beds, turned towards the upcoming races and our roster. Le Tour de Langkawi and Amgen would be taking place at about the same time. Both, 9 stages of rough racing. I had to work hard to break away from the standard ways of thinking. Of course I would have loved to win every event we entered. However that was shortsightedness and not very forward thinking. And as I was quickly discovering since entering the world of cycling, you needed to be very a much a forward thinker. You also had to know which battles to pick as well as keeping the future in mind. It wasn’t simply a matter of win or go home as most sports in the states were. I had to keep what was best for the team in mind. Not just for the 09 season, but for future years as well. We had to do well in Amgen, that much I knew. Our sponsorship deal with American Express hindered upon that. As of course did our bonus. Not to mention their were going to be a lot of big league names at Amgen. It was important to see how we held up against them in our current state of fitness. I decided that while Langkawi was important, it would serve our purpose better to send our younger riders there for the experience while our larger names would head to California.
Next up…….. Langkawi…..
OOC: FYI. It may or may not be a few days before my Next post in the story. So if and when it goes silent this week, don't think I've given up writing the story. I have to go in for exploritory surgery regarding my Chron's Desease on Thur... Which means Medicine on Wed (which I am not sure or not if I'll feel like playing and writing) . So I will have to take a short break until I feel well enough to sit down and play the game and type at the PC. But I WILL be back .
They were nervous, that was understandable. The newness of it all added to their young age, it was only natural. Heck I knew the goal wasn’t to win, but to gain the experience…and I was still nervous. I smiled slightly at the group…
“I know you’ll all try your best to do well, and that is what is important. I have faith in you, otherwise I wouldn’t have signed you. So let’s all take a deep breath, and enjoy the show. Most people don’t leave the country where they were born…and yet here we are. Let’s take a minute to enjoy this moment. Most of you have worked your entire lives towards this goal….you’re here. This is the show. You’re Professional Cyclists. You’re living your dreams…. So enjoy this moment, You’ve earned it.”
I turned and walked from the tent, leaving the riders to their last minute preparations. I would only be at the Tour in person for a couple of days, then it would be back to the states where I would have to run everything via satellite and computers as I turned my attention also towards the Amgen tour of California. However I had wanted to personally get a closer look at those whom I’d foreseen as being part of the Future success of TMR.
For the race I had chosen
Hatanaka
C. House
C. Bofaniti
J. Chodroff
M. Chedhomme
G. Janorschke
C. Harold
C. Lansing.
I’d placed J. Chodroff in the role, interested in seeing how he handled the responsibility and worked with the other riders. I only hoped it would pay off.
As for strategy, I had only given the group one goal…take the first sprint if possible. Other then that their only remaining goal was simple, finish the race. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the set up of the course. After the first sprint at 68k, the next would come 61 k later at 109. But the sprints were the least of my fears. I was more worried about the three mountain stages at 127,158, and 167.….less then 6k from the finish line. The riders were young, and still a long way from being in tip top condition. My inner fear was that come the mountain, it would prove to much for them. One wouldn’t have been so bad, but three set pretty much one after another…. I was afraid they would find themselves overwhelmed. I was almost afraid, I would watch my entire team drop out of the tour by the end of the first day. I calmed my inner fears slightly. After all these were professionals we were talking about. I’d signed them for a reason….I just had to have faith that the potential I had seen in them, was justified.
I was pleasantly surprised at how the team handled themselves from the very beginning of the race. Sticking together. Even as others would break off in attacks, they would display patience and not counter. Knowing there was still a lot of race to run.
Even as the Kilometers clicked slowly by, they continued to be patient, working together as a team. Even when they finally did chose to begin making their move forward to take the first sprint, they still continued to work together as a team.
They surprised the lead group had been 1’42” out about 2.7k out. Waiting, patiently for the right moment as to not spook the group.
Charging forward at the appropriate moment, Chedhomme managed to move forward lightning quick, managing to steal away the first Print position from T. Simon and J Cheng.”
“Good Job….Good Job. Now settle down boys, we still have a long way to go.”
Sure enough the team settled down and rode a steady pace, allowing the Pelaton to catch them and ignoring the group of riders whom had broken away and would eventually build a lead of over 5 minutes. Even as E. Sokolov, F. Willmann and S, Masciarelli took the second sprint, they didn’t panic…continuing instead to cut the lead before them. It was down to 4’13, and they were continuing to steadily move forward. And even as S. Masciarelli, J Simon and A. Paleo took the first mountain, I was pleasantly surprised that as the Pelaton still continued to move towards the crest of the mountain on what was the steepest of the three, our riders were still hanging in.
However it soon became evident that the grade had taken it’s toll on several riders. Chedhomme, Hatanaka and Chodroff still hung in with the front with the Pelaton..
Whereas, the others had fallen back, with House, Lansing and Janorshke bringing up the rear.
I had to admire their fighting spirit as they refused to go off quietly into the night, and fought to continue to stay with the pack.
Eventually however with two mountains still left to cover, they would find themselves dropping back, but not once did they show any signs of giving up. Meanwhile at the front of the Pelaton, the other riders continued to hold their own at the front as they crossed over the bridge.
The group would continue onward as they continued to close the gap between themselves and the second Mountain stage winners S. Masciarelli, B. Leukemans and G, Visconti. However once again they mountain stage would claim more victims, and Chedhomme would find himself left alone at the front of the Pelaton. The lead of lead group though now cut down to a mere 22”. Evan as P. Leukmans, Visconti and Simeoni claimed the final mountain stage, Chedhomme was closing in the gap.
He would pass several riders as he made his charge forward. Even with there being many before him, his spirit would not lose quietly. And even though he was surrounded by several as he crossed the finish line,
I still felt redeemed that day. For all our riders had finished and that had been our main objective. What I wasn’t prepared for was the surprise that awaited me. As the current standings appeared Chedhomme….. Had Taken 4rth n the standings!!!!!!! And the white Jersey….
Stage Standings
1) G. Visconti ISD
2) F. Simeoni FLM
3) B.De Waele LAN
4) B. Loukemans VAC
5) J. Pimienta MCO
6) B. Traksel VAC
7) S. Delfosse LAN
8) S. Nys LAN
9) J. Guarnieri LIQ
10) R. Haselbacher VBG
113) M Chedhomme TMR
131) Y. Hatanaka TMR
132) J. Chodroff TMR
136) C. Bonfanti TMR
137) C. Harold TMR
138) C. House TMR
139) C. Lansing TMR
140) G. Janorschke TMR
Current Standings
1) G. Visconti ISD
2) F. Simeoni FLM 8”
3) B.De Waele LAN 12” 4) M. Chedhomme TMR 14”
5) E. Sokolov BBO 14”
6) J. Simon BCS 16”
7) F. Wilmann TMB 16”
8) S. Mascuarelli ASA 18”
9) B. Leukemans VAC 20”
10) J. Pimienta MCO 20”
132) Y. Hatanaka TMR 3’43”
133) J. Chodroff TMR 3”43”
136) C. Bonfanti TMR 7’11”
137) C. Harold TMR 7’11”
138) C. House TMR 7’11”
139) C. Lansing TMR 7’54”
140) G. Janorschke TMR 7’54”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
Well Day one hadn’t turned out exactly as I had thought it would have, and that had been a good thing. Never would I have thought that one of the rookies would have been in the top ten. And yet, Chedhomme had gone and done it thanks to his catching the points in the first sprint. Even though the rest of the team had struggled, I was proud of their effort. Thing was, could they continue to hold up under the current conditions? I’d changed the role of leadership, handing it over to Chedhomme. He’d earned it the day before. I did call in Chodroff beforehand, and explained it was nothing personal. Chodroff had done a great job of keeping everyone on the same page and had had a part in helping Chedhomme move up. Surprisingly, the young man took it well. Agreeing with me that the team needed to concentrate on doing what it could to help Chedhomme continue to hold his position. Chedhomme had the best chance of all the riders currently. I thanked Chodroff for his understanding and told him to be patient, other leadership opportunities would come his way. With that accomplished, the rest of the team came in and we began planning the days strategy, though once again there really wasn’t much to it. The goal once again was to try to take the first sprint if possible, and finish the race…hopefully with the riders in better positions then they currently were.
For me as an owner, that was the most important part of them being in the tour. Whether they knew it or not, they were continuing to be scouted by me regarding their future in the organization. It was important to me that no matter what travesty the faced, no matter how good or badly they did…..that they continued to strive to improve. Many of them had just been given their contracts without any scouting at all. Just a few names to me that fit within the price budget to make the team official. Something done after all the main talent had been signed …little money remained and spots had to be filled. I wasn’t just judging their future appearances in races for the year, but their very futures with TMR.
The race was going to be considerable warmer then the first. The first day the group had had to contend with a cool 77f/25c. Today was going to be a rough 93f/34c. Luckily there was no Mountains, just a basic straightaway with three sprints. However I wasn’t exactly sure if that was a good thing since many other teams had powerful sprinters. Right from the start there were several breakaway and it seemed like in no time at all we had four groups ahead of the Pelaton and our team. However the riders kept their heads, staying with the front of the Pelaton and not pursuing those ahead of them.
This was a wise call as at the moment the Pelaton was moving rather quickly. The groups would gradually splinter up, but the team and Pelaton would catch up with all but one. It contained about 20 riders, but hadn’t made much progress putting distance between the two groups. In fact by the time our riders made their charge forward, the lead had been cut down to under a minute. Once again just as it had the day before, the team was a vision of unity as it made it’s charge.
The riders managed to overtake the lead group. However in the final 10k to the marker, it would become a constant battle of attacks and counter attacks between all of the 28 riders within the group, including all members of the TMR team. Every member of the team fought hard, but in the end the first sprint stage would go to S. Laengen, A Fantini and D. Grabowskyy. The team quickly regrouped, allowing themselves to get overtaken by the Pelaton. If they were disappointed, they didn’t show it. As for myself, I was slightly. I knew that every second the team could gain would be needed for them to obtain decent finishes. I had known it would have been a lot to ask two days in a row, but had hoped. While they were allowing themselves to be overtaken by the Pelaton, the forward group had splintered into two separate groups and gained a 3’06” lead. They forward groups were moving rather quickly and soon were well over 5 minutes ahead of us. The Pelaton wasted little time in responding by quickening the pace. I turned to one of the trainers in the backseat….
“What you think, can they do it? Or should I have them stay with Visconti?”
“Hard to tell? Maybe…. Doubtful…. I don’t know really?”
I groaned…thanks for the help…..NOT!. I looked back at the computer display regarding the time difference…it was slowly going down. I keyed the mic…
“Your call Chedhomme….”
The group began to spring forward as he had decided to attempt to overtake the lead group. As I watched them, I noticed that despite their effort, they really weren’t getting anywhere very quickly. In fact it seemed they weren’t making much progress at all, the Pelaton staying pretty much caught up with them. I clicked a few buttons on the lap top, calling up the official time displays, then keyed the mic…
“ Forget it guys, they’re too far added. Stick with Visconti…he breaks, you break.”
About half way into the race, I took a few moments to take in the view as the riders came back to refill their bottles. That was the sad things about being the team manager. Usually I would be so busy from the moment we arrived, to the moment that we left I’d have little time to enjoy the beauty of our surroundings. The second sprint would go to A. Moletta, E Rossi and W, Mol. The third came up with our team sticking with the Pelaton. The lead group still had a lead upon us, but at the current rate I figured we would overtake them before the finish line. W. Mol, R. Baumann and A. Moletto would take the final sprint. We had 48 K left to go. I watched as the forward group would splinter into 3. I found myself reliving the last time something like that had happened to us. The very thing that had cost us our lead at Down Under. It took several seconds to push away the fear of it happening again, and not give in to the fear. Stick with the game plan I reminded myself. Don’t panic. I found my thoughts interrupted and the fear pushed aside as my earpiece came alive and more important matters took my attention. We were only 23k from the finish line, but the teams water bottles were completely empty. I rubbed my forehead and groaned. Great….just great. Despite the fact I didn’t like it one bit… especially this close to the finish, I ordered the group back. I didn’t feel there was much choice in the matter. The last thing I needed happening with the heat outside was having something happening to the riders due to lack of water. By 14k out the team was back at the front of the Pelaton and the group had overtaken the breakaway. The group stayed like it had been in the prior days race, close and bunched together as they reached the 5k marker. Somewhere within the pack 6 riders would take a tumble. The fall included Lefevire and Codol. Well You always hate to see something like that happen during the course of the race, and so close to the finish line….at the same time I was thrilled that it hadn’t included any of the TMR riders. Unfortunately because of it I would later learn that it had caused Aiter Perez Arrieta to withdraw. As the group closed in upon the finish line, it was obvious once again that there would be a massive charge and closely nit finishing group. I found myself wondering as they surged forward just exactly how well out time had held up.
Wow, I thought to myself as the numbers appeared….. We still had someone in the top ten, and still held the white jersey…. A lot better then I had expected when we first arrived….
Stage Standings
1) A. Van Groen VAC
2) R. Ferrari LPR
3) R. Haselbacher VBG
4) B. Traksel VAC
5) B. Cooke VAC
6) J. Guarnieri LIQ
7)R. Garcia MIE
8) M. Khalilov FLM
9) K. Szczawinski MIE
10) M. Guinti MIE
61) J. Chodroff TMR
63) Y. Hatanaka TMR
64) M Chedhomme TMR
79) C. Bonfanti TMR
117) C. Harold TMR
118) C. Lansing TMR
135) C. House TMR
137) G. Janorschke TMR
Current Standings
1) G. Visconti ISD
2) A. Van Groen VAC 0”
3) R. Ferrari LPR 8”
4) F. Simeoni FLM 8”
5) R. Haselbacher VBG 12”
6) B. De Waele LAM 12”
7) W. Mol VAC 12”
8) A. Moletta MIE 12” 9) M. Chedhomme TMR 14”
10) R. Baumann TLS 16”
131) J. Chodroff TMR 3”43”
132) Y. Hatanaka TMR 3’43”
135) C. Bonfanti TMR 7’11”
136) C. Harold TMR 9‘23”
137) C. Lansing TMR 10‘06”
138) C. House TMR 10‘28”
139) G. Janorschke TMR 11‘11”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
The team was feeling good about themselves, and I couldn’t blame them. They had performed better then I had expected. True, their performances were far from spectacular, But they were in it. I hadn’t expected any of the riders to be in the top 25, much less the top ten. And yet there was Chedhomme, doing exactly that. Wouldn’t it be something if he finished in the top ten… I let out a sigh as I pushed the dream aside and reached for the course map. We were still a long way from even being able to look at that dream. 6 days away from it to be exact. We needed to concentrate upon the day at hand. Though I was pleased. All of the team members had done better on day two then they had the first day, and that in itself was a small victory. However today was going to be another grueling day and test for them. We were looking at 207 k of basic straightaway with sprints set at 36,86 and 116. I’d pretty much written off the final sprint. It was my hope that the team would manage to take one of the first two, but I also realized in all likelihood it probably wouldn’t happen. The teams breaking away and sprinting had been extremely weak the previous day, and I wasn’t feeling 100% comfortable that they could turn it around. I was more concerned with them continuing to stay caught up with the pack come the finish line. Today would Mark the 1/3 point of the tour…. And I was more concerned with them still being there on the final day riding fairly strong, Then spending all their energy now and losing whatever momentum they gained in the days to come. The fact that the wind was also kicking up, already blowing at 35 K concerned me as well. The wind itself would prove a challenge for the young riders.
As we arrived in the team van to the team area, it didn’t take long to discover to major things had happened overnight as the team had rested up. Aiter Perez Arrieta’s injury had proven to be worse then first thought. He had fractured his kneecap and would be out till May. The bigger news was the fact that Martin Kohler had been placed on suspension till April due to Doping. I have to admit I was surprised. Surprised by the fact he had received such a light sentence (could have sworn I set the time to 2-5 years ). Needless to say this started to quickly become of discussion between our team of young riders and I was quick to put an end to the distracting topic of discussions as whom would be next in the scandal, and made the boys become focus upon the task at hand.
As the race started, our riders were at the front of the pack. However as I feared earlier, the wind was already beginning to factor itself in as it mercilessly blew the riders of the pelaton back and forth across the road. The riders would watch as first one, then two other groups would breakaway from the group. The first group would only manage a 1’04 lead, when our riders chose to make a break for it. They would quickly charge forward
Overtaking one group, then another and finally coming even with the lead group containing 3 riders. What ensued next was a classic battle of attacks and counter attacks, Sprints and counter sprints. In the end though Team Martenson racing would fall just short of its goal in taking the first sprint. Instead it was taken by F. Wilman, A. Labbe and A. Paleo. They couldn’t be to down on themselves though, they had fought well in their attempt. The team slowed it’s pace as the wind kicked up to 40K, allowing the Pelaton to catch up with them. Despite the fact that their now were two groups ahead of them and they were fighting against the wind, the group was slowly cutting away at the lead. As the wind picked up, now at 43K the lead group broke away slightly, increasing their lead. As A. Paleo, A. Labbe and S. Masiarelli took the second sprint, their lead had grown to 2’20”. The wind would slowly die down to 31K as the riders drew near to the final sprint marker. They were still over 116k from the finish line, and the lead had grown to over 5’00” but I wasn’t worried. The group was working well with the Pelaton.
As Labbe, S. Masiarelli and A. Paleo took the sprint with a lead of 5’37 on the other riders…I knew it was a simple matter of the waiting game. There was still well over a half of the race to run, and the Pelaton had picked it’s pace up slightly. Just enough not to overly excurt themselves, but enough to begin cutting away at the lead. Apparently everyone of the events riders in the pelaton had the same Idea, and I watched as Chodroff and Chedhomme road almost casually besides the current event leader G. Visconti holding a conversation. By the time I decided to call them back for their final exchange of water bottles, they had cut the lead to 3’00” By the time they had returned to the front of the Pelaton, the leaders had split into 3 separate groups, and two had been captured by the Pelaton. The leaders now only had 1’37” lead. The wind had picked up to 38k. I was proud of our team. Over 160k behind them and they were still working together. I began thinking maybe things were going to go our way this time. However as usual, just as I think it…the fates yell WRONG…..HAHAHA…. This time their plot to dash my hopes came in the form of the wind becoming a head wind and picking up to 49k. I watched as it slowly took affect. First sapping their strength, then blowing their helpless bodies towards the back of the pelaton. It happened slowly, claiming one victim…then another…then another. Until only Chodroff and Chedhomme remained. My head bowed forward as my mind processed the fact that today would yet be another day of close…but not quite. Having seen Chedhomme struggle the final several kilometers, I didn’t need a time clock to tell me he had likely lost his top ten spot. Though surprisingly, he would still manage to hold on to his white jersey…
Stage Standings
1) J. Benitez MCO
2) B. Traskel VAC
3) R. Haselbacher VBG
4) M. Biondo FLM
5) K. Szczawiniski MIE
6) J. Guarnieri LIQ
7) P. Tondo MIE
8) A. Van Groen VAC
9) F. Pacheco MCO
10) R. Weissinger
75) M Chedhomme TMR
84) J. Chodroff TMR
125) Y. Hatanaka TMR
126) C. Harold TMR
130) C. Bonfanti TMR
135) C. Lansing TMR
136) C. House TMR
137) G. Janorschke TMR
Current Standings
1) J. Benitez MCO
2) G. Visconti ISD 0”
3) A. Van Groen VAC 0”
4) R. Haselbacher VBG 4”
5) B. Traksel VAC 8”
6) R. Ferrari LPR 8”
7) F. Simeoni FLM 8”
8) B. De Waele LAN 12”
9) W. Mol VAC 12”
10) A. Moletta MIE 12”
11) M. Chedhomme TMR 14”
121) J. Chodroff TMR 3”43”
132) Y. Hatanaka TMR 7’44”
135) C. Bonfanti TMR 11‘56”
136) C. Harold TMR 13‘24”
137) C. Lansing TMR 16‘43”
138) C. House TMR 17’05”
139) G. Janorschke TMR 17‘48”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
I looked up from the laptop, a puzzled look upon my face. I was at the airports VIP lounge in Pittsburgh, awaiting my connecting flight to California. I was also awaiting the feed to start with the race in Langkawi. I’d left Elia Castillo watching over the riders while I headed back to the states for Amgen Tour of California. I was in direct contact with Elia Via messenger, and would be relaying instructions to him that way as the race progressed. However what the blond sitting across from me had said, had torn my attention away. I blinked several times…
“Excuse me”
The woman smiled slightly, her eyes hidden behind her sunglasses
“I said, Why doesn’t your team have any female riders? Don’t you think we can cut it?’
I raised my eyebrows slightly.
“Do I know you?”
The woman slowly took off her sunglasses and shot me a serious look
“Is that your way of avoiding my question?”
I smiled as I recognized exactly whom it was I was speaking with…
“No, I’m not avoiding the question Ms. Hatch. I just prefer to know whom it is exactly I am speaking to. Especially with how critical the press have been of me and my team lately”
And whom exactly it was I was speaking with was Elizabeth Hatch. Founding member of Vanderkitten Racing, currently riding with the female team System Data.
“Please, call me Liz. And you’re not answering my question.”
I looked down to check upon the race status, we still had some time before the start. I gestures Liz over to the table. Once she had sat down I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders slightly.
“Probably because the only riders whom the commission allowed me to pick from were all male.”
“And why was that?”
That was a good question. (Yeah why PCM & Cyanide…no female riders or teams???)
“That you’d have to ask them Liz. Most likely because despite all of the progress women have made, there are still those out there of a chavinistique attitude. “
She cocked her head to the side slightly
“What about you? Would you have females on your team?”
I gave her question a moment of thought before responding.
“If I felt they were the best person for the position, yeah I would. “
“Even with all the flak you would catch for it?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that.
“Liz, I’ve caught nothing but flack since the very day I created TMR, Why should having a woman on the team be any different. “
She laughed slightly.
“Truth of the matter Liz, is this sport like any other is full of Male Ego’s. No man in any sport wants to have to acknowledge maybe a woman is better. That’s why their solution is to create a woman’s division in just about everything.“
“And what exactly is your viewpoint?‘”
I thought about it for several seconds before speaking.
“It’s the same as when I was in the military. If a woman can do the same job, to the same standards… Fine. But no preferential treatment. They should have to pass the same tests, meet the same standards without being catered to. Bullet’s don’t stop flying in a battle zone just because a woman is present….and in the same sense attacks won’t be put on hold during a race because of gender either. If women want to compete with the male riders, I’m all for it…but it has to be on even ground.”
“That sounds fair, think the commission will ever allow it?”
I shook my head
“Highly doubt it. At least not in my lifetime probably. Too much old boys club.. Your talking about countries very steeped in old traditions and viewpoints.. And despite all the progress women may have made over the years, that still remains. The male ego couldn’t handle someone of feminine nature beating say Contador, Valverde or even an Armstrong. That’s why they created the Women’s division of the tours…to appease you“
“To get us to shut up you mean Basically …. OK you can race…just not against us”
I Shrugged my shoulders
“ Yeah, pretty much. It’s that way in all sports though. What Brings you to Pittsburgh anyways?“
“Actually I’m just waiting on a connecting flight. Heading back to California to do some promoting for the Vanderkittens and System Data during Amgen, You?”
“ Amgen also…“
Just then I noticed the race was beginning. I explained to her I wasn’t being rude but needed to pay attention to what was going on. She asked if she could stay and watch. I didn’t have a problem with it and she scooted her chair closer to get a better view.
As far as the race goes, During the course of it, I found myself distracted at several points. Between trying to run the race from the bar and all of the distractions that came from it, and the moment my wifi unceremoniously went south, and the ensuing 1hr long phone call to take to get the situation fixed…. It soon became a very frustrating situation.
The wind wouldn’t play a major factor, being it was only 5k and wouldn’t rise over 8. The bots looked tired, not as rested as they had been in past days. This was also the opinion of Elia. We’d decided to have the group attempt to take the first sprint. As the race started, I had to admit the group was still continuing to work well with one another.
I watched as the group rode a steady pace towards that first sprint, then watched as they and Elia showed their greenness as they made a rookie mistake….. They hesitated. I understood what they were doing, trying to avoid the common too soon = too late. However their hesitation, despite all their hard work, proved to be their undoing.
The first sprint would go to A. Morton, V. Duma and S. Vold. The lead group would build a lead to 2’36”, when the wifi connection went down. (True story…internet went off on the boys while I was playing, would be distracted from game while on the phone lol) This lead to my stress level going thru the roof as I found myself juggling the art of multitasking. I spent time on my phone waiting on hold to see what had happened, while attempting to direct the team via texting on Liz’s, whom had been sweet enough to help out. During this time the lead group would build their breakaway to 1’36” and the second sprint would go to G. East, V. Duma and A. Morton. Extremely frustrated, I hoped that the group would continue to hold to the game plan of staying with the group. By the time we finally got the computer link restored, M. Heberg, G. East and V. Duma had managed to take the third Sprint. Our riders however had stuck with the game plan of staying with the Pelaton. They had also taken over the first of the two breakaway groups and cut the lead between themselves and the other 9 riders down to a minute. The group would catch-up and it would yet be once again a mad dash for the finish by a close nit group. And once again I would watch as our riders legs weren’t up to par with many of their competitors. They gave their best, but in the end I would watch as they struggled and as Chedhomme would lose his white jersey by a margin of 4”.
I found myself hoping that the team would not become to discouraged in the days to come. There still were a lot of days to come and to become down upon themselves at this point, could have disastrous effects. Hearing my flight being called, I discovered that Liz would be upon the same flight. Closing the laptop we’d walk together to the gate together discussing the race and other aspects of cycling…..
Stage Results
1) B. Traskel VAC
2) R. Ferrari LPR
3) S. Maringangeli LPR
4) R. Haselbacher VBG
5) J. Benitez MCO
6) M. Khalilov FLM
7) K. Szczawiniski MIE
8) J. Jergensen CPI
9) A. D’Aniello FLM
10) B. Cooke VAC
63) C. Harold TMR
66) Y. Hatanaka TMR
86) C. Bonfanti TMR
88) M Chedhomme TMR
93) J. Chodroff TMR
111) C. House TMR
130) C. Lansing TMR
131) G. Janorschke TMR
Current Standings
1) B. Traksel VAC
2) R. Ferrari LPR 8”
3) J. Benitez MCO 12”
4) G. Visconti ISD 12”
5) A. Van Groen VAC 12”
6) R. Haselbacher VBG 16”
7) F. Simeoni FLM 20”
8) V. Duma FLM 22”
9) G. East TLS 22”
10) S. Marinangeli LPR 24”
15) M. Chedhomme TMR 26”
117) J. Chodroff TMR 3”55”
130) Y. Hatanaka TMR 7’56”
135) C. Bonfanti TMR 12‘08”
136) C. Harold TMR 13‘36”
137) C. House TMR 17’17”
138) C. Lansing TMR 19‘17”
139) G. Janorschke TMR 20‘22”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
I smiled as I hung up the phone. Liz had called to inform me that later in the day She and the Vanderkittens would stop by. She had been interested in taking a tour of the operations of the team and she along with the other members of Vanderkitten would be stopping by. We’d even made arrangements for them to take a ride along the first stage of the course along with our riders during our morning practice. I hoped it would help our riders turn their attention from the pre race hype and allow them to be more relaxed. A sigh escaped my lips as I turned my attention back to the computer. Almost Race time in Langkawi.
This would be the last time I’d personally have anything to do with the race there. My attention would be directed towards the upcoming Amgen, and I would have to count upon Elia Castillo to make the right choices during the final days of Langkawi. Amgen was too important of a race to us both as a team and a racing organization for me to have my attention diverted elsewhere. Last thing I needed was for lack of sleep to blur my judgments. I was sure our sponsors had to be getting nervous with our lack of forward progress lately, and with Amgen being one of the years goals, we really needed to hit the target right in the center of the bull’s-eye. That wouldn’t be an easy task considering it seemed that all the big names were going to be here. With a sigh I forced my thoughts away from Amgen for the time being. I knew enough of my attention would be spent upon that in the days to come. Instead I turned attention towards the riders we had at Lankgawi.
To look at the current standings and only those, it would have been easy to get depressed. They were after all pretty dismal. However as I rifled through the papers and stats of each rider in preparation for the race, I felt things didn’t look exactly as dismal as they seemed if you kept your attention pointed towards the long run. There were rays of sunshine and possible hope to be found. Chedhomme wasn’t riding spectacular. However I also knew we had another 2 years at least two work with him, and fates willing he showed the potential of becoming a great rider. In fact, with the exception of one or two riders, I felt that there was great chances for future development. Of those present, only three names were upon the possible chopping block and would be scrutinized over the coming months to see if their performance improved. And luckily for me as an owner, of those three only one had a contract going beyond this year. At least if they hadn’t improved by the end of the season, I could easily cut them lose and fill their spots with other potential prospects. It would have been easy to be down on myself and them for their performance, however this had been meant as an evaluation period and had produced some fruitful results.
It would be yet another day of flat, fast paced straight-aways with Sprint markers at 25, 42 and 90 upon the 140k course. I pretty much had a feeling it would play out as it had in previous days. Yet another day of everyone bunched together, sprinting for the finish line. I was in no way prepared for how the day would actually play out.
In the pre race prep I had done with Elia, we had decided upon two course of actions. Chedhomme had been struggling ever since the first day I had placed him under the role of leader. We both decided to free him of that burden. Returning the roll to Chodroff and leaving Chedhomme free we felt was the best course of action. We secondly had decided to make an attempt to go all out for the first sprint. Saving just enough energy in case we failed in the first one, two go after the second which was only 17k further. We decided to go hard, rest 30 seconds and go hard in regard to the sprints. As the race started the attacks began and the TMR riders waited until the appropriate moment to strike It would once again turn out to be a case of attack, counter attack. Sprint Counter Sprint
Unfortunately our boys wouldn’t be successful in getting the first sprint. That would go to C. Stevenson, F. Wilman and A. VanGroen. However as we had discussed earlier, our riders pressed forward, attempting to get the second sprint.
And again we would be unsuccessful. This time it going to P. Muto, E. Sokolov and A. Paleo. It wasn’t until our riders settled down around Traskel in the yellow Jersey and the wind kicked up to 49K that I realized something………. Our boys weren’t in the Pelaton, but still a part of the breakaway group. In fact by the time b. Traskel, R. Ferrari and F. Williams took the third sprint 50k later, not only did the breakaway group still exist, but held a 7’39” lead that was still quickly increasing. The TMR riders continued to hold tough to the best of their ability. But gradually the front group would begin to splinter into a total of 10 groups. Our tired riders slowly falling back , but still an extremely large 10’29” between the Pelaton and the back of the breakaway groups. As the Finish line grew near, it was clear that the Pelaton would not manage to catch up. And even though our boys didn’t cross the finish line first, they had just ran their best race of the series to date, and I couldn‘t have been prouder of them.
Stage Standings
1) B. Traskel VAC
2) J. Benitez MCO
3) R. Ferrari LPR
4) J. Guarnieri LIQ
5) R. Haselbacher VBG
6) A. Paleo KGZ
7) G. East TLS
8) T. Palmer DPC
9) S. Laengen TMB
10) E. Sokolov BBO
26) J. Chodroff TMR
28) Y. Hatanaka TMR
29) C. Bonfanti TMR
30) M Chedhomme TMR
31) C. Harold TMR
32) C. House TMR
33) G. Janorschke TMR
34) C. Lansing TMR
Current Standings
1) B. Traksel VAC
2) R. Ferrari LPR 22”
3) J. Benitez MCO 26”
4) R. Haselbacher VBG 42”
5) J. Guarnieri LIQ 58”
6) G. East TLS 1‘17”
7) A. Gufler VBG 1‘27”
8) A. Humbert DPC 1’27”
9) B. Bradshaw TLS 1‘27”
10) T. Palmer 1‘27”
20) M. Chedhomme TMR 6‘23”
21) J. Chodroff TMR 7‘02”
112) Y. Hatanaka TMR 13‘14”
132) C. Bonfanti TMR 18‘05”
134) C. Harold TMR 20‘14”
137) C. House TMR 27‘01”
138) C. Lansing TMR 29‘01”
139) G. Janorschke TMR 30‘06”
"A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents. You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.” Axel Merckx
. So I will have to take a short break until I feel well enough to sit down and play the game and type at the PC. But I WILL be back 
