Tour of Yemen 21h

[NoPikouze]

Since there is no 22h edition, I will have to start with the 21 lamos and probably miss some stage-starts.

Still, I have no clue what my challengers will be, at this time. Probably a bunch of losers.

The team is flying today to Doha International Airport and from there will cycle to Aden in Yemen.

10 riders will take part in the trip. But their identity won't be revealed yet. Yes, of course it's just to create the buzz and attract some paparazzi to our departure.

[RS Ostfriesland]

RS Ostfriesland is also starting at 21h.
LineUp still unclear.

And hi nopik from a 21h lamo!

[NoPikouze]

The team arrived in Oman late in the night. With some reservists, of course.

We had money to book 12 plane tickets and camels. So, here we are with...
¤1 Mirjaqip, the mute gc leader. His plans are still a secret to everyone.
Matt Saracen, the classic guy. Wants to get fit for the spring season here. And help Mirjaqip, a little bit.
Maksim Zavarov, the other classic guy. He will be helpfull for the TTT. Oh wait, that idiotic Senor Petit didn't chose the right setting when he designed the race.
Patrick Bruel, leader for the flat stages. He doesn't intend to win anything, as usual. He mostly just enjoys having a close view of what happens with the other stars in a mass-sprint.

The choice of 5 other riders remains open amongst Hagenaar, Boomhut, Kelderman, Nosrati, Lemansky, Lefebvre, Broyles, Boomhut.
The team will probably go for cheap.

After a good cup of coffee with the local camelfuckers, the riders started their journey through desert. Som might think this wasn't the best organization ever, but actually, most of the team had a 2 weeks break before joining this tour, and they needed to work a bit on their condition.
Around 11am, they arrive in Yemen. Unfortunately, the poor Maksim was involved in an accident, when an asian elephant suddenly showed up at the corner of a sandhill and ran into his bike. Thus, he hurted his knee pretty badly, and is really uncertain of starting the race tonight. I feel really bad for the guy, since I promised he could finally ride something important. Maksim: "Yeah I've hurt my knee, but I'm still able to ride. I'm starting to think the manager doesn"t believe in my abilities. Perhaps should I look for another team before the season starts"
Time for a relaxing shower, a short beautysleep, and at 21 the riders will be ready to kick ass.
481k, is that too much ?

[Pokemon Club]

Pika pika ! Pokemon Club arrive this morning in Yemen with 9 riders :

Damian vonSchlins : the leaders for this tour
Oleg Hanaev : the classic, helpers number one
Oscar Cardozo : young classic, here to take escape in mountain/middle mountain stage
Haruka Morishima : young classic too, he is here to listen
Joe Fooliki : the old man, here to take points in flat race
Willi Müller : an helper, here to take escape in flat stage
Marco Polonia: an helper, here for flat stage
Vincent Muratori : an helper
Orihime Inoue : an helper

The team is ready for fight ! pika pika !

[RS Ostfriesland]

Here is the final line up for RS Ostfriesland:

#1 Oisin OShea --> Leader of the team
#2 Angel Mendoza --> Oisins helper #1
#3 Tohil Perez --> Oisins helper #2
#4 Jonas Loerts --> Oisins helper #3
#5 Tadhg MacConmara --> young classic helper
#6 Kün Paynal --> hilly helper
#7 Steve Bibby --> flat helper
#8 Leon Juarez --> flat and downhill helper
9# Ferdinand Sparwasser --> the downhill monster

Only two targets for the team: Oisin go for top5 and take some money. *g*
521k salary for the team. But hey, i hope for some nice action!

[RS Ostfriesland]

First stage over.

Easy win for Team Gismo with Miguel Rodrigo.
High tempo on the last mountain and an attack from Fernando Tirado. Mostly all mountain rider try to close the gap to Tirado on the mountain. The only classic rider who can follow the big tempo was Rodrigo. Oisin OShea waited for his classic helpers. After the mountain the classic riders from RS Ostfriesland controlled the tempo in the back and catched nearly all escapers. Only Rodrigo and Tirado finish before the big group of the favos. An attack on the last kilometer from OShea to put some opponents under reg was successfull.

Here is my outlook for the rest of the tour:

GC:
***** Damian von Schlins
**** Jacob Ammersfort, Oisin OShea
*** Santiago Ibanez
** Fernando Tirado, Javier Figeroa
* A surprise

Mountain
***** Fernando Tirado
****
*** Another mountain rider
** Classic escaper
* A surprise

Sprint
Dont know

White
***** Javier Figueroa
****Mirjaqip Qoshqarbaev, Michel Rasmussen

[Robyklebt]

Didn't see anything, but have to mention that Radler is a Höseler. Only one of his 2 stars?

[Pokemon Club]

After the second stage, maybe we can say that you are at least as strong than me RS Ostfrisland ^^

[RS Ostfriesland]

Maybe...
But im little scared about Jacob.

[NoPikouze]

Second stage.

After I missed the first stage, I had no clue about what was going on and decided to send a helper in the breakaway.

Then, a downhill sieb showed us that the main contenders from yesterday were not fit today. Meaning, Rodrigo from Gismo especially (a 78 79 guy with 60 sprint).
Ostfriesland, the only big classic team of the peloton, decided to go for the stage and did a perfect chase with catching the 4-man group after more than 250kms.
After a couple of siebs and climber attacks on the 30 last hilly kms of the race, mainly by Pokemon's schindler and his flatrider, and by Mirjaqip who got blocked by radler the höseler, there were 2 pelotons. The first one with the climbers, 3 classics of RSO and 2 of mine.
After some kms of tempo by RSO, i knew who had to be his leader today and followed him with my strongest.
He attacks at 4km, the group gets swallowed by the next one, and Wilco Kelderman wins the balanced duel on the +4 sprint !

He still has what it takes !

[RS Ostfriesland]

Jonas was not my leader. Trust me! All 4 riders the last km without helpers and everybody is riding for his own race.
The end was just as i said at the beginning of the race. Wilco would win it. Was the same race as yesterday. Some mountain rider try to get away and my classics close the gap.
But i know that Wilco would be on Jonas, so its really ok for me, that you won this one.

[NoPikouze]

But, perhaps I wouldn't have been able to follow jonas or your 75 guy on a 4% if you attacked there.

[Rasmussenbank]

i was following him with rasmussen as well.. he would have gotten followed by him if he attacked 4%

[RS Ostfriesland]

Every km someone was on my riders wheel. For sure, the rest of the tour it will be the same. But hey, fuck off stages

[NoPikouze]

On 4 and 5% its hard to follow most of the time, because you need both flat and berg...

Anyway, we need more posts to kick those 15h jerks' asses!

[RS Ostfriesland]

On the 4% you dont follow i guess. But on the last three km someone else would be in tempo to block. On the flat i was alone in tempo, so my chances are bigger to build a bigger gap. I attacked the yellow jersey with Jonas, cause i hoped he was strong enough. But seven seconds still missing and today one of the mountain rider will take the yellow jersey, but today i will not work for the success of others.

[NoPikouze]

How unexpected! With all those stronger classics around...
At 36 i'm really proud to achive my 10th win in this kind of race. People say I would not deserve to be the classic rider of the year... Puh they have no clue. I've been winning during the whole season withput exceptionnal finishing skills.

[RS Ostfriesland]

word!

[Pokemon Club]

On the 4% you dont follow i guess. But on the last three km someone else would be in tempo to block. On the flat i was alone in tempo, so my chances are bigger to build a bigger gap. I attacked the yellow jersey with Jonas, cause i hoped he was strong enough. But seven seconds still missing and today one of the mountain rider will take the yellow jersey, but today i will not work for the success of others.

For the success of other no, but for your success you can maybe !

[RS Ostfriesland]

Maybe. You can see it later.

[NoPikouze]

I'm launching a new sub-topic, the Quote Of The Day. Everyday the most memorable moment of the chat will be quoted here, for the poor bastards who cant follow the live race.

Quote Of The Day #1

RS Ostfriesland: its my face, that you see
RS Ostfriesland: take a look at ramussens arse

[RS Ostfriesland]

Yeah great one! bla bla bla
Im so pissed off! Really great work of me today. Lost maybe the podium for what? bah damn it.
DOnt know why im not on von Schlins wheel. A really must take wheel for me. have to go to bed. maybe tomorrow oisins day?

[Rasmussenbank]

was a really nice race, lot of tempo and everyone trying to hurt eachother.

sorry for me not riding with ibanez ostfries, had some benefit to just cling on with him while rasmussen was riding

[RS Ostfriesland]

Ok for me. You win three seconds...

[NoPikouze]

I'm also damn really pissed off.
First, at myself for killing my whole team (including the sprinters ) for... really nothing.
Second, at all you guys who rode this hill arrival as complete noobs.

Tirado attacks on the first steep km. Fourmies is in tempo with his 2nd climber. Goes out after the attack. Perfect so far... I jump in on the 2nd km, for safety since I was a bit afraid of your (a general your, not a RSO your) behaviour, and didnt see anyone doing or saying a thing.
Fourmies attacks with both, the weak one is blocked by Mirjaqip. And Radler is still in front with a 14" gap and 15 steep kms to go.
But THEN, guys with 58+ in TT, or even 56+, whatever... they REALLY have to make tempo instead of all attacking to get themself isolated, with 150 energy wasted. Of course there is no way then to come back on Tirado, neither to keep the gap short. Your decision...

So, here I am with my weak 84+50 climber, being attacked by all the 86+58 climbers, who then lose an average 1'30 to Radler when the initial gap was 14". Great. I guess it was worth the sacrifice.

Mirjaqip's live comment after the finish

Incredible! All thoses asswipes seemed to be riding against me! I can understand their fear of me, that's really a normal feeling. Nevertheless, they are completely wrong if they think that I am the man to beat on this tour. Whatever... I'll adapt to it next time.