Before the stage today I ran out to the laundromat and drafted the story below. Might as well maximize the 37 minute wash cycle. Then we headed west to the start of today’s stage where I met up with the team and they gave us a whole new story to share! Read on…
James LaBerge won stage two today. The 132 rider field averaged 48.1kph, for an average of 99 RPM’s in their maximum 52x14 gearing. Fast! Thankfully James was fastest.
As car three in the caravan our first piece of action was Torey flatting and then using the 23 cars to get back into the field. Before and after that we were hearing race radio announce small breakaway attempts and sprint points. We wanted to contest the two sprint time bonus’ but missed out. The big move came on the last lap when James came out of the last corner about 10 riders back and took off from 275 meters to go up the climb to take the field sprint and his second stage win in two years at l’abitibi. Willy chased a threatening move in the last 3km that helped to string out the field and make the sprint safer for all. Jeff and David were also helpful in moving James up and sweeping his wheel before the last turn.
Stage two results –
1- James, Team Specialized, plus 10 second time bonus
2- Thanawut Sanikwathi, Thailand national team
3- Thibaut Bolanger, France national team
23- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .28
50- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .10
68- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + .28
77- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .28
84- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + .28
General Classification, after two stages
1- James Oram, New Zealand
2- Dion Smith, New Zealand +.01
3- Roman Semyonov, Kazakhstan +.06
4- Vitality Marayhin, Kazakhstan + .08
7- Willy Zellmer, Team Specialized + .10
8- James LaBerge, Team Specialized +.18
27- Jeff Perrin, Team Specialized + .28
43- David Benkoski, Team Specialized + .28
65- Torey Philipp, Team Specialized + .28
80- Kyle Torres, Team Specialized + .28
131 finishers
Congratulations team on a fine performance today!
For the Tour de l’abitibi Team Specialized includes the six riders and teammates Chris LaBerge, Dean LaBerge, Billy Innes and me, Larry Nolan.
Chris is a 17 year old junior and this is his second trip to Canada to support the team. He’s got an easy going disposition and is willing to help in any way that he can. He’s valuable to the team in his willingness to pitch in and get things done. After watching his teammates last year he still has a desire to do this race so that helps to fuel his racing desires.
Dean is James and Chris’ father, and also has 30+ years of racing experience, including a World Championship in BMX racing. Dean helps to provide insight and coaching for the team which is particularly helpful in these bunch sprints to the line. A true sprinter always has a calm before the final giddy up to the line. Sometimes that’s innate in an athlete, sometimes it can be taught. The team is lucky to have a rider with Dean’s experience. Dean also has a great way of keeping his cool and helps the team in everything that they do.
Billy Innes also has over 30+ years of racing experience. Plus, he’s been wrenching bicycles for most of his life, and he’s quite good at it. The kids (and I) know this because Billy cares about our equipment and wants us to care about our equipment too. Communication is key on this team so that we get what we want, and it starts with the bike. If something is out of true, it needs attention. Delay in looking after mechanicals can have long-term repercussions. As a racer Billy was a professional for a short period of time, so he understands international riders and customs and racing styles. This knowledge has helped him to read races as a competitor and now he also directs the USA National program in Europe for USA Cycling. He’s on a break from the European scene as the USA National Team is in Canada, so Team Specialized is so very lucky to have him wrenching and coaching the riders.
I (Larry Nolan) only took up cycling as a 30 year old, and I have limited international experience, but just like Dean and Billy, I’m a solid teammate and I know how to win races, including masters national and world championships. I’ve been coaching riders for the past twenty years and this is my second year directing Team Specialized Juniors. I’m also the west coast regional camp manager/ head coach and our 2011 camp starts July 31.
My family and I lived in Belgium for a year and there are many similarities to Belgium here in Quebec. For the riders coming to Quebec it’s all about the differences than the similarities of being at home. Just living in a high school with 132 athletes and coaches, and eating every meal together helps these riders open up to new possibilities. I know it was that way for my children and they were 13, 15 and 17 years old. Not exactly the move that they preferred, away from their comforts and friends, but they adjusted and learned to be flexible and accepting of others and their differences.
Stage three starts tomorrow at 8:45am with a morning 12.3km time trial. The riders go off in reverse GC order, so we have Kyle, Torey, David, Jeff, James and Willy.
Au revoir, Larry
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