Arctic Race of Norway 2014 (2.1) 14.08 - 17.08

[Dazed and Confused]

Gotta say that was some nice race action from a good distance, all watched by the entire population of 150.

1. NOR NORDHAUG Lars-Peter 21 BELKIN PRO CYCLING 04h 51' 14''
2. ITA VILLELLA Davide 45 CANNONDALE 04h 51' 20'' + 00' 06''
3. NED KRUIJSWIJK Steven 24 BELKIN PRO CYCLING 04h 51' 20'' + 00' 06''
4. SUI ELMIGER Martin 53 IAM CYCLING 04h 51' 23'' + 00' 09''
5. FRA HIVERT Jonathan 23 BELKIN PRO CYCLING 04h 51' 23'' + 00' 09''
6. GER VOSS Paul 76 TEAM NETAPP-ENDURA 04h 51' 23'' + 00' 09''
7. NOR LAENGEN Vegard Stake 65 BRETAGNE - SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT 04h 51' 23'' + 00' 09''
8. FRA LEDANOIS Kevin 66 BRETAGNE - SECHE ENVIRONNEMENT 04h 51' 27'' + 00' 13''
9. BEL VLIEGEN Loic 5 BMC RACING TEAM 04h 51' 27'' + 00' 13''
10. NOR KRISTOFF Alexander 31 TEAM KATUSHA 04h 51' 29'' + 00' 15''

Solid performance and win by Nordhaug.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Great race in epic sourroundings!

 

[TourOfSardinia]

wake up guys

Today now live
http://www.frombar.com/20140814/vv53ec3e6359c2f2.76528198-868521.html

 

[RedheadDane]

Incredible place to have a race!

Also nice timing with Eneco. Thought that if I was Lucky I'd get to see the last 20 or less K of this, switching over as soon as the Eneco stage was over. Getting to see the last about 70 K.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Incredible place to have a race!

Also nice timing with Eneco. Thought that if I was Lucky I'd get to see the last 20 or less K of this, switching over as soon as the Eneco stage was over. Getting to see the last about 70 K.

tha't coz a headwind is slowing progress quite some

Break at -63km 2m29s

 

[Rollthedice]

They are going soooooo slow. Nothing happens and it seems it will never end.

 

[Pricey_sky]

I want to go on holiday to Norway and ride these roads, really stunning.

 

[Koba80]

Can I legally marry this parcours, please?

 

[manafana]

sprint today but was a fantastic parcours with interesting break and route.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Today's stage finishes a lot earlier than the others for some reason. They're about to start the final climb.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Nordhaug is dead.

 

[roundabout]

Almost a bunch sprint behind the 2

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

Kristoff 4th.

 

[saganators]

Kruijswijk

Odd to see him take a pull with 500m to go...probably cost him the stage win.

 

[ToreBear]

Nordhaug apparently has had knee problem for a few days.

Kristoff tries in order to challenge himself and develop, and he got 4th. Impressive. Though he said there was a lot of headwind.

Impressive by Spilak and Kreuz.

 

[johnymax]

Odd to see him take a pull with 500m to go...probably cost him the stage win.

Agree, but then again, Spilak deserved the win. He was at the front for the last 5km.

 

[meandmygitane]

Nordhaug apparently has had knee problem for a few days.

Kristoff tries in order to challenge himself and develop, and he got 4th. Impressive. Though he said there was a lot of headwind.

Impressive by Spilak and Kreuz.

There is no one who whines as much as Nordhaug:

"I do not know why the team management does not listen to me":
http://www.tv2.no/2014/08/16/sport/arctic-race/5911144

"Frustrated Nordhaug wants to ride the tour":
http://www.siste.no/sport/article7423730.ece

"Nordhaug fooled by turned sign"
http://www.vg.no/sport/sykkel/nordhaug-satt-ut-av-snudd-skilt/a/10131487/

Not the mention all the crashes, allergies, non-cooperating breakaways which he still have had the energy to attack.

IMO: You don't need an excuse for each time you don't win.
But more importantly, you should definitely try to not blame your team a lot less if you want to be given chances.


Other noteworthy instances of badmouthing his current teams:
http://www.dagbladet.no/2012/08/09/sport/sykling/vuelta_a_espana/team_sky/spania_rundt/22883766/
http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/nordhaug-skuffet-over-team-sky/3477482.html

 

[maltiv]

You have to agree, though, that Belkin has treated Nordhaug horribly the last few months.

First he trained like a dog to get ready for TDF, but didn't make the team despite being their strongest rider (apart from Kelderman) in the Dauphine. Apparently, Belkin wanted a team where everyone could speak Dutch. In that case, they should've told him beforehand...

Then he sent in a list of races he wanted to do in the fall (Canada, Plouay, San Sebastian), and got a completely different schedule, which is just ridiculously hard (32 days of racing in 40 days!).

I never heard him complaining about Sky, so perhaps it's the team-management and not the rider which is the problem...

 

[theyoungest]

Ah, Nordhaug isn't up for the Canadian races? That's surprising indeed. Can't see him doing much in the Vuelta.

As for the Dauphiné, Kelderman rode that race pretty much alone, Nordhaug was in an okay form but not the form that guarantees a Tour selection. And regarding race days, Kruijswijk has even more and he seems to be doing pretty well

Where will Nordhaug go next year? A move back to Sky is on the cards?

 

[Anderis]

Odd to see him take a pull with 500m to go...probably cost him the stage win.

I think he wanted to secure an overall lead. He needed some gap to the chase, while Spilak could slow down intentionally before the finish, because he only cared about the stage win.

 

[meandmygitane]

You have to agree, though, that Belkin has treated Nordhaug horribly the last few months.

First he trained like a dog to get ready for TDF, but didn't make the team despite being their strongest rider (apart from Kelderman) in the Dauphine. Apparently, Belkin wanted a team where everyone could speak Dutch. In that case, they should've told him beforehand...

Then he sent in a list of races he wanted to do in the fall (Canada, Plouay, San Sebastian), and got a completely different schedule, which is just ridiculously hard (32 days of racing in 40 days!).

I never heard him complaining about Sky, so perhaps it's the team-management and not the rider which is the problem...

I agree that he does not always get the chances that he deserves from the prespective of his relative fitness. That is of course not good.

But when he acts like he does you begin to wonder if he is left out because he is perceived as being a bad team player. And again, maybe he isn't. But the best way to shake of that image is to not badmouth your team and teammates in the media. Be a positive force and do your work as a domestique when required; this will give you more chances to be a leader.
You can't be a leader without leadership.

He should be racing in Canada (funnily enough, a couple of years ago he was complaining that he had to ride in Canada and not the Vuelta - things change don't they?)

I think he did complain about the selections in Sky (at least when it was clear he was going to Rabo) but he didn't complain when he was in Rabobank.. I could be mistaken.

 

[maltiv]

Where will Nordhaug go next year? A move back to Sky is on the cards?

He's almost definitely going back to Sky, yes.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Has the coverage started yet - if so where?

 

[LosBrolin]

Has the coverage started yet - if so where?

http://www.frombar.com/20140814/vv53ec3e6359c2f2.76528198-868521.html

 

[roundabout]

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