2nd division. Also known as Zyte Division. The home of 60 teams from all over the world. Some with big dreams about reaching the top division, others with the same dream, smashed into pieces, after failure in the top division. They are now trying to settle down right under the top, licking their wounds, before making a new attempt. This is where everyday battles are being fought. Some turns out winners, other losers. But “the show must go on”, so they say.
  We are now more than 1/3 through the season, and big dramas have already being played in this very exciting division. You can actually say, heroes have been created, while others have fallen.
  
  I am René Rasmussen from Team Crazy Downhillers, and I am your guide throughout this article, about what has happened in 2nd division so far in this season, and what will happen in close future.
  
  Day 1:
  First race of the season in Zyte division was the American race of “Phoenix GP”. The 160 km long flat roads finished with great victory to none other than “The Beast” himself, the Danish Lean-Ahnfeldt Mollerup from the Danish team of ABK. He was followed by the Dutch rider of Brain Wessels from Peddelen, who finished ahead of Humberto Villaroel from TEAM SERFIN97.
  The division had officially started with a bang!
  
  Day 9:
  The first classic in the division this season was the climbing classic of Ainet – Bruggen. The Austrian race was won on a brilliant performance by the biggest climbing talent in years, Portuguese Alfeu Freitas from the Portuguese team of CycleMotor. Co Posthuma from Darkwave Recording tried to follow, but had to be happy with his 2nd place, which he won by a great finishing sprint against Alfeu´s countryman Lúcio Semedo from Penicos Avulso, who completed the podium. A big congrats to all 3 for some great performances!
  
  Day 17:
  The biggest tour of the division, and with 10 stages, only top divisions Germany Tour can equal the number of stages. Yes,

it’s the Volta ao Porto! This season’s line up was indeed really strong. Several riders could all get the chance of eternal glory, but only 1 can succeed in winning the general classification. It demands blood, sweat, tears, hard work, and last but not least, good managing from the team managers!
  
  The prologue was won by Leon Bemmel from skils. The former #1 team, who is making his comeback to the top, and now had gotten into 2nd division by the time, showed, that he was back in full strength.
  Halfway through the tour, young Chris Bauwens from Team Crazy Downhillers was in the lead. A good performance in the longest time trial of them all, the 47 km long stage 5, had gotten him in the lead. He seemed in a long time to be the winner, in his very first tour. He even won the king stage, and the following climbing stage too! Everything looked bright for him. He had a 39 second lead to Willis Stilwell from Poker21, and almost a minute to Aksana Putin from Asymm Project, with only 3 stages to go. But because of some wrong decisions made by manager René (Yes me..) Chris failed in the hilly stage 7, and lost valuable time to Stilwell, who now had only 17 seconds to gain, while Putin had 46 seconds now to gain.
  
  The next stage was the tricky stage 9. A 23 kilometer long time trial that would decide it all. Aksana Putin set the fasted time of the time trial, when only Stilwell and Bauwens were left to finish. Stilwell came in a little slower, but Chris Bauwens, the guy in the lead, didn’t have the legs with him, and ended outside of top 10. That resulted in such a big time loss, that he went from 1st to 3rd in the general classification. Aksana Putin was now the leader with Stilwell in between him and Bauwens. Only bad luck would destroy the dreams of the experienced and respected Russian. The day after, he could cross the finish line in Porto, as the winner.
  I caught Putins manager, Holger Czukay, right after Putin crossed the finish line. I congratulated him, and asked for a quick comment. As usual, he is always willing to give one; "It was something that

Putin really deserved. Since he arrived to the team, I knew he was going to be the big star, he was back in the past. I knew, I was able to make him shine again. I just didn't expect that much in that few times, but things went perfect. So sad the one losing was my friend René”.
  
  Still with a crushed heart from what happened, I can only say, yet again, big congratulations to Holger and Putin for the brilliant victory, and Poker21 for ending on the 2nd highest step of the podium, with Willis Stilwell. Chris Bauwens finished 3rd in the general classification.
  The sprint classification was just as exciting as the general classification. On the very last stage, it all was cleared, and Susumu Myiazaki From Hommerts Cycling Team could lift the Volta ao Porto sprint classification trophy for the first time in his career, winning by only 2 points against Jan-Joost Dussel from Peddelen. Co Posthuma from Darkwave Recording ended the top 3. Congratulations to all 3!
  
  The only not so exciting competition was Chris Bauwens´ victory in the Youth Competition. He didn’t have much competition. The “Ainet – Bruggen”-winner Alfeu Freitas ended 2nd more than 3 minutes behind. Especially the time trials took a hard beating on him. Achim Deyhle from Nairobi City Cycling Club ended 3rd in the youth competition.
  This season of Volta ao Porto was by far, the most exciting tour in ages. We can’t wait to see how next seasons Volta will be!
  
  There won’t be long till the next tour of the division will start. Cymru Taith that is. Last year Anghel Ghidarcea from WV De Dommel crushed all competition. Will he do it again? Only time will tell.
  
  With only 1 last thing to say: History has yet to be made in this division, in this very season. Some will be happy, others won’t. Who? We can’t tell. But stay tuned till next time, 2nd division update is on the headlines!
  
  Written by René Rasmussen from Team Crazy Downhillers, division 2 updater to OCM Magazine