Written by Finz of NightmareChaos
Tweedaagse van Antwerpen
We start this tour round up with the first tour of the season. It is the infamous division 1 tour through the northern part of Belgium. The cobbles of Flanders are testing the riders early in the season. Four stages starting in Hoogstraten and ending in Antwerpen over many cobble paved roads. The edition 24 was still without the new tactic pave pacer and showed the top of old time cycling. Stage one was a one-two between Nairobi City Cycling Club and Cider Riders with the first winning it and the second got a third. Both teams devided the top nine spots.
Stage two saw Mauricio Viola victorious in Arendonk and trying to take a decisive lead. Julian Pope however took the jersey in stage three. He defeated everybody in Geel. The final stage with finish in Antwerpen was also for Julian Pope giving Drapeau Noir, two stage wins and one overall classification ahead of Mauricio Viola, Glamourade and Klaudian Filipiak, Quick step minded.
Best youth rider was upcoming star Angelo Saltao, Hommerts Cycling Team
Volta ao Porto
One of the biggest races, if not the biggest race, in OCM starts right after Tweedaagse van Antwerpen. It is the division two race in Portugal. Ten stage around Porto where the riders experience many different stages. Peloton Pushers won the first stage in Porto. His Eli Rictor won the prologue in front of many enthousiastic Portuguese. With his black leaders jersey on he started stage two, a flat stage, perfect for sprinters, to Viana do Castelo. Mikulas Malina beat everybody to give Luveaucek a nice stage win. The finishing line in Portelinha gives a complete different rider as a winner. The first stage in the mountains was for Robert Thomas of EricV who beat the other great climbers. The beauty of “the Volta” is that the stages change every day. Mikulas Malina was the best sprinter on the four, the stage to Aveiro. He took a lead in the Sprint Competition. In Aveiro we have a timetrial of 47 kilometers. Giancarlo Genovese, Hard Gaat Ie was the fastest and gave a nice win to his team, moving himself up into the Youth Classification. After the time trial the riders go into the mountains and here we saw a new face up front. Maruyama Dai, SilenceLotteFan won the stage, by a mile and took over the Overall Classification. Stage seven to Vinhais gave Maruyama Dai an opportunity to extend his lead over the rest. And he did, making it two in a row.
Joining Dai in the multiple racewins, in Vinhais we saw Mikulas Malina, Luveaucek, win his third stage this tour. The last time trial gave the win to a local rider, and an alltime favourite of mine. Celso Leitão, blast, won in Porto.
Closing the tour with a Parade Race which ended in a sprint finish, saw a familiar face as winner. Mikulas Malina took his fourth stage win.
Maruyama Dai, SilenceLotteFan won the Overall Jersey in Porto. Luveaucek won the Sprinting Classification with Mikulas Malina. And best youth was Maruyama Dai, SilenceLotteFan.
Monte Rosa Tour
The Swiss Alps are into their eleventh time host to the Monte Rosa Tour. Many good climbers are at the start. In Bern we kick off with a prologue. The city ride is won by Charles Odowd, Eixample ATH. He will be our first leader but, we all know it will not last. The second stage is a tough hill stage that suits only the strong climbers and hillers. Baltazar Pitillas, Alpha Plus won it and took the Youth Jersey that stage. Stage three is the famous Monte Rosa stage. The mountain that gave this tour its name. Vid Lazic, Ponika was first to arrive on the top and he took over, the Overall Classification and the Youth Classification. Baltazar Pitillas, Alpha Plus, won stage four to Sankt Moritz giving the Youth Classification some suspense. The final sprint race in Geneve was for Victor Pardo, Onie. This season Vid Lazi?, Ponika won both the Overall Classification and the Youth Classification.
Vuelta de los Castillos
The east coast of Spain, known for its beaches, sun and disco's. But for cyclists in the OCM divisions it is known for the Vuelta de los Castillos. Stage on in Sagunto was a nice sprint race and gave a victory to Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling. The big climbs in stage two were conquered | | by Peter-Jan Van de Wal, CCFC. Castellon is the finishplace for stage three and this flatter then flat stage gave Drapeau Noir a victory with Arne De Brouwer. Arriving in Morella, after many climbs, could only give us a climbing victory. A third Belgian winner this tour with, again, Peter-Jan Van de Wal, CCFC. It was his second victory here. As this was one of the most boring and, most exciting tours, Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling secured another victory in stage five. The Sprint Classification was wide open again. Finishing with a time trial on the last day is always a nervous moment. Xaver Teodro, Megaman was the most relaxed rider of them all. He won the stage.
Peter-Jan Van de Wal, CCFC, was the rider that secured an overall victory. Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling secure the sprinters jersey. And Dominik Uci?ski, Kremer, was the future champion. He won the Youth Classification.
Perm Tour
The race in Perm is always one of surprises and familiar faces. In Ochjor many teams gathered and this city criterium was won by Nicolaas Arnolds, Onie. He was offcourse our first leader. The most important stage is stage two. This one requires many climbing skills and this time Brendan Huynh, WalrusPT was the best rider. Anastasio Mamita, Team Revolutie was very good in the time trial. It was the best he has ever done before he mentioned later. The final sprint race was for Nicolaas Arnolds, Onie. It was his second victory this tour and gave him a deserved Sprint Classification win. The General Classification however, that belonged to Jude Evans, Cremtec. It was his fifth jersey and people are calling him “Mister Perm” now. Shawn Hattrup, made the Cremtec party complete with the Youth Classification win.
Cymru Taith
Three days spend in Wales are three days well spend. If it is during the Cymru Taith. Welshpool welcomed many teams again who were ready for the three day tour in Wales.
And the first hilly stage was for Erwin Geitz, Team Oasis. A team on a mission here. The second stage in Newport followed very quick after stage one and had a winner in Onno Mund, Team Majones. The last stage was not really needed anymore but still fun to see. Urbano Arzu, Team airik showed us his very good skills. And he beat everybody else.
Overall winner was however Reinhard Holtslag, EpoTopTeam. Best youngster was Albert Sandor, Burren Connemara.
Race of the Minutemen
The United States of America is hosting an annual event with its Race of the Minutemen. Division 4 teams are looking forward to this a long time. The race always starts with a nocturnal time trial in Concord, Massachusetts. This nocturnal race attracts a lot of people historically and this season they saw Yrjänä Sistonen, Cykelmyggen, take the victory and the first leaders jersey. The second stage is usually won by a sprinter. This season was no exeption with Heinrich Matthäus, Optimus Prime. He was the strongest sprinter. The climbers are treated in stage three. Climbs all along the stage and in the end Leandro Lizarraga, Dormilon, was victorious. On stage four another German won. A climber and not Matthaus. Friedhelm Kuhlmey, Joss was the best climber and he took over the General Classification jersey this stage. Sten Hållkvist, Twente Cycling Team was the strongest in the uphill timetrial on Mount Washington. He won a lot of time but, there was only one last stage left. The second sprint race gave a known winner. The winner of the first sprint stage won the second also. Heinrich Matthäus, Optimus Prime was the fastest this tour. It was no surprise that he won the Sprinting Classification. With Friedhelm Kuhlmey, Joss, winning the Overall Classification and the Youth Classification the complete podium was German this season.
Essex Tour
In England there is one county bike crazy and that is Essex. Essex is home to the Essex Tour. An ancient race with three stages in the county. Starting in Colchester, which is the most important stage this tour. Florian Ilic, omega pharma lotto, was the best sprinter that survived the mountain half way. The midtour time trial was again won by Sandro Montelbano, Matrix team, just like last season. And Chelmsford cheered for a known winner of tour stages that end in a sprint. Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling won this last race. The
| | General Classification was won by Sandro Montelbano, Matrix team.
Germany Tour
Is it the most important, the most beautyful or the most prestigious. It is the Germany Tour, that is for sure. Starting in Kiel and ending in Berlin. The first stage was a prologue in Kiel and that was won by Danish Isac Tingmann, Nairobi City Cycling Club. From Kiel the stage went to Bremen and it was a surprise victory by one of the weaker sprinters, but boy, he was lucky in that last bend. Jamal White, Quick step minded, got stage two. In Cologne we saw Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling, again winning another stage this season. Have you heard from Gregor Bartenstein, peddelen. Neither did we but he won stage number four in Germany Tour. Will he be the new allround rider this season and win a lot. A great Austrian rider. The hills in stage five were no match for Björn Eskildsen, WV De Dommel, and he secured a great position in the General Classification with this victory. The mountains in the Schwarz Wald gave access to the great climbing wealth Belgium has, Joppe Marant, Team Crazy Downhillers took the victoy here. Munich was home to a great time trial through the innercity and we saw a surprising newcomer to take the win here, Esequiel Idalia, Jonas Pro Cycling. Joppe Marant, Team Crazy Downhillers, was again a winner in a stage with many climbs. He could be the next best climber in the OCM season now. Only two stages to go and could Nico Woltelboer, Team Tirilla, get enough time back to win this final Germany Tour. We will find out when we reach Berlin. Baltazar Le?niak, peddelen, was able to win in Berlin, the prestigious last stage in Germany Tour. But in the end it was still Björn Eskildsen, WV De Dommel, who won the Germany Tour. Brian Hitchens, Jonas Pro Cycling, won another Sprinting Classification with Björn Eskildsen, WV De Dommel, securing also the Youth Classification.
Nederlandse Tour
The sprinters ball is starting in one of the flattest countries in the world. We start in the northern part of the Netherlands, Groningen. The prologue is won by Alan Klostergård, ABK. If he does well he might be able to win this tour. From Groningen we move to Hengelo. North to east, and in Hengelo and old friend wins for the first time, Tadaki Ko, Hommerts Cycling Team, was victorious. Stage three saw another sprinter win in this important tour. Cadman Kantor, thedutchies, a former winner wanted to repeat his victory. Arne De Brouwer, Drapeau Noir, was a winner in the important stage in Limburg. The time difference was not as big as he hoped. He only got a nice stage win here.
Carroll Mullan, Team Revolutie, was the winner in Rotterdam. And due to the bonus seconds half way he reached for the leaders jersey this stage. The final stage always gives surprises and this stage was no exeption. Hans-Erik Qvist, Pelles Gazelles, took the victory in Amsterdam. In the end it was not enough, Carroll Mullan, Team Revolutie, secured a great General Classification victory. Sebastian Dideriksen, ABK, took the Youth Classification. We will hear from him.
Fast on Wheels
The last tour of the season is the Danish tour of division 5. Fast on Wheels starts in Esbjerg with a prologue. Kimball Lanchbury, jmtoler, took the victory there. A surprise, but this allrounder might do good in this tour. As Denmark is known for being flat, the second stage is a flat sprinters stage. Détári Catalin, Silencio, won the race. This Hungarian in Puerto Rican service was the best of the pack. The riders like to challenge the leader in every stage. Stage three was for Clay Leseberg, EkerSvarvarna. He was fastest and closed in on jmtoller. But we are only halfway. The nice stage with many hills and for some a very important race ended in a victory for Hans-Cees Zimmer, Britcycles. He was about to challenge the General Classification if it was not for his sudden illness. In Odense we saw a familiar team win. Roman Petrescu, Twente Cycling Team, was the fastest and took second overall. The final sprint was won by a great sprinter who just lacked something extra. Eric Gallen, Team CBS, was the fastest in Kobenhavn but in the end only managed a third place.
Winner of the Fast on Wheels was Bjarte Petersen, Storm Sandefjord, finishing top nine every time and first overall. Kimball Lanchbury, jmtoler, took a Sprinting Classification and best young rider was also Bjarte Petersen, Storm Sandefjord.
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