Great thanks to co-writers Rantanplan, myman from logoloos, Bart from De Bitterballetjes, Michael from EST, Hans from Svalbard Trek and Frederik from Team EksilFG
The Awards Gala got out of hand so badly last season, that we decided not to have a Gala at all this season. Therefore, we are proud to present the OCM Awards Magazine!
In short; some guys visit some other guys who might get trophy’s but probably won’t and there will probably be some chaos and some visits to other countries.
Rantanplan’s Roundup of Hillers and Cobblers
"When confirmed that Carlton Cambridge was nominated as best hiller for his 2 victories in D2, his manager Rantanplan, very excited, decided to interview his rider at the right time the awards are revealed, because he's so sure he gets the tittle and wants to announce him live.
We find them in Germany where Cambridge is preparing for Rosenheim-Königsbrunn:
Rantanplan: Carlton, how do you feel to be nominated along great names of the hills like Jimmi Broders, Egbert Van Asseldonk, Mano Losada or Thor Brokker? You're surely the best and now you're gonna get this title, what a glory for our team!
Carlton: Well, it's a pride, and i certainly made a good season but...hrm, boss, i'm not sure i fully deserve it. Look at this race here: i may have a chance this time because Jimmi isn't there, but on the 2 last editions i just made a top 9 while he was winning very easily... And Egbert may be irregular, but when he targets a race he successes. (Unquiet) Who did you vote for, boss?...
Rantanplan: For you, of course ! (Carlton seems embarrassed) You're the best and...(Rantanplan's phone is beeping and he anxiously watches it)... it's gonna be confirmed now ! (Suddenly his face melts) What ? The winner of the Truman Vancil Trophy is Jimmi Broders before Van Asseldonk!... How is it possible, it's a scandal! (he looks totally destroyed).
Carlton (relieved): It doesn't matter, boss. Look, i'm still third... (Rantanplan is sobbing) Come on, my training is ended for today, i buy you a pint. It's okay, we'll get this next season, right? (He pushes softly Rantantplan as a puppet to the pub)."
"For the Sieuwerd Schimmel Trophy for Best Cobbler was promising to be most disputed this year, we decided to interview the favourite Cristobal Zubizarreta, tough the spanish is known to be a man of few words, to know his feelings about his opponents for the tittle. He nicely accepted to answer, and here's the interview with this laconic but great champion :
Q: Zubi..., hm Cristobal, you have serious opponents this season for the best cobbler trophy, do you feel threatened?
A: No.
Q: ...well, don't you think Even Erlandsen or Otto Noddebo could steal your title, as they made a tremendous season?
A: Too youngs.
Q: ...so what about Darrel Wicher: 4 wins in D3 is amazing?!
A: Too weak.
Q: Hrm, but maybe Bret Brunton will be a menace: 8 results means something?!!!
A: Too slow.
Q: I'm sure you have a little doubt that one of those guys could be awarded though?
A: No.
Q: ...Hrm, so, allright, thanks for all these words...
A: De nada. (He goes).
Eventually he was right. In spite of a close final fight with Even Erlandsen, Cristobal Zubizarreta is one more time awarded as the best cobbler for season 31 ! Bret Brunton is much further but joins them on the podium ."
Svalbards Story about Breakthroughs and Youngsters
And so we move on to the next two categories. These are the best breakthrough rider and the best young rider. For this presentation ceremony we are in a hall in Nairobi. The location chosen after Frederick Longosiwa won both categories last season. Despite the hot and stunning surroundings, the hall is not the best and I am not sure whether anyone has actually turned up. Its not helping that the lighting is not working in here.
Anyway, | | onto the best breakthrough rider. The overwhelming favourite for this category is Farruco Alonso. The 24 year old Colombian tour rider won the Germany Tour youth classification also scoring major victories in the Vuelta de Los Castillos, the tour on which he won his first major tour and two stage victories. The Colombian also came second in the Essex tour youth classification and fourth overall on the Essex tour and Germany tour.His closest rival is considered to be Ely Hinault. The 25 year old hiller won five one day races and a stage of the of the Nederlandse Tour. He also managed to finish sixth overall in the tour. He also scored nine other results and numerous other top ten placings. So to the results. Does anyone have a torch? I can't read the results. Thats better. In fifth place, with was Lambert van der Gijp. In fourth place was Even Erlandsen. Third was Kevin Surface. Now to the big two. In second place, Farruco Alonso which means Ely Henault wins in a surprise victory. Well well.
Now to our second category. The overwhelming favourite in this category is the current holder of the title, Frederick Longosiwa. He has had another storming season. The 25 year old won almost everything there is to win. He won the Nederlandse tour, the German tour sprint classification and the sprint classification in the Volta ao Porto. In this stunning season he also won numerous stages and one day races. So without further ado, our winner is Frederick Longosiwa. Farruca Alonso takes second ahead of Ely Henault, Hugh Inskeep and Even Erlandsen.
And now let's leave this wretched hall and I am off to the nearest beach to watch the new season unfold. A surprise in one category and a landslide victory in the other. Thanks for reading.
Barts Breakthrough and Oldies Trip
I wasn’t sure I would be able to present you the Awards for the Best Old Rider and the Best Breaktrough Team. I almost forgot to take my wife out for a romantic vacation.
Luckily I decided to have a dinner with her in Paris. The underestimated Jim Van Avermaet snatched away victory in the 30th edition of Paris GP and was moreover capable of pulling off three other results. The 33-year old Belgian sprinter from Hells Grannies is the righteous winner of the Award for Best Old Rider. Jonas Pro Cycling’s cobbler Sigurd Guldhammer is second once again. He rode a good season, but didn’t manage to win a race. Sandro Montelbano, previous winner of this award, wasn’t nominated. Top hiller Benedict Guerrero is a decent third.
After a lovely meal my partner wanted to travel to Bermuda. Mathie has a decent team over there and invited us to stay. But the four wins of international Troy Hardee weren’t enough to grab the Award for Best Breaktrough Team. I was relieved and booked us some tickets to the safer Swiss region of Monte Rosa. Nao crashed the opposition in the previous edition of the Monte Rosa Tour with Timo Palacios, winning four stages, the general and the youth classification. Manager Miguel from nao is not a beginner in this game, but was able to push through to division 3 and wins the award for Best Breaktrough Team. PVAXX from mathie is second, Cycling Team FPS occupies the third spot.
Michaels Mega stories
The next award is for the Best Rider Outside Top Division. Some of the nominees, like Hugh Inskeep and
Elijah Rogash are both young and look to have great futures behind them. In a rare turn of events, the organizers thought it necessary to have six nominees! So in fourth, fifth and sixth places consecutively we have Jan-Peter Werff, Aleksander Skytte and Darrel Wicher. Finishing third in this category is Mitja Skerjanc. So the two at upcoming riders are the ones fighting for the award and Hugh Inskeep, who had a great tour season, won this category by quite a margin!
Well the World Tour category had two outstanding nominees, who voted for by the masses! The riders who were voted in third, fourth and fifth respectively are Dollah Zainal, Nestor Huijghens and Dirk Horring. Now, down to the business end of this award.
| | The two final nominees are Fonzo Mejia and Kevin Surface. Both are relatively young sprinters and had great seasons. But there can only be one winner and it was the Spaniard Mejia who took the glory and the award home with him!
And we fly to Amsterdam for 2 trophy presentations. If one rider dominates the sprint classifications of 2 tours and wins the most prestigious sprinting tour, it becomes clear how special this rider is. Before revealing the name of this superstar, I would like to take you back to day 74. To his biggest victory of the season. It was a sunny day. He likes the sun, so the conditions were perfect. When the finish line approaches, he becomes a bit nervous. But this doesn’t affect his sprint. And he wins his 8th tour stage of this season. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the winner of the The Elias Márquez Trophy for Best Tour Rider and the The Jan-Joost Dussel Trophy for Best Sprinter, Frederick Longosiwa.
Frederiks Fairytales about Aarhus and Alpes
This years winner of the Gregory Levis Trophy for best Time Trialer has many great years ahead of him. We went to visit him at his home in Risskov just outside of Aarhus, Denmark. At arrival at his house his mother meets us, and we soon realize that this years winner still lives with his parents, Kirstine and Jens. “We are so proud of our son”, says Kirstine. “Ever since he was little, he has been in love with his bike”. She shows us his first bike, jockeys and all, and to our great surprise it has the cutest little TT-bars attached. We are truly dealing with a prodigy and it is no wonder that Sven Ulstrup steals this trophy ahead of his older completion, including Rene Schimmel and Ernie Ostrowski.
The Sterling Dorsher Trophy is given to the best climber in OCM and this years winner has already made quite a name for himself. Even though he has been dominating the OCM for a few sesaons now, he actually haven’t won a trophy before this season, i.e. AFTER his nomination. Evil tongues have whispered that his great results are based on the great support of his team, including another nominee Mitja Skerjancs little brother Andre. However, when standing on the slopes of Alpe d´Huez, reading the faded spraypaint of “Jerry Grundin” on the snowy asphalt, you can hear the echoes of the crowds roaring for the great grimpeurs battling on this mythical mountain. No mediocre climber ever won here.
The Don screwing stuff up, as usual
A Russian, an Irishman,two Dutchmen and a Tunisian are having a conversation. Sounds like the start of a pretty bad joke. But actually, it had something to do with a mysterious new category. Finz, Cillian Cassidy, Manormaniac, mikai and iheb had been invited to a secret party. They all suspected Finz of wanting to convert them to the Russian beliefs, but he actually didn’t know what was going on either. He did offer them a part of Latvia though, but that is irrelevant for this story. Because it is about the new category for Best Manager Outside Top Division. The Irishman won. The Don was late at the party, but managed to annoy all guests with his purple fake-eyes any way. Moooving on.
Best Rider isn’t really interesting. Longosiwa won, big deal, wahey.
Best Manager isn’t really interesting, Methode won, big deal, wahey.
Now on the the interesting part of this seasons Awards, which is explaining something about the riders who got new trophy’s named after them.
Sieuwerd Schimmel is a famous cobbler who won a lot and won some Awards.
Truman Vancil is a famoud hiller who won a lot and won the first Hillers Award.
Jan-Joost Dussel is just some guy from the Don’s neighborhood, nothing special.
The Don obviously put a lot of time into researching this. He was distracted by a Pizza though. Some say it was very nice. Others say The Don wants to quit writing the Award Article after this season and is looking for someone to take over. See you next year!
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