Written by Team AEK at 17:13 4/9-2020
Earlier this week, the team won Norwich-London for the 15th time. A good moment to look back at our history in this race.
- Ferdinand Michálek
It all started in edition #29 with Michálek, our first real sprint captain.
He was more of an allround sprinter and the support wasn’t that great, but he immediately got a 2nd place, beating top sprinters like Rytis Kondrotas and Lean Ahnfeldt-Mollerup.
After that he was captain in editions #30 (2nd), #31 (4th), #32 (2nd).
So he came close several times and it’s really too bad he never won it.
- Wim Lowik
After skipping an edition, Lowik got his chance to shine. One of the best sprinters ever from The Netherlands and as a better version of Michálek, we had high hopes.
He was captain in editions #34 and #35, but it were disappointing efforts with a 7th and 5th place.
- Kevin Surface
The season Lowik got a 5th place, the team had acquired a promising talent with a great name, Kevin Surface.
He was pretty well advertised, but without real interest from other teams we bought him for less than 50k. With everything he did for the team, it’s the best deal we ever did.
He got his first opportunity in edition #36 and in his first big race as captain he immediately showed the world his talents by winning it.
Then he went on to win editions #38, #40, #41, #45 and #46.
The rest of his results:
#37, 2nd
#39, 5th
#42, 4th
#43, 5th
#44, 2nd
#47, 3rd
- Ekevu Mkandawire and Fidel Diago
After Surface got older and without other top riders available, two similar riders, Mkandawire and Diago, got their opportunities. They were far from the best sprinters in the world, but it wasn’t a bad choice, resulting in three consecutive wins.
- Lex Ginneken and Svaton Hanus
After a 12th place for Mkandawire in edition #51, it was time to come back with top riders.
Ginneken won edition #52, Hanus #54 and he got 2nd in #55.
- Victoriano Feijoo
Again a rider there wasn’t much interest in, but since he showed similar potential as Surface, he gladly joined the team for just 70k, dreaming of becoming one of the best himself.
After winning YC in Nederlandse Tour and getting a 3rd place in Germany Tour SC, he already saw himself as a big star, thinking he could easily win Norwich-London.
That didn’t went well. He debuted with a disappointing 8th place in edition #53 and only a 6th place later that season in Nederlandse GC.
After dominating Nederlandse the next season we decided to give him another chance in edition #56.
Motivated to show his true skills he won that edition. And if that wasn’t enough, he won the next three too. Really fulfilling his dreams and potential. And that made it four in a row, a record, and fifteen in total.
- What’s next?
Feijoo has a very good chance to win it the next few seasons, trying to match Surface’s record of 6 wins, or even improving it, but he also likes to compete in the sprint cup for the first time, give Nederlandse and Vuelta another chance in top form or just try to score as many points as possible in a season with full support from the rest of the team.
We also have Ginneken and Hanus who both already won it.
And then there is Korney Chuprov. One of our top sprinters that never got his chance and it would be great to see him win at least one time.
So the team has some decisions to make for the upcoming seasons.
- The stats
Competed: 30 times
Wins: 15, with 6 different riders
2nd: 6
3rd: 1
4th: 2
5th: 3
Other results: 2
No top 9: 1
Subscribers: 6
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Comments
Another one :P
In my opinion your track record in Norwich-London, the most prestigious one day race in OCM together with WC imo, qualifies as one of the biggest achievements in the game ever.
I am proud to have beaten you once.
Legend
50% win rate in one of the most competitive sprint events in the calendar ... impressive!
again!!! :o
Grrrr!... (but a good win, no shame in coming second to Victoriano! lol)
Super impressive, you were very difficult to beat and finally get 1 of those trophies myself.
It is funny to read of your tough times trying to attain this trophy, as myself it was with my the many riders trying to get over the top of the AEK mountain. I still mutter Kevin's name in my sleep.
Legendary and well deserved accomplishments. Hats off to you.
Impressive. Congratulations once again!
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