Fincycling season start - Part one
Fincycling opened the national racing season last weekend in Turku.This is the first part of the race report from the weekend and includes the story from Simo Klimscheffskij’n muistoajo - race on Saturday (and loads of pictures and a video). The second part will cover the following day of racing - TS Kortteliajot on Sunday.
Saturday began with the team arriving to Turku at around mid-day. The team for the weekend was built up by 5 guys, Sasu Halme, Aleksi Hänninen, Antto Tunkkari, Waltteri Lepistö and Arttu Suvisaari. Usually the team consists of 6 riders but this time Jaakko Hänninen was unfortunate to be ill just before the race and couldn't participate.
Short briefing of things to do before the race
Marko Vauhkonen would serve as the mechanic and Charly Wegelius, also known as the sports director of Team Garmin-Sharp would be the sports director for Fincycling during the weekend. So again, the boys would have a highly skilled and experienced team to back them up.
Charly discussing race tactics with the boys
Antto paying close attention
Thoughtful boys
After a proper briefing by Charly Wegelius, it was time to change to race outfit. I have to say this team kit is really good looking. Not to mention it is the same quality Team Tinkoff-Saxo is racing.
Good spirit within the team
Charly updating the guys
Team Fincycling
The race would be in Hirvensalo, just outside of Turku, this served as a good warmup for the guys, some 6 km to spin the legs before the race would start.
Warming up
Team Fincycling arriving to Hirvensalo
Charly enjoying great weather just before start
Time to stack up with some PowerBar nutrition
Final instructions from Charly
Fincycling at the startline
The race would be 73 kilometers long and be ridden on a circuit with a length of 4 kilometers. The finish would be on top of a 800 m long hill, hard after many laps riding it over and over again.
Marko ready for action
Charly concentrating on the race
Fincycling staff at the feed zone (Juho Suikkari, Juha Poutiainen and Kadri Õunap)
The race was pretty hectic. On each lap there was at least one breakaway attempt, and the Fincycling guys did a great job in having at least one cyclist at the front at all time, catching up those breakaways. And on one lap the breakaway was succesful, and there was Aleksi Hänninen working to form a proper gap to the peloton.
Marko giving instructions from the team car
Aleksi working in the breakaway (picture by Klaus von Wendt)
Antto hammering (picture by Klaus von Wendt)
Sasu controlling the peloton (picture by Klaus von Wendt)
Arttu staying in front of the pack (Picture by Klaus von Wendt)
Waltteri in control
The final climb was hard as expected and blew the legs out of many riders. Aleksi managed to hang in the last hundred meters and finished 10th. The other guys did tried to attack from the peloton in the final lap but didn't manage to create a gap to the peloton, and finished with the main group. All in all, a strong ride by the whole team, the boys were riding like men.
A solid race from Aleksi
Team Fincycling together after the race
No win today, but the team worked well
Aleksi took 1st place in the M-18 class, next year the whole race!
The next part will cover the Finnish spring classic TS Kortteliajot. Last but not least a little sneak peek in the Fincycling team car where Charly Wegelius gives instructions to Aleksi riding in the breakaway.
Enjoy!
Note! If you do want to use any of the pictures, please contact me!