From TK across the pond

TK's email to his pops...

I finally got some internet access here...so the race is over and I'm getting a bit sick, but I'm taking vitamins and cold medicine and I think I'll be okay before PDV starts. The first day of PDV is just a 3k TTT, so I have till friday to really get healthy.The race went pretty well. We won the KOM with Nick and I was his leadout man for the KOM sprints. It was fun working with him, and we won most of the sprints. Nate wore the best young rider jersey but he crashed on a descent on the last day and had a concussion and broke his wrist so he's out for PDV. I guess they're sending over Cody Foster to take his place. I didn't have a great ride in the TT, but the road stages all went well for me. I was in the big break on the first day with Nate. We got about 20 guys and we rolled up to almost a 2 minute lead. I drove it while Nate sat in, because he was the obvious GC guy. That stage finished on some really hilly circuits in the city and after driving the break away for 50k I got dropped with about 10k to go when the #1 guy in the world, Michael Kwiatkowsky of Poland, attacked the break. It worked out good though because Nate still finished in the break with a minute over the field. I finished in the pack.I found it pretty easy to ride at the front, even though it rained at least a bit every day. On the fourth stage I was in a four man break from about 25k out. I dropped the others on a long twisty descent and we never quite worked together real well. We had 35 seconds with about 7k to go, but Kwiatkowsky had his whole team on the front chasing. I went solo at the bottom of the final climb and got swallowed up with 500m to go. overall it was a good race for me in that I could really compete with the A-teams from all the top countries in the world.so I'll try and email again tomorrow.

and a few from Ben Sharp, USACycling's junior director...

Stage 1, moderately hilly terrain with 5 closing circuits that were all up or all down. 104km, Blieskastel-Saarbrucken, 21 teams of 6 riders, all national teams as this is a Nations Cup event.
The goal of the race was for everyone to stay out of trouble and make it to the closing circuits in tact. If a group slipped up the road, our ambition was to be represented. Brown and Phinney were the “protected” riders. The opening 2 circuits (before the point-to-point part of the race to get to the Saarbrucken included 2 trips up a very steep, wet, cobbled climb. Our riders managed to stay in the front and out of trouble, with Bax notching up first place points on the 2nd KOM. After about 60km, a massive group of 25 muscled their way up the road with Kuphaldt and Brown representing the Stars and Stripes. In an effort to help Brown gain time on the chasing peloton, Kuphaldt did his share of work and ended up paying for it as the group went away with about 15km to go, leaving him to finish with the peloton. Brown won a KOM on the finishing circuits and rolled in with the breakaway, in 20th. Phinney, Bax, and Kuphaldt eased across the finish line with the peloton and Leibovitz and Tickemyer lost contact in the finishing laps. The stage was won by Polish superstar Michael Kwiatkowski who bridged across the 40 second gap from the peloton to the breakaway, then won the gallop. Last year he was the World #1 ranked junior in the UCI and two weeks ago repeated his win at Course de la Paix in the Czech Republic.

Stage 2, slightly flatter terrain but with a difficult circuit of 22km to be repeated 3x at the end. 101.0km, Hoburg-Wittersheim.
A little bit of excitement today as Phinney flatted at the most inopportune time, on a narrow climb through a town but, the neutral support got him taken care of and he was able to get back into the bunch with Leibovitz’s help, after a 10km chase through the cars. Meanwhile, Bax was off the front with a German and a Dane, and able to earn points (and the jersey) in two more KOMs. The break came back before the final circuit and the group finished more or less in tact, with Sabastian Lander form Denmark taking the win. Kwiatkowski was second and able to extend his lead thanks to a time bonus. Brown, Kuphaldt and Phinney finished in the bunch while Leibovitz and Bax paid for their early efforts and came in well within the time cut. Tickemyer came off in the final 8km, a definite improvement from where he was a week ago.

Stage 3a, rolling 11.7km Time Trial, Bockweiler-Altheim.
On alternately drizzle-slick and dry roads the boys rode quite well this morning. It was incredible to have the rainbow jersey representing the U.S. in the T.T. final results are below. Kwiatkowski beat 2nd by 14 seconds with Phinney 20 seconds back. Brown is in the hunt for the Young Rider’s Competition after a sterling ride that should put him in the top-6 going into this afternoon’s stage. Adam Leibovitz was the 4th rider off and held the top time for about 45 minutes, eventually finishing in the top-10. Bax and Tickemyer, as per my instruction, took it relatively easy for the TT, with the intention being to have some strength to defend the KOM jesery. Kuphaldt had a solid ride to turn in a 15:05.
Phinney 4th, @ 20” (15th G.C.)
Brown 11th @ 32” (3rd G.C., best young rider)
Leibovitz 15th @ 38”
Kuphaldt 47rh @ 1’12”
Bax 86th @ 1’49” (KOM leader)
Tickemyer @ 1’53”

Stage 3b, hilly circuits on wet roads, 77.7km, Volklingen-Grosrossein
The plan was to defend the two jerseys and stay out of trouble in preparation for tomorrow’s 135km test. The event was relatively uneventful with no mishaps for USA. With some help from Leibovitz and Kuphaldt, Bax was able to take 4th on the sole KOM sprint and keep his lead by a mere one point over his Russian competitor. Kuphaldt found himself in an uncooperative break with 3 others that was caught on the final climb, about 250m from the finish. Because of splits in the peloton on the finishing climb, Brown slipped one spot on G.C. and lost the young rider’s jersey. The team however is in great shape and even after losing Tickemyer today are eager for tomorrow’s test.

and stage 4...

Stage 4, undulating 24km circuit to be completed 5.5 times, with twosignificant climbs per lap. Nothing too steep but quite long. 134 kmtotal.The race today started in Rimling, France and skirted the French/Germanborder. Within a stone's throw, you could hear two distinct languages asthe primary form of communication. The forecast was for high temperatureswhich we figured favored our boys. We had two strategies for the race:1) defend the KOM jersey for Bas, as his lead was narrow and the first threetimes up the first climb on the circuit counted for points.2) advance Brown's position in the G.C. On paper, it looked like he couldclaw his way into the top-3, earning the Young Rider's jersey along the way.Plan # 1 went to perfection. Bax dug deep and with the help of Kuphaldt andLeibovitz was able to match the accelerations of the Austrian, Sokol. Aftertwo ascents, no ground had been made up on Bax's lead and before the 3rdKOM, a group of 16 rode off the front. With no one there to mathematicallythreaten the dotted jersey, all Nick had to do was finish within the timecut to keep the fancy shirt.Plan # 2 didn't go so well. The first time off the descent of the KOM hill,Brown crashed solo into a tree. I estimate he was going close to 60km andinstantely came to a stop. When I got to the scene, the paramedics werealready there but, he had yet to move. My mechanic, Benoit, hopped out ofthe car and as he got to Nathan, they made eye contact. We saw him move hisright arm. Briefly we checked in with the medics and they assured us he wasok. Of course the race progressed and this being the land ofmis-information, we got alternating reports over the radio regarding hishealth. Eventually, it was confirmed that he was ok and had been taken tothe hospital by car (not by medi-vac as initially reported!!!) forobservation, the concern being the concussion he had sustained. It wascomforting to have most of the other team director's in the caravan ask,from time to time, if we had heard anything. Even the chief commissairecalled us to the front to see if we had any news. In the end, he broke hisright Radius and suffered a mild concussion. The trashed helmet (and intact skull) is a testimony to the value of wearing a lid. He's back at thehotel with us now and in moderate spirits. Being the trooper he is, evenafter I offered to arrange to get him home ASAP, he's going to endure theArmy Barracks at Pays de Vaud with his teammates.Back to the racing...The large breakaway dominated the race until the teamof Poland's race leader, Kwiatokowski took over at the front. They broughtall but two of the break back on the last lap and Belgium's Tosh van derSande held off the hard charging pack by 10 seconds to take the win.Phinney came across the line 14th with Kuphaldt easing across the line withthe field. Leibovitz showed even more signs of life today and motored achase group that finished 1:30 down. Finally, Bax came in with his KOMcrown a few minutes later.As a last minute replacement for Nathan Brown, Cody Foster is en route thisafternoon to meet us at Le Tour du Pays de Vaud in Switzerland. In themeantime, we are staying at the Hotel Bliesbruck in Herbitzheim, GER untilwe head to Moudon, SUI on Wednesday. They guys are enjoying some down timeand socializing with the podium girls from the weekend. Ah, to be 18.If last year is any indication, there will be no internet available while weare in Switzerland. I will try to get word out on occasion on theBlackberry.Results for Trofeo Karlsberg can be found at www.romers.nl

pictures can be found at http://eventfotos.net/frames.htm