Feb 23 -RUDY GETS A PODIUM IN DUBAI
When RUDY BARBIER crossed the finish line in the Dubai Silicon area, he couldn’t really decide what he was supposed to feel.
“I am looking for wins, not Podiums,” he said until our Italian DS Claudio Cozzi approached, and with his arm around him, prodded Rudy to cheer up: “Hey, you went against the best in the world and got us a podium!”
The DS was right, of course. The podium in Dubai was indeed a great score: Our first WT level podium of the season and in the UAE from all places.
No wonder the two owners of the team were so delighted, watching it on the finish line. “What a fantastic result,” exclaimed Sylvan Adams. “Rudy accelerated so fast at the last 200 meters that I thought he would pull it off!”
Only winner Pascal Ackermann and Caleb Ewan were better, and Rudy was already thinking of his next chance here. “With this team behind me, I can get it.”
Feb 24 –
RICK ARRIVED!
For Rick Zabel, it was a sweet moment today when he turned on his full gas mode on the short but cruel climb to the finish.
When he finally past the finish line , securing his FIFTH PLACE, you could see how relieved he was.
”Franky If someone would have told me that I finish 5th, I would have taken it happily״ he said, wiping his sweat. “But actually I went really hard following the wheels of the two top finishers but was passed close ton the finish line …“
But he was still elated. “My good shape is finally coming,” he smiled. We smiled too: It is great news for the team to have Rick back to form.
Much less enthusiastic was his Israeli teammate Omer Goldstein. Omer was our other candidate to go hard into that finish, but he could not hold the super hectic pace in the last few Km’s and finished more than a min behind.
“I am dissatisfied with myself” he said . “When the team gives you a chance, you got to grab it, and I didn’t. It’s a fact. I need to get better and earn more chances”.
Team Director Claudio Cozzi was much more forgiving. “Omer is young and will have many more chances. No worries. We count on him and his talent “.
So first two stages in the UAE TOUR ended with two top 5 scores. Let’s keep the pace.
