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Prologue - October 16: Darwin Criterium
Let the race begin!
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Typical day in the world of The Never Never. It is hot, it is 99 percent humidity and course profile has changed in the final 10 minutes before roll out...
Life goes on in the same mode as all Croc Trophies before. The men must remain flexible and independent. The Gatorade Dream Team rolled in with one singular objective: "a show of strength" . The mission was accomplished as Marzio Deho attacked a perspiring peloton in the sixth of the 10 laps in the mostly paved criterium.
With a three km circuit containing but one technical stretch, Deho put 30 seconds into Australian Adam Hansen every lap to the finish. Once Deho, an Italian marathon mountain biker, got his teeth into the race it was really no contest. Even his team-mate Alberto Elli was unable to follow directly. Elli would surely have finished second if it wasn't for his crash in the descent of the singletrack when he tried to come over Spanish rider Manuel Pino. Pino zigged when he should have zagged and Elli ended up with a badly bruised right knee as well as as few facial wounds (luckily Elli's morale is intact).
This year the Gatorade Dream Team consists of five cyclists, all of whom have day jobs.
Cyclists:
Marzio Deho (Olympia)
Alberto Elli (Barloworld DS)
Jurgen Van de Walle (Chocolate Jacques)
Lars - Erik Johnson (USA-Ski Patrol)
Perry Moerman (T-Mobile head mechanic)
The staff is also of some interest as there are the following:
Christi Valentine - Anderson (Eurosport commentator - wife of Phil)
Darren O'Grady (mechanic and brother of Stuart)
Barry Burns (Coach of Baden Cooke)
Nathalie t Jaeckx (wife of Jurgen)
Jonny Belling (outback mechanic)
Tomorrow there is a transfer to Katherine, three hours south of Darwin, where on October 18th the real Crocodile Trophy will begin. The first stage is 185km in unforgiving Australian Outback... let the race begin!
Photos
Images by Christi Valentine-Anderson
- The Gatorade Dream Team.
- Pre-race pee for the Gatorade Dream Team.
- Marzio Deho pulls out the Gatorade Dream Team game plan.
- Alberto Elli coming out of the green.
- Marzio Deho standing tall on podium... a little too tall!
- Adam Hansen in the points jersey.
