You are listening to Kilometer Zero by the Cycling Podcast, powered by Super Sapiens,

energy management for committed athletes and coaches.

We left the story of the 2012 Jewelty Talia on the eve of the penultimate stage to the

Stelvio.

Rider Hazardal had trimmed Hwokim Rodriguez's overall lead to 17 seconds with a Pareto

style attack close to the finish on the previous day stage to Alpe de Panpeago.

With the final day time trial in Milan to come, it was a case of advantage Hazardal, as

long as he didn't concede too much ground to the Spaniard on the Stelvio.

However, no one who considered that a threat might come from a bit lower down the general

classification.

Thomas DeGente, who was lying 8th overall, 5 minutes 40 down, launched an audacious

bid to steal the duo from under the noses of Rodriguez and Hazardal.

And for a while, it looked like it might pay off.

So Saturday morning, Rider and I were roommates throughout those couple of years.

So I spent more time with him in training camps and races than I did my own wife.

We woke up in the morning, you know, it's just typical small mountain shell lay where

you're pretty much on top of each other in the small beds.

And we didn't say a word to each other.

It was the only time we never, it wasn't even like good morning, nothing.

It was like, all right, this is that's what it really became real.

And that was the Stelvio stage.

And my wife rang up and I took the call and I ran outside.

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