Road Bike Racing - Roger Hammond Fan Club...

...posts another photo of Roger in the Grote Scheldeprijs. Check out the wheels these guys are using. Plain Jane, stainless spokes, no fancy Campy or Mavic. Guess my wheels aren't holding me back after all. ;)

He was just devestated that he didn't win last Sunday. Being a sprinter and all.

It was a sad picture.

It's one thing sprinting at the end of a Kermesse, another on the velodrome in Roubaix!

Fantastic ride by Roger and his opening salvo as a classic rider........

(gotta love P-R.........your aero wheels and carbon forks don't mean much when the pave starts!!!!!)

I've never considered Hammond a top level sprinter. Planckaert is probably better in a sprint and he's only second tier at his best. Backstedt was part of the leadout train for O'Grady at CA, but Hushovd was/is faster than Backstedt, so Backstedt is at best 3rd tier. So I was somewhat surprised to see the media calling Hammond's specialty the sprint. I don't think we'll see him outsprinting Boonen or Freire anytime soon, but ya never know.

Hammond seems to be getting better at putting himself in position to capitalize on the right move and then exploit it to his advantage. For a real blue collar rider who's worked hard and shown dogged perseverance, he's getting some rewards. I am especially proud of Palmans for sticking with him all these years.

Hammond thinks of himself as a sprinter.

I know little about him.

Hammond was a junior cyclo-cross world champion, hence the great bike handling a pave rider needs. Turned pro with a small Belgian team and supplemented his insubstantial contract with Kermesse victories and places........hence the work he's done on his sprint and the reason commentators have heard of him in the Benelux countries and France. You need some kind of finishing kick to make money in criteriums, nocturnes and kermesses; he's worked to develop one.
He'd be the first to admit he's no sprint specialist at the World Cup level but has been gradually learning and improving in middle ranking continental races.

Also note the British champion's jersey he's wearing this year..........

Guy's an inspiration. To succeed takes class...but also lots of work.

Also note the British champion's jersey he's wearing this year...

The ferocious one, Millar, certainly isn't wearing it is he. Did Millar even ride in that race?

Hammond is British National Champion in both the road and cyclocross competitions. Impressive.

Roger talks about the Tour of Britian and his possible move to Discovery:

www.cyclingnews.com/road/2004/sep04/tourbritain04/?id=features/sep04roger_hammond

He has signed w Discovery Channel!

OK, I guess you knew that, you say "possible move" to get us to read the interview?

Maybe I put the wrong link in, cause Roger says he has not signed yet in the interview I thought I posted.

There you go making me read the link again!

Interviewer "It's said you will go postal..."

Roger, "just for the classics...", "I don't think I'm being employed to be part of his (Lance's) team..."

Clearly implies that he is being employed by Discovery though not expecting to be part of TdF squad.

I think the Roger Hammond fan club is going to be getting some new members in USA!

"I still have to sign and finalize it, but if it does happen, it is a big challenge to me." Roger Hammond

It is a long interview, and that does come near the end.

Oh, read the whole interview. Duh...sorry! It sound likely at least...

I saw Roger win his 7th National cyclo-X title earlier this year, and the way he rode through the conditions were incredible. Also to show his class he started lapped the slower riders when he was on his 3rd lap :eek:

Also he is currently riding the Tour of Britain, updates are available on http://www.tourofbritain.co.uk/index.html saw him on the finish into Nottingham, where he came 4th behind Tom Boonen.

I sent an e-mail to Roger last week inquiring as to whether his contract with Discovery is signed and he confirmed that he has signed it and will be riding for Discovery next year and may even be racing in the States.

Cheers.

Roger talks about the hole in front of his house:

www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2004/interviews/?id=roger_hammond04

Roger talks about the hole in front of his house:

www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2004/interviews/?id=roger_hammond04

His face was made for mud. He's got that certain, special, demented look to him ... I love it!!

-mark

The Roger watch continues...he'll be in Austin next week for all you Austinites. Please post pics. :)

www.cyclingplus.co.uk/newsdetails.asp?id=427