Fresh off an overall win and five days in yellow at Tour of Thailand team Jelly Belly has headed across the (other) pond yet again for the Tour de Korea. The team is using the ten-day stage race as its final prep for the Amgen Tour of California.

Two days prior to the race start teams flew into the self-governing Island of Jeju off the Southern tip of South Korea. A few short training rides helped the team loosen up their legs and get over the jet lag from the 15 hour flight. Riding in a new place is always exciting especially when everything is foreign. Notable findings on the team’s adventures included: finding and exploring a orange groves, public outdoor gyms, volcanic beaches and the health and sex museum (there was a statue of a penis over six feet tall, amongst many other “interesting” things).

STAGE 1: Tour of Korea kicks off

182 km of fast and furious racing on Jeju Island opened the Tour de Korea. The team woke to heavy cross winds and pouring rain that would continue throughout the day. Attacks came from the gun and continued for the first 50km of the stage seeing three riders break free of the field gaining a maximum time of 9:30 minutes after the field sat up for a small reprieve. We bided our time knowing that we were circumnavigating an island and would inevitably encounter crosswinds. We took the opportunity to test the field putting it in the gutter as we drove the pace on the front eventually drawing out 20 riders. A large bunch caught back on after we settled back down, at which point we each started attacking, knowing that if we maintained the pressure that we initiated and knowing that the part of the field that caught up had to chase hard, they must have been hurting. It only took a few attacks before the force whittled down the front group to another 20 guys, of which we had four, Huff, Routley, Reijnen, and Friedman. Our luck changed marred by a few flats, mechanicals, and a near crash leaving Friedman in the front group alone, but Reijnen was able to chase back into the disorganized front group, an impressive feat finalizing the group that would ride to the line 2:30 minutes down on the eventual race winner. The brutal cross winds and miserable weather took their toll on the field which finished another 2:45 minutes down. It was a great day for the team however, because we were able to practice some tactics we normally don’t get a chance to do, and gain confidence that when we go, we are strong enough to split a large field or riders. It was 100 % teamwork, the same we used in Redlands, Thailand, and will be using here.

The transfer off Jeju was interesting to say the least. Once we took a shower, it was rush time. First we had to catch an hour bus ride to the airport to catch a chartered jet with Korean Air. The airport was mass mayhem full of people trying to check in and along with all the teams with luggage, it was chaos to the extreme. Another wrench was thrown into the situation when one of the Jelly Belly riders wasn’t on the Korean Air list, along with twenty or so others, so everything was on delay. Once airborne it was another hour till we touched down and yet again, a van ride for another hour to dinner, and finally bed without massage. Everyone’s legs are sore, but we are excited for tomorrow’s stage.

STAGE 2: Jelly belly on the podium

148 Kilometers in sunny 70 degree weather made the start of the stage enjoyable, that is until the 0 km line. Attacks went left, right, center and probably would have come from above and below if they could have. The attacks never stopped for 148 kms. There was one 4 man break away that contained JB’s Will Routley. They got a 48 second gap and maintained it until just before KOM, but Will had made his move and gathered the maximum point value. Everyone could feel the day before as well as the transfer, but were fresh enough to ferociously attack consistently. JB’s plan was simply to follow moves and tag any that looked dangerous. Most of the moves we were represented in were clearly chased down quickly. With only 5km left in the stage everyone was suffering from the constant accelerations and at that moment on a small riser Routley and Friedman launched a ferocious late race move. Followed by four other riders the six held a 15 second advantage to the line. Friedman and Routley placed 2nd and 3rd respectively catapulting Friedman into 3rd overall.

STAGE 3: Epic is an understatement

If we thought stage two was filled with attacks and accelerations, we were wrong. 227km, 6,000kjs, and 3,245 attacks later stage three still came down to a 70 man sprint. The day started off with a strong 15 man move that contained Friedman, Routley and Reijnen. The group reached a maximum advantage of 2 minutes but by km 50 it was grouppo compacto. Some more bad luck saw Reijnen back in the cars with two flats. Seeing the danger Dickeson dropped back to help Reijnen chase back to the main group. More bad luck saw Dickeson with a small mechanical forcing him out of the back of the caravan with 55km remaining. After more furious attacking and a few short climbs the field split once again seeing another 20 man group head up the road including Mike and Will. The escapees quickly gained two minutes on the disorganized field but a strong chase by the Hong Kong National team in the final hour of the race left only Routley off the front with 20 km to go. The motivated field eventually swallowed up Routley in the final few kilometers and finished in a bunch kick. It was a though day for the team with some bad luck and frustrating racing tactics from the field, however none of us could hold back a smile when Dickeson crossed the line within time cut after riding the final 55km into heavy winds on a 227km stage by himself, a real trooper, and an invaluable teammate. His ill-timed bad luck didn’t stop him from pushing on to help the team in later stages. He was certainly the hero of the day.

STAGE 4: Getting the routine

After yesterdays stage we all felt lucky to be moving in the morning. At breakfast it was obvious stage three had hurt some guys. We shoveled down cereal and eggs secretly praying that the day’s stage might have some control instead of suicidal attacking all day. When four riders made an escape after 30 km of attacking we finally got our wish. A number of teams took up a steady chase. The last kilometers of the stage were very hectic and the chasing teams misjudged the escape group. Mike took the bunch sprint for fifth place right on the heels of the four escapees who help a mere 3-second gap to the line. Will was also able to hold onto his KOM jersey for yet another day after scoring 3rd place on the only mountain of the day.

STAGE 5 and 6: Foot and Mouth disease forces a shortened stage

Due to the bovine illness, and the strong desire to not spread the disease further. Stage 5 was shortened from 150 to 77km, and stage 6 from 198 to 53! Drastic differences in distance, certainly affected the plans we had as a team. With the consistent attacking day after day, it was beginning to show on the other athletes in the field, which we were banking on going into the latter and harder stages of the tour. Both days came down into a hectic bunch kick, which we stayed safe in.