After the previous two stages were shortened due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease, the race continued as planned for the seventh stage. Overnight the weather turned from crisp and sunny to misserable and pouring. Team Jelly Belly knew the tough conditions and longer distance would take their toll on the exhausted field. The team prepared as best it could for the epic stage, layered with rain jackets and thermals they stood huddled at the start line. As is normal in Asian racing the zero kilometer mark brough a flury of intense attacks. The attacks were relentless until the 50km mark when a group of seven including Jelly Belly’s Mike Friedman and Kiel Reijnen made a well timed escape. The break’s advantage didn’t reach beyond a minute as a motivated field chased hard. The effort took its toll however and only 20km later it was obvious that the peleton was suffering. The extreme cold and unrelenting rain reduced the ablitity of any riders to respond. Thats when Mike, Will R. and Kiel went up the road for a second time with 35km remaining. This time the move was for good as the Jelly Belly boys hammered, driving the 16 man breakaway in the final 30km. The Hong Kong National team, who held the yellow jersey from stage one, were unable to respond in the closing kilometers. The final gap across the line was a stagering nine and a half minutes, catapulting Mike Friedman into the overall lead by 17seconds over Kelly Benefits rider Jessie Anthony. The 34 degree weather and pouring rain hurt the Jelly Belly boys, but not nearly as much as it hurt the rest of the field. There were reports of riders crying at the back of the peleton and over ten riders decided to call it quits and jump in the back of the broom wagon. It was a day to go down in the history books and one the team won’t soon forget.
After todays rest day the Tour will continue with a 235 km day, starting with an 8km long climb and topping out at kilometer 170 at 973 meters and over 2,000 meters of total climbing. Jelly Belly only has four remaining riders in the Tour and will have to fight hard over the final three days to retain the jersey. The team also sits first in the team general classification with Will and Kiel both in the top 10 overall.
