Team Lidwinia - The Pride of Polynesia

[Team Lidwinia]

21st stage - Mass sprint
01. 00:00:00 Lilianio Safer (Les ours blancs)
02. 00:00:00 Jubo Muting (Sky Riders)
03. 00:00:00 Iti Dakuwanga (Team Lidwinia)
04. 00:00:00 Joseph Rouletabille (EQUIPE LEGENDE)
05. 00:00:00 Hung Kanh (RS Walbeck)
24. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
32. 00:00:00 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
42. 00:00:00 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
43. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
45. 00:00:00 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)
50. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
51. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
75. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)

A good third place for Dakuwanga. All is over now. A group of 4 went away and the peloton kept it all under control, despite some panic. Sopoanga tried to pull a late attack, but didn't get away. Dakuwanga had a wheel and got on the podium for the second time.

It was a good Vuelta. All aims were hit:
- Rahi Kahausibware won a stage
- Foukimoana Rongomatane finished top-20 after a good final weekend in Basque country
- Iti Dakuwanga managed to show his face in the sprints
- Tofilau Talake, Toakai Sopoanga and Rahi Kahausibware were in many attacks, some of which stayed ahead.
- Pekahau Haumiatiketike held Lidwinia honour during the disaster-stage
- Matua Ahuatanga, Foukimoana Rongomatane and Naingimea Itimaroroa showed their time trialling pedigree
- Malietoa Malielegaoi, Pekahau Haumiatiketike and Naingimea Itimaroroa did the dirty work
- Malietoa Malielegaoi had his moments of glory closing a 10 minute gap on his own, so he showed something for himself and was NOT last!

Final Classification
1. Remo Pembele
2. Maxime Pellois + 2:13
3. Untaani Compoaré + 2:29
4. Tom Lennox + 3:06
5. Jean Lagarde + 4:47
19. Foukimoana Rongomatane + 19:53
49. Tofilau Talake + 1:55:20
56. Rahi Kahausibware + 2:49:10
90. Matua Ahuatanga + 3:47:00
106. Toakai Sopoanga + 3:57:14
126. Pekahau Haumiatiketike + 4:24:36
138. Iti Dakuwanga + 4:52:33
140. Naingimea Itimaroroa + 5:02:44
142. Malietoa Malielegaoi + 5:06:18
143. Messi Paolo + 5:08:36

Mountain
1. Luis Scola 203
2. Tom Lennox 165
3. Richard Slager 131
12. Tofilau Talake 66
15. Rahi Kahausibware 41
27. Toakai Sopoanga 17
33. Foukimoana Rongomatane 12
47. Pekahau Haumiatiketike 6
61. Iti Dakuwanga 2

Points
1. Johnny Bartsen 191
2. Tom Lennox 161
3. Untaani Compoaré 155
19. Iti Dakuwanga 44
20. Rahi Kahausibware 43
41. Tofilau Talake 23
47. Foukimoana Rongomatane 21
50. Pekahau Haumiatiketike 20
53. Toakai Sopoanga 19
61. Matua Ahuatanga 11
73. Malietoa Malielegaoi 6

[Team Lidwinia]

Lidwinia signs New Zealand champion
FUNAFUTI - Team Lidwinia has signed New Zealand champion Gregory Henderson (26) to replace Iti Dakuwanga who left the team after several poor trainings during and after a successful Vuelta. The sprinter will be the new spearhead of the team in flat races. The Polynesian team is extremely happy to have a champion. "That will push our team in the right direction: up, according to Directeur Sportif L. Winia.

Henderson has one victory up his sleeve, but it's not the least one, because he won the national championships of a Polynesian country, which is at least as awesome as one in Europe. The fact that he is fluent in Maori makes him very suitable to the tea. Besides, when asked which rider he wanted to have in support, Henderson asked the team to contact 23 year old talent rouleur Akelei Lamaalofa, who is also member of the Tuvaluan football team that just returned from the Southern Pacific Games. Lamaalofa will boost the team in flat and angulated races, supporting the likes of Toakai Sopoanga and Henderson. While Henderson gets time to recover from his 3 days boat trip to Funafuti, Lamaalofa will join the team today for Konstanz-Freiburg, in support of Foukimoana Rongomatane.

[Team Lidwinia]

Konstanz Freiburg
Team
91. Foukimoana Rongomatane (TUV)
92. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
93. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
94. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV) *
95. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
96. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
97. Tofilau Talake (TUV)
98. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

*debutant

[Team Lidwinia]

Results - Half peloton sprint
01. 00:00:00 Jayden vanGarderen (RSV Cottbus)
02. 00:00:00 Phillipe Felice (Zugspitze)
03. 00:00:00 Marcial Veloc (Kitovras)
04. 00:00:00 Jamel Wazari (Elaska)
05. 00:00:00 Sangoulé Ouédraogo (Team MiSa)
12. 00:00:00 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
23. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
27. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
28. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
31. 00:00:00 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)
82. 00:21:27 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)
90. 00:21:27 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
101. 00:31:21 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)

A day for fun and money making Limaalofa and Talake were out in the lead group collecting money. By the end, Teikauea attacked and the train for non-sprinter Rongomatane worked well. I might better have brought Henderson.

[Team Lidwinia]

Lannion - Vannes
Team
101. Gregory Henderson (NZL)
102. Matua Ahuatanga (TUV)
103. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
104. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
105. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
106. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
107. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
108. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results
01. 00:00:00 Paulino Varela (Team Franconia)
02. 00:00:00 Mannfred Rott (Modern Warfare)
03. 00:00:00 Aapo Syväjärvi (Team planet-X)
04. 00:00:00 Salvador Gumilla (FliegendeFische)
05. 00:00:00 Ignacio Lacalle (OLcycle)
15. 00:00:00 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
52. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
82. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
90. 00:00:00 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
97. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
118. 00:00:00 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)
129. 00:00:00 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)
153. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)

A mass sprint. Nothing else. I have a decent sprinter and there were 20 good ones.

[Team Lidwinia]

Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen
Team
61. Gregory Henderson (NZL)
62. Matua Ahuatanga (TUV)
63. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
64. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
65. Rahi Kahasusibware (TUV)
66. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
67. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
68. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
69. Tofilau Talake (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results
01. 00:00:00 Massimo Bernardi (TT Sports)
02. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
03. 00:00:00 Laurent Ontario (RS Ostfriesland)
04. 00:00:00 Marc Soleil (Pirelli)
05. 00:00:00 Geoff Brabham (TT Sports)
26. 00:00:17 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
60. 00:02:52 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
62. 00:02:52 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
67. 00:02:52 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
73. 00:02:52 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
85. 00:10:37 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)
86. 00:17:09 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
93. 00:23:27 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)

This was close. I knew Henderson would have a hard time staying with the leaders, so I decided to watch the one rider that I knew would not get dropped. Sopoanga managed to get very close to his first victory. In the beginning, Malielegaoi was with a group in the attack, but the group was brought back after the intermediate sprints. Then there were some attacks that cost most of the Lidwinians the place in the group. Haumiatiketike and Sopoanga managed to hold on and Sopoanga was with a late attack that sprinted for victory.

[Team Lidwinia]

Univest GP
21. Foukimoana Rongomatane (TUV)
22. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
23. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
24. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
25. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
26. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
27. Toakai Sopoanga
28. Tofilau Talake (TUV)
29. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results - Mass sprint
01. 00:00:00 SalahEdin Bassir (Elaska)
02. 00:00:00 Nicolai Friedrichsdorf (team no-limit)
03. 00:00:00 Stewart OGrady (pro-team)
04. 00:00:00 Romulo Betancourt (Alkworld)
05. 00:00:00 Albert Agile (joliecoeur)
10. 00:00:00 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
12. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
17. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
39. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
50. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
67. 00:00:00 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)
112. 00:00:29 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
118. 00:00:29 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
151. 00:07:34 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)

A little gold mine, as expected.Talake and Teikauea were in the lead group collecting money. Halfway, an attack by Talake broke the group and dropped a parasite. Then the group was caught 2 km before the end and it all ended up a mass sprint.

[Team Lidwinia]

Isbergues
Team
31. Gregory Henderson (NZL)
32. Matua Ahuatanga (TUV)
33. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
34. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
35. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
36. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
37. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
38. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
39. Tofilau Talake (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results - mass sprint
01. 00:00:00 Marlon Chala (BMC Cycling)
02. 00:00:00 Tulsi Giri (Team AUT)
03. 00:00:00 Aapo Syväjärvi (Team planet-X)
04. 00:00:00 Robby Mcwen (sguzzen)
05. 00:00:00 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
21. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
62. 00:00:00 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
79. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
89. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
100. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
125. 00:00:00 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
128. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
DNF. Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)

There was a lead group with Malielegaoi and Limaalofa, but both decided to drop out very soon, because it was full of internal strife. Then the peloton worked together well and brought the group back. A new group didn't go far and a mass sprint decided the winner.

[Team Lidwinia]

Lichtervelde
Team
91. Gregory Henderson (NZL)
92. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
93. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
94. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
95. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
96. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
97. Tofilau Talake (TUV)
98. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results
01. 00:00:00 Paulo Ventura (Elftal)
02. 00:00:00 Tom Martinsen (Luebeck-Oilers)
03. 00:00:00 Romain Hazard (ChartreuseCycle)
04. 00:00:00 Phillipe Felice (Zugspitze)
05. 00:00:00 Edi Enker (RC Hachen)
07. 00:00:00 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
23. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
87. 00:00:00 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)
108. 00:00:00 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
119. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
133. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
136. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
142. 00:00:00 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)

With 35 km to go, I had electrical failure at home. Luckily, I set a sprint before because there were no intermediate sprints or climbs.

The first half of the race was spoiled by a guy that put about his entire team in tempo. Then there was an attack that was joined and distanced by a bored Itimaroroa. Itimaroroa was brought back too. BUZZ happened and there was presumably a mass sprint.

[team arabique]

Tuvaluan Sports Daily

Talking too: Iti Lingadua

When we meet the young new promising cyclist Iti Lingadua, he’s enjoying some r & r after riding the GP Modena on Monday finishing at the 111th spot. Iti, 21 years old, starting a week ago riding for the infamous cyclingteam Team Arabique, looks like he is ready for the succes.

We ask him if he finds it difficult to switch to a new team so late in this season:

(Iti): I know it’s not the best thing to do, but Team Arabique gave me this chance and I’m willing to work and show the rest of the World what I’m made of. And then ofcourse it’s a good jumpstart for next season.

“Was Team Arabique your First choice?”, we ask him.

Iti shakes his head and shares with us a little secret: “I was first trying to be part of Team Lidwinia where a lot of my Tuvaluan friends are in the team, but unfortunately, there was already an Iti riding in this team, so one team with two Iti’s was a little too much. But thanks to the God Tifenua Tikopia there was team Arabique. It’s a great team and the leader of the team is a great sportsman and an incredible intelligent and very goodlooking guy, and did I say intelligent??
We thank Iti Lingadua for this short interview and wish him a lot of succes in the rest of his career.

21 september by Wari Ma Te Takere

[Team Lidwinia]

Right.



(Arabique is a colleague of mine and I dragged him into RSF by force and forced him to buy at least one Tuvaluan. It may happen that we share IP adresses during races for that reason every now and then. With no intention of helping each other against our own interests of course.)

Problem with Lingadua was not exactly the fact that we used to have another Iti (Dakuwanga, the sprinter), but the fact that Lingadua is kind of a nasty fellow. He's a fisherman by trade and that brings some character traits that are incompatible with a top sport environment. The guys of Team Lidwinia are mostly cattle herders and IT consultants.

[Team Lidwinia]

Thonon -Baume les Messieurs
Team
81. Foukimoana Rongomatane (TUV)
82. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
83. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
84. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
85. Malietoa Malielegaoi (TUV)
86. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)
87. Tofilau Talake (TUV)
88. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results - downhill mass sprint
01. 00:00:00 Bojan Mihailovic (RSV Cottbus)
02. 00:00:00 Rodrigo Roncero (TeamTom)
03. 00:00:00 Mario Schnellinger (RS Ostfriesland)
04. 00:00:00 Johannes Richer (Riding Stars)
05. 00:00:00 Ferdinand Sparwasser (RS Ostfriesland)
16. 00:00:00 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)
22. 00:00:00 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
52. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
64. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
79. 00:00:00 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
87. 00:00:00 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
90. 00:00:00 Tofilau Talake (Team Lidwinia)
92. 00:23:07 Malietoa Malielegaoi (Team Lidwinia)

Boring race where that what was expected, happened. A lead group with Talake and Kahausibware went away and took about 3 or 4 minutes. Then they were brought back and all came down to a sprint where Tuvalu was way out. No trouble.

[Team Lidwinia]

TTT Normand
Team
41. Matua Ahuatanga (TUV)
42. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
43. Rahi Kahausibware (TUV)
44. Fakatoafe Teikauea (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Lidwinia gets team younger again
FUNAFUTI - Team Lidwinia has added two new riders to their roster to replace two others. Tofilau Talake and Malietoa Malielegaoi left the team and were replaced by Kamehameha Rapanui and Alopua Penisula

Especially Malielegaoi's departure is special. Rumours go that the rouleur was forced into IT Consultancy by the Tuvaluan maffia. Gaetanoa Pagliarinioa , spokesperson of the Tuvaluan Maffia Association (TMA) confirmed the rumours. Talake just left. No questions were asked and Pagliarinioa did not answer any questions either..

It is expected that both new riders will have their value. Especially Rapanui is expected to make an immediate impact.

[Team Lidwinia]

TTT Normand
Results
01. 00:00:00 Hintersprenkler
05. 00:02:06 Racerfriends
09. 00:02:29 Skullz
13. 00:03:14Les ours blancs
17. 00:04:23 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia) (5th)
18. 00:04:23 Rahi Kahausibware (Team Lidwinia)
19. 00:04:23 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
20. 00:04:23 Fakatoafe Teikauea (Team Lidwinia)

[Team Lidwinia]

Germany Tour
Team
81. Foukimoana Rongomatane (TUV)
82. Matua Ahuatanga (TUV)
83. Pekahau Haumiatiketike (TUV)
84. Gregory Henderson (NZL)
85. Naingimea Itimaroroa (TUV)
86. Akelei Limaalofa (TUV)
87. Alopua Penisula (TUV)
88. Kamehameha Rapanui (TUV)
89. Toakai Sopoanga (TUV)

[Team Lidwinia]

Results - Team Time Trial
01. 00:00:00 Bjarn Riis (Europecar)
06. 00:00:13 Liberiu Marica (ByZickl)
13. 00:00:17 Isac Hansen (Red Wine)
21. 00:00:29 Ngok Nhank (RS Walbeck)
22. 00:00:29 Alopua Penisula (Team Lidwinia) (4th/5th)
24. 00:00:29 Kamehameha Rapanui (Team Lidwinia)
25. 00:00:29 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
28. 00:00:29 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
29. 00:00:29 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
30. 00:00:29 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
32. 00:00:29 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
36. 00:00:29 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
94. 00:01:27 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)

A decent time trial with a poor start. I lost valuable seconds in the beginning, but managed to get up quickly, but not enough to reach the aimed podium.

[Team Lidwinia]

2nd stage - Sprint with a big group
01. 00:00:00 Jos Bleekemolen (Crissler)
02. 00:00:00 Johan Strömberg (CC LdeMar)
03. 00:00:00 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
04. 00:00:00 Enrique Torero (Claw - CVIII)
05. 00:00:00 Erik Haldegaad (CC LdeMar)
20. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
33. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
42. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
67. 00:00:31 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
76. 00:02:32 Kamehameha Rapanui (Team Lidwinia)
82. 00:06:11 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
84. 00:06:11 Alopua Penisula (Team Lidwinia)
91. 00:06:11 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)

Good news and bad news. The good news is that it was an interresting race with Lidwinia in front and the bad news is that Rongomatane and Rapanui lost some time. Limaalofa was in front in a small lead group to tire out the peloton to keep them from... dropping Rongomatane and Rapanui. Sopoanga was in a group close to the end, but he lost the bargain. In the end, Henderson has the winner at his wheel, which was evil to say the least. Luckily Rongomatane could limit his losses to half a minute. That is managable with some hills and a time trial.

[Team Lidwinia]

3rd stage - 3% uphill mass sprint
1. 00:00:00 Erik Haldegaad (CC LdeMar)
02. 00:00:00 Giovanni Duprè (pirati)
03. 00:00:00 Pavel Kortschagin (Red Wine)
04. 00:00:00 Lam Thuy (RS Walbeck)
05. 00:00:00 Baran Benzoukane (Gipfelstuermer)
08. 00:00:00 Gregory Henderson (Team Lidwinia)
15. 00:00:00 Pekahau Haumiatiketike (Team Lidwinia)
30. 00:00:00 Foukimoana Rongomatane (Team Lidwinia)
42. 00:00:00 Naingimea Itimaroroa (Team Lidwinia)
43. 00:00:00 Toakai Sopoanga (Team Lidwinia)
51. 00:00:00 Alopua Penisula (Team Lidwinia)
66. 00:00:00 Matua Ahuatanga (Team Lidwinia)
69. 00:00:00 Akelei Limaalofa (Team Lidwinia)
74. 00:00:00 Kamehameha Rapanui (Team Lidwinia)

An uphill sprint that was beyond Henderson, to be clear. There was a little group that got 18 minutes but was brought back at the end. Nothing else happened really.