My hero... part 4

Fresh from a tear jerking repeat of his Giro stage bid failure at the Tour of Britain, Albert Timmer has signed a new deal with Giant/Shimano. 

The Dutchman has been my hero since I stood watching Le Tour with his family back in 2008 and despite only hitting the heights (literally) of a Tour of Luxembourg King of the Mountains and Tour de France Mont Ventoux breakaway, I have been a massive fan ever since. 

If you were stood in Cambridge for the neutralised opening KM's of stage three of this years grand boucle, I was the one in an orange Yaxley Riders jersey yelling "its Timmer time" at the passing peloton. 

This feat of spectatorship was followed up last week at the Tour of Britain with me startling the great man who was rummaging in his musette post feed on the Bath - Hemel stage. 

He had already had his near miss in that race, as with the Giro this year being caught in the final metres of a stage he looked destined to win.

So will this new deal with Giant mean more freedom for the big fella. I hope so. He certainly climbs well for such a tall fellow and deserves a bit more responsibility in the team than just lead out man for Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb. 

Plus with Giant offering out contract extensions I am more confident of the continued existence of that team, hoping that they have a new sponsor in the pipeline.

Chapeau Albert!

(#Timmertime)