UCI CTM Team Skyline took on Eastern Europe and headed to Romania for a month-long block of racing.

With the Europe Tour calendar having a block of racing in Romania, and our team having one of the Romanian rising Under 23 stars, Mihnea Harasim on the team, it was only right that we traveled over to discover what the UCI racing in Romania has to offer. What an experience it was, the team came away from it with some crazy stories and a trip of a lifetime.

The team traveled from all over the world and met up in Timișoara, a city in the west of Romania with the closest airport to the first race. This is where the adventure began. The team arrived a week in advance and was able to submerge themselves into this new culture. 

First off, We’d like to thank the individuals who supported the team and gave their everything day in and day out to make this possible. Lindsay Ewing was both our director sportif and mechanic and worked overtime to have us and our equipment dialed for each race. It was a pleasure to work with someone with such a depth of experience at the UCI level. Filip, a race and director from a fello UCI pro team helped us throughout the month, we could not have had a better person to guide us as we navigated the logistics of traveling and racing across Romania. He is from Romania and was able to use his resources to help everything run smoothly throughout our travels. Additionaly his whole family came out to support us, with his wife going point to point to get us bottles at every feed. Doru was our soigneur for the Tour of Romania and he was a game changer, his attitude and humor brought the whole team up, he has been a part of many teams that have raced at the UCI level and knows all the ins and outs of what to do off the bike to make the most of the opportunity. It was a pleasure to work with all these people who enabled us to make the most of the racing block that consisted of a one-day and two multi-day stage races.

Cupa Max Ausnit – UCI 1.2:

The first race of our block was a one-day that started and ended in Lugoj with a hilly parcours, a couple World Tour Development teams and Pro Team Corratec. It was our first opportunity to dive into the Romanian style of racing. There was a 2km kicker on a circuit that we did twice that would prove to be the most decisive section of the race. Over the first time up, the group split and as things came back together, Adam Lewis hit the group, taking advantage of a laul in the race to get ahead before the final climb. This group would make it to the line and Adam secured a top 10 finish for the team and a handful of UCI points. Just behind, the team took turns tagging moves that attempted to come across. Eventually, Mihnea ( a.k.a Mickey ) tagged a group that would finish in between the break and the peloton. In the bunch, the team decided to lead it out from the front with Jack Makohon emptying himself into the final 500m as Logan O’Krafka and Liam Flanagan launched the sprint to take the bunch kick. Micky took home 1st Romanian rider on the day.

Tour of Szeklerland – UCI 2.2:

• Stage 1: The stage started blazing fast with constant attacks, the team covered moves for the first hour and finally a break of 3 got away initiated by Liam Flanagan. He rolled with it, getting a lead of up to 40s, but with the sprint coming up with bonus seconds on the line, the teams playing the GC wanted to bring it back, which it was right at the sprint. Conn McDunphy took the opportunity to use the efforts of the GC teams to launch a counter attack over the top of the sprint. That break would just make it to the line with a charging peloton nipping at their heels in the closing meters. Conn attempted to jump the group, but couldn’t get any daylight between himself and his breakaway companions and would settle for 4th. A very respectable result, but one that frustrated him. For the next day, the parcours was much more challenging with the same run in and he wanted us to be aggressive and have another shot at the win
• Stage 2: A hilly day through the Romanian mountains. Rain at the start and we had a plan to be aggressive from the gun. Cian Keogh was the first man to initiate the hostilities and get up the road. That was brought back after the first KOM where Jack Makohon went over the top and attacked up the 3km berg. As the group panicked behind scrambling to bring it back. Adam and Conn were ready, the race had been hard for the first hour and as the catch was made, they whacked it, putting our two strongest riders up the road. Behind, Cian and Liam got on the front to set a false tempo as the break was driven by our riders. By the time the GC teams realized what we were up to the break had close to a 4 min gap. Adam absolutely binned himself over the climbs to establish a healthy lead to give the break a chance at the win. Eventually the breakaway would lose members who hadn’t been riding and joined by an Astana rider and a Felt rider, the strongest teams in the race who would be motivated to chase if they didn’t have a rider up the road. As the rain poured down, Conn was in a break of 3 going for the line. Same scenario as the day before, Conn stayed patient until the last 50m to launch his sprint and came around for the win! BANNNNG! What an epic way to win! Especially after coming so close the day before.

Tour of Romania – UCI 2.2:

Our Tour of Romania was the final race of our block. Unfortunately, just before the start of day 1, Adam, our GC hope came down with a stomach bug and was unable to take the start. This gave Jack, our young climber, an opportunity to step up to lead the team. This was a huge step for Jack and the team rallied behind him and he ran with the opportunity. He fought day in and day out with the GC favorites. His fight up Palantis, during the Queen Stage, showed what type of rider he is and the potential that he has. Refusing to get dropped by the best climbers in the race and finishing with the lead selection of 9 riders. Each day, Conn, Cian, Mihnea, & Liam protected him and helped him get into position to fight his way to a 4th place on GC, the Young Riders classification., and the KOM classification¹. The team also had some bright moments in the bunch finishes rallying behind Liam who came 9th on stage 4 and 11th on stage 5 Mihnea came 10th on the final dayas well. Conn and Cian were our team captains and guided the team through the bunch as they were faced with upwards of 100 degree Fahrenheit temperatures which required a constant effort to keep everyone on the team cool and hydrated in the bunch. We also got our fair share of TV time, chasing breakaways down, driving breakaways, and getting our leaders to the front to represent our sponsors as we fought and turned ourselves inside out for each other day in and day out. This Tour brought us from Deva on Stage 1 across Transylvania all the way into Bucharest on Stage 5. What a beautiful country, from the flatlands up into the mountains through the farmlands, we were able to experience so much of Romania, and we were very impressed with it, we will be back!

Summary

This block of racing did not come without its hiccups and difficulties, but the team has shown its resilience and perseverance in the face of obstacles. Each rider has taken home memories and stories of a lifetime, and if you get a chance, do ask them about this trip. It was filled with highs, lows, tears of joy, laughter and the guys can share about the details that make this sport and these racing blocks so unique and special. It’s about sticking together and getting stuck in regardless of the good, bad, and the ugly.  

What’s Next?

The next adventure for the team will be in Belgium, the motherland of cycling, where our dreams are going to be put to the test and we will finish our 2024 season!

1. At the conclusion of the tour, Jack was second to a rider who has since been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance. ↩︎