Mike Friedman on today’s 120K breakaway:

“Don’t quit, don’t give up, fight till the end. After yesterday’s blow out with the climb and GC, my job was simple. Be really aggressive, make the breakaway, and take pressure off the boys. Jason and I both had this job, and we worked as a tag team initiating and following.”

“The break went on a large descent. I bolted across using my cornering skills and what normally is gravitationally challenging–my ass–to shoot up to them. From there we rolled it evenly until the final 25K where we had to haul ass to prevent the unpreventable today, getting caught by the peloton with just 3K to go.”

“I am feeling better and better every day.”

Team Slipstream/Chipotle H3O dug deep today and came back strong from yesterday’s thrashing. The start of the 151K loop kicked off with several breakaway attempts. It was at the 35K mark, on a descent, that Mike Friedman made the the big break of the day along with four other riders.

Halfway into the race, the break had a four minute gap on the hard chasing peloton. Unfortunately, the break was caught just a few kilometers from the finish and the stage finished in a massive field sprint. Martijn Masskant finished 10th and Will Frischkorn moved up from 10th to 9th in the overall classification.

Director Sportif Lionel Marie said tomorrow’s final 145K stage should be animated. “Watch for fireworks tomorrow because we plan to attack on all fronts.”

With a double ascension of the Col de la Baraque (631M), today’s decisively difficult stage 3 took its toll on the team. Only Pat McCarty and Will Frischkorn were able to hang on to the peloton over the second ascension of the climb. Mike Friedman has fallen out of the top ten in the overall classification, but is still looking for a stage win.

French rider Kilian Patour started the stage sick and did all he could to finish. But after vomiting twice and then feeling dizzy on the descent, he decided it was time to call it quits. He will head home to recover and we all wish him well.

Two men short, the team will regroup for the 151K stage around the Fumades and a possible stage victory.

After several break away attempts, Thursday’s 149K stage from Nimes to Saint Ambroix finished in a massive field sprint. Martijn Maaskant was the highest placed Slipstream finisher at 13th. Mike Friedman’s 48th place finish managed to move him up to 8th overall in the general classification.

Tomorrow’s decisive stage 3 is a figure eight-shaped circuit that includes two ascents of Col de la Baraque (631M).

From the Slipstream/Chipotle H3O support car during Etoile de Besseges, Blake Caldwell sends news on his fracture.

“Team doctor Prentice Steffen saw the x-rays and said I have “…a right, inferior pubic ramus fracture, or a fracture of the ’sit bone.’ ” “Luckily it is a small fracture that Prentice said was stable. He said I can get on the trainer in a matter of days, ramping up the volume and intensity as the pain allows.”

“Exactly how long before I can be back to normal training and racing is hard to say. Maybe 2-3 weeks if things go well. Some encouraging news, as a few days off the bike is easier than a few weeks.”

Everyone at Slipstream sends best wishes for Caldwell’s recovery!

According to Director Sportif Lionel Marie, Mike Friedman finished 9th and Jason Donald 10th in today’s field sprint. Blake Caldwell was involved in a crash and did fracture his hip. At last word, Caldwell will be out for at least three weeks.

Mike Friedman reports on today’s opening 154K stage of the 2008 Etoile de Bessèges.

“I was seeing stars today! Got caught in the second group due to some crosswind on the 20K circuit, but jumped across to the first break with Martijn Maaskant. Then Kiki (Kilian Patour) pulled Jason Donald and I up to the final break away before the finish.

“I finished poorly due to bad judgement of the sprint. I’m mad about that but doing a 100-mile race was an eye opener for my legs. Though the team was awesome today - in every move.”

“Blake Caldwell unfortunately crashed hard and limped in but finished. We are hoping he makes it around for the hilly stages to come.”

A team favorite for some sprint action, Mike “Meatball” Friedman outlines his hopes for the 5-day, French stage race.

“Having the pulmonary embolism behind me is a great feeling, especially going into the new year. New year, great team, big races, and an Olympic year to boot. What more can I honestly wish for?”

“The team is what I would call the “American Dream Team”. It’s first-class from the BIG things like the team’s pimped out bus, to small things like real parmesan cheese, good olive oil, and aged balsamic vinegar on the dinner table. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it makes a world of difference.”

“The team started the year off with a bang, and tomorrow we will attempt to keep up the show. Etoile de Besseges is a five-day stage race in France that starts off flat (good for me) and then goes into some smaller mountains, and one category 1 climb (bad for me). The flatter stages are better because though my intensity from track racing is high, my road volume is low. And I do have a few extra kilos of “love” on me too.”

“So if I get within a few hundred meters of the line, I will be able to unleash hell over the first few stages. The plan will be for the team to ride aggressively in the windy sections, protect me, and get me to the finish line first.”