Charly and the Beast, from the tropical jungles of Malaysia and the days of film photography
/This is an old tale of eastern promise, and from my archive. It’s all about Charly Wegelius racing against Genting Highlands during an early 2000’s Tour de Langkawi.
He’s not so young any more and now rides in team cars as a team director.
Unfortunately I only have a few low res scans left over from this era.
Embarking on his first full season with Mapei’s formidable “A” team we catch up with Charly Wegelius as he plays an award winning support role to the teams major players in Le Tour de Langkawi….
The pair of us where somewhat overwhelmed by the whole thing; Malaysia had seemingly gone Mapei crazy. I’d seen it all before at last years Tour de Langkawi, but for Charly it was a whole new and exciting experience “They only seem to know two things about cycling – Mapei and Taffi. It’s amazing, everywhere you go you see Mapei banners.” Sure enough it is a bizarre thing indeed, Mapei and Andrea Taffi have all but made themselves royalty in this delightful part of the far east.
For several years Mapei have dominated the race, and with an undoubted dollop of Italian chic and style, and the enthusiastic Malaysian public have gotten right behind them, just as football followers world-wide do with the likes of Manchester United. Every single kid on the street wears a Mapei cap. Every taxi driver asks if you’re from Mapei. To be a part of this phenomenon is indeed a great honour and experience for any rider, and even carries a certain regal responsibility for Charly; “ Andrea has a very special relationship with Malaysia and this race, and he’s here to do well, as are the whole team.” That fact was borne out throughout the race as the “ Gladiator” rode daily like a man possessed in a vein quest for a stage victory. The race even finished off with a Taffi testimonial ride around the centre of Kuala Lumpur, much to the delight of the local kids, who got to ride next to their great western hero.
Meanwhile Charly happily played the roll of young prince perfectly, then duly slipped back in to his familiar and often understated team support roll. But rest assured that with an outfit such as Mapei there are certainly no back room boys, it’s quality right through to the core. This is his third season with what is arguably the worlds strongest and biggest pro cycling team, but his first full season with the mighty all conquering” A” team. Previously he’d been on the Mapei development squad, which is basically a schooling team for the creamiest of cyclings bright young talent. Don’t get me wrong, it is, or at least was, all part of the formidable and respected Mapei mean machine, and all of the riders are fully fledged division one pro bike racers. The only difference is that the development system shields and protects young rookie pros from the pitfalls of being slung in at the deep end of the pro peleton“ We were all one big team. But the idea of split squads was to allow young riders to develop and progress without being put under too much pressure. If you were going well, and there was space in the team then you also had the opportunity of riding the big races with the main team. In my first year I rode some of the smaller Belgian classics, which was a great experience.” Due to a change in UCI regulations Mapei have now been forced to completely split the two teams, and to register them separately; “ It’s a real shame, because now the young guys won’t have the chance to ride bigger races with the main team, which will limit their experience potential.” This nurturing system has really benefited Charly on his way to a place in the main squad; “ They have really looked after me. Last season I was sick for 3 months, never once did they put pressure on me to return to racing. And I still have a contract, that would not happen with many teams”
The road to a professional contract took the Finnish born Yorkshire man through the tough French system of the Vendee U team, which is now the Bonjour pro team (Where his brother works as a masseur.). But one day out of the blue Mapei called “ It was late in the season, and I’d heard nothing from any other teams. I’d had a good season, but it looked as though I was going to stay amateur. Then out of the blue Mapei called, which was amazing.” He omitted to mention that during this time he suffered a potentially career ending and crippling spleen and ankle injury “ Yeah, I crashed on a quad bike. They said that I might never ride a bike again. It was devastating, but I was determined to return. I rebuilt myself and trained like crazy, and followed it up with my best season ever, and a contract with Mapei.”
This grit and determination that earned him a place with Mapei reeks of star quality, yet the quite and modest mountain goat of the north seems happy to play the support roll, maybe just patiently biding his time? “ I’m really happy to work for the team. It may sound crazy to people, but I genuinely get as much pleasure from one of the guys winning as I would from winning myself.” Surely one day it will be his turn? “ I really don’t worry about it. Some may see it as a cop out, but I genuinely don’t think I have what it takes to be a great champion and a team leader. Sure enough I can have my days, then I can race with the best – but I cannot do it day in day out, which is what a team leader is required to do. And that’s a great pressure.” So what lead him to this conclusion? “ I think I realised it to an extent as an amateur. I simply don’t think I have the engine for it, and that’s just being realistic.” Super charged engine or not he holds a very creditable place with one of the strongest teams in the world. And it’s clear to everyone that he is highly regarded and respected by his more illustrious piers, riders such as Taffi; “ I get on well with everybody. I particularly got on well with Belgians, the Italians may look scary from the outside, but they are really nice guys – so I seem to fit well with them. “
From the outside it seems as though ambition and glory are what drive a pro bike rider, but if you’re settled to life as a gregarrio what is it that motivates you to keep pounding your body day in day out? “ I could go to a smaller team and race for myself more, but I’m happier with the way things are. At the end of the day we’re all here trying to make as much money as we can before we retire. It’s a tough and limited life span as a pro bike rider, and I want to make as much as I can during that time. Anyone who says they do it just for the love of it is crazy, or a liar – sure you have to enjoy it, but that’s no good when you’re washed up and not even 35. A good domestique can earn more money than a leader on a smaller team. You soon realise the realities of life as a pro rider, and have to prepare yourself for the ‘after life”.” At 24 Charlys pro career is really just heading towards the mainstream, where would he like to direct it? “ I’d like to become a rider that a potential major tour winner would want to support him, someone he’d like to take to ride for him at the big tours. That’s quite a good position to be in. I don’t see myself contiuing for ever, maybe till I’m 32/33.”
This may be his first full season with the “A” team, but it looks as though he’s well on course to at least realise the first step towards achieving that ambition. This year he’s on the “very” short list to ride this years Giro D’Italia, a prime target for the Italian squadra; “ There are 13 of us up for the Giro. The nine best will be on the start line, so it’s looking good.” The team will be based around Stefano Garzelli, who will be aiming to repeat his Giro victory of two years ago; ” Stefano really wants to win. Last year he got sick. This year he is super strong and we all have confidence in him. “ Will this mean a brimstone and fire big tour birthing? “ Well, with Mapei you have to perform. It’s not like many teams where you can go and just ride around. “ Is this a prospect to look forward to? “ For me it will be a major step up in career terms, and one that I think is crucial in developing. All of the older guys tell me that it’s an amazing experience, and after finishing a big tour you are a real pro. They say it changes your whole body, and that you become more complete as a bike rider. It’s because there is no other way that you put yourself through such a punishing thing in cycling.” The in house competition for those prized slots will fierce, what happens if it doesn’t come together? “ If I don’t go to the Giro then I’ll probably do the Tour of Switzerland, and quite possibly the Vuelta too.” Either way this year should be one that sees Charly progressing from a fledgling neo-pro to a fully accredited pro bike rider, and one with a level head on his shoulders.
Charly meets the Beast of the East
The lead in; After finishing off his winter training in California Charly found himself riding Le Tour de Langkawi, a ten day stage race in Malaysia. Mapei have a huge presence in this region, and always send a quality team to the race with one aim – winning.
New Mapei signing Robert Hunter kicked the show off by taking a dominant opening time trial victory. Throughout the proceeding stages Mapei held on to the yellow jersey, and took another stage win along the way.
This stage was the penultimate, and most crucial stage of the race. With temperatures hovering around the mid thirties, and humidity at around 90% the riders headed towards the mountain top finish at Genting Highlands.
This is no ordinary climb; it’s a whole 23 kilometres of sheer Tarmac torture. A relentless highway to hell which is frighteningly steep, especially during the final 5 kilometres. This climb is un-affectionately known as “ the beast of the east, “ and rivals anything that Europe has to offer.
Going in to the stage Hunter held on to a lead of just over 1.30 over Colombian ace climber Herman Munoz, it looked almost inevitable that the South African super sprinter would be sleighed by the beast, and would be dealt a crushing blow by the Colombians Selle Italia team. But, others have pulled off bigger stunts on the road to Genting…
Pre race briefing; After breakfast the Mapei boys and team manager Eric Vanderaerden convene in a hotel room for the daily team briefing, Charly takes over; “ We’d all been riding hard throughout the week. Today it’s certain that Selle Italia are going to attack us. We all know that Robbie can climb okay, but not against those guys. So the aim will be to ride hard to the foot of the climb, to keep things together. Then to try and get Robbie as far up the climb as possible before they go. With any luck we may be able to keep him somewhere close to a final podium position.”
On The road; the pace was almost as hot as the temperature. By the time the race hit the foot of the fearsome Genting climb Team Faktas Lennie Kristensen was clear of the main field. Behind Taffi was creating havoc, and had taken a couple of riders off the front with him. Within a couple of kilometres of the climbs start the field was shredding to bits. “ It was evil. The climb it’s self is bad enough, but there was no wind, and we were going so slow that I was seriously over heating. From now on you either had the legs, or you didn’t. My job was done, and it was every man for himself.”
Halfway up; Hunter was riding out of his skin to keep the jersey. Munoz had gone clear of a small group containing Hunter and Mapeis Luca Scinto. Meanwhile as the gradient approached the tortuously steep final five kilometres Charly was suffering, but still climbing well, and in the top 20 on the road; “ There is just no let up, it gets tougher and tougher. The temperature eases some, but by that time I was just so tiered that it made no difference. Then with four kilometres to go I cramped up badly, but there was nothing I could do.”
At the finish; the clock counted down as Munoz flew up the final meters of the climb. To everyone’s surprise not far behind him was Hunter, digging deeper than anyone thought possible. It was going to be deadly close. Munoz had taken the jersey by less than half a minute! The Mapei riders slumped with exhaustion around the team cars, no words were necessary.
The aftermath; “That was amazing, none of us expected it to be so close. Being high on GC before the start I would have been protected in any other team, but not at Mapei. If I’d have been going for it then I certainly wouldn’t have ridden so hard all week. But at the end of the day we got the result. “ All that was left now was a critirium around Kuala Lumpur, and one big night of celebrating by the boys in blue.
