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Tour of Vancouver Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 07-12-2017 18:54
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
Joined: 19-07-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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The Tour of Vancouver has become an iconic race in the ProContinental circuit and goes into it's 5th edition this year. Past race-winner are Timofey Kritskiy (2013), Janez Brajkovic (2014), Alberto Contador (2015) and Riccardo Ricco (2016). It's been several thrilling editions with close battles for the yellow jersey and the race directors are proud to announce the 5th anniversary of the event in Canada's 150th anniversary year. The HC event will once again welcome a packed startlist with the division's best climbers lining up. The goal is clear: winning the Tour of Vancouver is surely one of the highlights for the teams attending, so here we are for hopefully another entertaining edition of this beautiful race.
All stages start in the heart of Vancouver, British Columbia, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The race kicks off with a short, but steep mountain timetrial up the Simon Fraser University Hill in Burnaby. The next two stages will be circuit races in Richmond and Coquitlam, mostly flat, but with some tricky climbs, that probably won't hurt the sprinters too much though.. The fourth stage will feature the first summit finish: Cypress, in Northern Vancouver. The climb is "just" 6% in average, but due to it's length, it will definitely give the top-favourites a chance for a late attack.. After another flat circuit race (in Surrey), which may be the hardest of the three flat stages, we will hit another summit finish: the queen-stage up the Mount Seymour! And last, but not least, the riders face a 18km flat TTT in Western Vancouver, that may give a weaker climber the chance to improve in GC.
The fight for yellow should be once again fascinating to follow and we have to start the preview with one of the most unlucky riders in the history of the event:  Intxausti finished the race as 2nd for two-times. Last year, he fell short by 4 seconds on Ricco. And in 2014, the unlucky Spaniard finished just 2 seconds behind race winner Brajkovic! That's definitely as close as you could possibly lose on yellow, so the the winner of last year's points and mountain classification finally wants to slip into yellow on the final stage here.
The clear favorite though is  Amador. Being the best climber of all GC contenders, coming with a nice prologue stat as well, he's also part of the second strongest TTT lineup here. There's almost no excuse for Amador to not finish on the podium (like he did last year as 3rd), but he's obviously aiming for the very top of the podest here.
 Úran,  Kudus,  Marquez/Nazaret,  Eastman and  Shikai as the remaining top favorites then. Úran (5th in 2016) has one of the more solid TTT lineups behind him, but there's a clear gap to Team UBS. He's still the most promising rider behind Amador/Intxausti.
 Roglic deserves a special mention, as Generali brought an insane TTT setup to support their captain as much as possible. While he's not amongst the best climbers, he will surely hope to limit the losses on the two mountain stages to gain back some valuable time in the concluding TTT. A few more names could surprise: Ji, Ratiy, Van den Broeck or Costagli as maybe the more promising names to fight for a Top-10 in the GC.
 Keukeleire and Silvestre top the list of the sprinters, as they manage to survive hills in a solid fashion. The list doesn't feature the division's best sprinters, but we may look forward to some extraordinary close decisions anyway.
 Guardini, Moser and  Bouhanni complete the list of the top favorites for sprints. But we should also expect some surprises on three kinda tricky flat stages: Aregger, Pelucchi, Park? Maybe even some less strong sprinters like Zardini or Meyer fancy their chances for the most challenging flat stage later in the race.
Kudus won't just fight for yellow, but also for the young rider competition. Shikai and Eastman as his biggest challengers, which should make for a thrilling battle until the final stage. Stancu, Kozhatayev and maybe Senni or Iturria with some outsiders' chances to somehow join this fight, even though it looks hard to achieve.
Hard to predict, who's going to fight for the KoM honours. Even more, since the race will most probably see one of the GC contenders taking the jersey. But anything can happen in a stage race, so attacking guys like Bartl, Martinez, Frank or Shapira may have a shot at this jersey afterall. As said though, with two hard mountaintop finishes and only minor mountain sprints in addition to those, this prediction is rather for the fun of it.
The full startlist:
| # | team ubs | # | minions | # | eritel - sonatrach | | 1 | amador | 11 | úran | 21 | kudus | | 2 | aregger | 12 | barton | 22 | craven | | 3 | braico | 13 | haga | 23 | hadi | | 4 | dillier | 14 | major | 24 | hamza | | 5 | frank | 15 | manarelli | 25 | hategeka | | 6 | goncalves | 16 | martinez | 26 | kiflay | | 7 | ivars | 17 | pantano gómez | 27 | reguigui | | 8 | ramos ticona | 18 | sarmiento | 28 | teklehaimanot | | # | indosat ooredoo | # | berg cycles | # | meiji - jr east | | 31 | intxausti | 41 | Silvestre | 51 | shikai | | 32 | brenes | 42 | bartl | 52 | gilanipoor | | 33 | ji | 43 | bauer | 53 | hatsuyama | | 34 | manulang | 44 | chiarello | 54 | hayakawa | | 35 | moser | 45 | marquez | 55 | hiratsuka | | 36 | richardson | 46 | nazaret | 56 | mutsumine | | 37 | russo | 47 | silva | 57 | shirota | | 38 | signorini | 48 | vilela | 58 | tsuboki | | # | fablok - bank bgz | # | generali - edf | # | haute route | | 61 | guardini | 71 | viviani | 81 | keukeleire | | 62 | berard | 72 | beukeboom | 82 | barbari | | 63 | bialoblocki | 73 | boaro | 83 | ben youcef | | 64 | bodnar | 74 | ghyselinck | 84 | girdlestone | | 65 | feillu | 75 | ovechkin | 85 | grmay | | 66 | nareklishvili | 76 | roglic | 86 | konte | | 67 | poljanski | 77 | rolland | 87 | samwel | | 68 | shapira | 78 | sterbini | 88 | vervaeke | | # | azteca - nbcsn | # | mol - omv petrom | # | euskaltel | | 91 | eastman | 101 |  king | 111 | bouhanni | | 92 | briceno | 102 | iturria | 112 | anton martin | | 93 | mannion | 103 | palyi | 113 | d fernandez | | 94 | ochoa quintero | 104 | pomoshnikov | 114 | r fernandez | | 95 | osorio | 105 | ratiy | 115 | izagirre | | 96 | richardson | 106 | sipos | 116 | mollema | | 97 | squire | 107 | stancu | 117 | van den broeck | | 98 | stetina | 108 | van winden | 118 | zardini | | # | lierse sk - pizza ullo | # | compal - merida | # | ticos air costa rica | | 121 |  pelucchi | 131 |  meyer | 141 |  chamorra | | 122 | cerny | 132 | ji | 142 | costagli | | 123 | dall'oste | 133 | jiao | 143 | gonzales cortes | | 124 | moscon | 134 | kozhatayev | 144 | jeannesson | | 125 | senni | 135 | lane | 145 | morales | | 126 | stuyven | 136 | ma | 146 | ortega | | 127 | umerbekov | 137 | oka | 147 | rojas villegas | | 128 | van aert | 138 | wang | 148 | vega | | # | vmp - argon 18 | # | kraftwerk | # | netia - vónin | | 151 |  belkov | 161 |  park | 171 |  domagalski | | 152 | degand | 162 | ackermann | 172 | konepejs | | 153 | ebejer | 163 | bontenackels | 173 | kolev | | 154 | fuglsang | 164 | denz | 174 | nielsen | | 155 | georgiev | 165 | gerdemann | 175 | padun | | 156 | mihaylov | 166 | hirschlein | 176 | pedersen | | 157 | nieve | 167 | politt | 177 | stachowiak | | 158 | stöhr | 168 | tatarinov | 178 | veyhe |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:01
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2889
Joined: 11-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Lovely preview, really liked those graphics, tsmoha 
First race of the aeason for Amador, and surely he'a the big favourite here. Doubt anyone can challenge him really.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:06
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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Well, that's the new bar now, I guess? 
tsmoha for previewsident!
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:16
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Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 11-07-2014
PCM$: 700.00
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Wow, love those graphics in the preview, it's amazing! 
This is an important race for us, our PPRD was formatting poorly before this race, but over these 7 days we expect to get it down into the single digits - hopefully we avoid making it a negative sign as that would format just as badly. 
Dream: Domagalski or Stachowiak goes for the KOM jersey, they fail miserably but it's a tiny bit exciting at least as they reach the top 20.
Expectation: We join a grand total of two breaks during the course of the race, perhaps Domagalski scores an extra 10 points by finishing in the top 35 of the GC like in Corsica.
Still we get a lot of XP and that is what counts - although maybe unfortunate that we didn't send Sobota here instead of to Thailand as a lead-out.
Should be an awesome race GC-wise though, love the mountain prologue. Get the feeling Uran will manage the win, although imagine if Eastman won (I hear a lot CT teams groaning ),
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:41
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3591
Joined: 18-03-2014
PCM$: 200.00
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GT worthy preview there!
We're here for stage wins, as I dont expect Poljanski to do anything here. Guardini is on his own in the sprints and Shapira is a good breakaway rider. So we have many cards to play with
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:51
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World Champion
Posts: 12986
Joined: 20-05-2009
PCM$: 530.00
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Wow that preview! 
Really hoping for a Top 5 here, and also win the U25, which provides some extra points as well.
Edit: Dang the emojis didn't work at first I guess
Edited by valverde321 on 07-12-2017 20:41
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 07-12-2017 19:53
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
Joined: 12-06-2013
PCM$: 500.00
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Hopefully VDB can do something here as he does have a decent support team with him. Hoping Bouhanni actually does well in the sprints for once and utilises the support that he has here.
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 07-12-2017 20:00
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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I can only echo the above, what a preview. Did you make it all yourself?
Hoping Pelucchi or maybe even Cerny can get a few points in group sprints. Other than that, just attack guys
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| fintas |
Posted on 07-12-2017 20:02
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
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WOW thats an awesome preview, just the TTT strength missing (76-73-73-71-71-70-70-65 for my team)...
After I see the startlist I was sure of two things, this race either will be extraordinary for the team or it will be a total disaster. The duo Marquez/Nazaret has given excellent results so far and with Chiarello and Barlt in support, any of them should be able to stay well within the top 10.. The absence of the best sprinters puts some responsibility over Silvestre who has at least to achieve a stage victory or this race will be a failure at the individual level.
The goals for this race are at least one stage win, one rider in the top 10 and another 1 in the top 15. Less than that will not make me happy
Edited by fintas on 07-12-2017 20:08
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 07-12-2017 20:03
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Team Leader
Posts: 7406
Joined: 14-07-2015
PCM$: 599.00
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My my what a preview amassing layout.
Hope the race just 1/2 as great, I will definitely follow.
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| knockout |
Posted on 07-12-2017 20:30
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7735
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 400.00
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Can't decide whether i like this preview or the P-R more. Both of you have outdone each other! Stunning previews!
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 01:47
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| Yellow Jersey |
Posted on 07-12-2017 20:57
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2809
Joined: 16-04-2013
PCM$: 900.00
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Not in for this one but felt obligated to comment on the amazing preview tsmoha!
I'll keep an eye on Eastman and the CT contingent 
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 07-12-2017 21:00
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 10438.70
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Dat preview. 
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Booker |
Posted on 07-12-2017 21:03
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 875
Joined: 03-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Yellow Jersey wrote:
Not in for this one but felt obligated to comment on the amazing preview tsmoha!
I'll keep an eye on Eastman and the CT contingent
Same here Ridiculously stunning work tsmoha!
I feel like a hater cheering for anyone but Eastman, but there's no room for sentimentality in this CT division.
Hopefully Guardini can come through with the green jersey for Fablok as well. That's what I'll really be cheering for, actually 
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 07-12-2017 21:07
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9099
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
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Not here. Regretting it because of the preview. Not regretting it because we have no riders for this. Sprinting startlist is incredibly weak for a HC race with that many opportunities. Climbing startlist is decent, but sadly not every climber besides Brajkovic is here.
I fear I'll lose major ground to other relegation candidates with the weak climbers field here and riders like vdB, Intxausti, Ji, Shikai and Kudus here.
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| Bushwackers |
Posted on 07-12-2017 22:28
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Sprinter
Posts: 1907
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Wow what a preview, nice work! This is one of our "win" goals, and it should be very doable with this startlist although Amador failed to do so here in the past. A pretty weak sprint field should allow Aregger to get some top 10's as well.
Comparing our TTT lineup with Generali:
UBS: 80 - 78 - 78 - 77 - 75 - 74 - 71 - 68
Generali: 79 - 78 - 77 - 77 - 77 - 76 - 76 - 72
I can't predict who will win it. Matt's team is overall better, but my guys here have higher mountain stats so might be recovering a little better. If it were at the beginning I think Generali wins but since it is after all the mountains I think we have a chance.
Can't wait!!
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| DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 07-12-2017 22:43
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2433
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Pleased to be part of this awesome preview even though I only have my B team here so looking for another lucky breakaway from Tartarinov.
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 07-12-2017 23:03
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8059
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
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Can I join this race now just to get into that preview?
Well done tsmoha.
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 08-12-2017 00:11
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3999
Joined: 26-07-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Excellent Preview! Feel lucky as a CT team I still have the ability to send a squad to this race that on paper can compete against most of these PCT teams. Eastman has an outside shot for yellow, and should be a strong contender in the best young rider category. Would love to see one of our other guys take a stab at least at the KoM as well. Obviously terrified of the TTT as we are probably the weakest team here in that category, and while Eastman is a decent time-trialist, he will have essentially no support there.
And huge bonus points for putting Eastman in the header! Looks awesome!
AZTECA - NBCSN  |
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 08-12-2017 00:36
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4505
Joined: 05-10-2010
PCM$: 900.00
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That preview though
Losing the lead by 4 seconds on the last stage here last season sucked, I predict this year it'll be about 10
Uran and Intxausti are almost identical and finishing positions should come down to daily form/positioning before climbs more than anything. Amador being the outright favourite with a decent TTT team will be hard to beat though.
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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