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Rheden GP Discussion
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| Aquarius97 |
Posted on 29-03-2018 10:45
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Welcome to The Netherlands for the 4th edition of the Rheden GP, the final cobbled classic for PT teams and also for some PCT teams.
The route doesn't allow for the most exciting racing, as it can be seen from the previous editions that the race has always come down to a sprint in the final cobbled section, which ends only 600 metres before the finish line. This could mean that not only the top cobbler will be in the first places at the end, but riders who can do decently in cobbles and have great sprint abilities will be key in the race.
| Favourites | COB | SPR | ACC | FLA | HIL | RES | Contenders | COB | SPR | ACC | FLA | HIL | RES |  Bewley | 83 | 83 | 83 | 78 | 71 | 76 |  Ringheim | 78 | 73 | 75 | 72 | 67 | 71 | | Kristoff | 78 | 83 | 79 | 75 | 68 | 71 |  Nepomnyachsniy | 76 | 78 | 76 | 74 | 64 | 66 | | Trentin | 81 | 75 | 76 | 74 | 74 | 71 | Breen | 77 | 73 | 72 | 77 | 70 | 72 |  Blythe | 82 | 76 | 73 | 76 | 66 | 71 | Weber | 75 | 77 | 77 | 73 | 67 | 69 |  Wisniowski | 79 | 73 | 76 | 80 | 71 | 76 |  Zepuntke | 81 | 72 | 64 | 72 | 69 | 72 |  Senechal | 82 | 69 | 74 | 75 | 67 | 74 |  Veelers | 77 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 63 | 65 |  Saber | 76 | 81 | 79 | 75 | 68 | 72 |  Ferreira | 79 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 68 | 70 | | Daniel | 80 | 76 | 72 | 73 | 69 | 76 |  Gerts | 76 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 75 | 78 |  Burghardt | 82 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 70 | 73 |  Nolf | 80 | 63 | 71 | 74 | 66 | 72 | | Thomas | 79 | 74 | 78 | 75 | 60 | 70 | Breschel | 76 | 76 | 72 | 74 | 69 | 66 | | Rowe | 75 | 79 | 80 | 78 | 66 | 70 | Zhupa | 77 | 74 | 68 | 75 | 67 | 74 | | Vanspeybrouck | 82 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 71 | 71 | Fenn | 79 | 70 | 69 | 72 | 61 | 71 |  Baugnies | 80 | 65 | 73 | 78 | 72 | 73 | Sinkeldam | 77 | 68 | 68 | 74 | 75 | 70 |  Vanmarcke | 80 | 70 | 72 | 76 | 66 | 72 |  Kamyshev | 82 | 66 | 58 | 77 | 65 | 75 |
Last year's winner, Jerome Baugnies, will be in the race, but it's really hard to imagine that he'll make two in-a-row in the race given the opposition, led by the World Champion Sam Bewley. After 3 years without losing a single cobbled classic, the 5-times Roubaix winner failed to win East Midlands Cicle Classic a month ago, and also lost in the cobbled stage in ToNE, both times against GvA, who isn't here today. The New Zealander has to win the race; first, because he's the ultimate favourite, and second, because his team is relying on him to deliver them the PT crown.
Aker's massive depth, together with 2 great leaders for the race, bring them in a position of scoring really high in this race. Kristoff and Trentin are two riders that by themselves should both get a top5 result in the race, but the big question is if they can work together to take the win from Bewley's hands. The Norwegian is faster in a sprint, but the Italian is more powerful in the cobbles.
Aker isn't the only team that has brought the duo top cobbler - sprinter with cobbles, as Grieg, Jayco, SPAR, and even Puma and Podium Ambition can work with the same tactic. Grieg has one of the best rounded cobbler in Wisniowski and a great sprinter in Rowe. Jayco brings here Vanspeybrouck, one of the best pure cobblers of the field and Saber. SPAR has Daniel and Nepomnyachsniy, who won in a sprint the cobbled classic Gent-Wevelgem earlier in the season.
About Puma, they have Blythe, who on his own is probably the second highest favourite for the win, with his great combination of COB/SPR/ACC. As a weak back-up, they have Weber, but it's very unlikely that this rider will be in the group of riders that will fight for the win. And for Podium Ambition, despite probably having the best cobbled set-up in PCT, they have only won 1 cobbled classic this year. Burghardt leads them again, although he'll need a very reduced group to get a great result in a sprint, while Thomas could suffer in the hills and would not be able to use his good sprint in the finish.
Other cobblers who can feature during the race are Senechal, Vanmarcke, Kamyshev, Zepuntke or Nolf
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 29-03-2018 10:53
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Hmm, Vantomme is here, 70 cb, go! 
We need points desperately, but we aren't getting them here, I'd like to see an attack, but that's asking too much of PCM, so I'll just hope as many riders as possible can slip into the top 50 finishing points, Dahl-Olsen and Kaspa are due to do something at least once, right?
Really nice preview, Aquarius! 
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| tastasol |
Posted on 29-03-2018 11:11
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Should be nice to get a test against some of the PT best for Wisniowski. Top 10 the target, with a hope of getting inside the top 5. Hopefully not a too selective race, where we can have both Wisniowski and Rowe in a sprint for the win or a spot on the podium. Bewley have been struggling about with GVA lately, but with him not here, he surely can't lose this?
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 29-03-2018 11:27
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Some tough competition. But I really want another notable result here. Saber as the more promising rider, but the team will hopefully play it smart to give both him and Vanspeybrouck a chance to fight for a Top-5. Bewley and Kristoff, as well as Wisniowski should be too strong, but Saber could possibly sneak into a great position if the race unfolds like I believe it will.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 29-03-2018 13:40
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Not sure what to expect here. Cobbles season has been a failure so far. We'll see what happens.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 29-03-2018 15:52
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Perhaps the presence of top quality PT competition will get PCM working in our favour and actually have Marcus make a meaningful attack?
Probably not as i expect to see G track some moves before we get completely blown away in a small sprint finish.
Then we'll be right on the brink of collapse again as this is one of just a few scoring days left for us.
Or you never know, Ewan might pull a blinder to hang on or Darren Matthews could again pull off an overperformance!
Hey, we can always be positive!
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| fintas |
Posted on 29-03-2018 17:00
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we are here because we were "obliged" ... some tv time will be the best we can get ..
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 08:16
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 29-03-2018 17:01
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I have no expectations so there's no way I can be disappointed when we inevitably disappoint.
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 29-03-2018 19:29
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Simply sent a team to gain experience here. Not expecting much, but Yudai is probably our best hope.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 30-03-2018 12:34
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Bewley won?
Lovely to see Saber continue his ToNE form, another boost for Jayco 
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
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| jph27 |
Posted on 30-03-2018 12:34
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Nail, meet coffin. Coffin, meet nail. PT, it was nice knowing you. PCT, looking forward to being back. Barring a miracle I'd say we're down, having barely outscored Porto here.
Great report btw Aquarius, even if the result wasn't exactly great for us |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 30-03-2018 12:36
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For a moment I thought (hoped) that that break would make it, Neilsen would've stood a good chance out of it. 
Good on him anyway, shame Kaspa, Dahl-Olsen and Morkov couldn't even be bothered to make a top 50. But I said I wouldn't expect anything.
Anyway, congrats Roman! No GVA to even make Bewley sweat! Cool to see Saber in 2nd as well, a nice rider. Thanks for the great report Aquarius!
Edited by trekbmc on 30-03-2018 12:36
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 30-03-2018 12:36
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Who cares about Bewley? Who cares about Vanspeybrouck?
Saber has found his form! Exactly the result I was dreaming of. Making the crucial selection and keeping it cool until the finish. Great ride. Up until ToNE, I was pretty sure Saber would leave the team next year. But he's really pushing himself to some great results most recently. That concludes a pretty cool month for Jayco and it seems - just like in some previous seasons - we're pulling ourselves out of the relegation battle with a good late season run.
Congrats, Roman. A boring winner , but it should seal the PT crown (even though you may still fear Festina in a way). And of course thanks for the report! I really enjoyed it this time
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 30-03-2018 12:40
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Podium Ambition securing their PCT spot here, but I gotta feel for Minions. So close to a podium or even win from a rider that has done shit all year, but finishing 18th eventually. On the bright side, the competition scored even worse, which might make the real winner of this race my own team 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 30-03-2018 13:04
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This was needed to keep the fight for the title interesting. Jayco having a great season securing their spot in PT here. Podium Ambition strong as well.
Interesting result for Strava and Tinkoff here, eventhough being not here this result plays into their hands very well. Ayubowan took a step back from what looked to be a miracle non-relegation at some point this season.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 30-03-2018 14:00
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Croatia14 wrote:
This was needed to keep the fight for the title interesting. Jayco having a great season securing their spot in PT here. Podium Ambition strong as well.
Interesting result for Strava and Tinkoff here, eventhough being not here this result plays into their hands very well. Ayubowan took a step back from what looked to be a miracle non-relegation at some point this season.
I think we should have about 150 points on Strava and just short of 250 on Tinkoff after this, as well as being within 10 points or so of Porto. Problem is that Porto could become uncatchable with a good performance in the TTT - and Tinkoff could easily cut the gap down to basically nothing there as well, with Trofimov to then apply the killer blow. And Bakelants alone should outscore us by 150 points or more in Tasmania and Lombardia, so yeah, we do need a miracle. |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 30-03-2018 14:16
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Aaah, so close to getting a great result with Wisniowski. A shame PCM decided to be stupid with the front trio. 14th and 20th below our expectations from a sprint like that. Bah, oh well.
Congrats to Moser though. Great ride from Bewley.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 30-03-2018 14:16
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A great race maybe. But not a great season
With the TTT and Tasmania still to come, it could become a great LATE season though. Like we used to do in the past. No news from Down Under.
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 30-03-2018 14:35
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Ahah Bewley likes to play a scare doesn't he. Congrats Roman!
A tough terrain for us, the cobbles, but given the chasing group arrived together I feel Ferrerira could have taken a better result. But at least we didn't lose than many points to Ayubowan. Thanks for the report Aquarius!
Onwards to October and an all-or-nothing approach to every race of the month.
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 30-03-2018 14:54
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tsmoha wrote:
A great race maybe. But not a great season
With the TTT and Tasmania still to come, it could become a great LATE season though. Like we used to do in the past. No news from Down Under.
I think that besides 1-2 crashes too much your riders outperformed expectations more often than not, so I'm not sure about that could've been a season closer to relegation, but great that you can avoid it
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
