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Vuelta a Espana Discussion
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 07-04-2020 11:18
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Thanks guys! 
That was amazing teamwork. Our quartet clearly saved energy while most of the break sprinted for the KoM. They dropped every time, but on the downhill I assume Kruijswijk (who looks a bit tired) and Janse van Rensburg brought them back. So in the finale a fresh Vervaeke could give a fresh Sosnitskiy the perfect leadout needed to beat some climbers that are significantly stronger on paper. Well played!
The Team Classification is a goal for us in every race we enter so glad we took a solid lead. Aegon remain a dangerous contestant though, because they actually have the stronger lineup.
I like how this AI recognizes that we don't have a strong leader to work for and gives multiple of our riders a free role.
Thanks for the report Tamijo!
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| Bikex |
Posted on 07-04-2020 11:38
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Team Leader
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I do not understand my team's refusal to join any breaks |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 07-04-2020 12:09
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Bikex wrote:
I do not understand my team's refusal to join any breaks
I'd like to second this, and also can't understand Cattaneo's inability to not lose time to Keizer every time there's a MTF. Still, he might rescue a top 10 here, and Carthy might eventually go in a break instead of pointlessly pulling the peloton - I can dream, right? |
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| OlegTinkov |
Posted on 08-04-2020 04:46
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Come on Kritskiy, you can do it!
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 08-04-2020 11:53
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World Champion
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That's the Velits I know! Such a shame to miss the stage win, but good to see him on the offensive, hope it continues!
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
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:03
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Can I relegate right now and try my luck at the PCT early? This is just getting ridiculous, can understand Cattaneo getting caught behind splits on MTFs, but he doesn't even try to make up the time elsewhere - and Carthy is a stronger climber than almost everyone who dropped him. |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:03
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Classics Specialist
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Good to have Nesset in the break again. Seems like he's just a bit below the level required to take a win, but hopefully he will have an easy day tomorrow and charge up for the final stages where we cross our fingers for a good daily form.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 23:36
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| SotD |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:14
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Too bad, Bongiorno seems tired - it was a great GC jump by him - obviously it's well too early to make that kind of jump in order to get a GC top 10 from the race, but nontheless it was good to see him attentive.
With Preidler on the move for the KOM I guess it's a matter of enjoying the KOM lead while it lasts - unfortunately Bongiorno can't keep up with him, and now also too high in the GC to be let lose for the attacks he'll fall back for sure.
It was good to see us putting a couple of guys in the break, although it wasn't the best suited riders - Ioannidis is OK, but Weber is a waste of time on that sort of stage. Kastrantas would have been a great domestique for Bongiorno.
Overall I can't complain - my riders try their best, and we will get what we can.
The next couple of stages could go to the BotD too, so I'll be rooting for Kastrantas and van Niekerk tomorrow and then I'll have to hope Bongiorno somehow loses a couple of minutes so he can go at it on the 18th stage which could well conclude the KOM hunt.
Another good day for Gazelle btw - and also Kirsch is doing very well.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:36
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That was not smart. Haig losing spots to breakaway riders ain't acceptable. At least keep on joining those breaks instead of doing the work in the pack with less success.
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| knockout |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:37
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Grand Tour Champion
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F off
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| roturn |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:52
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Come on...again beaten in the break by a weaker rider...a stage win would be great even though I love the attitude by my team to follow the break guidelines in the 3rd week so far.
That said, they really should do as other teams and go with a 2nd rider such as Hugenhaben/Koep to let the leader rest for a bit longer.
Keinath attacking and this way being able to gain time on direct rivals and finishing with the top tier riders, was nice and unexpected to see.
Same as Olivier holding contact with the direct rivals and even gaining on 1-2 riders.
12th. 13th, 16th sounds nice but again without a rider in the top10, which is not ideal obviously.
On the bad side, Gazelle doing what my team can`t and had 4 well placed break riders to dominate the team ranking. On paper hard to read Sosnitzskiy/Kruijswijk/Karnulin/Vervaeke better than Velits/Olivier/Keinath when the top3 count.
Thanks for the report, Tamijo! Nice read as always. |
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 08-04-2020 12:58
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Directeur Sportif
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Useless.
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| ember |
Posted on 08-04-2020 13:08
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Thank you for the report, Tamijo!
Good to see Taaramae looking to be one of the strongest, if not the strongest, of the favourites, judging by positioning on the final climb. Galta also being with him for a long time, clearly on a good day before dropping quite hard on the final few kilometers.
It's another passed test for Taaramae, and it feels like we're getting closer and closer with only the TT and a single MTF left.
Looked like we were onto something there for a while with Walsleben doing great work on the early false flat. Don't get why we didn't follow up from there when the breakaway looked within reach, but I'm getting used to it, so nothing new to see there 
Kind of cool to see the fight up front in the breakaways, as they're not predictable at all looking at who proves strongest day by day. Gazelle and Festina though in general are making this a sensational race for themselves, at least so far. Congratulations both, and of course to SN as well on the stage win! |
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 08-04-2020 15:59
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So many breaks and so many instances of breakaway wins this race. Yet none we've finished in the main breakaway group. Don't get how riders worse than ours keep ending higher. Frustrating race
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 08-04-2020 17:44
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Another very entertaining breakaway fight.
We followed the same recipe as last time: letting the KoM guys sprint themselves to death over and over and ask Kruijswijk to bring his teammates back to the front. Didn't result in a win this time, but we can be very happy with 3d and 5th in this strong group. Sosnitskiy and Karnulin have sometimes been underwhelming in previous seasons, but they sure are flying here.
Thanks for the great work Tamijo. Hope you're feeling better.
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| SotD |
Posted on 09-04-2020 11:20
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Can't complain. Aidan tried - he was one of my two designated attackers for the stage.
It didn't work, and then Ackermann tried to get in the mix - and did well until the end. It looked as though he would finish 4-6th, but he must have burned his energy in the final meters to get 10th. Still, nice to see him there.
Bongiorno takes a final day in the KOM jersey (I suspect) aswell.
Four more stages. The ITT is not for us, so we will have to see if we can somehow get lucky tomorrow that Preidler doesn't make the attack and Bongiorno loses enough time to get leeway on stage 20 - That's the only chance for him to salvage the KOM jersey.
Stage 21 could be one for van Niekerk and/or Kastrantas so we hope to see more active riding...
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| knockout |
Posted on 09-04-2020 11:35
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Grand Tour Champion
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Dzamastagic <3
It was on the way to a terrible GT but Dzamastagic saves it. Love this dude too much, he is amazing
Seeing how Liepins dropped into the 40s, this surely was a planned stunt to give Dzama a few meters of advantage, right?
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 09-04-2020 11:43
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Of course we donate one to another Slovenian, fantastic!
But wow, a group sprint! How about Per saving himself for once for the leadout!?
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| tastasol |
Posted on 09-04-2020 11:46
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Was a bit worried about the break, but great to see that we actually worked a bit in the peloton to reel them in. 5th is pretty decent from Bertilsson. Survive the mountains now, and he might have another chance in Madrid.
Congrats on the win, knockout!
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 09-04-2020 11:48
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World Champion
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People need to stop letting Dzama lead out sprints, it was too predictable as soon as I saw he was on the front
But on the other hand, nobody ever stop him because Dzama is amazing
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
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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