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Benelux Challenge - Discussion
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 26-03-2024 07:49
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3367
Joined: 20-04-2020
PCM$: 425.00
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We'll take sixth from Sterbini. Needs to make up some points still after what happened in the Arab Tour  Abolaji second in U25 is great to see.
Congratulations to the legendary Schomber on the win, as well as to BNZ for two on the podium. Thank you for the nice report, Ulrich!
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 26-03-2024 08:08
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Decent TT from the team. Didn't expect a lot, and that was how it was. Nothing too bad either, so we'll take it.
Congrats with to Jandal (Again?? Stop this madness!). Thanks for the report Ulrich 
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| eprenrem |
Posted on 26-03-2024 08:22
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Amateur
Posts: 1
Joined: 26-03-2024
PCM$: 100.00
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I'll be cheering for Pidock, because he's just a cool rider who can do a bit of everything and is a fast finisher. Or maybe Gaday for an upset win? Should be interesting anyway! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 15:26
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 26-03-2024 09:03
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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eprenrem wrote:
I'll be cheering for Pidock, because he's just a cool rider who can do a bit of everything and is a fast finisher. Or maybe Gaday for an upset win? Should be interesting anyway!
Thanks for the support buddy!
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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| Bjartne |
Posted on 26-03-2024 15:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2907
Joined: 15-07-2007
PCM$: 300.00
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Hehe, what a terrible first stage.
Hopefully Breen can make amends in the cobbled sections |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 26-03-2024 22:58
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Schomber holds yellow (for the first time ever past Stage 2!) Pidcock bonuses, taking over white, Jams, van Zyl and Pidcock in the Top 11 - things are going well, I hope we don't screw this up!
Was very worried about that breakaway for a while but sprint teams finally handled it. Congrats Ezee
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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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 27-03-2024 06:34
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Looks like Shiki has become the designated leader for us, which isn't the worst thing, but he's not Ringheim on the cobbles. Hopefully the team can keep him well supported through the race. Hoping that this also allows the likes of Jo and Saya to be more aggressive in the later stages.
Congrats to Ezee and thanks for the report
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 27-03-2024 07:23
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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All that work to finish "only" 4th isn't ideal, but given the better sprinters managed to stay in the front group, it's still a decent result. Really good effort by youngster Van Eetvelt, too. Plus, we put some time into some of the better cobblers, so if Stallaert survives tomorrow, he could be in a nice position for the GC. That's a big if, though.
Thanks for the nice report and congrats Ezee, good win for Willwohl!
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| Ezeefreak |
Posted on 27-03-2024 07:50
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Domestique
Posts: 555
Joined: 06-07-2009
PCM$: 300.00
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IN WILLI WE TRUST!!!!!!!
I never expected him to win but he's just Willi! What surprise! I am so proud and happy. This is our first legit win (besides some jerseys U25 and KoM). I was questioning my whole sprinters but now I know that Willi is our man.
A report is even better if I can see my rider on top. Thanks for it! And also congrats to all others with good results.
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 27-03-2024 08:24
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3367
Joined: 20-04-2020
PCM$: 425.00
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A shame to lose over a minute on a flat stage. With the hilly stage coming up tonight it's not looking good at all to get in a final decent GC position here. What we expected in a way, but Zepuntke is still free to surprise us of course.
Big congratulations to the Willi Gang. And thank you Ulrich for the nice report
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 27-03-2024 12:16
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Team Leader
Posts: 7294
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Erdenebat and Kopfauf up there for now. Hopefully we can have a miracle win 
Not a bad start but it probably won’t last
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 27-03-2024 23:17
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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PIDCOCK AND JAMS 1-2 MY BOYS!!!
Hot young thing delivering as he should, and team favourite Jams showing he's still a sick rider in one of his favourite races. For a second I thought we were getting Pidcock leading out Novardianto to his first stage win in our jersey which would have been one of my favourite all-time Xero moments, but this is cool too. Potentially our first ever 1-2 - I'm gonna have to go back and check the archives!
Expecting Jams to be out of energy but if he survived that he can theoretically survive the rest of the race hills-wise. Cobbles will be the test for both of them and no idea how it will play out.
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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| MacC |
Posted on 28-03-2024 00:35
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Sprinter
Posts: 1594
Joined: 15-07-2008
PCM$: 700.00
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Thanks Ulrich...
Conor Dunne doing some good work quietly here ...
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 28-03-2024 03:29
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Team Leader
Posts: 7294
Joined: 11-04-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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McCormick did really well for 3rd. Wish it was a stage but still a great result. We should get decent points for this race from the high finishes we have had so far. That will change heading into the cobbles now unfortunately. I think Kopfauf and Erdenebat did the right thing working for McCormick. I don’t think the break would’ve been caught without them stepping up. Really good effort! Good tactics from us and a good strong result for McCormick.
Congrats to fellow kiwis Xero! 1-2-3 for Kiwi teams is pretty incredible!
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| Ezeefreak |
Posted on 28-03-2024 05:58
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Domestique
Posts: 555
Joined: 06-07-2009
PCM$: 300.00
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Thanks for the report and congrats to Xero for that finish.
I am quite happy with Willi and Goossens finish in the first group on such a stage. If at least one of them could keep their position in the gc that would be great.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 28-03-2024 06:01
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11676
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1861.50
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Great job by Mick on that stage. Hopefully a sign of things to come in the future. Great work from the team as well, keeping him and Shiki safe, while also causing damage in the pack.
Congrats to jandal on a fantastic result  Thanks for the report!
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 28-03-2024 07:24
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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2 stages so far as well, amazing stuff! So long as we keep the order I'm onboard for many more
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 28-03-2024 07:29
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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Me: Wow Gamper is 8th in GC after stage 2, that's pretty good right?
PCM AI: Oh yes!
Me: And there's two more cobbled stages coming up, so I think he should really aim for that GC?
PCM AI: Definitely!
Me: So, could you take care of him during that hilly stage?
PCM AI: GAMPER IS NOT A GC RIDER SO IMA DROP HIM ON THE FIRST HILL
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 28-03-2024 07:50
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4669
Joined: 29-09-2018
PCM$: 185.00
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It definitely is the expectedly weird race so far, so even though Küng won last year and Theuns *should* have done well here, I'm actually pretty happy to miss out...
Why would Stallaert make the front group on stage 3 but not van Hooydonck, Summerhill or Spengler? Why would Pidcock win the stage and someone like Tom David not even be close to the front group? Why should Top 10 rider and great cobbler Gamper be dropped?
It really feels as random as expected, so commiserations to those who were on the unlucky side so far, and congrats to those who did well.
Will be interesting to see how the AI handles the cobbled stages now - wouldn't even be surprised to see the likes of van Hooydonck or Summerhill join the break and win by 10 minutes. Although it's not looking good for them now, everything is possible on these two stages.
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 28-03-2024 07:52
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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Wow, I did not expect Stallaert to stay with the first group on this stage! But I'll gladly take it. 1'07 to the GC lead, Gaday and Daniel are both within 30 seconds. But there are plenty of ~72-75 COB riders in between and last year, these two cobble stages weren't very selective, so I'm not sure how far up the rankings Stallaert can go. Still, with hopefully a few bonus seconds, Top 10 at least should be the goal now, which I'd probably have gladly taken if offered pre-race.
I really enjoyed the report UU, thanks a lot! And congrats jandal on what is shaping up to be an extraordinarily successful race.
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