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Volta a Catalunya - Discussion
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 04-11-2024 08:29
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3203
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 [C2] Volta a Catalunya
Hello and welcome to Spain for the Volta a Catalunya. A mixed bag on the parcour with some hilly sprints, a TTT, two mountain stages and a punchier stage to boot.
Arguably the most prestigious race on the CT calender this year with heritage back to the first ever MG season and such greats as Contador, Pluchkin, Trofimov, Kudos and Tenorio having been winners in the past.
| As C2: | | 2023: Natnael Berhane (JEWA TIROL Cycling Team) | | 2022: Fausto Masnada (Jura GIANTS) | | As C2HC: | | 2021: Tomoyuki Iino (Trans Looney Tunes) | | 2020: Merhawi Kudus (Repsol - Netflix) | | 2019: Justo Tenorio (Desigual) | | 2018: Ki Ho Choi (Meiji - JR East) | | 2016: Rigoberto Úran (Coldeportes) | | 2015: Alberto Contador (Bonsucro) | | 2014: Yuri Trofimov (Tinkoff Credit Systems Bank) | | 2013: Alberto Contador (Festina-Canal+) | | 2012:Aleksandr Pluchkin (Team B&O) | | 2011: Alejandro Valverde (Café de Colombia) | | 2010: Rigoberto Úran (Wikipedia) | | 2009: Francisco Perez Sanchez (Erste) | | 2008: Francisco Manchebo (Accumalux) | | 2007: Michael Boogerd (Credit Agricole) |
***
 Jorgenson
**
 Carapaz
 Lunke
*
 Iturria
 Kozhatayev
 Smith
| Nat. | Name | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CB | SP | AC | FG | DH | PR | TTT |  | Carapaz | 69 | 80 | 71 | 72 | 71 | 76 | 77 | 50 | 56 | 65 | 71 | 61 | 72 | 63 |  |  Penasa | 69 | 79 | 73 | 69 | 73 | 70 | 75 | 50 | 56 | 74 | 67 | 63 | 69 | 71 |  |  Munoz | 66 | 79 | 73 | 66 | 72 | 72 | 74 | 55 | 56 | 71 | 70 | 61 | 58 | 65 |  | Jorgenson | 73 | 79 | 75 | 76 | 79 | 78 | 72 | 68 | 65 | 71 | 65 | 69 | 75 | 73 |  | Smith | 69 | 78 | 75 | 68 | 72 | 74 | 75 | 59 | 66 | 74 | 75 | 71 | 65 | 66 |  | Berhane | 65 | 78 | 72 | 63 | 72 | 69 | 68 | 50 | 59 | 63 | 64 | 68 | 62 | 71 |  | Lunke | 69 | 78 | 72 | 73 | 76 | 74 | 78 | 58 | 60 | 65 | 68 | 69 | 76 | 70 | | Madrazo | 61 | 78 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 70 | 71 | 50 | 56 | 62 | 59 | 62 | 70 | 73 |  |  Raileanu | 66 | 77 | 77 | 63 | 74 | 73 | 76 | 56 | 59 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 65 | 66 | | Chamorro | 65 | 77 | 74 | 64 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 50 | 65 | 72 | 77 | 73 | 63 | 71 | | Ablenado | 66 | 77 | 66 | 71 | 72 | 76 | 75 | 51 | 50 | 64 | 58 | 63 | 71 | 65 | | Iturria | 71 | 77 | 73 | 72 | 77 | 74 | 76 | 63 | 60 | 61 | 69 | 66 | 73 | 65 |  | Rochas | 67 | 77 | 74 | 61 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 72 | 66 | 62 | 65 |  | Kozhatayev | 74 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 71 | 75 | 71 | 70 | 52 | 69 | 62 | 74 | 72 | 72 |  |  Schleck | 64 | 77 | 73 | 53 | 71 | 71 | 78 | 53 | 52 | 73 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 68 |  | Lemus Davila | 70 | 77 | 72 | 72 | 75 | 70 | 68 | 56 | 57 | 62 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 68 |  |  Potocki | 68 | 77 | 72 | 70 | 74 | 71 | 75 | 54 | 62 | 64 | 66 | 69 | 70 | 66 |  |  Vanhoucke | 71 | 77 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 76 | 63 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 70 | 73 | 72 | |  Munoz | 64 | 77 | 73 | 72 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 65 | 57 | 70 | 64 | 65 | 69 | 71 |
Jorgenson, Lunke and Carapaz start as the overwhelming favourites here with Madrazo providing solid support for Jorgenson while Newton also bring a power packed TTT squad. Lunke can also rely on a solid TTT squad but the same can’t be said of Carapaz who’s team will lose minutes in the TTT with only himself and Bartl rating over 70 in TT. Outside chances range from Munoz and Berhane to multi discipline rider Smith who should be up there with a chance in any of the hilly stages this week. One has to mention Kozhatayev who was so good in Tachira and could become this year Chilarello with another dominant performance while last year's winner Berhane has another decline behind him but has experience of a strong result on this route.
While we have any number of riders who look like they could challenge for the KOM jersey should they be allowed enough rope to go in the breakaways that will form on stages 4 and 6?
| Nat. | Name | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CB | SP | AC | FG | DH | PR |  |  Havik | 72 | 55 | 63 | 55 | 72 | 66 | 73 | 75 | 78 | 74 | 59 | 63 | 65 | | Hofstetter | 74 | 62 | 70 | 64 | 71 | 71 | 75 | 73 | 77 | 78 | 71 | 68 | 66 | | Barbier | 75 | 50 | 67 | 56 | 72 | 71 | 76 | 68 | 77 | 79 | 65 | 64 | 60 | |  Frame | 71 | 50 | 62 | 69 | 69 | 74 | 72 | 62 | 77 | 76 | 52 | 68 | 79 |  | Korosec | 71 | 68 | 75 | 68 | 74 | 71 | 71 | 62 | 75 | 78 | 70 | 69 | 71 | | Dzamastagic | 77 | 65 | 69 | 64 | 74 | 70 | 74 | 65 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 65 | 64 |  | Welsford | 73 | 59 | 64 | 64 | 68 | 69 | 72 | 65 | 75 | 75 | 64 | 65 | 66 | | Van Uden | 68 | 64 | 63 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 69 | 52 | 74 | 74 | 63 | 72 | 65 | | McGill | 70 | 63 | 70 | 58 | 70 | 71 | 69 | 58 | 73 | 73 | 69 | 66 | 64 | |  Barta | 69 | 76 | 72 | 73 | 71 | 74 | 70 | 54 | 72 | 67 | 65 | 56 | 75 |  |  Rodriguez | 74 | 58 | 61 | 64 | 70 | 70 | 60 | 60 | 72 | 72 | 75 | 67 | 66 |  | Granados | 69 | 69 | 69 | 59 | 71 | 70 | 63 | 54 | 71 | 74 | 63 | 68 | 61 |  | Kelly | 73 | 66 | 72 | 74 | 69 | 73 | 60 | 60 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 62 | 76 | | Domene | 70 | 50 | 54 | 54 | 68 | 63 | 66 | 73 | 71 | 70 | 59 | 58 | 54 | | Restrepo | 70 | 68 | 75 | 72 | 71 | 69 | 74 | 55 | 70 | 72 | 65 | 68 | 72 |  |  Rubenis | 71 | 60 | 61 | 59 | 67 | 71 | 67 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 66 | 68 | 64 |  | Nyoni | 69 | 56 | 62 | 77 | 67 | 72 | 69 | 52 | 70 | 68 | 71 | 64 | 77 | | Pollefliet | 69 | 54 | 60 | 58 | 66 | 68 | 63 | 69 | 70 | 68 | 62 | 60 | 64 |
One sprint stage and one hilly sprint stage on the menu but one of the worst sprint lineups seen all year in the CT. Havik Hofstetter will be strong favourite with the latter and Korosec likely to feature on the first stage and have a chance to lead the GC for a couple of days before the TTT. But the big catch here is there's no lead out for any of the teams bar who bring Van Uden will the chase and lead out come down to just him or will one of the other teams be able to draft in a strong flat rider to help out?
| Nat. | Name | FL | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | CB | SP | AC | FG | DH | PR | | Morin | 70 | 65 | 78 | 63 | 75 | 73 | 68 | 63 | 69 | 76 | 67 | 67 | 65 | | Yates | 71 | 65 | 78 | 69 | 77 | 74 | 71 | 63 | 62 | 69 | 73 | 69 | 69 |  |  Lilovski | 68 | 67 | 77 | 66 | 70 | 70 | 73 | 54 | 65 | 73 | 69 | 71 | 70 |  | Sirironnachai | 71 | 66 | 77 | 65 | 77 | 74 | 70 | 57 | 64 | 73 | 80 | 69 | 65 | | Raileanu | 66 | 77 | 77 | 63 | 74 | 73 | 76 | 56 | 59 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 65 |  | Carr | 68 | 70 | 77 | 57 | 74 | 71 | 71 | 55 | 59 | 72 | 65 | 59 | 58 | | Skjerping | 67 | 70 | 77 | 62 | 71 | 67 | 68 | 52 | 58 | 65 | 62 | 73 | 62 | | Govekar | 71 | 71 | 76 | 61 | 71 | 74 | 69 | 58 | 69 | 76 | 73 | 71 | 68 |  | Duchesne | 69 | 66 | 76 | 67 | 71 | 70 | 65 | 55 | 68 | 77 | 70 | 50 | 67 | | Carpenter | 67 | 76 | 76 | 68 | 72 | 71 | 73 | 52 | 66 | 72 | 72 | 69 | 68 | | Hamilton | 72 | 68 | 76 | 67 | 71 | 74 | 74 | 55 | 64 | 73 | 70 | 68 | 69 |
Considering we have 2 strong hilly stages a real lack of punchers here should give a good chance for some 2nd tier guys to make a strong showing. Raileanu in particular will be a favourite on the stage 5 hills with his good stats across the board while an easier stage 1 gives the riders with worse MO stats such as Morin a rare chance to be favourite on a stage.
Maybe someone else can surprise Jorgenson, if so who?
Full startlist below. Good luck, everybody!
Spoiler  Gaspar
Koide
McGill
Raileanu
Ryuki
Singh
Todome
Verschaeve
Akhmaevi
Brenner
Cheung
Egger
Figueiredo
Pollefliet
Shen
Smith
Berhane
Bevin
Chamorro
Dumoulin
Frison
Hamilton
Keizer
Penasa
Ablenado
Acosta
Barcelo
Domene
Garcia
Munoz
Sinkeldam
Sterbini
Agirrebeitia
Armirail
Cabanas
Hofstetter
Iturria
Politt
Rochas
Weinstein
Benito
Fortunato
Gelders
Kusi
Riccitello
Sunderland
Tusveld
Vasko
Ahmad Zamri
Barta
Bernard
Postlberger
Restrepo
Stoenchev
Ulysbayev
Verona
Barbier
Christian
Conti
Jacobsen
Knotten
Lunke
Skjerping
Van Moer
Downey
Main
Mannion
Matte
O'Loughlin
Oram
Scotson
Squire
Carr
Haldimann
Havik
Johanson
Majoral
Martinelli
Morin
Van Uden
Affonso
Arifin
Canty
Firdaus
Hefnar
Kusuma
Rubenis
Van Vliet
Cadena
Cepeda
Gomez
Granados
Jimenez
Ramirez
Rodriguez
Rojas
Hoehn
Julajuj
Milesi
Mohammad
Mostov
Revard
Staune-Mittet
Warbasse
Abreu
Jorgenson
Jussaume
Madrazo
Mengoulas
Quinn
Viennet
Wallinder
Arissol
Frame
Kelly
Lopez
Nyoni
Obando
Sheffield
Siriwardena
Carpenter
Dennis
Kiflay
Kozhatayev
Liphongyu
Moutsios
Schomber
Smit
Duchesne
Lemus Davila
Marryatt
Rodriguez
Schleck
Welsford
Yates
Ayuso
Dzamastagic
Kench
Malacarne
Marsman
Potocki
Sandri
Svestad-Bardseng
Campenaerts
Goossens
Heinrich
Nareklishvili
Osborne
Predatsch
Van Bekkum
Vanhoucke
Govekar
Knox
Korosec
Munoz
Nareklishvili
Primozic
Quaade
Sobrero
Albalooshi
Al-Wahibi
Bartl
Carapaz
La Lavandier
La Lavandier
Sirironnachai
Vinokurov
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| Imladrik |
Posted on 04-11-2024 08:53
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 798
Joined: 05-10-2021
PCM$: 600.00
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Still a top 5 goal, but the race gives me creeps after two really disappointing editions.
Not the strongest support/TTT team there, which could prove a bad idea, but we'll see.
And I guess I brought Hofstetter in hope he'll be able to compete in the not too hard hilly stages.
Thanks for the preview, looking forward to this one.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 07-11-2024 05:37
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 04-11-2024 09:03
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Team Leader
Posts: 6029
Joined: 20-07-2008
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We're closing our C2 participation here. Obviously we're not competitive so I'm kind of just hoping for some breakaway luck. The startlist looks very interesting should provide a great race. Good luck to all contenders!
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 04-11-2024 09:08
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Team Leader
Posts: 7286
Joined: 11-04-2012
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The TTT will stuff our GC chances but we have a good chance for stage wins and maybe a top 10 GC depending how Davila can go.
Excited for this one! Good luck and keen to see Jorgensen for the first time this year
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 04-11-2024 10:27
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Team Leader
Posts: 5894
Joined: 30-11-2006
PCM$: 1500.00
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Let's hope Lunke can deliver like Arensman did earlier in the year.
Good luck everybody and thank you for a great preview jt1109 
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| Ezeefreak |
Posted on 04-11-2024 10:47
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Domestique
Posts: 549
Joined: 06-07-2009
PCM$: 300.00
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Thanks for the preview.
Strong field and though competition here for us. If Vanhoucke can get into Top 10 thats a win for us. We bring adecent TTT squad so hopefully this will help.
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| Booker |
Posted on 04-11-2024 11:26
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 863
Joined: 03-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Really looking forward to this one, thanks for the preview JT!
This is our win goal for the season, but we made that goal without a roster in place and without knowing Jorgenson was in the division, so that goal is all but gone 
In any case, hoping we can end up with just around our average PPRD, if Dion goes well. The TTT squad is serviceable, but it looks like others have been even more strategic/better with teambuilding and we're one of the weaker TTT squads.
Good luck to all
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 04-11-2024 11:51
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8048
Joined: 22-06-2009
PCM$: 650.00
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Somewhat nervous after what happened in Tachira but hopefully the TTT is the big decider and that sets Jorgenson up for the GC win. If we want to win the division, we need to win these races. Thanks for the preview!
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 04-11-2024 12:42
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2894
Joined: 07-08-2011
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Praying that it's our turn to get lucky with unmaxed riders in the breaks. If not I hope that Potocki and Dzama can create some solid results so that we don't waste our time here
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 04-11-2024 14:14
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3898
Joined: 29-01-2013
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Massive race for us, seen as it's our win goal. Jorgenson and Carapaz will probably prevent that from being fulfilled, but still hoping for a strong showing. Penasa should have strong support in the mountains, especially from last year's winner, and we also take one of the strongest TTT set ups. Decided against bringing any real puncheurs or sprinters to make sure the whole team works for PPP at all times, let's see how that works out.
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| Caspi |
Posted on 04-11-2024 19:09
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Neo-Pro
Posts: 357
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Excited for this race where we're all in for Kozhatayev. Winning should be out of question, but top-5 is the goal with strong support in the TTT.
Would also be nice with a top-3 for Carpenter or Smit in one of the two hillier stages.
Will also be fun to see how the AI handles a relatively weak sprint field? I have a feeling it could go better than usual, but on the other hand there might be bigger chance for a late attack to last
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 05-11-2024 01:54
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 3243
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Well nobody on the favorites list but a bunch of guys just outside it. Hopefully we are strong enough to get some priority and not just all drop off the back. If we are, we would hope to multiple guys in the 10-20 range with a lot of solid stage racers in the squad.
Will be interesting to watch, there could be some big time losses in a 40k TTT.
Thanks for the preview.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| seancoll |
Posted on 05-11-2024 03:15
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Domestique
Posts: 462
Joined: 20-12-2022
PCM$: 500.00
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Clearly, we're here hoping that Frame can do well on a sprint stage, or even Kelly finding their way toward the front of a hilly sprint. Otherwise, breakaway, Frame sprint, TTT, breakaway, breakaway, Siriwardena best day of his life is the game plan.
Can't wait to see the real GC battle. Any points would be a miracle here.
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 06-11-2024 09:13
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3203
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Lots of pushing from Zain, Newton and Gjensidge in the peloton today trying to make the course hard but the inclines were not very steep.
Ethiopian sat in danger all stage fortunate not to see Penasa dropped at multiple points.
The timing of the winning attack was perfect just as they crested the rise. Sirironnachai probably went maybe 200m too early as Vanhoucke and Smith came past just over the top, and they never changed positions after.
Korosec and Hofstetter flew in the sprint, use Munoz as a point of reference who kept the gap similar to the break they cut the gap down to nothing at the line. But instead of using teammates, you can see Munoz and Korosec chasing down the leaders from the top of the last climb all the way to the finish
Edited by jt1109 on 06-11-2024 09:32
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 06-11-2024 09:16
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3344
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Nice to see Würth do well with a win here, while also seeing former rider Munoz with a top-10 and loanee Malacarne active in the breakaway. Won't mention his final result  Great report jt, also liking the notes you add here
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 06-11-2024 09:25
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Team Leader
Posts: 5894
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Congrats to Team Würth MODYF
For us, we survive the first test. That's great. Also nice to read that we did that by pushing the issue from the peloton.
Also, jt1109 - amazing work with the report but also the notes here. Great work!
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 06-11-2024 09:29
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Team Leader
Posts: 5894
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FYI it's GJensidige haha
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 06-11-2024 09:33
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3203
Joined: 23-07-2008
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Noted |
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| roturn |
Posted on 06-11-2024 10:28
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Team Manager
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The 2023 Fastned team on fire right now.
Groenewegen in PN
Vansevenant in TA
and now the most unexpected in Vanhouke in Catalunya.
A pity that only one is left with me in 2024, but nice to see former riders doing great as well. In especially Vanhoucke, who was basically a full time domestique only, now he can perform as leader as well. |
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| Booker |
Posted on 06-11-2024 10:36
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 863
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Thanks for the report jt, and the notes here, first of all.
I'm guessing AI Smith knows he'll be let down by the TTT soon, so had to go on the attack today
Cool to see his early season attacks have continued - clearly PCM likes his skillset so I'm hoping he'll end up with a win one of these days. Just being beat to the line seems like a Duvel - Tsingtao special so far this season, I think that's 3 times already
Edited by Booker on 06-11-2024 10:38
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