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[C1] Tour of Eritrea Discussion
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| Bikex |
Posted on 01-11-2025 20:41
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Reports by Abhishek
Welcome to Asmara for the 2025 edition of the Tour of Eritrea. The same three-stage parcour that has proven itself in the last two years will be tackled again. The race will kick off with an urban circuit through Eritrea’s high-altitude capital at ~2300 meters above sea level. Sprinters will contest here for the first leaders jersey. The second stage will take place in the western lowlands of Eritrea and will favor puncheurs with an uphill finish in Dermush in the vicinity of Eritrea’s second largest city Keren. Here we will kick off the third day, undoubtedly the queen stage, where we will head north towards Ghebeset mountain towering at 2261 meters above Eritrea’s Northern Red Sea region, which is still lower than where we started in Asmara. The white gravel roads up the mountain have been the place for spectacular racing in past years and certainly will be again.
Favorites
| Rider | MT | HI | ST | RC | AC |  Padun | 82 | 77 | 72 | 76 | 75 |  Eastman | 81 | 70 | 75 | 74 | 68 |  Sosa | 80 | 78 | 75 | 80 | 74 |  Amezawa | 80 | 77 | 76 | 80 | 75 |  Elosegui | 80 | 71 | 77 | 83 | 71 |  Ranaweera | 80 | 73 | 75 | 74 | 65 |  Inkelaar | 80 | 70 | 75 | 79 | 74 | | Yates | 79 | 75 | 78 | 74 | 75 |  Faglum Karlsson | 79 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 68 |  Min | 79 | 76 | 75 | 70 | 66 |  Hirt | 79 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 73 | | Barguil | 79 | 73 | 74 | 77 | 72 |  Lasinis | 79 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 68 | | Mavrikakis | 79 | 72 | 74 | 69 | 67 |  Merchan | 79 | 71 | 68 | 72 | 69 |  Buitrago | 78 | 76 | 70 | 76 | 80 |  Johannessen | 78 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 76 |  Natarov | 78 | 72 | 66 | 78 | 67 | | Ndayisenga | 78 | 75 | 69 | 73 | 73 | | Tesfatsion | 76 | 78 | 68 | 74 | 78 | | Gesbert | 74 | 80 | 80 | 78 | 73 |
The startlist contains PCT and CT climbers that traveled to Eritrea for some of their first chances to prove themselves this season. Arguably the top favorite is last year’s 4th place finisher Padun being brought here by his new team Trans Looney Tunes. In general a strong lineup of climbers made its way to Africa for these three days of racing. Further podium contenders are Sosa supported by his teammate Yates, Amezawa, Elosegui, Ranaweera, Eastman and Inkelaar. All mentioned riders will be opening their season here besides Inkelaar and Ranaweera who already raced at the Volta a Portugal where the Sri Lankan came back from with a 4th place. Gesbert will probably struggle to hold onto the top climbers on the final day and will be targeting the second stage where he should be one of the favorites. Tesfatsion will be especially motivated in front of his Eritrean fans. He has outside chances for a decent GC result and will also be targeting stage 2. From neighboring country Ethiopia CT team Ethiopian Airlines will be counting on Buitrago.
Sprinters
| Rider | FL | SP | AC | ST | RS | | Zabel | 74 | 81 | 79 | 74 | 70 | | Einhorn | 74 | 80 | 78 | 71 | 71 | | Kennett | 75 | 79 | 78 | 73 | 76 | | Willwohl | 73 | 79 | 78 | 71 | 67 | | Hodeg | 72 | 79 | 78 | 69 | 74 |  Van der Lijke | 70 | 79 | 74 | 68 | 66 | | Rajovic | 72 | 78 | 82 | 70 | 76 | | Losch | 73 | 78 | 79 | 72 | 68 |  Marin | 74 | 78 | 78 | 73 | 73 | | Nommela | 72 | 78 | 78 | 70 | 70 |  Plowright | 74 | 78 | 76 | 70 | 73 |
The chance for a day in yellow attracted some fast men. Zabel, Einhorn and Rajovic are the main men to watch.
Spoiler | Gaze | Samuel | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Insausti | Jon Ander | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Jung | Ha Jeon | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Lilovski | Dobrin | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Piganzoli | Davide | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Scully | Tom | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Varotsos | Ioannis | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Visser | Louis | Air New Zealand-Prada | | Boswell | Ian | Assa Abloy | | Culey | Marcus | Assa Abloy | | Gesbert | Elie | Assa Abloy | | Johannessen | Anders Halland | Assa Abloy | | Kvist | Linus | Assa Abloy | | O'Connor | Ben | Assa Abloy | | Penasa | Pierre Paolo | Assa Abloy | | Zegklis | Nikolaos | Assa Abloy | | Amezawa | Takeaki | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Hodeg | Alvaro | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Ndayisenga | Valens | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Pellizzari | Giulio | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Teggart | Matthew | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Tesfatsion | Natnael | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Van Eetvelt | Lennert | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Willems | Jago | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Del Toro | Isaac | Colombini Kometa | | Eastman | Ryan | Colombini Kometa | | Jele | Kwanele | Colombini Kometa | | Milan | Matteo | Colombini Kometa | | Onley | Oscar | Colombini Kometa | | Ruvalcaba Reyes | Davide | Colombini Kometa | | Van Uden | Casper | Colombini Kometa | | Xandri | Jan | Colombini Kometa | | Dalby | Simon | DK Zalgiris | | Gajdulewicz | Mateusz | DK Zalgiris | | Klismets | Karlis | DK Zalgiris | | Lasinis | Venantas | DK Zalgiris | | Nommela | Aksel | DK Zalgiris | | Olesen | Patrick | DK Zalgiris | | Raugala | Gustas | DK Zalgiris | | Robov | Momchil | DK Zalgiris | | Andriafenomananiaina | Zouzou | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Chen | Mingrun | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Faglum Karlsson | Marcus | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Ju | Jinyang | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Niu | Yikui | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Pollefliet | Gianluca | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Poole | Max | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Willwohl | Willi | Duvel-Tsingtao | | Boileau | Alan | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Garibian | Arman | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Martinez | Lenny | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Pinot | Thibaut | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Pringle | Nate | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Rajovic | Dusan | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Ranaweera | Suranga | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Vauquelin | Kevin | Ekoi - Le Creuset | | Buitrago | Santiago | Ethiopian Airlines | | Chavanne | Gabriel | Ethiopian Airlines | | Dina | Marton | Ethiopian Airlines | | Grmay | Tsgabu Gebremaryam | Ethiopian Airlines | | Kipruto | Ivan | Ethiopian Airlines | | Laas | Martin | Ethiopian Airlines | | Matte | Charles | Ethiopian Airlines | | Schönberger | Sebastian | Ethiopian Airlines | | Eaton | Daniel | Euskadi-Murias | | Garcia Pierna | Raul | Euskadi-Murias | | Marin | Gabriel | Euskadi-Murias | | Tenorio | Justo | Euskadi-Murias | | Van Hautegem | Leander | Euskadi-Murias | | Zubov | Matvey | Euskadi-Murias | | Crowley | Liam | Glanbia | | Dunne | Conor | Glanbia | | Healy | Ben | Glanbia | | Mannion | Gavin | Glanbia | | McCambridge | Kevin | Glanbia | | Plowright | Jensen | Glanbia | | Wade | Aaron | Glanbia | | Warbasse | Lawrence | Glanbia | | Alexander | Nathan | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Andersson | Emil | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | De Comarmond | Aurelien | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Gonzales | Charles | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Granados | Kevin | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Prado | Ignacio Jesus | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Silva | Nihal | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Woronieski | Brian Jesus | IncaLine Pro Cycling | | Bellan | Juraj | JEWA TIROL | | Gough | Regan | JEWA TIROL | | Heymes | Gilles | JEWA TIROL | | Hirt | Jan | JEWA TIROL | | Iturria | Mikel | JEWA TIROL | | Laurance | Axel | JEWA TIROL | | Losch | Max | JEWA TIROL | | Orue | German Anibal | JEWA TIROL | | Bouchard | Geoffrey | Lotto-Caloi | | Changsheng | Sun | Lotto-Caloi | | El Alouani | Driss | Lotto-Caloi | | Gee | Derek | Lotto-Caloi | | Min | Kyeng Ho | Lotto-Caloi | | Rangel | Vinicius | Lotto-Caloi | | Spanopoulos | Ioannis | Lotto-Caloi | | Wouters | Enzo | Lotto-Caloi | | Cabrera | Nicolas Alejandro | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Granigan | Noah | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Kuss | Sepp | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Macias | Cesar | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Rodriguez | Brandon | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Sosa | Ivan | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Yates | Adam | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Zhao | Jingbiao | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Cattaneo | Mattia | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Ciccone | Giulio | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Consonni | Simone | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Pereyra | Pedro Pablo | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Quintana | Nairo | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Van der Lijke | Nick | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Zana | Filippo | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Zordan | Andrea | Parmalat - Ecopetrol | | Antonelli | Michael | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Campero | Piter | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Einhorn | Itamar | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Lazkano | Oier | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Natarov | Yuriy | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Quadrelli | Rino | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Scaroni | Cristian | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Zijlaard | Maikel | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Cardona | Julian | SEE Turtles | | Ganjkhanlou | Mohammad | SEE Turtles | | Merchan | Didier | SEE Turtles | | Nyoni | Similo | SEE Turtles | | Revelo | Franklin Joel | SEE Turtles | | Singh | Ronaldo Laitonjam | SEE Turtles | | Stroll | Lewis | SEE Turtles | | Vermaerke | Kevin | SEE Turtles | | Barguil | Warren | Specialized | | Baroncini | Filippo | Specialized | | Battistella | Samuele | Specialized | | Inkelaar | Kevin | Specialized | | Julien | Matisse | Specialized | | Kennett | Dylan | Specialized | | Potocki | Pavel | Specialized | | Soderqvist | Jakob | Specialized | | Fredheim | Stian | Tafjord Kraft | | Garby | Marc Christian | Tafjord Kraft | | Gebremedhin | Awet | Tafjord Kraft | | Gudmestad | Tord | Tafjord Kraft | | Hansen | Alexander Arnt | Tafjord Kraft | | Liepins | Emils | Tafjord Kraft | | Nielsen | Joanis Albert | Tafjord Kraft | | Carr | Simon | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Engelhardt | Felix | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Kenyeres | Abel | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Majoral | Jordi | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Rivera | Kevin | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Steinhauser | Georg | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Strong | Corbin | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Tejada | Harold | Team Zappes Kölsch | | Mavrikakis | Michail | Trans Looney Tunes | | Munoz | Cristian | Trans Looney Tunes | | Murn | Bostjan | Trans Looney Tunes | | Padun | Mark | Trans Looney Tunes | | Primozic | Jaka | Trans Looney Tunes | | Skerl | Daniel | Trans Looney Tunes | | Tulett | Ben | Trans Looney Tunes | | Zabel | Rick | Trans Looney Tunes | | Blackmore | Joseph | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Elosegui | Inigo | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Ivanov | Viacheslav | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Jimenez Retana | John | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Kozhatayev | Bakhtiyar | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Ludvigsson | Fredrik | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Menshov | Ivan | Zwift - Newton Foundation | | Pronskiy | Vadim | Zwift - Newton Foundation |
Edited by Bikex on 01-11-2025 20:51
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 05-12-2025 10:13
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| quadsas |
Posted on 01-11-2025 20:52
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Two stage wins in the bag and GC probably too
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 01-11-2025 21:08
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Looking forward to this, even though we don't have any riders suitable 
Thanks Bikex and Abhi! |
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 01-11-2025 21:22
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Primarily targeting the 2nd stage here with Gesbert, but also looking forward to AHJ’s debut for us here. Hope he can grab a respectable GC result.
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 01-11-2025 21:48
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Oomen loved this race, should be back here next year though 
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 01-11-2025 22:29
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0 Expectations for anything here, praying that Kennett has a good first stage and that's probably about as much as we can expect here since I fear stage two has Inkeelar getting yeeted to kingdom come!
Thanks for the preview bikex!
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 02-11-2025 09:25
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Thanks for the nice preview, bikex!
This could be a really good race if Rajovic has a good sprint and Ranaweera is able to get a GC top 5 (and Vauquelin could be in U25 competition too), but it could also end as quite a bummer otherwise. I'm actually a bit surprised we don't see more of the 80+ climbers here, but will happily take it.
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 02-11-2025 10:24
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Nice to see Elosegui with that red 80MO by his name for the first time. Hard to know what to expect from him, but if he can survive Stage 2 then I like his chances for a podium finish.
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 02-11-2025 10:49
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Thanks Bikex for the preview!
It will be a first good test for Min in the mountains. Top-10 should be the goal I guess. And Maybe Wouters could do well in the sprint.
MG - Lotto - Caloi
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 02-11-2025 15:44
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Avoided this last year fearing it would attract a killer field but it is too well suited to Sosa to dodge again. And the field isn't too bad.
And Yates had a few days left so for the first (and I think only) they both show up.
Sosa probably the most balanced rider in the field. anything short of a podium is a failure here I think, especially with Yates as a super-domestique.
Zhao doesn't make the sprinters list although his AC is better than everyone listed except Rajovic. That didnt' help him elsewhere so fear a little for him this season.
Thanks for the preview and the education on Eritrean geography, sounds like the riders might be facing some tough stage transitions.
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| seancoll |
Posted on 02-11-2025 16:45
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At this point, we just want a point
Let's see what Merchan can do on some comparatively easy mountain stages and in a field where he doesn't have to do any of the work or attacking. Hopefully Ganjkhanlou can contest the first sprint stage as well and show us what his training was really worth.
Not looking for a lot, just SOMETHING!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 02-11-2025 16:57
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Rooting for Padun here. Really should suit him so we'll see!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 02-11-2025 17:40
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Congrats to Sean on the stage win! Thanks for the report!
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| DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 02-11-2025 19:22
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Former Kraftwerk rider Willwohl in a very similar red jersey has caused some confusion. Duvel are riding here, while Kraftwerk have their fingers crossed for Vuelta al Tachira.
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 02-11-2025 20:13
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Imagine almost the whole squad losing over a minute on a pan flat stage and the last hopes of any points here is already gone, hahaha!
Congrats seancoll and thank you Abhi! |
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 02-11-2025 20:19
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seancoll wrote:
At this point, we just want a point
Let's see what Merchan can do on some comparatively easy mountain stages and in a field where he doesn't have to do any of the work or attacking. Hopefully Ganjkhanlou can contest the first sprint stage as well and show us what his training was really worth.
Not looking for a lot, just SOMETHING!
Mission accomplished Congrats on the win, sean!
Rajovic in 3rd is our first podium of the season, now let's hope Ranaweera can do his job as well in the remaining stages.
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| seancoll |
Posted on 02-11-2025 23:50
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What an amazing stage! Thank you, thank you, thank you to the MG gods and to many for congratulations already!
We really came here to see what Merchan would attempt with Ganjkhanlou as a secondary option and to get him his first real attempt. Clearly our investment in the Iranian over the past two seasons has been worth it. We weren't sure where our team was going, but clearly even 2023 Sean had a good idea in the CT free draft with this man. Without knowing Khoyadari's history, I wonder if this is the first win by an Iranian in MG history.
Really fun read, even if things hadn't gone our way with the competing sprint trains, various momentum changes, and interesting final circuit. Thank you Abhi! Hope you enjoyed seeing Singh on loan play a major factor.
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 03-11-2025 01:15
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seancoll wrote:
Without knowing Khoyadari's history, I wonder if this is the first win by an Iranian in MG history.
It is the first since 2022. when Arvin Moazemi won 2 stages of the Tour of America. Farzad Khodayari also won a stage in the Vuelta that year. And there were a handful of other wins in earlier seasons. But huge congrats nevertheless, You were due.
The good news for us is Zhao showed a vague interest in sprinting and managed 13th and also it is good to see Ganjkhanlou winning and getting a train as they are similar kinds of riders.
Hopefully the boys were saving their energy for tomorrow.
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| Dippofix |
Posted on 03-11-2025 02:48
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Not liking the look of Buitrago against thks start list, hopefully he can use his puncheur abilities to do something on stage two and then hang on but I think it'll be a disappointing first goal race of the season for us.
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| Heine |
Posted on 03-11-2025 05:39
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Congrats Sean! A small step for the team, but a big leap for turtles!
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