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GP Kigali - Discussion
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 22-03-2026 03:07
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 4088
Joined: 02-11-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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 GP Kilgali
The GP Kilagil celebrates its second decade with a jump up to the PT, which also leaves PTHC as the only level at which it hasn’t been raced.
Last year’s winner  Gamper is back although he will expect a higher level of competition. Last year’s 4th place  Zepuntke is also here as Ekoi get a wildcard. 2019 winner  Spengler also makes the trip to Africa. If Spengler won he wouldn’t set the record for most years between wins, that belongs to Danny Summerhill who won the first two editions in 2015 and 2016 and then again in 2023.
As a PT cobbled race it is not surprising to see most (all?) of the top PT cobblers here:
| Rider | FL | CO | RS | ST | SP | AC | | Spengler | 74 | 83 | 73 | 74 | 62 | 70 |  Pedersen | 77 | 83 | 80 | 78 | 78 | 77 |  Anderberg | 78 | 82 | 76 | 77 | 60 | 73 |  Per | 79 | 82 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 74 |  Altur | 75 | 82 | 70 | 75 | 72 | 68 |  Van Hooydonck | 73 | 82 | 74 | 75 | 61 | 72 | | Zepuntke | 72 | 82 | 72 | 79 | 72 | 65 |  Senechal | 75 | 82 | 74 | 79 | 69 | 74 |  Gerts | 76 | 81 | 79 | 75 | 71 | 69 |  Siric | 78 | 80 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 71 |  Teunissen | 75 | 80 | 72 | 76 | 66 | 68 | | Gamper | 77 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 64 | 71 | | Kamyshev | 75 | 80 | 72 | 78 | 64 | 57 |  Girmay | 77 | 79 | 76 | 76 | 77 | 76 |  Ovsyannikov | 74 | 79 | 72 | 75 | 79 | 78 |  Tiller | 74 | 79 | 75 | 76 | 74 | 73 |  Rutsch | 77 | 79 | 75 | 76 | 69 | 68 |  Jacobs | 76 | 79 | 76 | 77 | 67 | 68 |
Pedersen is always going to be the top favorite on cobbles. Anderberg and Per are probably the closest to him. The course isn’t flat so that might favor Gerts. Last year 9 riders sprinted it out, in that situation Pedersen would likely be challenged by Girmay and Ovsyannikov.
A full startlist of 24 teams with 192 riders, Bralirwa are the other wildcard with Ekoi.
Startlist
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 22-03-2026 03:29
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16716
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 14738.70
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Always excited for Per to get a chance on the cobbles. It's been a while for him and the rest of this squad. Relatively short race should suit him, but we'll see what happens.
Thanks for the preview!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| roturn |
Posted on 22-03-2026 06:55
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Team Manager
Posts: 22086
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
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Looking forward to van Hooydoncks performance. Can be anything from 2nd behind Pedersen to 15th I guess.
Hoping for a top5 here. |
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| SotD |
Posted on 22-03-2026 07:47
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World Champion
Posts: 12763
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
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After a horrible Tour de France, we could really use something good here. Not particularly liking my chances though.
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| knockout |
Posted on 22-03-2026 08:03
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8363
Joined: 21-12-2010
PCM$: 500.00
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This is the soet of race that i would have loved for Polanc the last few years. With the final on an uphill cobble sections, that skill set seems ideal. Not sure how much it fits Ovsya. The uphill finish isnt great for him (but also few cobblers really love it) but the short race and not super tough cobbles should help him. Very curious...
My money is on Gerts to win it
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 23-03-2026 21:10
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 22-03-2026 09:01
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World Champion
Posts: 13704
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
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We need Gerts to have a better campaign in this late cobbled classics than he did in the Sprint if we want to put up a fight for the overall teams title. Let's see how it goes!
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| ember |
Posted on 22-03-2026 09:12
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Team Leader
Posts: 7163
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
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Cobbles are back!  Hopeful and excited about Anderberg’s chances, eventhough the finish isn’t a perfect match. However, with his sprint, there is no perfect finish, really. Hoping we get a difficult race where Anderberg gets to use his great flat stat and abilities to his advantage. |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 22-03-2026 14:27
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 12849
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1961.50
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Wish I still had Benoot 
Low expectations here. Top 20s and 30s is the best we can hope for I think.
Thanks for the preview!
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 22-03-2026 19:11
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Sprinter
Posts: 1990
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 300.00
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Thanks for the preview Ulrich! As mentioned (even twice) we're here as a wildcard, so it's all about the fun in Zepuntkes penultimate cobbles race of the season.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 23-03-2026 05:30
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 12849
Joined: 27-07-2015
PCM$: 1961.50
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15th is good enough. Rossi easily out-scoring Owen across the season is funny
Congrats to tasta and thanks for the report!
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| knockout |
Posted on 23-03-2026 07:10
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8363
Joined: 21-12-2010
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This didnt work out too well for us. Loved to see Ansons and Kurianov in the morning break, hated to see a midrange attack by Ovsya. Ultimately a bad result but we have been too good recently to complain about this one
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 23-03-2026 07:10
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World Champion
Posts: 13704
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
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5th is good. We'll take 5th. Too bad no one else other than Gerts got into a decent scoring position.
Thanks for the report!
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| kandesbunzler26 |
Posted on 23-03-2026 08:08
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Sprinter
Posts: 1990
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 300.00
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Thanks for the report, Ulrich, and congrats to tasta for another Pedersen win!
Zepuntke was active and got a decent result, so we're happy.
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| redordead |
Posted on 23-03-2026 08:33
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Team Leader
Posts: 5624
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PCM$: 200.00
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Cobbles hoorah!! 
Back on our favourite terrain. I was not expecting too much here because finishing uphill is not Siric's strength. Although it seems like the team did a good job supporting him and covering some attacks, so maybe he saved his energy for the finale. 3rd is very good here and another rider in the top 50 is better than nothing. Good race for us! 
Thanks to UU for both the preview and report.
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 23-03-2026 08:39
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2826
Joined: 20-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Places 10 to 15 are more or less what could be expected from Teunissen in this field, so 14th is ok. Horvat and Vatra in 20th and 27th are nice bonusses. Malecki blowing himself up in the chasse patate was a bit foolish.
Grats to Grieg!
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| ember |
Posted on 23-03-2026 08:47
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Team Leader
Posts: 7163
Joined: 27-03-2008
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Difficult for Anderberg to make a difference, it felt like. The level seks to be so high that those times we’re not having group finishes on the cobbles, it’s rather only 1 or very few riders that are able to ride clear of the first group on the road. Congratulations, tastasol! Pedersen doing his thing and holding on was very impressive.
Thank you for the report, UU! Enjoyed seeing cobbles action again |
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 23-03-2026 09:24
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3924
Joined: 20-04-2020
PCM$: 425.00
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Nice to see Malacarne have a go at it in the break, less nice to see Ulloa forget he's a cobbler again
Congratulations Grieg, thank you Ulrich for a great report!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 23-03-2026 12:52
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16716
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 14738.70
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Pedersen is just at another level, but another really consistent and productive day for Per here. Maybe we could have managed and responded to the attacks a little more effectively and gone for the win, but I'm definitely satisfied with 2nd, especially with Menten and Meiler in the 20's for some depth points. Per hasn't really shown any signs of weakness except to Pedersen all year, and I can live with that.
Thanks for the great report!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| SotD |
Posted on 23-03-2026 14:35
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World Champion
Posts: 12763
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
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7th here is alright. We got a bit of depth aswell, but nothing that really moves anything.
Still a somewhat solid race for us - especially given Altur almost threw the race away in the final part of the race.
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| roturn |
Posted on 23-03-2026 17:48
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Team Manager
Posts: 22086
Joined: 24-11-2007
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Much needed performance here after the TdF low points.
Being in the favourites group was obviously key for a top10. And then he still had enough energy for a good sprint. 4th is about what I hoped for.
The win was obvious for Pedersen, simply strongest. Behind it was a bit about luck, daily form, positioning, energy management. So 4th being on the upper half.
Thanks for the reports and congrats to the favourite win. |
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