Nestled in the lower slopes of the Apennines is the microstate of San Marino, and it is to that medieval hillside republic that the CT schedule next turns.
The Route:
At a modest 162.4km long, the route is a somewhat curious one. It contains an introductory section, an outer loop completed for one-and-a-half cycles, and an inner loop whose main ascent is ridden no fewer than nine times. The opening section is a long descent from the gun, followed by the full completion of the outer loop: a series of short punchy climbs, five full trips around the inner loop, and then a sixth ascent of its main hill that at the top features a branch off to continued climbing and a first crossing of the finish line. After a descent comes the half-completion of the outer loop: the same series of short punchy climbs, then two more full trips around the inner loop, but followed on this last time through by the branch into the race finale on just the third trip up the main hill.
The course is just about never flat, and especially with a long composite drag to the finish will demand a true puncheur to storm to victory. To say that for the division a strong field will be in attendance is an understatement; just about every notable eligible hill specialist will line up at the start.
The Favorites:
Rider
MM
HI
ST
RS
SP
AC
Lutsenko
76
81
73
70
70
78
McCarthy
73
80
77
72
63
71
Kinoshita
74
79
74
71
64
71
Yates
74
79
74
67
75
77
Yates
72
78
77
74
62
69
Mayer
74
78
66
72
72
77
Kelderman
73
78
74
69
63
66
Tesfatsion
77
78
68
72
69
78
Vogt
69
78
75
68
60
60
Quita
76
77
75
75
71
74
Lafay
76
77
72
72
65
74
Langellotti
75
77
76
71
67
74
Schlegel
78
77
71
74
64
75
De La Cruz Chapulin
73
77
75
76
68
77
Nikiema
74
77
72
74
70
76
Watson
71
77
74
70
61
70
Azman
77
77
69
72
65
75
Jung
72
77
72
72
63
71
Blouwe
74
77
71
73
68
74
Lilovski
72
77
70
70
65
73
Kanepejs
72
77
72
71
62
71
Of the favorites, Lutsenko of Air New Zealand, McCarthy of SEE Turtles, Kinoshita of Fincantieri, and Yates of JEWA are the strongest on paper. Expect them to receive able support from (the other) Yates, the pair of Nikiema and Watson, Langellotti, and Kelderman, respectively.
Mayer of Banco Vaticano, Tesfatsion of Karthago, Quita of Deutsche, winner of 2023 edition Lafay of Euskotren, Schlegel of IESE, and Vogt of The Cardinals all ride with strong support of their own, but are the out-and-out favorite for their team. For IncaLine De La Cruz Chapulin should expect to be much more isolated in his leadership, while for Simba Cement Azman will most likely earn the favorite nod over his less well-rounded teammate Jung. As the flip side of their remarkable depth Tafjord are saddled with far less clarity, as Blouwe, Lilovski, and Kanepejs are all of similar mettle, not to mention their other three 76 HI rated teammates that should be in the mix as well.
The Startlist:
Its depth is considerable: no fewer than 39 riders on the startlist bring a 76+ HI stat, which expands to 54 at 75+ HI. That latter count includes the full 8 starters from Tafjord-Kraft, 5 each from Fincantieri - Grand Seiko and Deutsche WindGuard, 4 each from Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh, SEE Turtles, and IESE ProCycling Team, and 3 each from Karthago and JEWA Tirol.
Spoiler
Lutsenko
Alexey
Air New Zealand-Prada
Yates
Joel
Air New Zealand-Prada
Ruiz
Robinson Steven
Air New Zealand-Prada
Drakos
Nikolaos Michail
Air New Zealand-Prada
Piganzoli
Davide
Air New Zealand-Prada
Nunes
Hugo
Air New Zealand-Prada
Toneatti
Davide
Air New Zealand-Prada
Rodriguez
Juan Felipe
Air New Zealand-Prada
Mayer
Alexandre
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Beltran
Guillermo Andres
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Munoz
Daniel
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Vermaerke
Kevin
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Onley
Oscar
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Bruno
Andrea Alfio
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Kachur
Dmytro
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Scalco
Matteo
Banco Vaticano-Valkyrie
Vosekalns
Andris
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Wright
Paul
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Canty
Brendan
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Garzon
Oscar Santiago
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Berhane
Hebron
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Plamondon
Joel
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Khadbaatar
Temuulen
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Bruttomesso
Alberto
BikeNZ - Limonaad
Paulus
Daniel
Brandt Cycling Team
Boswell
Ian
Brandt Cycling Team
Richardson
Chequan
Brandt Cycling Team
Carpenter
Robin
Brandt Cycling Team
Matte
Charles
Brandt Cycling Team
Bourgoyne
Lucas
Brandt Cycling Team
Cole
Owen
Brandt Cycling Team
Lopez
Ian
Brandt Cycling Team
Glivar
Gal
DeNA RoadStars
Mayrhofer
Marius
DeNA RoadStars
Mifsud
Andrea
DeNA RoadStars
Van Sintmaartensdijk
Roel
DeNA RoadStars
Yamamoto
Masaki
DeNA RoadStars
Reynders
Jens
DeNA RoadStars
Pesenti
Thomas
DeNA RoadStars
Adomaitis
Rokas
DeNA RoadStars
Quita
Ronnilan
Deutsche WindGuard
Velasco
Simone
Deutsche WindGuard
Rumac
Josip
Deutsche WindGuard
Lienhard
Fabian
Deutsche WindGuard
Drizners
Jarrad
Deutsche WindGuard
Harper
Chris
Deutsche WindGuard
Bolor-Erdene
Enkhtaivan
Deutsche WindGuard
Loulergue
Victor
Deutsche WindGuard
Lafay
Victor
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Berthet
Clement
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Armirail
Bruno
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Castellon
Jan
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Kam
Chin Pok
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Rondel
Mathys
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Donaldson
Robert
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Darder
Sergi
Euskotren - Pays Basque
Silva
Thomas
Everesting
Lau
Wan Yau
Everesting
Uwizeyimana
Bonaventure
Everesting
Henao
Sebastian
Everesting
Orosco
Kemp
Everesting
Artz
Huub
Everesting
Voltr
Martin
Everesting
Landbo
Mads
Everesting
Langellotti
Victor
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Masnada
Fausto
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Aquilani
Andrea
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Aebi
Antoine
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Kinoshita
Tomohiro
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Ludvigsson
Fredrik
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Miyazaki
Taishi
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Froidevaux
Robin
Fincantieri - Grand Seiko
Schlegel
Michal
IESE ProCycling Team
Neuman
Dominik
IESE ProCycling Team
Hocevar
Kristjan
IESE ProCycling Team
Toupalik
Adam
IESE ProCycling Team
Otruba
Jakub
IESE ProCycling Team
Vacek
Karel
IESE ProCycling Team
Tvedt
Ulrik
IESE ProCycling Team
Grozev
Gabriel
IESE ProCycling Team
De La Cruz Chapulin
Luis Fernando
IncaLine Pro Cycling
De Gendt
Aime
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Tejada
Harold
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Alaphilippe
Julian
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Zimmermann
Georg
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Dobre
Vlad-Nicolae
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Cote
Pier-Andre
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Woronieski
Brian Jesus
IncaLine Pro Cycling
Yates
Simon
JEWA TIROL
Grossschartner
Felix
JEWA TIROL
Bellan
Juraj
JEWA TIROL
Kelderman
Wilco
JEWA TIROL
Potocki
Pavel
JEWA TIROL
Kabas
Maximilian
JEWA TIROL
Heymes
Gilles
JEWA TIROL
Manamalage
Nipuna Shira
JEWA TIROL
Tesfatsion
Natnael
Karthago
Cerny
Josef
Karthago
Rojas
Henry Antonio
Karthago
Bergstrom Frisk
Hannes
Karthago
Pavlic
Marko
Karthago
Enggaard
Victor Grue
Karthago
Tamm
Lauri
Karthago
Vainio
Veeti
Karthago
Covi
Alessandro
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Weemaes
Sasha
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Piccolo
Andrea
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Rafferty
Darren
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Bonneu
Kamiel
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Schrettl
Marco
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Delle Vedove
Alessio
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Arrighetti
Nicolo
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
Ciccone
Giulio
Parmalat - Croatia
Lopez
Harold Martin
Parmalat - Croatia
Mosca
Jacopo
Parmalat - Croatia
Conti
Valerio
Parmalat - Croatia
Pinarello
Alessandro
Parmalat - Croatia
Fancellu
Alessandro
Parmalat - Croatia
Pita Hidrobo
Alejandro
Parmalat - Croatia
Baksaas
Morthen Wang
Parmalat - Croatia
Wirtgen
Luc
Peugeot
Kirsch
Alex
Peugeot
Price-Pejtersen
Johan
Peugeot
Antonijevic
Goran
Peugeot
Kockelmann
Mathieu
Peugeot
Magnier
Paul
Peugeot
Rolland
Brieuc
Peugeot
Kallberg
Axel
Peugeot
Nikiema
Bachirou
SEE Turtles
McCarthy
Jay
SEE Turtles
Restrepo
Jhonatan
SEE Turtles
Kelly
Joshua
SEE Turtles
Watson
Calvin
SEE Turtles
Jurado
Cristofer Robin
SEE Turtles
Tuckwell
Luke
SEE Turtles
Avila
Freddy Alejandro
SEE Turtles
Azman
Muhamad Zawawi
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
McKenna
Sean
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Turgis
Anthony
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Jung
Ha Jeon
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Kulindwa
Lameck Marco
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Paillot
Yoann
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Jungels
Bob
Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh
Blouwe
Louis
Tafjord Kraft
Svab
Jernej
Tafjord Kraft
Stedman
Max
Tafjord Kraft
Stehli
Felix
Tafjord Kraft
Lilovski
Dobrin
Tafjord Kraft
Kanepejs
Deins
Tafjord Kraft
Laurance
Axel
Tafjord Kraft
Stajnar
Mihael
Tafjord Kraft
Jensen
Kristian Haugaard
The Cardinals
Vogt
Mario
The Cardinals
Colnaghi
Luca
The Cardinals
Kolze Changizi
Sebastian
The Cardinals
McCambridge
Kevin
The Cardinals
Louwerensen
Tijn
The Cardinals
Granberg
Sander
The Cardinals
Casagrande
Diego
The Cardinals
Petelin
Jan Drago
THE ONE - Fox God
Shirota
Yamato
THE ONE - Fox God
De Laat
Jasper
THE ONE - Fox God
Kawasaki
Miori
THE ONE - Fox God
Graat
Tijmen
THE ONE - Fox God
Todome
Yuhi
THE ONE - Fox God
Koide
Itsuki
THE ONE - Fox God
Wai Chu
Tsun
THE ONE - Fox God
Korosec
Rok
Z2Z Dev Team
Foliforov
Alexander
Z2Z Dev Team
Ramirez
Donovan
Z2Z Dev Team
Peters
Marvin
Z2Z Dev Team
Pomorski
Michal
Z2Z Dev Team
Child
Orion
Z2Z Dev Team
Aliyev
Ruslan
Z2Z Dev Team
Pridal
Tomas
Z2Z Dev Team
With the winner earning the salute of the immaculately titled Captains Regent, we should expect quite the dynamic and exciting day of racing ahead!
Bit worried we'll see a repeat of Hong Kong where Tesfatsion faded on the final hill, so if we could repeat a top 10 I'd take that for sure. Thinking with the hilltop finish we'll see less randomness but I definitely wouldn't mind if a PCT rider wants to steal some points again.
Incredible startlist. Can only hope to squeeze someone in the early break or get someone on a really good daily form to have a chance at points here. Should be a fun race anyway.
Thanks for the preview, jack!
Coppa Placci 
