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Vuelta al Pais Vasco discussion thread
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| Smowz |
Posted on 19-11-2011 17:45
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Team Leader
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One last stop for the punchaers on their way to the Ardennes, the Basque Country hosts its yearly six stage romp around the always lumpy terrain in this region in the North of the Iberian peninsula. The parcours this year whilst still favouring the hill climber may be a little different with stage four a rare Basque summit finish. The final day time trial should also have a key part to play.
With last years winner had the race sewn up by the chrono test and
 Yuri Trofimov
looking in fine fettle on his way to victory at the Paris Nice this year, he will be short odds to retain his title.
However whilst a Tirrano Adriatico champion
 Frank Schleck
is not here the Russian's superiorty will be challenged by Schleck's young punchaer nemisis
 Jan Bakelants
who was runner up to Schleck in Italy. Trofimov will also be wary of
 Robert Gesink
who was just 14 seconds back from him in the Paris Nice race.
Though this race should hardly be counted as a battle between Bakelants, Gesink and Trofimov, it is a fantastic line up and with parcours looking finely balanced top class time triallers
 David Zabriskie
 Stefan Schumacher
and
Mikhail Ignatiev
need to be factored in along with perennial hilly race challengers 2012 Milan San Remo champion
 Diego Ulissi
Wiggle dynamo
 Simone Ponzi
Spanish wildcard dangerman
 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil
Pendleton's punchaer
Philippe Gilbert
Last years runner up
 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver
World champion
 Tejay Van Garderen
2009 winner
 Aleksandr Efimkin
and Spyker leader
 Patrik Sinkewitz
With the opening three stages looking relatively (that is relative to previous Basque country editions!) flat odds seem to be shortened for riders like
Filippo Pozzato
and the big disappointment this year
 Edvald Boasson Hagen
Look out also for recent Rund um Koln winner
Jukka Vastaranta
who mayu have to yeild to team leader Bakelandts of course.
With so many star names this is sure to be an exciting race.
Startlist:
Spoiler Jack Wolfskin
1. R. Gesink
2. S. Chavanel
3. X. Florencio
4. W. Jallays
5. P. Martens
6. L. Ten Dam
7. J. Van Emden
8. H. Zubeldia
UBS
11. S. Schumacher
12. M. Albasini
13. S. Barrio
14. R. Bertogliati
15. A. Kristoff
16. M. Richeze
17. F. Stalder
18. D. Vorontsov
Sony
21. Y. Trofimov
22. S. Anza
23. J. Danacik
24. L. Fernández Oliveira
25. K. Fouquet
26. M. Mortensen
27. A. Wetterhall
28. R. van der Hugenhaben
Festina
31. F. Pozzato
32. T. Dees
33. D. Drapac
34. A. Lavoine
35. V. Reynès
36. D. Ulissi
37. P. Voss
38. N. Østergaard
Pearl
41. J. Bakelants
42. E. Berthou
43. C. Ji
44. T. Kangert
45. J. Mendes
46. M. Richeze
47. J. RodrÃguez
48. J. Vastaranta
Cerne
51. L. Sanchez Gil
52. A. Antunes
53. M. Biondo
54. M. Cunha
55. P. Nicácio
56. N. Oliveira
57. B. Pires
58. B. Santos
B&O
61. E. Hagen
62. M. Christensen
63. R. Guldhammer
64. M. Hacecký
65. D. Klemme
66. A. Steensen
67. S. Stenersen
68. K. Vanoverschelde
Pendleton's
71. P. Gilbert
72. B. Bozic
73. R. Downing
74. S. Duret
75. R. Margaliot
76. A. Moletta
77. B. Wiggins
78. D. Zabriskie
Tinkoff
81. M. Ignatiev
82. P. Brutt
83. A. Khatuntsev
84. V. Kiryenka
85. S. Kolesnikov
86. A. Markov
87. A. Ovechkin
88. E. Petrov
Spyker
91. P. Sinkewitz
92. S. Devolder
93. N. Edet
94. A. Geniez
95. M. Reimer
96. A. Vichot
97. E. Weiss
98. A. Zeits
Wikipedia
101. T. Van Garderen
102. D. Atapuma
103. B. Bookwalter
104. R. Janse van Rensburg
105. E. King
106. G. Lejman
107. A. Sebright
108. A. Semple
Wiggle
111. S. Ponzi
112. L. Bertagnolli
113. D. Caruso
114. T. Diggle
115. R. Nocentini
116. M. Pavarin
117. J. Tiernan-Locke
118. T. Zaini
Milka
121. A. Efimkin
122. A. Delaplace
123. A. Honkisz
124. L. König
125. A. Malori
126. Y. Nepomnyachsniy
127. A. Nepomnyachsniy
128. M. Vysna
Nestlé
131. J. Rodriguez Oliver
132. D. Di Luca
133. P. Fédrigo
134. P. Gretsch
135. D. Kupfernagel
136. S. Lay
137. D. Loosli
138. M. Machado
Warner Bros
141. C. Barredo
142. A. Castro Rodriguez
143. M. Facci
144. A. Giraldo
145. I. Mayo
146. J. Redondo
147. J. Sergent
148. Y. Talabardon
Webeffect
151. S. Ghisalberti
152. G. Brizuela
153. I. Camaño
154. G. Gazvoda
155. A. Gilanipoor
156. B. Khalilikhosroshani
157. F. Matamoros
158. R. Zingle
Carmeuse
161. G. Levarlet
162. A. Aulas
163. S. Caethoven
164. JF. Camier
165. B. Curfs
166. R. Di Gregorio
167. T. Gallopin
168. J. Libert
Vesuvio
171. D. Mehr-Wenige
172. C. Betancourt
173. S. Einsle
174. B. Gastauer
175. J. Hoogerland
176. M. Paterski
177. N. Schinker
178. D. Stundzia
Santander
181. F. Ventoso
182. F. Echarri
183. I. Erviti
184. E. Gonzalo
185. A. Hernández Gutierrez
186. D. López Garcia
187. D. Ortega
188. J. Rienda Segura
Bacardi
191. D. Grabovski
192. J. Kocjan
193. S. Mancuso
194. M. Mugerli
195. S. Pardilla
196. M. Perget
197. E. Sokolov
198. F. Terciado
Colombia
201. L. Duque
202. A. Ardila Cano
203. J. Baños Ballester
204. H. Gallardo
205. S. Joly
206. E. Orozco
207. F. Perez Sanchez
208. C. Sarmiento
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 19-11-2011 18:28
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World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
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Hopefully Gesink and Chavanel will repeat their performance from Paris - Nice. A podium for Gesink would be good.
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| p3druh |
Posted on 19-11-2011 22:44
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2388
Joined: 28-09-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Top 10 and a stage win and I'm a happy man.
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| SotD |
Posted on 20-11-2011 08:03
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World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
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On paper a good race for Pozzato, but I don't quite fancy stage 4... So I'll be hoping for a great stageshow from Pozzato and Ulissi, and will be analyzing the loss of Samuel Sánchez in races like this.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 07-12-2025 14:09
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 20-11-2011 12:14
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
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Strong field here - so many leaders will make it tough for a break to get anything.
Still - here's hoping..... |
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| Roman |
Posted on 20-11-2011 13:50
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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This will be a hard race for Milka. Top 10 would be good.
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 20-11-2011 14:25
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Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Ventoso for stage 2 and 3, maybe
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
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| ember |
Posted on 20-11-2011 17:58
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Team Leader
Posts: 7058
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
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I'm looking forward to this one. Stage 4 and 6 look decisive. In my eyes, Gesink is the biggest favourite for the overall win, taking the leader's jersey on the very last day.
Will there be bonifications in this race? |
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| Kami |
Posted on 20-11-2011 22:19
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
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Erm, maybe a top 10 in a stage? 
More seriously, i have no chances for the GC, but who knows, with the stages all looking like transision stages from GT's, a break might win, like Pardilla did in Catalunya.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 20-11-2011 22:22
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Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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ember wrote:
I'm looking forward to this one. Stage 4 and 6 look decisive. In my eyes, Gesink is the biggest favourite for the overall win, taking the leader's jersey on the very last day.
Will there be bonifications in this race?
Every ManGame race should have time bonuses of 20-12-8
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 21-11-2011 19:05
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Team Leader
Posts: 6177
Joined: 20-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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The Management-Game Gazzette Issue #13
After a short absence the MGG returns to preview one of the most entertaining stage-races in spanish soil, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. Coming to its third year in the ProTour, this event has maintained its original profile since it was first rode in 07 in the CT, taking full advantage of the region's landscape which provides a bunch of hilly and unpredictable stages for the most of the week. The last adjustments to the GC are usually made in the final ITT, even though the overall victory may well be previously decided, due to the stage shortness. Last year's winner Sonny Ericsson's DS, wiill guide us through this edition of the spanish race.
Q. First things first: Trofimov won in 2011, but will he have what it takes to defend his title successfully?
Definitely. If the form is there then he will be up there fighting for the win. We've been working on his position on the TT-bike, making it more aerodynamic, so he can pull the big gears with even more speed.
Q. Who do you consider to be your main rivals?
Gesink and Schumacher will be big threats. But it's a strong field, so we'll be watching all of them closely.
Q. The Pais Vasco is known for its short, steep and tricky climbs. How will your team deal with the unpredictability of the route?
It's all about staying up front and don't be caught on the wrong side of any splits. If we can keep Trofimov out of trouble and making his ride comfortable up to the last climbs, then he will be well prepared to perform the aggressive riding he is famous for.
Q. About the Team Rankings, Vesuvio is becoming a mirage for the rest of the PT. How much of an opportunity do you think Pais Vasco will be for Sony Ericsson to start shortening the gap for the leaders?
If we are going to keep up with Vesuvio, then we'll have to grasp any chance we have in races where they don't field their best team. But in the end it's just about winning as many races as you can, simple really.
Edited by Gustavovskiy on 21-11-2011 19:07
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| CountArach |
Posted on 21-11-2011 22:19
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8205
Joined: 14-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Glad that it is back Gustavovskiy!
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| viking90 |
Posted on 22-11-2011 15:32
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3836
Joined: 24-01-2009
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Go Johnny go go!
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| mb2612 |
Posted on 22-11-2011 19:58
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Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Yay, Ventoso got dropped on the flat by two groups.
[url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 22-11-2011 20:31
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
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I think you missed Francisco Perez Sanchez getting dropped by the leaders....read as if he should have been up with the front group. 
Still we got the sponsors on TV....all we can ask of this race. |
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| Kami |
Posted on 22-11-2011 20:55
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
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Can't complain with that, GC is already gone though .
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| Smowz |
Posted on 22-11-2011 21:00
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Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Yeah sorry fenian, Perez Sanchez followed the initial Gilbert, Efimkin burst and then sort of dropped off of it in a big way towards the end by the looks.
It was tricky I was trying to look at everything at once, was a lot more decisive than I first though it was going to be.
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| mattiasgt |
Posted on 22-11-2011 21:30
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2176
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Brilliant tactic by van der Hugenhaben, letting go on purpose and creating a gap to the group in front so those not alert enough like Ulissi etc. gets dropped. But seriously, what the..?
Anyway, great stuff from Trofimov. He is a rock.
Edited by mattiasgt on 22-11-2011 21:31
(Previously) Manager of Koenigsegg
Koenigsegg: ( Media)
Livin' Loud |
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| p3druh |
Posted on 22-11-2011 22:02
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2388
Joined: 28-09-2007
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Jan "too sexy for this race" Bakelants.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 22-11-2011 23:15
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Team Manager
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Other than one guy getting run over as Ponzi attacked, did Vesuvio do anything in that stage?
Its a fairly strong hilly team, even if it doesnt have a leader to challenge for the win. Weaker riders from less in-depth teams attacked and got clear, and mine did nothing.
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