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Races to Watch
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:23
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Team Manager
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52 PCT and CT teams will ride across the C1 and C2 races this season, and this of course has led to many highly sought after races when race subcriptions were made. Many reached the full allocation of 20 teams.
And now that planners are all in, I can reveal just which ones they are. There are 17 full C1 races, and 1 full C2 race. A few highlights:
Clasica a Quetzaltenango
The Guatemalan mountains were very popular, 27 teams wanted in. This included 21 ProContinental teams, the only race which saw 20+ of the 30 PCT teams taking an interest. The fact that it was only 3 race days surely appealed to many managers, but it could unfortunately be a wasted 3 race days for many given the high quality field expected!
Tour of America
Two seasons ago it had a tiny field, last year it was improved but still gave rewarding offerings to most who turned up. This year a lot of teams have gone for it, committing 21 race days to the event. It means that this year we really should have a Continental Grand Tour to savour.
GP of Moscow and Baltic Chain Tour
Teams with sprinters were obviously drawn to the flat races and these two were the most popular of those - perhaps also thanks to the added Eastern European teams present this year.
Milano - Torino
The most popular hilly C1 classic was Milano Torino. Will it favour the pure puncheurs or those with a decent Mountain stat? We will have to wait for most of the season to pass to find out.
Tour of Utah
The only C2 race with 20 teams - clearly showing the popularity of the America Tour ands its mountains amongst teams.
Full list:
Tour Down Under
Gisborne GP
Giro dell'Appellenio
GP of Moscow
GP Tunis
Tallinn-Tartu Grand Prix
Clasica a Quetzaltenango
Azerbaijan Tour
Rund um Bad Harzburg
Sibiu Tour
Baltic Chain Tour
Tour de Vineyards
Tour of America
Grand Prix de Quebec
Grand Prix de Montreal
Milano - Torino
Paris-Tours
Tour of Utah
A further 7 C1 races have 19 teams, and 6 have 18 teams - so its not just these races where competition will be intense.
Now let's look at the other end of the scale. 10 C2 races failed to reach 10 teams - albeit they all had at least 8:
Boras Runt
Cauberg Classic
GP Yekaterinburg
Gran Premio Miguel Indurain
Grand Prix de Wallonie
IWT Oetingen
Nokere-Koerse
Rund um den Eschborn-Frankfurt
Tour of the Middle East
Trofej Porec
Curiously theres a few hilly races in here - which really gives the opportunity for the likes of Gazelle and Iberia to clean up the ranking points with their depth in these races.
The least popular C1 races each have 10 teams:
De Brabantsje Pijl
5 Jours de Dunkerque
Monterrey TTT
So, whoever comes last in Monterrey can be cheered up by the fact that they are guaranteed 20 ranking points! It may not seem like much, but most teams are bound to have some races this season where they score nothing.
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| roturn |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:30
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Team Manager
Posts: 22246
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
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Great to see the Tour of America with such a huge interest even though this might be quite a shock for the weaker stage racers there, who might have had expected a less stronger competition.
Only 8 teams for Eschborn Frankfurt might mean I will have good chances in my only C2 race. If I had known the Cauberg Classic and IWT Oetingen would have such a small interest I would have had participated as these were the next on my short list of C2 races. |
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:34
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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I'm in 6/10 of the least popular races... Stage win in the UAE should really be possible now 
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| Firefly21 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:44
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Domestique
Posts: 506
Joined: 15-09-2012
PCM$: 200.00
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Wow, the Tour of Utah is popular, but I guess there is a little for everyone in that race - Rohregger will be there as that is a race that suits him with a prologue and a time trial as well as the decisive mountain stage.
Being full up in both Canadian classics means I probably don't have much of a chance of scoring there, though those races are more for me (being Canadian) and training prospects than scoring points.
I really expected a large amount of teams for the Tour of the Middle East, but I suppose that favours me. Got lucky as a we will be racing at quite a few of the undersubscribed races.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:44
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
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roturn wrote:
Great to see the Tour of America with such a huge interest even though this might be quite a shock for the weaker stage racers there, who might have had expected a less stronger competition.
Like i did should still be fun out there.
Edited by tsmoha on 18-01-2013 15:06
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:44
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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Going to all 3 of the least popular races! What a masterstroke of planning!
and at least 3 of the 10 C2's as well
Didn't make it to Baltic Chain Tour  and that was goal!!!
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| Vien |
Posted on 18-01-2013 14:50
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2322
Joined: 16-06-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Major wtf at some of the "less than 10"-C2 races.. Clearly teams didn't know what do do with the classifications in pcm12 (Frankfurt) or avoided races that aren't in their region (Boras). Very happy with that, because I'm in pretty much all sprinters classics. Hill races don't surprise me, because of the low number of teams with a real puncheur in CT and hilly races are too random to get a guaranteed top 10, for example. I think most managers who joined hilly races did it simply to reach the 150 races.
I expected Trofej Porec to become the least popular race, I'm really surprised that they got more than 8, since most CT cobbled teams didn't go there.
And Utah  Do people want to be in the last race of the season or what? 
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 15:03
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Team Leader
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Will be in the hilly C2 races with 8 teams. Expect of Cauberg which I think I didn't go to. Middle East is to much days while Frankfurt has the strange rating. Others are cobbled so I'm a happy man!
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 18-01-2013 15:14
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
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Vien: Don't expect to much at Boras...
And Utah, well I had 6 more days to fill so... 
But the hills surprise me a bit, They should give you decent points when you have an ok puncheur...
Also surprised Middle East didn't get more teams in it, as a lot of C2 teams clearly have gone for climbers...
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 15:26
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Team Leader
Posts: 7357
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fjhoekie wrote:
Vien: Don't expect to much at Boras...
And Utah, well I had 6 more days to fill so...
But the hills surprise me a bit, They should give you decent points when you have an ok puncheur...
Also surprised Middle East didn't get more teams in it, as a lot of C2 teams clearly have gone for climbers...
Galicia is at the same time. Only 3 race days, 11 less as Middle East.
Edited by Spilak23 on 18-01-2013 15:29
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 18-01-2013 15:35
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2633
Joined: 20-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Wow, you guys just made my day; my only win goal (Cauberg Classic) has only 8 or 9 teams in it and my biggest competitor (Iberia) isn't coming.
Also surprised (and quite happy) to see GP Yekaterinburg, Gran Premio Miguel Indurain and Grand Prix de Wallonie (top 10 goal) in the list.
But in a way it's also a bit disappointing; racing (and beating  ) a big peloton is more fun.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 06:01
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 15:39
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Team Leader
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Just checked and Cauberg classic clashes as the Cartago race which is a top 5 goal for me. Explains why I won't be there.
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:17
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 897
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It's estrange to see that the biggest tour in C2 (T of ME) is one of the under registered races. If it' wasn't for the clash with Galicia, this one was a race made for Menchov.
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:20
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
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No Menchov there!!! Great news for me. But great race's are coming this season, gonna love watch them. |
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:22
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2907
Joined: 15-07-2007
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Extremely happy to see Tour of the Middle East didn't attract too much interrest. We sent an average team with no big hopes for scoring a lot of points, but with under 10 teams, there will certainly be a chance for both me and Privatbank to climb the overall ranking a bit and aswell, if we are lucky, maybe snatch a stage victory |
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| MrOBJ |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:24
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Stagiare
Posts: 187
Joined: 25-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Wonderfull to see only 8 team to Boras Runt. My chances to fulfill my goal, are made much easier. But I yet have to win the race |
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| Heine |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:28
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4116
Joined: 08-04-2007
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Hmm, Tour of America. Might be harder competition for Ratiy than I planned. Though I would've raced there this season anyway, was boring not to be a part of it last year, and with Ratiy having many racedays it was logical to send him
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| viking90 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:31
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4032
Joined: 24-01-2009
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MrOBJ wrote:
Wonderfull to see only 8 team to Boras Runt. My chances to fulfill my goal, are made much easier. But I yet have to win the race
I´m as glad as you to see that, maybe can get a good result with my squad there then. Hoping for a Swede to win atleast |
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| fintas |
Posted on 18-01-2013 16:38
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
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Mehr-Weniger grateful that the races Cauberg Classic - GP Yekaterinburg and Rund um den Eschborn-Frankfurt are not highly contested which can give him more opportunities to win.. Also in Monterrey ensure 20 points but we want more.. On the other hand it is also good to be present only in 4 races of the most popular races..
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| jack888 |
Posted on 18-01-2013 17:04
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1280
Joined: 09-06-2009
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Clasica a Quetzaltenango is popular? Dam I should have sent a stronger team. I thought it would be a quiet race so I just sent Alarcon, Krasnoperov, Nazaret and a few 76 climbers.
Go easy on me
Edited by jack888 on 18-01-2013 17:09
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
