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Sibiu Tour Discussion
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 27-08-2013 21:42
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Hello and welcome to Romania for the 2013 Sibiu Tour. This 5-day C1 Stage race should be very entertaining, with stages ranging from flat TTT’s to Mountain stages. The big contenders will have to perform very well to write their name in the history books as the first ever winner of the race.
The race starts off with a short 2.5km prologue which should give us an idea of form, while the rouleurs get the chance for a stage win. That is then followed by the longest stage of the race, a 181km mountain stage. A TTT follows on day three, at 10kms. The stage shouldn’t create big GC gaps but some time can be gained if your team is strong. There is then a second mountain stage, this time shorter at 82kms before a final hilly stage.
The full number of 20 teams line up for the start, of which 4 are Continental, which includes lots of star names, some of the best in the Pro-Continental ranks. Here are the men who should be seen at the front of the race throughout the tour.
Firstly, we should start with the GC contenders. None look more impressive than  Rein Taaramae. The Estonian is one of the best Climbers in the race, and along with his TT ability he is the main favourite. Solis and Levarlet should provide sufficient help for the mountain stage, while Martin should help out in the TTT.
He isn’t alone in being a big rider here however.  Thomas Dekker is very similar to Taaramae in terms of climbing ability and TT skill, but his Vueling team is slightly inferior to the one of Bouygues, putting the Dutchman behind him.  David Abal has the same problem with his CSC squad, despite being another strongman uphill.
Those are probably the big favourites, but there are plenty more who could do very well. A dark horse could be big climber  Jose Alarcon. The Venezuelan is the best uphill in the race, and would be the big favourite, but he struggles on the TT bike which could hinder him in the overall.  Yaroslav Popovych,  Vadim Raity,  Vladmir Karpets and  Andrei Kashechkin are all also high class stage racers who are capable of a great result here for their respective teams.
There are also others who, despite not being in the favourites bracket, could surprise and get a good result here in Romania. While watching the big guns, keep an eye out for quality riders  Caruso,  Serpa, Iglinski,  Lofkvist,  Devolder and  Bibby who could all achieve a higher finish.
Moving on, there is also the matter of the stage favourites. The GC contenders should sweep the two mountain stages, so firstly is a small run down of the best rouleurs who should do well on stages 1 and 3 before a look at the best puncheurs ahead of the hilly stage 5.
The big favourites like Taaramae and Dekker should do well but there are also others. Names like Tony Martin and the Jaguar duo of Stannard and Tennant should make it an interesting few stages when the riders race against the clock.
As for the hilly stage, it could be a day for the breakaway as the leaders consolidate their GC positions. If not that, expect the GC favourites to battle it out along with probably the best puncheur in the race, Guillame Levarlet. He is another strong Bouygues that should score a good finish on day 5 if he isn’t helping his leader. |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 27-08-2013 21:45
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Top 10 is the aim. The TTT will kill our hopes though. |
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 27-08-2013 23:37
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A win goal but I see no way that is happening with Taaramae and Dekker here.
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| brownwm |
Posted on 28-08-2013 00:05
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Didn't expect such a good field, but hoping for a decent result. Top 10 and I guess if lucky on the TTT top 5. Hopefully Kashechkin can build from his performance at the US Pro Cycling Challenge.
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 28-08-2013 12:39
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Oops, I don't think I realised it's a TTT. Oh well, allez, Dekker. You're pretty much on your own. Expecting to win anyway  |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 28-08-2013 12:45
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We're just a pack-filler here. A break would be nice. And not getting last in the TTT  |
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| Heine |
Posted on 28-08-2013 13:19
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Not sure what to expect here, chose this race for Keizer, then had to change it around becase I calculated race-days wrong. Why Bøchman/Haugard etc aint here is however a really good question
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 28-08-2013 14:03
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Yes, Yes, Yes! What an unexpected win. Now with the yellow jersey bonus on stage 2 anything is possible. 
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| roturn |
Posted on 28-08-2013 17:38
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I need my guys to be active in the breakaways. Eventually Ruijgh can already try something on the 2nd mountain stage, when being gapped on the first.
One of the very few mountain appearances by my team to give Ruijgh/Olivier some favourite terrain racing. |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 18:25
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I can't seem to either. Disappointed by Serpa there, he better attack on the other mountain stage to make up for it. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 18:26
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jph27 wrote:
I can't seem to either. Disappointed by Serpa there, he better attack on the other mountain stage to make up for it.
It's fixed now. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 14:48
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 29-08-2013 18:27
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Do you - relegation fearing managers - know this feeling, that everyone but your own team scores and scores and scores? 
Congrats, Pelli, though. Caruso finally delivers.. as well as Swedbank, Repsol, LukOil, Meiji and so on
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| jph27 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 18:47
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tsmoha wrote:
Do you - relegation fearing managers - know this feeling, that everyone but your own team scores and scores and scores?
Congrats, Pelli, though. Caruso finally delivers.. as well as Swedbank, Repsol, LukOil, Meiji and so on
I'm in a sticky spot. Part of me wants to relegate, but part doesn't. Armavia are as good as doomed, Amex look in trouble as do yourselves. But so much can change. |
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| Pellizotti2 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 19:04
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Finally! _o_
That went way above expectations, but real shame there were no registered gap behind Taaramae. Would also have been better for us if Lofkvist and Kashechkin hadn't performed very well too. Still, no reason to complain on a day like this! 
Now to keep a strong GC position. Im pretty sure I've sent my strongest possible TTT squad, but that's still unlikely to result in more than a mid-table result.
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 19:11
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Caruso finally delivers, still, probably too late for Cisco and Pelli. |
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 29-08-2013 19:12
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Really! The one time Abal gets a yellow jersey he can't keep it even with the crappy mountain AI taking effect. I don't believe it. 
Congrats to Pelli though.
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| brownwm |
Posted on 29-08-2013 20:01
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Another good performance from Kashechkin, up to second overall. Hopefully my team can pull out a decent TTT as to not lose much time.
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| viking90 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 21:19
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Awesome work by Löv/fkvist, keep that up! |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 29-08-2013 21:33
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Glad there weren't any timegaps Ji did well though, and its mixed feelings seeing Cisco do well though as we're battling to not be relegated, and also in the Asian Rankings.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 29-08-2013 22:12
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Some very surprising performances there - both underperformances and overperformances - none more so than Caruso! Bibby is nicely played in GC as it stands, with the TTT to come.
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