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Sibiu Tour Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 09-10-2014 15:24
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Directeur Sportif
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Joined: 19-07-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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 Sibiu Tour
The Sibiu Tour in Romania goes into it's second edition and the race is reduced to four instead of last year's five stages: sprinters ain't welcome this time, it's a short stage-race made for climbers, who do love to timetrial and manage to survive tougher hilly stages.
Kicking off with a prologue, the second day will already feature the queen-stage: a long summit-finish will show, who's likely to stay in the mix for the GC here. Followed by a hilly stage, that should also suit pure climbers thanks to another tough summit-finish though.
Any close GC-battle will be decided in the concluding ITT, which might not create the biggest gaps but of course any second may count at this point. So who will follow last year's winner Rein Taaramäe on the top of the podium?
The Startlist
The Favorites
| Rider | MO | HI | TT | PRL |  Janez Brajkovic | 81 | 76 | 78 | 78 |  Domenico Pozzovivo | 81 | 77 | 73 | 73 |  Benat Intxausti | 82 | 71 | 77 | 77 |  Robert Kiserlovski | 80 | 75 | 72 | 71 |  David Abal | 81 | 70 | 77 | 77 |  Fabio Duarte | 80 | 68 | 75 | 75 |  Thomas Lövkvist | 78 | 75 | 73 | 73 |  Yevgeni Nepomnyachsniy | 77 | 74 | 77 | 77 | | Ruben Plaza | 77 | 72 | 77 | 77 |  Dominique Nerz | 78 | 72 | 73 | 73 | | Alex Ardila Cano | 77 | 71 | 70 | 70 |  John-Lee Augustyn | 77 | 75 | 71 | 71 |  Thomas Rohregger | 77 | 70 | 74 | 74 |  Petar Panayotov | 78 | 72 | 68 | 68 |  Linus Gerdemann | 76 | 76 | 74 | 74 |  Yasmani Martinez | 76 | 72 | 73 | 73 |  Zakayo Ndbri | 77 | 69 | 63 | 63 |  Saul Raisin | 76 | 67 | 73 | 73 |  Przemyslaw Niemiec | 74 | 71 | 74 | 74 |  Mikel Nieve | 76 | 73 | 67 | 67 |
Definitely a packed startlist for a C1-race this is. Some of the biggest stage-racers in the Continental Tours will fight for the crown. A few managers might have hoped for more premium climbers to race the simultaneously held Cartago - Irazu instead of this. Or vice versa.
Clear top-favorites should be Brajkovic (who could even take the yellow on first day), Intxausti (though fearing to struggle on the hilly stage), Pozzovivo, Kiserlovski and Abal.. But also Duarte could build a nice lead on that mountain stage and several others may fancy their chances as well.
The Timetrialers
| Rider | TT | PRL |  Ian Stannard | 79 | 79 | | Pim Ligthart | 78 | 78 | | Manuele Boaro | 77 | 78 |  Michiel Elijzen | 77 | 77 | | Marcel Barth | 77 | 77 | | Thomas Bontenackels | 76 | 76 | | Freddy Cruz | 76 | 76 |
Two TTs would always attract the pure TT-specialists to take part and those will hope for stage honours only. The likes of Stannard and Elijzen will do their best to prove the CT-teams' strength on this level.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 09-10-2014 15:32
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
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Probably should have sent Panayotov to Costa Rica to aid our America Tour goal, but what can you do *shrug*. Hopefully he can penetrate the Top20 GC but i'm worried this will be a big fat nothing of a race yet again this season
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| cio93 |
Posted on 09-10-2014 15:44
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
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I was hoping for less competition, but a Top 10 seems possible, that should definitely be our goal after this first half of the season.
In the very unlikely case that hilly stage does suit puncheurs a slight bit, I brought Kelderman here. I hope him being our #1 on the startlist doesn't mean anything...
Surprised to see Bontenackels around on the TTer list, I didn't actually keep that in mind. The stage racers should have an advantage on stage 4 over people like Stannard and Barth, so maybe some points from a good stage result there couldn't hurt either.
Hard to look past Brajkovic here either huh?
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 09-10-2014 15:56
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 06-11-2010
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According to PCM13 Augustyn should win after a successful breakaway. 
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| fintas |
Posted on 09-10-2014 17:06
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
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My idea of avoid the best in this race just went downhill. The top10 now seems more distant. But in a good day barth can fight for victory in the first and in the last stage.
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 09-10-2014 17:16
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 897
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Really strong startlist... I wanted to be in between the 10-15 but I will be happy with the 20th.
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| Ste117 |
Posted on 09-10-2014 17:16
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3684
Joined: 21-02-2009
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Not expecting to get anything from this race, maybe a few riders in the breaks.
MG Team manager Team Ticos Air Costa Rica
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| Levi4life |
Posted on 09-10-2014 18:20
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Grand Tour Specialist
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This is hard to call. I don't know that the team is strong enough for Brajkovic.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 14:32
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| Stevenag |
Posted on 09-10-2014 18:59
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Domestique
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Joined: 26-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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A really tight race where Pozzovivo should be able to grab a win if everything goes his way. Pozzo doesn't have the best team around him for the finals, but with only one mountain per race they should be able to give him the needed support.
Hope for some attacks on the hill stage, even if the difference between the hill and mountain stage is pretty small.
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 09-10-2014 19:44
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World Champion
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Uhm. PCM won't let me score points, obviously. So every point is good. |
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 09-10-2014 23:10
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Grand Tour Champion
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Team depth has paid off well so far, so gotta keep the points rolling in. Anything less then top 5 overall will be a failure.
Come on Abal and Plaza! 
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-10-2014 15:01
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World Champion
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I never say no to 3 points, and Nerz within his abilities is good too. Obviously redundant time gaps here with what's to come.
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| fintas |
Posted on 10-10-2014 16:07
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
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Very disappointing first stage by Barth.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:31
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
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Anyone interested in reading second report already tonight?
Kinda bored... Let's make game.. Three votes in next 15 minutes and I will post!
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:32
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World Champion
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Vote. Though with only two comments on stage 1 by now that is optimistic 
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:33
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
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Go for it.
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:34
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
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Yes please! Eagerly awaiting my breakaway win
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:35
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World Champion
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Donald not doing too bad. Hopefully he goes into break tomorrow. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:36
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
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Quiet TT as always from B3B, oh god we need something tangible from these race days. As much as i joke about aiming for relegation it would be nice to stay PCT and for that we need to get out of our slump and start finding some results somewhere. No better place than just over the border right?
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 10-10-2014 20:36
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
Joined: 19-07-2010
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cio93 wrote:
Vote. Though with only two comments on stage 1 by now that is optimistic
That's why i wanted at least three people getting excited for this one
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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)
