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Vuelta Guatemala Discussion
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 24-10-2014 19:27
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Tour de France Champion
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C2HC  Vuelta Guatemala
Guatemala, and the Vuelta a Guatemala, has had a varied and interesting association with the ManGame. We had a 12 stage version two season ago and last season we had the Clasica a Quetzaltenango. Always a tough race with many mountains the Central American race always provides high quality action!
This time out it's been moved down to C2HC classification and takes on a slightly different look. Cut, or raised, to 8 stages it's a race for the Punchers. After a deceptive opening flat stage, deceptive thanks to it's frequent 6% slopes, the riders are already faced with a tough day. Numerous climbs litter day 2 and a short uphill burst to the line should see the favorites staking early claims. Just to really mix things up we move onto a long 40km individual time trial around Tecpan which is one for the specialists and perhaps those weaker climbers.
Stage 4,5,6 and 7 are all hilly. Stage 4 is a long undulating day which is almost all uphill but a rolling final few kilometers could open it up to a breakaway. Stage 5 is easier with just one big climb in the first 3rd, but the Puerto de Malacatansito late on will be a perfect platform for an attack. Stage 6 is much easier, a chance to rest the legs or to catch your competitors off guard, with a gradual climb and very flat run in. Stage 7 starts off easy but the Combre de Palastinade los Altos will hurt tiring legs, and even the downhill is uphill! A lumpy finish should create havoc if raced at real speed.
Finally Stage 8 is this races sole mountains day. One of the shortest days in the race it's almost entirely uphill, gaining over 2000m in total. It's not a tough climb, averageing between 5 and 7%, but there are ramps up to 13% for the brave. A flat summit run to the finish might bring everything back together, or provide on last desparate move for victory.
A host of top riders have made the trip, and none bigger than  David Arroyo! Not only is he here but also Kulhavy and Castanyo who could both take a shot at the GC themselves given a chance. In fact keep a close eye on Castanyo during the ITT as it could put him into leading position for ONCE-Eroski.
Representing  we have Vegard Bugge leading the line. His combination of mountain (74) and hill (75) skills make him a real GC threat. He also comes along with decent squad support.
 Azteca bring along Marentes to lead and it's his all-round stage racing skills that could make him a factor. But also watch Rodriguez come the final stage, or even Ardila.
Other potential GC riders include  Firsanov (70MO/74HL/65TT),  D.Moreno (76/71/66) and Duggan (67/75/73),  Kolobnev (71/76/63) and Beltran (74/74/65),  Zoidl (73/73/76) and Schurter (72/75/61),  Rodas (76/71/68),  De Greef (74/72/71) and Rosa (74/73/66) and several more! It could prove to be a very open race...
*First report should go up Monday, and be kind! It's my first race*
Edited by TheManxMissile on 24-10-2014 19:35
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| cio93 |
Posted on 24-10-2014 19:40
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World Champion
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That is a kinda weird startlist for a C2HC race or am I wrong? 
I probably am.
Looking through this, Chris Mager could actually go in some nice KoM breaks.
None of these stages look particular difficult, and the mountain stage looks like one of those standard Langkawi route ones that never seem to produce gaps and hardly gets rid of the sprinters...
Thus, you win the GC fight in the TT, either you or Arroyo wins the race, I would say. And if you win the GC fight in the TT, your name is probably Zoidl.
Also, welcome TMM 
Edited by cio93 on 24-10-2014 19:40
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| Bikex |
Posted on 24-10-2014 19:41
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I hope for some break success from my team here and maybe Oba with his first decent time trial result. When I'm lucky Ito and Sayar can do something in the hills and Sayar even in the GC but I guess the long TT will prevent that. |
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| ryant |
Posted on 24-10-2014 19:51
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Dont know what to think of this race, I hope to see us in some breaks as we haven't brought a stand out rider here at. A stage win would be awesome but I might just be dreaming 
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 12:55
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:08
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With Zoidl having the joint strongest TT out of those in the race (with Renang) and fairing far better over the preceding hilly stage then the Swedish rider he should be able to take that stage barring any random gusts of wind, or at the very least jump the Swede on one of the next stages. Hopefully he will be able to take the GC lead on that stage aswell and build a big enough gap to the stronger Climbers/ Punchers to keep a strong GC place by the end of the race.
If not then hopefully Schurter will be able to contest the hilly stages although there's a small fear that Zoidl will take the GC either in the TT or just after then Schurter won't be able to go for his own chances on the hills whilst Zoidl slowly loses time before both of them lose bucket loads of time on the Mountain Stage.
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| Kentaurus |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:18
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This should be a very interesting race. Probably the only time I don't have a sprinter in the field (though I think Parisien is still a 74). I'm hoping that my team of punchy riders can do well, the TT isn't good for us, so probably looking more for stage wins than anything in the GC. Though Marantes is capable of just about anything.
AZTECA - NBCSN  |
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| roturn |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:18
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cio93 wrote:
That is a kinda weird startlist for a C2HC race or am I wrong?
I probably am.
Just my thinking.
So many usual co-leaders leading here.
Arroyo might have it easily if the mountain stage is selective enough. |
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| welker3257 |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:29
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2336
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I have absolutly no clue what to expect from this race
Gig 'em Aggies
Fast N' Loud Cycling Project - ICL
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| Margh Norway |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:34
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Sprinter
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No Geschke? No Bole? Finally Pirmin Lang has a real chance to win a stage.
(Stage 5 looks like painted for him)
Maybe I've read the profiles the wrong way, but would guess Duggan and Zoidl are the favs. Reto Hollenstein should be in the mix before the last stage starts...
Very excited about this race. So much hope and so much doubt!
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:42
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
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@Cio + Roturn - Had the same thoughts. Also got confused by the numbers of sprinters in attendence given they have just one stage. For a period i thought i had the wrong startlist and would have to start all over again
@Margh - I based that off what PCM was telling me and Duggan and Zoidl were slightly further down the lists. It's going to be interesting how the mountainous stage 8 plays out. I said it as going to be open 
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| Margh Norway |
Posted on 24-10-2014 20:59
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Sprinter
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@TMM: I'm in doubt myself. These were my planning thoughts... the TT appears more important then the relatively short and easy-looking mountain stage in the end. Not to forget the x-factor (PCM-AI).
btw. thanks for the nice preview!
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 24-10-2014 21:28
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World Champion
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I seem to have selected a strong squad. Let's see what we can do here..
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 24-10-2014 22:58
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Hopefully the Stobart guys can put in a strong performance here (fingers crossed) |
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| knockout |
Posted on 24-10-2014 23:16
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Grand Tour Champion
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Margh Norway wrote:
No Geschke? No Bole? Finally Pirmin Lang has a real chance to win a stage.
(Stage 5 looks like painted for him)
I thought about sending Geschke but i thought that too few stages would fit him good enough. There might be some successful breaks on some stages while on other stages the pure punchers might have some advantages.
And stage one looks a bit too flat. The short length make it look a bit bumpier but i guess they don't change that much.
I hope that Gert Joeaar can stay with the favourites on stage 2 so that he will be in a great GC position after the TT which would boost his performances afterwards. He should be one of the better TTers around. Maybe a top 3 in the TT could be in his reach.
For the sprints I have Boivin here. With Hansen he has a good leadout should the AI decide to give him one. (I doubt it but we'll see)
Vosekalns and Mager are supposed to jump into breaks. As I left Geschke home there should be no reason to not try it.
Edmondson and Bauhaus are mainly here for XP but if Vosekalns and Mager do not get into breaks they can replace them there. There are enough stages for everyone
It would be cool to see my loanee Bekmanis (TTT) in action, too!
cio93 wrote:
Looking through this, Chris Mager could actually go in some nice KoM breaks.
I agree. That would be nice!
My money is on Zoidl for the GC and Sweeting and Lang for the sprints.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| dev4ever |
Posted on 24-10-2014 23:47
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Kinda doubted if I should have sent Arroyo here or not, decidet to send considering the MO-HI ratio should be pretty high for most of the hilly stages and I hope we could get some massive points here, looking at the competition, we surely could.
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 24-10-2014 23:48
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I like the confidence everyone's showing in Zoidl, though I have a suspicion he's that low on the start list for a reason. That coupled with Arroyo being second on the start list suggests that mountain stage will be more decisive then I'd like.
Then again I'm probably reading too much into it. I don't feel like predicting the winner but I will say I expect the gap between Zoidl and Arroyo in the TT to be roughly 2'30.
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 25-10-2014 01:51
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Small Tour Specialist
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Interesting profile! Hard to predict what will be the deciding factor; the combined hilly stages, the long TT or maybe even the mountain stage. I expect an all-rounder to win.
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| Selwink |
Posted on 25-10-2014 09:59
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Apparently I brought a decent squad here. Hoping for a stage win, which shouldn't be impossible.
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 25-10-2014 12:27
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Classics Specialist
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Nice write-up TMM.
This will be an interesting race. I'm not too sure who to back for this one, but Zoidl could very well take the lead after the ITT. I do hope for Sauber's part that PCM doesn't select Schurter as the leader in the 1st hilly stage, causing Zoidl to sit up and lose time. Arroyo will have to make up big time on the final stage if he plans on winning overall. It's hard to predict this race though.
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 26-10-2014 22:43
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Looking forward to this stage race. One of the few races of the year where we have a team of 7 selected for the race specifically rather than having a couple of slots for developing riders. Reasoning is that this is one of our goal - a top 10 on GC has already been identified during pre-season with our umbrella of sponsors.
With so many hill stages, we have packed the team with puncheurs led jointly by Kolobnev and Beltran, with the likes of Valencia for back-up and Fonte alongside Zabalo to ensure decent TT performance. The lack of steep finishing climbs to cause time diffeences is a concern, but we should have the in-depth strength to put the pressure on mid-stage on days when things get lumpy. This is also one of the only occasions that Caethoven leads our sprinting line, and he has Golas to give him assistance as pilot-fish if required.
Bring it on (who says the TT and mtn stage are the keys, I hope the lads will prove you wrong!).
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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