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La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Discussion
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| The Rider |
Posted on 09-09-2015 18:50
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Grand Tour Specialist
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One stage in California, one stage in Algeria with four stages in, tropical, Gabon - it can only be La Tropicale Amissa Bongo!
Stage 1 change:
Due to an error the original planned route for stage 1 was replaced with the route at the top of the screen. Very similar profiles in any case.
GC Favourites:
| Flat | Hill | Sprint | Acceleration |  Anthony Lavoine | 73 | 60 | 80 | 78 |  Aleksandr Serebriakov | 74 | 61 | 80 | 77 |  Juan Pablo Forero | 71 | 61 | 80 | 75 |  Michael Matthews | 75 | 64 | 79 | 79 |  Alois Kankovský | 65 | 59 | 80 | 83 | | | | | ---- |  Luka Mezgec | 71 | 67 | 79 | 77 |  Rafael Andriato | 71 | 64 | 78 | 76 |  Kristian Sobota | 72 | 60 | 78 | 78 |  Alex Rasmussen | 72 | 50 | 77 | 79 |  Hossein Nateghi | 68 | 66 | 77 | 75 | | | ------ | | |  Kazushige Kuboki | 73 | 72 | 76 | 77 |  Martijn Verschoor | 73 | 64 | 76 | 75 |  Apostolos Bouglas | 71 | 67 | 76 | 75 |  Grega Bole | 71 | 74 | 76 | 74 |
With all of the stages being flat rated, I suppose you could call this race a sprinters' stage race. From the Circulo de Juarez we saw that sprinters in such races can score big, will the same happen here in this C2HC race?
Lavoine and Serebriakov have taken plenty of wins this season and will be the top favourites for the GC, each brings great lead-outs for support. Kankovský, Forero & Matthews also can't be discounted from stage wins and the GC. However, all three are a bit inconsistent and don't have a lead-out to overly rival the two main favourites.
Then we have the second tier favourites. Rasmussen will be hoping to match his podium finish in Mexico, with the likes of Sobota & Mezgec hoping for some top results.
Then we have the third tier sprinters. This group includes some good riders for the hills such as Bole & Kuboki. With some steep drags in the race could these riders be outside bets for the GC win?
With BONUS SECONDS DOWN TO 10TH PLACE on every stage, consistency will be the key to the GC battle here.
Other riders to look out for, who don't mind the hills: Pozdnyakov, Marentes &  Chérel. Of course the rouleurs can not be counted out from the GC win here.
Surprises, surprises ... surprises:
| Mountain | Hill | | Abolfazl Gilanipoor | 77 | 71 | | Trent Lowe | 76 | 73 |
Yes, that's right. Compal-Merida bring two of the top climbers in the division to this sprinters' stage race. This fact is all the more strange when you consider they didn't take any of their GC men to the Giro del Trentino.
With Sancor racing here you have to wonder why they didn't bring the B-world champ. Can Andriato step up to the level of the B-world champion?
Startlist:
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| roro_352 |
Posted on 09-09-2015 18:52
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Domestique
Posts: 423
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It's the first time i see Apostolos Bouglas in the favourites, i don't know if it's a good sign  ^^
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 09-09-2015 18:53
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Tour de France Champion
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Cool, can't wait for this to start!
Well, unfortunately we couldn't bring Richeze everywhere, but we're confident in Andriato and he'll do well for us, I'm sure  |
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| Roextro |
Posted on 09-09-2015 18:55
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2370
Joined: 24-01-2014
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First goal of the season is to get the points jersey here, come on Mezgec this is a strong start list but you got this |
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| jsh312mufc |
Posted on 09-09-2015 18:58
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 794
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Hopefully we can get in some breaks and maybe get a Top 10 from Verschoor |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 04:27
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 09-09-2015 19:02
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3591
Joined: 18-03-2014
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Lavoine won the GC in a race like this in Juarez and this time the opposition is weaker, so just the AI and the other sprinters to take away a possible win
Drujon is in Poland and dunno if I should've made him support Lavoine, so that might be the only lineup mistake for my part
Also our promotion chances can be very real if we win this race
Thanks for reporting and I know it's gonna be a great race nonetheless 
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| Selwink |
Posted on 09-09-2015 19:08
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8856
Joined: 17-05-2012
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Surprised not to see Richeze here. Good news is that this does offer more opportunities to Serebriakov. Think it's going to be close between him and Lavoine.
If the hills do have their impact Pozdnyakov is ready, but I'm afraid Kuboki and Bole will be the better of him.
Looking forward to this, not in the last place due to this being a goal race.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 09-09-2015 19:37
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Tour de France Champion
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Razzie's got full team support, and he's usually good at getting 4th-6th without top speed. Hoping that leads to a good finish.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 09-09-2015 21:17
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Classics Specialist
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No, Juan Pablo, I definitely haven't erected a totem pole in my back garden and started performing ancient shamanistic rituals in front of it as a last resort praying to the Gods for that most wondrous of miracles - you being well-placed before a sprint and actually sprinting properly! Oh almighty Phtha, hear my prayers!
*prostrates self on ground in act of vain, miserable supplication*
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 09-09-2015 21:35
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Team Leader
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Sobota's here, so hopefully he races with his usual consistency.
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 09-09-2015 21:51
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7651
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Chérel and Baz for me as we go the goal of GC victory - I doubt we will achieve that though
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 10-09-2015 03:29
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Can Nateghi actually contest a sprint? Or finish in the front group. Much to see here!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| the_hoyle |
Posted on 10-09-2015 17:43
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Grand Tour Champion
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Homrani taking a nice lead in KoM standings and almost made it to the finish! Not too bad I would say
.: Manager of :.
.: My Awards :.
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 10-09-2015 17:52
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Classics Specialist
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The totem pole seems to be working... first podium for Forero in ages!
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| Selwink |
Posted on 10-09-2015 17:55
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Grand Tour Champion
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Not the worst ever start, but just slightly disappointing that Serebriakov was so close and lost by such a small margin. Also weird to see Barta was 3rd man in the train and not Kuznetsov, maybe that made the difference between 1st and 2nd 
Congrats to Danny and thanks to The Rider
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| jsh312mufc |
Posted on 10-09-2015 18:01
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 794
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5th place for Verschoor very happy! |
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 10-09-2015 18:08
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Eden95 wrote:
Can Nateghi actually contest a sprint? Or finish in the front group. Much to see here!
Proves me wrong first stage. Finally! Content with 4th, but was nervous at the last corner. Congratulations to the winning team.
Thanks for the report!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| Roextro |
Posted on 10-09-2015 18:12
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2370
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Lovely start Mezgec  |
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| sgdanny |
Posted on 10-09-2015 18:29
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Classics Specialist
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Lavoine proves why he leads the CT rankings and very close
Mezgec 
He didn't even need Drujon and Janiaczyk (75 sprint) with a solid leadout. Feared for this stage and 61 hill was enough
Observation is that Matthews wasn't that high up, but Kankovsky doesn't look to be an immediate problem. Sobota not high up is good ranking wise and Serebiakov is going to be hard to beat, we were lucky and will have to focus on finishing before him next stage.
Thanks for the report and thanks to the ones congratulating, but seriously I still can't believe it's only my 11th stage win (thought more xD)
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 10-09-2015 19:45
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Tour de France Champion
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Razzie was well out of position there, but at least managed to get a top 10.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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