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La Tropicale Amissa Bongo Discussion
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| redordead |
Posted on 22-03-2021 10:10
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 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo 
Welcome to the 9th edition of La Tropicale Amissa Bongo. This is a sprinters stage race based in Rwanda and has quite a history behind it. Having had as many as 7 stages in the past it has settled as a 5 day stage race in the last few years. As mentioned it's a race for the sprinters, therefore predominantly flat. It does though offer multiple KOM sprints on every stage, which will be a worthy carrot to chase for the baroudeurs. None of the stages are very long so it will be mainly down to how hard are they raced. We have two former winners on the startlist  Marco Canola from 2016 and  Anthony Lavoine from 2015.
With that said let's look at some of the favourites:
| FLA | HIL | RES | SPR | ACC |  Reinhardt | 71 | 67 | 66 | 79 | 84 |
Reinhardt has absolute world class acceleration. His other stats aren't too shabby either. He is without doubt the top sprinter in the race. He brings good support with him, but his leadouts haven't been very successful this season. Can they finally put it all together?
| FLA | HIL | RES | SPR | ACC |  Selig | 71 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 81 |  Awang | 64 | 52 | 62 | 79 | 83 |  Keough | 73 | 62 | 73 | 79 | 79 |  Lobato del Valle | 72 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 80 | | Lavoine | 73 | 60 | 64 | 80 | 78 |  Guillen | 66 | 60 | 60 | 80 | 80 |  Kip | 68 | 55 | 61 | 79 | 80 |
Selig has shown some good results this season for Bralirwa. They're the local team here and will look to give the home crowd some good results. Awang comes to mix it up from the PCT division. He has fantastic acceleration, but is poor in every other stat. Can he conserve his energy to use his final kick? Keough has no such problems, but his speed is not on the level others so he'll want a tougher stages than most. The same can be said for Lobato del Valle. Former winner Lavoine has excellent top speed, his lower acceleration means he will need good support from his leadout. Guillen has the same problem as Awang, so can the Costa Rican win on what is probably his last hurrah in the pro peloton? Kip is in the same boat, but has already shown this season he's capable of pulling off a win.
| FLA | HIL | RES | SPR | ACC |  Tewelde | 74 | 64 | 72 | 78 | 77 |  Bogdanovics | 73 | 62 | 69 | 78 | 77 |  Haddi | 74 | 65 | 69 | 77 | 77 |  Colbrelli | 74 | 61 | 72 | 79 | 75 |
Tier III consist of four similar sprinters who all lack that top speed and acceleration, but are all quite good rouleurs who could capitalise on harder stages.
Full startlist:
Spoiler | Awang | Azizulhasni | Andorra Cycling Project | | Kireva | Albert | Andorra Cycling Project | | Tizza | Marco | Andorra Cycling Project | | Wallays | Jelle | Andorra Cycling Project | | Dahl-Olsen | Gunnar | Andorra Cycling Project | | Rubio | Einer Augusto | Andorra Cycling Project | | Reynders | Jens | Andorra Cycling Project | | Eekhoff | Nils | Andorra Cycling Project | | Tewelde | Jani | Aramco DP | | Fonseca | Armindo | Aramco DP | | Stijn | Joseph | Aramco DP | | Batmunkh | Maral-Erdene | Aramco DP | | Abdul Halil | Mohamad Izzat Hilmi | Aramco DP | | Richardson | Alexander | Aramco DP | | Stelly | Robert | Aramco DP | | Thijssen | Gerben | Aramco DP | | Naesen | Oliver | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Selig | Rüdiger | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Redecker | Heiko | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Okbamariam | Tesfom | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | El Sabbahi | Houcaine | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Rutsch | Jonas | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Mugisha | Moise | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Mugisha | Samuel | Bralirwa - Stevens Bikes | | Lavoine | Anthony | Carrefour - ESPN | | Nolf | Frederik | Carrefour - ESPN | | Dakteris | Janis | Carrefour - ESPN | | Planckaert | Baptiste | Carrefour - ESPN | | Bercz | Patrick | Carrefour - ESPN | | Skala | Jakub | Carrefour - ESPN | | Young | Darren | Carrefour - ESPN | | Reinhardt | Theo | Centovalli - Fiat | | Cisse | Issiaka | Centovalli - Fiat | | Stocker | Manuel | Centovalli - Fiat | | Manfredi | Andrea | Centovalli - Fiat | | Thiery | Cyrile | Centovalli - Fiat | | Mundle | Benedikt | Centovalli - Fiat | | Bissegger | Stefan | Centovalli - Fiat | | Bogdanovics | Maris | Eddie Stobart | | Cimolai | Davide | Eddie Stobart | | Berger | Hakon Frengstad | Eddie Stobart | | Agostini | Stefano | Eddie Stobart | | Andersson | Emil | Eddie Stobart | | Pushpakumara | Gihan | Eddie Stobart | | Dahlberg | Linus | Eddie Stobart | | Thorsen | Daniel | Eddie Stobart | | Te Brake | Remco | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Kip | Ismael | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Ratto | Daniele | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Van Poucke | Aaron | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Rojus | Adomaitis | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Brunel | Alexys | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Van Moer | Brent | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Siddikov | Dilmurdjon | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Guillen | Marco | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Quispe | Alain | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Ulloa | Jose Gerardo | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Hayter | Ethan | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Ruiz | Robinson Steven | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Osorio | Alejandro | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Gonzales | Andre Alexander | Los Pollos Hermanos | | Keough | Luke | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Frankovic | Mateo | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Rathe | Jakob | McCormick Pro Cycling | | McCutcheon | Connor | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Granigan | Noah | McCormick Pro Cycling | | McNulty | Brandon | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Mostov | Zeke | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Wirtgen | Luc | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Haddi | Soufiane | Project: Africa | | Augustyn | John-Lee | Project: Africa | | Minoungou | Oumaru | Project: Africa | | Russom | Meron | Project: Africa | | Main | Kent | Project: Africa | | Van Heerden | Eddie | Project: Africa | | Tesfom | Sirak | Project: Africa | | Muhindo | Jimmy | Project: Africa | | Lobato del Valle | Juan Jose | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Liphongyu | Nawuti | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Anuar Aziz | Mohamed Shawal | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Schlechter | Pit | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Chhetri | Ajay Pandit | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Nur Hasan | Sandy | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Jacobs | Johan | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Van den Berg | Lars | Sauber Petronas Racing | | Canola | Marco | Sotto il sole di riccione | | Consonni | Simone | Sotto il sole di riccione | | Santoro | Antonio | Sotto il Sole di Riccione | | Puccioni | Dario | Sotto il sole di Riccione | | Dalla Valle | Nicolas | Sotto il sole di riccione | | Lonardi | Giovanni | Sotto il sole di Riccione | | Lucca | Riccardo | Sotto il sole di riccione | | Jerman | Ziga | Sotto il Sole di Riccione | | Colbrelli | Sonny | Strava | | Molard | Rudy | Strava | | Kluge | Roger | Strava | | Roux | Anthony | Strava | | Rosa | Diego | Strava | | Hansen | Jesper | Strava | | Oss | Daniel | Strava | | Gaudin | Damien | Strava |
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 22-03-2021 10:57
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Classics Specialist
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Thanks for the preview, red!
Not expecting much from Guillén, anything is a bonus really. Of course, winning a stage would be beautiful. I just hope the AI allows my team in the break a couple of times for screentime/KoM-points, as well as maybe some minor U25 points as except for my sprinter and lead-out/rouleur Quispe all the guys are still babies 
Only 13 teams is interesting. My guess for the podium, in no particular order: Keough - Selig - Reinhardt. Good luck everyone!
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 22-03-2021 11:02
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Team Manager
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Another goal race! The start list is pretty promising, but after recent races, I'm not sure if it was the right decision to bring Redecker and Naesen here with Selig. If they are able to form a coherent sprint train (or even just stay out of the way ), I think Top 5 is a realistic outcome. Hopefully. Thanks for the preview!
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 22-03-2021 11:46
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Hopefully we can manage to do something here, it's been a while since we had a result!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 22-03-2021 15:08
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
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Probably should have come here instead with AKA, or at least sent Bertilsson since we never make a train anyway. Had the added benefit of potential GC points. Instead, it's one of only a couple of C2 races we are skipping this year. I couldn't resist going all in on our home race, erroneously.
Interested to see how Reinhardt does, he should come out of here with a couple of wins.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 22-03-2021 16:08
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Posts: 4669
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This is the second one of three stage races we're targetting with Reinhardt, besides Ras Tailteann and Solidarnosc. The first one was an epic fail - and seeing that PCM gives number 1 of the team to Cissé honestly makes me expect the worst for this one, too 
I agree that Theo should run away with some top results, but well, sprint + PCM pretty much never gives the results it "should"...
However, there's some hope that the team actually builds our Stocker - Cissé - Reinhardt train again, which worked perfectly well on one day in Vancouver. But if the game really treats Cissé as our number 1 (as in Ireland), that would be one of the dumbest moves ever I guess. So it's likely to happen...
Thanks for the preview, redordead, and I sure hope that worst-case scenario won't happen...
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 22-03-2021 16:47
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Time for Lobato to step up and score well here to help us generate some momentum to climb higher up the rankings.
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 22-03-2021 21:21
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 3262
Joined: 02-11-2010
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Wow, startlist seems very mild. Top 10 goal and really no excuse for not achieving that given the field.
So probably just cursed us.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| redordead |
Posted on 23-03-2021 10:37
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Posts: 4881
Joined: 18-10-2017
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Fabianski wrote:
This is the second one of three stage races we're targetting with Reinhardt, besides Ras Tailteann and Solidarnosc. The first one was an epic fail - and seeing that PCM gives number 1 of the team to Cissé honestly makes me expect the worst for this one, too
I agree that Theo should run away with some top results, but well, sprint + PCM pretty much never gives the results it "should"...
However, there's some hope that the team actually builds our Stocker - Cissé - Reinhardt train again, which worked perfectly well on one day in Vancouver. But if the game really treats Cissé as our number 1 (as in Ireland), that would be one of the dumbest moves ever I guess. So it's likely to happen...
Thanks for the preview, redordead, and I sure hope that worst-case scenario won't happen...
I've put the picture of the startlist in my preview for a change, because I saw people clamoring for it in some other race discussions. But if people truly believe the race number of riders has any effect on the AI and already think their race is doomed because of who has which number. Well I can't really help that nonsensical mindset. There isn't any effect of race number on AI in my opinion. Just like the stage favourites list PCM shows on loading often doesn't make any sense. There are plenty of cases of that, see Bralirwa in this same race. The "logic" falls on even shakier grounds if you have stages with different profiles.
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 23-03-2021 11:04
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What a weird, weird sprint. Sixth is much better than I expected after the first few screenshots, and on the one hand, it's encouraging that Naesen and Redecker are involved in the sprint prep, on the other hand it didn't work at all  Also would have loved to be present in the breakaway, but as one of the major sprint teams here, I guess that's fine. We need to do better in the next stages, but this could have arguably been worse.
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| quadsas |
Posted on 23-03-2021 11:15
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2518
Joined: 18-01-2013
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redordead wrote:
Fabianski wrote:
This is the second one of three stage races we're targetting with Reinhardt, besides Ras Tailteann and Solidarnosc. The first one was an epic fail - and seeing that PCM gives number 1 of the team to Cissé honestly makes me expect the worst for this one, too
I agree that Theo should run away with some top results, but well, sprint + PCM pretty much never gives the results it "should"...
However, there's some hope that the team actually builds our Stocker - Cissé - Reinhardt train again, which worked perfectly well on one day in Vancouver. But if the game really treats Cissé as our number 1 (as in Ireland), that would be one of the dumbest moves ever I guess. So it's likely to happen...
Thanks for the preview, redordead, and I sure hope that worst-case scenario won't happen...
I've put the picture of the startlist in my preview for a change, because I saw people clamoring for it in some other race discussions. But if people truly believe the race number of riders has any effect on the AI and already think their race is doomed because of who has which number. Well I can't really help that nonsensical mindset. There isn't any effect of race number on AI in my opinion. Just like the stage favourites list PCM shows on loading often doesn't make any sense. There are plenty of cases of that, see Bralirwa in this same race. The "logic" falls on even shakier grounds if you have stages with different profiles.
woooooaaaaah ivan will no longer do transfers with you.
But it does matter in non-sprinter races to an extent, definitely not in sprinter races though
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 22:19
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| Shonak |
Posted on 23-03-2021 12:12
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Strava winless existence continues
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 23-03-2021 15:25
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13th is not the best result from Guillén of course, but keeping in mind he already struggles to get a top-5 in flat sprints I can't expect him to suddenly start shining in an uphill sprint A bit stupid for the team to work though, I'd rather see them scoring KoM and U25 points in the break. Hopefully their tactics change in the other stages, as I'm afraid only working for Guillén is not the best thing to do in this (or any other) race.
Gjensidige on fire though, congratulations hillis! Thanks for the report red 
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 23-03-2021 15:45
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At least we tried...
I'm actually pretty happy with the work the team delivered. The leadout seemed to be close to perfect - for a flat finish, though. If they can do the same on a more suited final stretch, that should be a sure podium for Reinhardt. This one was definitely one for the higher RES sprinters...
I just don't understand what Cissé was doing here. It looks like he sprinted on his own instead of leading out Reinhardt... Well, four more chances to get the fine-tuning right. 7th place is an acceptable start, but the remaining stages should be better than this!
Congrats to hillis, and thanks for the report! And I agree, the officials should get themselves some glasses - no way Selig finished ahead of Reinhardt here.
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 23-03-2021 22:59
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Directeur Sportif
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Very happy with third. Just need to be competitive every day and our goal will be achieved. Just don't do something screwy like let a break take a big time chunk.
The sprint was a little messy but not like the last Denmark sprint when it appears most of the sprinters didn't do any actual sprinting.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| aidanvn13 |
Posted on 24-03-2021 06:50
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Posts: 2797
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Great to see my team will be favoured by breakaway AI  Always a lucky draw to see which teams attack and which teams spectate.
Not ideal to have a combined KOM tally of 21 but not lead the KOM. Hopefully the next stages we get an opportunity to take it. I fear there won't be many other points scored this race.
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| Nemolito |
Posted on 24-03-2021 10:23
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Guillén dropping back to 56th is rather painful and hopefully makes my team decide to start attacking as well rather than working in the peloton throughout the day. Osorio picked up a point somewhere which might be enough for the U25 top-8 at the end of the GC. Would be nice, as he is one of the riders that hasn't scored for me yet.
Thanks for the report red, and congratz to Fab on another Reinhardt win!
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 24-03-2021 13:58
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Hmm. I feel like with a slightly descending finishing straight, this should have been a great spot for a train to work. At the end of the day, I just want to get into the Top 5 in th GC to reach the season goal and we're only a second away. I still like our chances, but confidence isn't super high.
Congrats Fabianski, Reinhardt is just a machine!
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 24-03-2021 14:38
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Solid win for Reinhardt. The train didn't work, but he reacted well and managed to still time it right.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 24-03-2021 15:51
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Funny... We build a train, Reinhardt finishes 7th. We completely mess it up, Reinhardt wins...
I'll take that one anyway, but it just confirms the randomness. Bralirwa did a great job for Theo in the end, and as bbl said, he did a really smart job here. Taking yellow and (shared) green is a great bonus - now let's hope the team is strong enough to overcome that yellow jersey curse!
What bothers me however is Cissé not helping at all, but seemingly going for a result on his own. In C1 and C2HC races I haven't seen this so far, while he already did his own thing in Ireland. I guess those C2 races have such a weak start list that sometimes he's considered to be a favorite himself - and we all know PCM simply cannot handle this...
3 more stages to go, but the foundation for a great GC result is laid - let's go on like this! And thanks for the report, red. And congrats to Bralirwa, getting three guys inside the bonus seconds is great news for some depth GC results!
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