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Tour of Norway - Discussion
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 20-02-2022 14:14
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 Tour of Norway - Preview
The PTHC meet again in Norway for the Tour of Norway. A fairly unusual race as it tends to require a mix of TT and HIL ability in order to succeed overall.
The first 2 stages are both considered flat and will be the 2 stages that the Sprinter can look to target as well as wear the Leaders jersey for a couple of days.
Stage 3 is the first of the decisive stages. It's a flat 30km TT which will weed out the pretenders and allow the contenders to show their first hand. Purist TT riders will need to gain as much time as possible on this stage.
It's then a complete change of terrain as we have a fairly long stage which will either be won by a top Puncheur or the breakaway. This will be the first, and best, opportunity for the Puncheurs to make time back time lost on the previous stage.
We then finish with another long stage which should favour the Puncheurs again but I wouldn't anticipate as big a time gaps as we may see on Stage 4.
Last year's winner is here again and he is the clear favourite.  Phinney is the best TT rider here and will look to make huge time gains on Stage 3 before using his hill ability to maintain his GC lead in the final stages.  Wirtgen is a very similar rider but of the tier below. He'll be ready to pounce on a bad day for Phinney though.
 Izagirre has done well here in the past and he's easily the top TT rider out of the more puncheur-focused riders.
 De Bie and  EBH are the top Puncheurs here and they are still able to ride fairly well against the clock so they'll need to ensure the hill stages are ridden hard.
Of those more TT reliant,  Wurtz is one not be looked over. He's up there with Phinney in terms of his TT ability but he's bound to lose time in the hills. He's not quite the same quality but he has a knack for doing well here so don't be surprised to see  Fraile near the top of the Standings when we leave Norway.
| | HIL | TT | STA | RES | | Phinney | 77 | 83 | 77 | 74 | | Wirtgen | 75 | 80 | 76 | 75 | | Izagirre | 81 | 77 | 73 | 72 | | De Bie | 84 | 72 | 77 | 76 | | Hagen | 83 | 70 | 78 | 71 |  | Gidich | 80 | 73 | 78 | 77 | | Würtz | 71 | 82 | 78 | 78 | | Fraile | 72 | 79 | 74 | 76 | | Oliveira | 72 | 79 | 76 | 72 |  | Dennis | 75 | 78 | 73 | 75 | | Oliveira | 73 | 78 | 75 | 75 |  | Yatsevich | 68 | 80 | 76 | 81 |
A strong few riders here who will look to contest the GC favourites on Stage 4 and 5 for a stage win. It's unlikely that you'll see any of them near the top of the GC at the end but you never know.  Vakoc is the rider to watch here after his recent success in the Hilly Classics.
| | HIL | TT | ACC | | Vakoc | 81 | 69 | 74 |  | Buchmann | 81 | 67 | 73 | | Di Maggio | 81 | 61 | 74 |  | Schreurs | 80 | 66 | 72 | | Gastauer | 80 | 64 | 73 | | Kanerva | 79 | 70 | 76 | | Chernetskiy | 79 | 66 | 71 | | Trakhov | 79 | 65 | 75 |  | Errazkin | 78 | 70 | 73 |  | Gaudu | 78 | 66 | 70 |
TTs can be a bit hit and miss so the following riders will be looking for a strong performance on Stage 3 to put them in contention for a stage win. Again, unlikely any of them will be in the Top 10 of the GC but if the later stages aren't selective then they may get lucky.
| | FLA | HIL | TT | | Hepburn | 71 | 66 | 79 | | Zakarin | 74 | 66 | 79 | | Vorobev | 75 | 65 | 79 | | Schädlich | 69 | 63 | 79 | | Tanfield | 73 | 63 | 79 |  | Onodera | 74 | 69 | 78 |  | Dumoulin | 71 | 68 | 78 | | Malori | 77 | 67 | 78 |  | Van Niekerk | 76 | 67 | 78 |  | Hofer | 73 | 65 | 78 | | Leung | 73 | 64 | 78 |  | Sterobo | 70 | 63 | 78 |
A fair few sprinters here although the top ones have decided against it. Howard and Kragh Andersen are the 2 stand out riders although good form on the da
| Last name | FLA | SPR | ACC | | Howard | 76 | 82 | 79 | | Kragh Andersen | 77 | 81 | 77 | | Moser | 72 | 80 | 79 | | Hsu | 75 | 80 | 79 | | Houle | 78 | 79 | 78 | | Hodeg | 72 | 79 | 78 | | Cavendish | 69 | 79 | 75 | | Itami | 74 | 79 | 81 |  | Aberasturi | 74 | 79 | 78 | | Contreras | 72 | 78 | 80 |
Full Start List
Spoiler | Enrico | Barbin | Aegon - Peroni | | Sean | De Bie | Aegon - Peroni | | Arvid | de Kleijn | Aegon - Peroni | | Bilguunjargal | Erdenebat | Aegon - Peroni | | Frederik | Frison | Aegon - Peroni | | Michael | Hepburn | Aegon - Peroni | | Ludovic | Robeet | Aegon - Peroni | | Lucas | Schädlich | Aegon - Peroni | | Kasper | Asgreen | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Asbjorn | Kragh Andersen | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Mathias | Krigbaum | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Olli | Kulppi | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Patrick | Olesen | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Rasmus | Sterobo | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Gyasi | Sulvaran | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Joel | Suter | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Havard | Blikra | Cedevita | | Michael | Christodoulos | Cedevita | | David | Gaudu | Cedevita | | Gasper | Katrasnik | Cedevita | | Izidor | Penko | Cedevita | | Tadej | Pogacar | Cedevita | | Miha | Poljanec | Cedevita | | Andrea | Zordan | Cedevita | | George | Atkins | cycleYorkshire | | Jocelyn | Bar | cycleYorkshire | | Dimitrios | Christakos | cycleYorkshire | | Omar | Fraile | cycleYorkshire | | Matthew | Holmes | cycleYorkshire | | Ivo | Oliveira | cycleYorkshire | | Ben | Gastauer | EA Vesuvio | | Marc | Goos | EA Vesuvio | | Kristofer | Gunnlaugsson | EA Vesuvio | | Jay | Lampawog | EA Vesuvio | | Samuel | Pokälä | EA Vesuvio | | Harry | Tanfield | EA Vesuvio | | Diego | Ulissi | EA Vesuvio | | Tom | Wirtgen | EA Vesuvio | | John | Archibald | Eurosport x GCN | | Simon | Carr | Eurosport x GCN | | Ryan | Gibbons | Eurosport x GCN | | Kaden | Groves | Eurosport x GCN | | Morten | Hulgaard | Eurosport x GCN | | Kenji | Itami | Eurosport x GCN | | Maurice | Schreurs | Eurosport x GCN | | Max | Stedman | Eurosport x GCN | | Ildar | Arslanov | Gazelle | | Kamil | Malecki | Gazelle | | Marc | Potts | Gazelle | | Roman | Senyenov | Gazelle | | Mike | Teunissen | Gazelle | | Jan | Tratnik | Gazelle | | Nathan | Brown | Generali | | Rohan | Dennis | Generali | | Benjamin | Dyball | Generali | | Stefan | Kung | Generali | | Tobias | Ludvigsson | Generali | | Adrian | Malori | Generali | | Nelson | Oliveira | Generali | | Dylan | Van Baarle | Generali | | Arturs | Belevics | Grieg-Maersk | | Benjamin | Brkic | Grieg-Maersk | | Gunnar | Dahl-Olsen | Grieg-Maersk | | Nils | Eekhoff | Grieg-Maersk | | Truls Engen | Korsaeth | Grieg-Maersk | | Ingvar | Omarsson | Grieg-Maersk | | Jo Kogstad | Ringheim | Grieg-Maersk | | Mads | Würtz | Grieg-Maersk | | Clement | Champoussin | Huski Chocolate | | Emil | Dima | Huski Chocolate | | Munkhtulga | Erdenesuren | Huski Chocolate | | Jamal | Hibatullah | Huski Chocolate | | Alex | Hoehn | Huski Chocolate | | Rafel | Majka | Huski Chocolate | | Jordi | Meeus | Huski Chocolate | | Oscar | Rodriguez | Huski Chocolate | | Eddie | Dunbar | Indosat Ooredoo | | Andreas | Hofer | Indosat Ooredoo | | Leigh | Howard | Indosat Ooredoo | | Sergey | Luchshenko | Indosat Ooredoo | | Andreas Odie Purnama | Setiawa | Indosat Ooredoo | | Bambang | Suryadi | Indosat Ooredoo | | Viktor | Verschaeve | Indosat Ooredoo | | Justin | Wolf | Indosat Ooredoo | | Emiliano | Contreras | ISA - Hexacta | | Nicholas | Dlamini | ISA - Hexacta | | Diego Agustin | Ferreyra | ISA - Hexacta | | Jhonatan | Restrepo | ISA - Hexacta | | Getachew | Sendeku | ISA - Hexacta | | Eduardo | Sepulveda | ISA - Hexacta | | Petr | Vakoc | ISA - Hexacta | | Leo | Vincent | ISA - Hexacta | | Shaun Nick | Bester | Isostar - Specialized | | Jonas | Gregaard | Isostar - Specialized | | Carl Fredrik | Hagen | Isostar - Specialized | | Kevin | Inkelaar | Isostar - Specialized | | Gavin | Mannion | Isostar - Specialized | | Antonio | Pedrero | Isostar - Specialized | | Taylor | Phinney | Isostar - Specialized | | Petr | Rikunov | Isostar - Specialized | | Varsham | Darbinyan | King Power | | Yevgeniy | Gidich | King Power | | Rune | Herregodts | King Power | | Hsuan Ping | Hsu | King Power | | Chun Wing | Leung | King Power | | Yuttana | Mano | King Power | | Sarawut | Sirironnachai | King Power | | Michael | Vanthourenhout | King Power | | Emanuel | Buchmann | Mapei | | Alex Ariya | Destribois | Mapei | | Gaspar | Goncalves | Mapei | | Aaron | Grosser | Mapei | | Luis Enrique | Lemus Davila | Mapei | | Kevin | Predatsch | Mapei | | Cristian | Rodriguez | Mapei | | Jernej | Svab | Mapei | | Antoine | Duchesne | Minions | | Edvald Boasson | Hagen | Minions | | Alvaro | Hodeg | Minions | | Borislav | Ivanov | Minions | | Leandro | Marcos | Minions | | Pawel | Poljanski | Minions | | Bjorn | Selander | Minions | | Ruben | Zepuntke | Minions | | Tom | Dumoulin | Philips - Force India | | Joonas | Henttala | Philips - Force India | | Marten | Kooistra | Philips - Force India | | Victor | Lafay | Philips - Force India | | Gijs | Leemreize | Philips - Force India | | Daniel | Moricz | Philips - Force India | | Ide | Schelling | Philips - Force India | | Riccardo | Zoidl | Philips - Force India | | Jon | Aberasturi | Podium Ambition | | Julian | Alaphilippe | Podium Ambition | | Jyme | Bridges | Podium Ambition | | Akil | Campbell | Podium Ambition | | Jonathan | Croes | Podium Ambition | | Christopher | Lagane | Podium Ambition | | Kim | Le Court | Podium Ambition | | Alexandre | Mayer | Podium Ambition | | Joni | Brandao | Polar | | Jan | Brockhoff | Polar | | Robin | Carpenter | Polar | | Cesare | Di Maggio | Polar | | Ivan | Garcia Cortina | Polar | | Ion | Izagirre | Polar | | Nipuna Shira | Manamalage | Polar | | Michael | Rodriguez Galindo | Polar | | Alan | Banaszek | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Sergey | Chernetskiy | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Joni | Kanerva | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Moreno | Moser | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Dmitry | Trakhov | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Anton | Vorobev | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Kiril | Yatsevich | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | Aydar | Zakarin | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | | King Lok | Cheung | Voyagin - Bird | | Sindre Skjostad | Lunke | Voyagin - Bird | | Xianjing | Lyu | Voyagin - Bird | | Yuriy | Natarov | Voyagin - Bird | | Rei | Onodera | Voyagin - Bird | | Leszek | Plucinski | Voyagin - Bird | | Tushantha | Rajapakshage | Voyagin - Bird | | Jacob | Salcone | Voyagin - Bird | | Stanislau | Bazhkou | Xero Racing | | James | Fouche | Xero Racing | | Hugo | Houle | Xero Racing | | Luke | Mudgway | Xero Racing | | Bachirou | Nikiema | Xero Racing | | Nils | Schomber | Xero Racing | | Morne | Van Niekerk | Xero Racing | | Florian | Vermeersch | Xero Racing | | Mark | Cavendish | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Xuban | Errazkin | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Carter | Jones | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Federico | Olei | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Clement | Russo | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Lewis | Stroll | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Carlos | Verona | Zwift Pro Cycling | | Luca | Wackermann | Zwift Pro Cycling |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 20-02-2022 15:07
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Tour de France Champion
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This is another one of those race where we had to come because it was in our PTHC band, but we don't have a rider for it. Aranburu is not a pure puncheur and is an absolutely atrocious time trialist, so we figured it wasn't even worth wasting his race days here, though that may have been a mistake.
We're really only here for AKA, and based on how this season has gone so far, I was pretty optimistic coming in about his chances to get some PTHC stage points. But that sprinter startlist is weak - really, really weak. So weak that AKA is now a sprint favorite along with Howard. And these days, that isn't usually something to get excited about. AKA particularly showed the last few years that he is much better as an outsider than a favorite, but we don't have much choice here. We didn't bring a leadout man specifically to avoid this kind of situation, so hopefully that plays out. I don't know what the game will do if it does decide to give him a leadout. We don't have anyone else here with even 70 sprint. I guess Krigbaum would be the guy? Hopefully the AI realizes we don't have a train and AKA can lurk as intended.
Besides that, we'll hope Sterobo can surprise on stage 3 (unlikely) and then see if someone like Olesen can have a good breakaway in the hills. It's mostly filler race days for us here, which is unfortunate since they're PTHC.
Should be an easy win for Phinney, but a lot of interesting dynamics for the other placings. Thanks for the preview!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 20-02-2022 15:10
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Hopefully Rodriguez can repeat some of that Paris - Nice magic in here, but it might as well be a very anonymous race for us.
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 21-02-2022 04:52
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Massive race for us - Was kind of hoping for a stronger sprinter startlist so Howard wouldn’t be a top favourite but hopefully he can do well. Dunbar here hoping for a sneaky top-10 and white, his skills should to him well here I hope! If he can channel his tour of Britain self from last season he will do well.
Thanks for the preview!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 21-02-2022 05:55
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Only here for breakaways and the small unlikely chance that Dumoulin actually lives up to his stats for a change. If we don't join a break here, we never will!
Thanks for the preview.
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| ryant |
Posted on 21-02-2022 06:55
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Big race for Fraile, hoping he can replicate a Phinney-lite performance and grab a top 5 overall. Otherwise I don't think we'll be at the forefront of the individual stages as we don't have a great team to support him other than Oliveira.
Phinney to win by minutes here but the battle behind might be entertaining
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 21-02-2022 09:25
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Iirc this is a win goal, so let's hope Phinney can deliver! Great preview 
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 21-02-2022 09:37
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Not the ideal race for Hagen but hopefully the good old nationality bonus still has some influence
No TTist because they're caught up in Olympia, but mr Hodeg might not become like his partner in crime there.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 21-02-2022 14:49
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3rd place from Aberasturi is about as good as i expected for this race,
It also means the Spanish lead-out man now has as many Podium finishes as both Alex Cataford & Marcos Altur... just to put into context how badly this season is going for T3A. (Ewan has 3... Jonathan Croes has 2... and Alaphilippe still outdoes Aberasturi & Altur with a 2nd vs their 3rds, same for Gayral).
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| knockout |
Posted on 21-02-2022 14:51
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Grand Tour Champion
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Always cool to see AKA win. Congrats bbl!
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 15:43
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 21-02-2022 15:03
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AKA has really been something else this season. He had shined in the outsider role, but to also win as a favorite provides reason to think it's about him as a rider, regardless of the context. Perfect placement given the game, perfect timing, and just enough speed. Another win in the books in what has been a phenomenal year for him. And he pretty much had no help in doing it besides early chasing.
With that, we've basically gotten everything we wanted out of this race already. 2 sprint stages were all we brought a leader for, and we already got a stage win out of it. Plus, since it's the first stage, we get the leader's jerseys too. Doing that at the PTHC level in what would otherwise be a lost race is a 100% mission success. We'll try to sprint again tomorrow I guess, and I suppose there's an outside chance we end up in the running for the points jersey overall now. But I'm more than satisfied if this is all we do here, given the lineup we sent.
Lastly, gotta say, sorry Eden. It really is telling how this one played out. Howard is the better sprinter, went slightly earlier from two wheels ahead, and ends up 10th while AKA is 1st. I'd be pissed.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| roturn |
Posted on 21-02-2022 15:14
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No chance to beat Phinney or Wirtgen here normally. But I really need the 2 hill stages to be very selective to get rid of all the top TT specialists such as Würtz.
De Bie with 72 TT should be able to "limit" his loss as much as possible but then needs to ride aggressive and gapping the others.
Hill support is not as strong as elsewhere due to the Vuelta and TT focus. But Barbin/De Kleijn should still control the race for him if needed.
For stage 1. It`s funny to see De Kleijn going as high as 8th in a sprint finish. Well done by him really. |
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 21-02-2022 16:36
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Time for some 
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 21-02-2022 20:22
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That's a very good ride from Meeus.
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 21-02-2022 20:34
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Will happily take second, Hodeg turns out to be a consistent scorer in PTHC races. Congrats bbl!
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 22-02-2022 00:12
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Congrats bbl, Aka with a strong finish here.
Exactly why I wanted a stronger startlist. Last time I downgraded Howard to a pie and coke a race deal he did well so let’s see if it’s enough to get him off his ass tomorrow.
Thanks bbl, it happens to everyone and is to just be expected now.
Thanks for the report!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| redordead |
Posted on 22-02-2022 06:19
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I feel like we put the correct rider, Poljanec in the breakaway. But he should've won those KOMs in that group 
I hope we keep attacking.
"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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| tastasol |
Posted on 23-02-2022 09:07
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Missed the start here, but a big congrats to bbl and AKA on the win! Unfortunately his brother had to go to Spain, but always cool to see a Kragh winning.
All about the TT and then hanging on for us here. Phinney should be unbeatable, but hope Würtz can get on to the podium on the TT stage and fight as good as he can for a top 10.
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 23-02-2022 16:03
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Great to see Hsu win! Congrats Bikex.
Such a shame that over 3/4 Howard’s viable race days he’s been useless. Good to see he keeps consistent in Norway.
At least Dunbar is finishing in high places with the GC riders, so hopefully that means he’s considered one of them. Can only look forward from here.
Thanks for the report too!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 23-02-2022 16:33
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Aberasturi, sprinting as well as Ewan did in Olympia. With the obvious upcoming changes to wages of sprinters i might be able to squeee him into a CT budget.
Empathy obviously for Eden.
But the flip side, we've had some good sprint finishes to enjoy reading about.
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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)
