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Apex Mountain Classic Discussion
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| redordead |
Posted on 25-02-2023 13:44
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4881
Joined: 18-10-2017
PCM$: 200.00
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Welcome to the 5th edition of the Apex Mountain Classic. The course is just under 228 kilometers long and climaxes with the long descent down Apex Mountain, which is the ultimate challenge of this race. That in itself makes it a pretty fascinating and unpredictable race. One would think that with the climbing depth in PCT and no clashing races, this would be a stacked startlist. But it seems the unpredictable nature of the race has spooked many managers.
With that said let's look at some of the favourites:
| MO | HI | ST | RS | SP | AC | DH |  Padun | 82 | 77 | 72 | 74 | 60 | 75 | 70 |  Bennett | 81 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 65 | 73 | 63 |  Aular | 81 | 72 | 76 | 75 | 63 | 69 | 71 |  Alarcon | 81 | 70 | 66 | 69 | 56 | 73 | 63 |  Carapaz | 80 | 71 | 71 | 76 | 56 | 65 | 61 |  Kritskiy | 80 | 71 | 72 | 70 | 64 | 61 | 58 |  Arndt | 79 | 76 | 77 | 76 | 71 | 75 | 64 |  Min | 79 | 76 | 75 | 77 | 62 | 66 | 69 |  Stüssi | 79 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 63 | 66 | 69 |  Garby | 79 | 70 | 71 | 76 | 52 | 70 | 63 | | Nerz | 79 | 71 | 73 | 70 | 63 | 66 | 59 |
Padun will be looking to turn around his and his team's season. He's on paper the best climber here. Bennett should provide stern opposition though and Kiwi possess a faster finish between the two. Aular is not as punchy as the two above him, but he's a very good climber and a good descender. Alarcon will mostly come up short in a sprint, but his climbing and acceleration are still good enough to keep him in contention on Apex Mountain. Carapaz and Kritskiy are neither fast nor good descenders, but they are among the better climbers. The opposite is Arndt, the fastest sprinter. Min and Stüssi bring solid energy stats and downhill ability. Garby and Nerz round out the list of 79+ climbers.
| MO | HI | ST | RS | SP | AC | DH |  Mas | 78 | 77 | 74 | 74 | 60 | 77 | 70 |  Aru | 78 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 56 | 70 | 70 |  Kuss | 78 | 71 | 74 | 76 | 55 | 69 | 72 |  Ndayisenga | 78 | 75 | 69 | 68 | 63 | 73 | 69 | | Habtemichael | 78 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 59 | 66 | 69 | | Roson | 78 | 76 | 67 | 70 | 54 | 74 | 66 | | Lunke | 78 | 72 | 76 | 74 | 60 | 64 | 69 | | Manfredi | 78 | 65 | 68 | 73 | 62 | 73 | 73 |  Grmay | 77 | 74 | 71 | 73 | 61 | 71 | 74 |
Mas might be the first in line to upset the better climbers. Apart from sprinting he's very capable in all areas. Aru, Kuss and Ndayisenga are all well rounded as well with the latter having a slightly better sprint. Habtemichael, Roson and Lunke are likely here as domestiques. Manfredi on paper lacks the stamina, but that hasn't stopped him from performing well before. Grmay is a good descender which is his best skill in this group, he'll need to limit his losses on the long climb.
Full startlist:
Spoiler | Aular | Orluis | Binance | | Salinas | Jonathan | Binance | | Lienhard | Fabian | Binance | | Bartl | David | Binance | | Venturini | Clement | Binance | | Antunes | Amaro | Binance | | Benito | Miguel Angel | Binance | | Noppe | Christophe | Binance | | Rochas | Remy | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Pacher | Quentin | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Doubey | Fabien | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Martin | Sergio | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Berthet | Clement | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Renard | Alexis | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Lazkano | Oier | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Brun | Nils | Bordeaux Métropole - Euskotren | | Ndayisenga | Valens | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Uwizeyimana | Bonaventure | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Eyob | Mektel | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Lauk | Karl Patrick | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Mengoulas | Alex | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Menicucci | Samuele | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Debesay | Yacob | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Uhiriwe | Renus | Bralirwa - Stevens | | Brändle | Matthias | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Robov | Momchil | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | De Luna | Flavio | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Jacobsen | Tormod | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Vine | Jay | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Hocevar | Kristjan | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Kolev | Yoan | BWT Hyundai N Cycling | | Alarcon | Jose | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Quevedo | Xavier | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Ablenado | Aberlardo | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Konwa | Marek | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Intxausti | Benat | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Adriamihajanarivo | Herizo | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Govekar | Matevz | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Garcia | Jhojan | Caja Rural Cycling Team | | Carapaz | Richard Antonio | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Chernetskiy | Sergey | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Hagen | Carl Fredrik | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Ariesen | Tim | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Manfredi | Andrea | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Donovan | Mark | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Van Den Bossche | Fabio | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Pluto | Martins | Crabbe-CC Chevigny | | Moreno Hernandez | Salvador | Eddie Stobart | | Lovik | Asmund Romstad | Eddie Stobart | | Drapac | Damion | Eddie Stobart | | Savini | Daniel | Eddie Stobart | | Medvedev | Dmitri | Eddie Stobart | | Malacarne | Davide | Eddie Stobart | | Dahlberg | Linus | Eddie Stobart | | Joeaar | Gert | Eddie Stobart | | Kritskiy | Timofey | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Roson | Jaime | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Lunke | Sindre Skjostad | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | De la Cruz | David | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Laengen | Vegard Stake | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Martin | Guillaume | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Arensman | Thymen | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Ulysbayev | Dinmukhammed | Gjensidige Pro Cycling Team | | Talansky | Andrew | Glanbia | | Mannion | Gavin | Glanbia | | Haas | Nathan | Glanbia | | Cheyne | Jordan | Glanbia | | Martin | Daniel | Glanbia | | Curley | Liam | Glanbia | | Healy | Ben | Glanbia | | Murphy | Jack Bernard | Glanbia | | Stüssi | Colin | Jura GIANTS | | Schmid | Mauro | Jura GIANTS | | Rowsell | Erick | Jura GIANTS | | Karatsivis | Panagiotis | Jura GIANTS | | Matsangos | Alexandros | Jura GIANTS | | Janssen | Christoph | Jura GIANTS | | Arndt | Nikias | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Koch | Michel | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Nerz | Dominik | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Ludvigsson | Tobias | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Destribois | Alex Ariya | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Helme | Sasu | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Tatarinov | Gennadiy | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Chaiyasombat | Thanakhan | Kraftwerk Man Machine | | Kuss | Sepp | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Rhim | Brendan | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Revard | Thomas | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Matte | Charles | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Rodriguez Galindo | Michael | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Mostov | Zeke | McCormick Pro Cycling | | Aru | Fabio | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Juul-Jensen | Christopher | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Ratiy | Vadim | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Vogt | Mario | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Vanmarcke | Sep | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Shapira | Idan | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Johansen | Julius | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Price-Pejtersen | Johan | Pas Normal Studios - Mikkeller | | Le Court | Kim | Podium Ambition | | Norbert | Andrew | Podium Ambition | | Croes | Jonathan | Podium Ambition | | Alexander | Nathan | Podium Ambition | | Morales Ortega | Jacob | Podium Ambition | | Redy | Dylan | Podium Ambition | | Orosco | Kemp | Podium Ambition | | Gonzalez | Abner | Podium Ambition | | Gebrezgabihier | Amanuel | Project: Africa | | Grmay | Tsgabu Gebremaryam | Project: Africa | | Seibeb | Costa | Project: Africa | | Main | Kent | Project: Africa | | Van Heerden | Eddie | Project: Africa | | Munyaneza | Didier | Project: Africa | | Broxham | Ricardo | Project: Africa | | Nzafashwanayo | Jean Claude | Project: Africa | | Hindley | Jai | Staffbase - BHP | | Jans | Roy | Staffbase - BHP | | Wohrer | David | Staffbase - BHP | | Lietaer | Eliot | Staffbase - BHP | | Sunderland | Dylan | Staffbase - BHP | | Lipowitz | Florian | Staffbase - BHP | | Berwick | Sebastian | Staffbase - BHP | | Engelhardt | Felix | Staffbase - BHP | | Padun | Mark | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Spilak | Simon | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Gladysh | Roman | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Nitu | Adrian | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Dzhus | Volodymyr | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Topchanyuk | Artem | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Zumer | Matic | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Parashchak | Yaroslav | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Garby | Marc Christian | Trans Looney Tunes | | Jang | Gyung Gu | Trans Looney Tunes | | Henao Montoya | Sergio Luis | Trans Looney Tunes | | Iino | Tomoyuki | Trans Looney Tunes | | Dyball | Benjamin | Trans looney Tunes | | Vanhoucke | Harm | Trans Looney Tunes | | Novikov | Nikita | Trans Looney Tunes | | Cuming | Michael | Trans Looney Tunes | | Brenes | Gregory | Volcanica - Fox | | Amador | Andrei | Volcanica - Fox | | Jurado | Cristofer Robin | Volcanica - Fox | | Montenegro | Santiago | Volcanica - Fox | | Chumil | Sergio | Volcanica - Fox | | Mendoza | Bryan Fernando | Volcanica - Fox | | Arias Villanueva | Sergio | Volcanica - Fox | | Samudio | Joseph Ivan | Volcanica - Fox | | Min | Kyeng Ho | Voyagin - Bird | | Shirota | Yamato | Voyagin - Bird | | Rajapakshage | Tushantha | Voyagin - Bird | | Zardini | Edoardo | Voyagin - Bird | | Plucinski | Leszek | Voyagin - Bird | | Chen | Mingrun | Voyagin - Bird | | Matsuda | Shoi | Voyagin - Bird | | Kawasaki | Miori | Voyagin - Bird | | Bennett | George | Xero Racing | | Habtemichael | Daniel | Xero Racing | | Fouche | James | Xero Racing | | Vermeersch | Florian | Xero Racing | | Hamza | Yacine | Xero Racing | | Strong | Corbin | Xero Racing | | Gough | Regan | Xero Racing | | Van Wilder | Ilan | Xero Racing | | Mas | Enric | Zara - Irizar | | Fernandez | Ruben | Zara - Irizar | | Keinath | Nico | Zara - Irizar | | Finkler | Leonardo Henrique | Zara - Irizar | | De La Cruz Chapulin | Luis Fernando | Zara - Irizar | | Cardona | Julian | Zara - Irizar | | Miquel | Pau | Zara - Irizar | | Sam | Henry Alberto | Zara - Irizar |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 25-02-2023 14:17
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16429
Joined: 27-07-2011
PCM$: 10438.70
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Count me among the spooked. Guldhammer is the reigning champion, but with his decline and the influx of top climbers in PCT, I avoided this race enitrely. Looks like I definitely made a mistake.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 25-02-2023 14:38
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2905
Joined: 07-08-2011
PCM$: 300.00
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PCT climbing has always been a bit of a weird beast but I think this is going to be Padun's race, he's due a big result to get his season back on track!
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 25-02-2023 16:20
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 3262
Joined: 02-11-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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Field works for me, a fighting chance at a top ten for Kuss on a good day, that is all we could ask. Hopefully the energy stats matter in this long hard race.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| Imladrik |
Posted on 25-02-2023 20:36
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 808
Joined: 05-10-2021
PCM$: 600.00
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Coming here with an outsider of the outsiders 
It's mainly to bring experience for the youngsters, we don't hope anything else, but an agressive race would be nice.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 25-02-2023 22:04
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4669
Joined: 29-09-2018
PCM$: 185.00
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Definitely didn't expect Stüssi to be that high on the favorites list, so I guess our strategy with sending Schmid or Rowsell in the break probably won't work. Hoping for a Top 10 here in this field, but this race has indeed been pretty random at times.
Thanks for the preview.
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| DaveTwoBob |
Posted on 26-02-2023 07:31
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2433
Joined: 07-07-2013
PCM$: 200.00
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Hoping Kraftwerk's duo of Arndt and Nerz can overcome the better climbers in the race.
Thanks for the preview red or dead.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 26-02-2023 08:04
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Didn't expect that startlist. Not getting my hopes up too hard still.
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT]  Xero Racing
5x  x5
2x  x2
2x  x2 |
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 26-02-2023 09:20
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Team Manager
Posts: 6508
Joined: 14-09-2008
PCM$: 1090.00
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One of the few opportunities this season for Ndayisenga to lead. Top 10 would be nice, but I have no expectations. Looking forward to the race!
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| MacC |
Posted on 26-02-2023 10:09
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Sprinter
Posts: 1594
Joined: 15-07-2008
PCM$: 700.00
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Hoping Talansky and Mannion can muster up minor points !
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 27-02-2023 10:58
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1122
Joined: 26-04-2020
PCM$: 800.00
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Hoping for Carapaz and Manfredi here  Although the performances of Carapaz have been up and down. Thanks red for the preview!
MG - Lotto - Caloi
[MG] New Manager of the Year - PCM.daily Awards 2022
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 05:58
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Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 27-02-2023 19:19
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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Padun just can't catch a break this season.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 27-02-2023 20:18
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2905
Joined: 07-08-2011
PCM$: 300.00
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Really rough for Padun man, hang in there Hoekie, everythings gonna be alright!
Massive congratulations to Jandal on the win though and a massive result for Sepp Kuss and Mccormick!
Also going to say I really enjoyed the report, great job!
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 27-02-2023 20:43
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9099
Joined: 13-03-2013
PCM$: 2100.00
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What a fantastic GB delivery!
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 27-02-2023 20:54
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4669
Joined: 29-09-2018
PCM$: 185.00
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Oh well, guess that's 1.8M of fully wasted training money. Stüssi behaves like a 75 or so climber pretty much all season long. That's 3 completely bullshit one-day races in a row - looking at the reports, I can't help but think red's PCM has some bias for giving our riders -5 daily form in classics... Really sucks to see all those underperformances, there hasn't been one single classic this year where we met expectations. Really a shitty month all over the place (except Vancouver so far, but Stüssi will face Mannion and Kuss as well there...)
Thanks for the report, congrats to those who did well. Especially to UU for an almost thermonuclear Kuss, really didn't see him holding on and even taking a podium here.
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 27-02-2023 22:11
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Just fuck everything this season... I'm so done with everything, a 2nd place with a rider who should be classes ahead of everyone still makes 0 sense...
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| Imladrik |
Posted on 27-02-2023 22:13
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 808
Joined: 05-10-2021
PCM$: 600.00
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17th for Rochas on such a race is OK. Would have needed an excellent day to do better.
Thanks for the report! Gives hope for the future of the team.
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
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| Ulrich Ulriksen |
Posted on 28-02-2023 03:16
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 3262
Joined: 02-11-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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Wow from Kuss, one of the first times he has raced with actual protection and our guys were with him right up to the base of the final climb. And I don't think of him as great DH but he was the highest in the top 10 and a lot of the others are pretty poor.
But all that said - he was clearly feeling strong.
Thanks for the reports and congrats to Jandal, Bennett's DH almost caught up with him but he put it together at the finish.
Thanks for the report.
Man Game: McCormick Pro Cycling |
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 28-02-2023 04:09
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World Champion
Posts: 11392
Joined: 17-12-2014
PCM$: 1020.00
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Brilliant victory from GB, absolutely love to see it!!! Not the top favourite but in a pretty open field glad he could take advantage of this opportunity. We don't win many classics (first since 2020 and sixth in seven seasons) so a moment to treasure for sure.
Insane comeback in that final kilometre, glad he could stay in the slipstream on the descent and use his strengths in the +3STA and +5SP advantage at the end there after recuperating from the damage of Padun's +1MO/HI. Kuss was absolutely on one as well, congrats UU!
Habtemichael with a huge off day, don't love that he's had a few now but clearly just giving everything for our leader which obviously is completely worth it.
Thanks for an entertaining report red
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2 |
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 28-02-2023 08:17
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1122
Joined: 26-04-2020
PCM$: 800.00
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All in all happy with 10th place from Carapaz. Congrats to jandal with the victory
And thanks red for the excellent report!
MG - Lotto - Caloi
[MG] New Manager of the Year - PCM.daily Awards 2022
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Apex Mountain Classic 
