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News in January
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 11-01-2015 08:57
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roturn wrote:
Might do a Tour Down Under thread a bit later or somebody else might make this eventually. So will drop this here for the moment.
Ryder Hesjedal (CAN), Nathan Haas (AUS), Lasse Hansen (DEN), Jack Bauer (NZL), Alex Howes (USA), Moreno Moser (ITA) and Davide Villella (ITA).
This is a really interesting squad for the TdU. Lots of nice talents for a course like this. All of them could do pretty well depending on the form of course. Really hope Moser can have a better season than his last. With Garmin he should have a much better role. Villella I guess might become one of this years surprises having a breakthrough season similar to what Wellens did last year imo. So nice to see him with one of my favourite WT teams.
Wow, a really interesting squad, it looks set to be a great race as well, I might make the thread tomorrow if nobody else does. 
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 11-01-2015 08:58
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World Champion
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my photo bucket is in meltdown mode so no TDU thread for me.
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
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| Shonak |
Posted on 11-01-2015 10:20
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Tour de France Champion
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Malkael wrote:
Presented during BIBE in Bilbao I believe, it is indeed a new Basque based cycling team that aims to replace not only Euskadi but eventually Euskaltel Euskadi in the long term.
Currently sponsored by construction firm Murias, the team is managed by Jon Odriozola and keen to continue the 'Cantera' policy synonymous with the region. From what I have read so far, it seems like the team will be pursuing a race calendar made up of both Spanish and French races in its first year. The team have decided to go with their own identifying colour (green) rather than the previous well known orange of Euskaltel Euskadi, with a team motto of "Illusion and Hope".
Meanwhile, Euskadi are still alive in one form of another, 2015 sees them become an elite U-23 project in partnership with EDP Energia by the looks of it.
Cheers mate, practically all I hoped to know. This sounds very exciting and I'm glad that there's still a place to develop for young basque riders. This was actually my main concern that we would be robbed of basque climbing beauty in the future due to Euskaltel's folding and a lack of professional training. But I kinda guess it's obligatory that when one teams folds, the basque will try to fill that void pretty fast.
I'll definitely follow both teams, at least result-wise. Maybe one of them makes the jump to Pro Conti Tour someday.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| Shonak |
Posted on 11-01-2015 10:50
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Tour de France Champion
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Riis123 wrote:
I kinda like the TTT at stage 9, I cant remember i have ever seen anything like that. The thing I like about that is the incentive for riders to continue through injuries in the first week, but I can see a potential problem say if a team is 3-4 down there on with a contender. That could cost alot, but so could alotta other things as well.
I'm with you on the stages and the general sentiment of the Tour. I quite like it too and it should be great fun to watch this year. But the TTT on stage 9 is in my opinion just bullshitting on the favourites, especially when there's a cobble stage just a few days earlier. They are basically begging for a controversy and lots of media backlash.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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Posted on 25-11-2024 06:31
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 11-01-2015 12:03
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Riis123 wrote:
I just went over the Tour-route again and I must say, why do you feel it is so bad? I actually think its pretty decent. I could imagine that you wouldnt like the lack of ITT kms - which I dont either - but apart from that, it looks interesting to me. The experiment of including 'classics' in the first week as went well, so I cant see why you wouldnt do that again. It makes for an interesting first week. I kinda like the TTT at stage 9, I cant remember i have ever seen anything like that. The thing I like about that is the incentive for riders to continue through injuries in the first week, but I can see a potential problem say if a team is 3-4 down there on with a contender. That could cost alot, but so could alotta other things as well.
And I really like the Pyrenees. The first week go around in the mountains arent usually that tough with 3 uphill finishes. First stage is kinda typical without any climbs apart from the last, but its tough and is hardest at the bottom/middle which potentially could make for some very interesting racing. I really like the 2. stage as well, riders who have lost time can gain some time back there from a long distance as he last climb wont make any difference really. The last stage to Beille is kinda lackluster in regards to the climbs before Beille, they could have picked someone else and harder, but meh. Plateau de Beille should be more than enough in itself and its not like its a cakewalk either before.
I like Mende and Gap is always fun. The stage to Pra Loup doesnt seem that hard, but the last kilometres are tough. The next stage is for the break, I dont see anything happening. I could see why you wouldnt like the last 2 stages as we have seen them before, but its still great, short and tough stages which is a great recipe for a good race. Overall I actually like it very much and tbh, the GT with the best route this year imo due to the many climbs as I dont care that much for ITT.
I'm afraid you've activated my rant mode so I do apologise, my vitriol is directed at ASO not you 
Problem no.1 (a general synopsis of the problems of the route) is that the route has gone down the Vuelta avenue in believing that more, easier and similar stages are better for racing than fewer, harder and diverse stages. By refusing to create any stage worthy of the 'queen' label and instead going for an endless succession of uphill finishes, the organisers are clearly looking to reduce gaps. And reduced gaps mean reduced action. The lack of an ITT exacerbates this - all the main GC guys have to do is follow each other in the mountains - if they've got no losses to offset then they only need to attack once to gain a lead and then follow the rest of the time right? We're not faced with a situation like in the Giro where a long ITT means that the TT guys who can climb can be two minutes ahead of the GC guys who aren't so good at TT, and so the climbers have to find ways to gain that time back. Here, they aren't confronted by that problem.
Problem no.2 is you can either have a late TTT after the first week, or you can have a first week designed with classics-style stages that offer very high risks of crashes. They just don't work together. There will be a major pile-up at some point in the midst of the crosswinds and cobbles, and someone's GC is going to suffer, and it will be absolutely not be their own fault. I mean, that's just ridiculous isn't it? Oh and did I mention that the TTT has an uphill finish, just to exacerbate any problems that might already be around?
Problem no.3: Every mountain stage finishes going uphill goddammit! Where is the sense in that? No displays of descending skill from Nibbles or anyone else this year I'm afraid. Limited opportunities for Dawg-distancing.
My favourite stage is probably the Pra-Loup stage, that is one where I could reasonably expect someone to attack on the penultimate climb, and since they will probably have a day off in terms of action the next day (I just really can't see anything major happening on the SJdM stage) they might light it up on Allos. I won't criticise the Pierre-Saint-Martin stage either, it should be an interesting last 3km, but no more than that, but then in a first mountain stage not a lot more usually happens, so it's not too bad.
If we had a good route, the Tour could potentially be one of the most fascinating for many years, with Contador, Froome, Nibali and Quintana all fairly equally matched and four exceptionally strong climbers. But alas, it shall not be so (not saying that it won't be interesting at all, just that it could be much more).
I can't be bothered to write any more without getting angrier, so to summarise:
No queen stage
No proper ITT
No descent finishes
TTT ridiculously placed
It's more back-ended than the Giro
More uphill finishes than the Vuelta (including the TTT)
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| Riis123 |
Posted on 11-01-2015 17:14
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Im with you about the TT, no way we should only have 14 kilometres. Positive part of that is the fact we was able to laugh out load at Froome after he stated he wont participate, but no way there wouldnt be one more. I had been okay with a combined 50 kilometres there, would for sure make it more interesting, unless Froome of course seems to have the upperhand in the mountains. Then it COULD turn out to be a blessing in disguise...
I see the point about the TTT. But taking your point off the ITT in mind, Tinkoff potentially losing 3 riders before the TTT would make Contador lose time similar to what a TT had done to fx. Quintana = riders needing to make lost time up. Maybe its unfair in contrary to a regular ITT-loss, but nonetheless it should potentially do the same to the weak ITT-riders say if a team is 3-4 riders down. I hope you get my point, Im not even sure i understand it myself. Basically, my point is, riders losing time on ITT/TTT equals more aggressive riding.
However I do not agree with your point about the Pra-Loup stage being the only with chances of something happening from afar. The stage that includes Tourmalet is basically created for that, allthough I wouldn't assume that something crazy happens; its more of a make up for your losses sub-top-10 type of stage, but it is still possibly. However, the two last stages in the alps have been raced before and if memory serves, only 10 or so was able to follow the pace on Croix de Fer in 2012 and we all know that happened in 2011 on Galibier. I wont count neither of those stages out at all. All of those climbs - Galibier, Croix de Fer and Tourmalet - are also significantly harder than Allos (I dont have the exact figures, but seems like an average of 5%, maxing out at the top) and are all decently close to the finish line, allthough there are valleys (at least in the bottom of Tourmalet/Galibier) which makes it that much harder as seen in 2011 also.
Edited by Riis123 on 11-01-2015 17:17
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| Roman |
Posted on 12-01-2015 18:23
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Great news, Leo König will ride the Giro as a co-captain with Richie Porte. Nicolas Roche and Wout Poels will ride TdF as Froome's luxury helpers. If Leo and Porte will ride Le Tour or Vuelta, they will see after Giro.
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 12-01-2015 18:34
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Malkael wrote:
Presented during BIBE in Bilbao I believe, it is indeed a new Basque based cycling team that aims to replace not only Euskadi but eventually Euskaltel Euskadi in the long term.
...
Meanwhile, Euskadi are still alive in one form of another, 2015 sees them become an elite U-23 project in partnership with EDP Energia by the looks of it.
Good news both of them. Already looking forward to them taking a step up to PCT so we will get to see them in some on the international coverage as well.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 13-01-2015 09:06
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Roman wrote:
Great news, Leo König will ride the Giro as a co-captain with Richie Porte. Nicolas Roche and Wout Poels will ride TdF as Froome's luxury helpers. If Leo and Porte will ride Le Tour or Vuelta, they will see after Giro.
Really good news about Leo, shame he is riding in those stinky colours so i cant support him.
In other news, Zdeněk Štybar should ride Murcia, Almeria, Algarve and this time Tirreno-Adriatico as the preparation for northern classics.
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| MartijnVDD |
Posted on 13-01-2015 18:51
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Nick Nuyens announced his retirement as a professional cyclist. |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 13-01-2015 19:33
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Too bad, since that horrible crash, he never was the same. Still, that Ronde van Vlaanderen, pure awesomeness.
Went to rewatch the final, probably one of the best Ronde's I've ever seen.
Edited by Ollfardh on 13-01-2015 21:40
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-01-2015 10:30
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Alex Dowsett broke his collarbone in a training crash.
His hour record attempt in late February might be in danger now.
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 14-01-2015 10:32
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roturn wrote:
Alex Dowsett broke his collarbone in a training crash.
His hour record attempt in late February might be in danger now.
Ouch, feel for him, all that training, hopefully he can do it later this year.
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
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-01-2015 10:43
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Wildcard announcement: https://www.cyclin...-confirmed
Tour de France: MTN-Qhubeka, Bora-Argon 18, Cofidis, Europcar and Bretagne - Séché Environnement
Dauphine: MTN-Qhubeka, Bora-Argon 18, Cofidis and Europcar
Paris Nice: Cofidis, Europcar and Bretagne - Séché Environnement
Nice to see Bora once more at the Tour. Will be interesting to see what Nerz is doing there as clear team leader after he did okay in the Vuelta twice, while not being 100% leader there. 8-15 is possible for him I think.
Also MTN is nice to see there. Should fight for stage wins with their sprinters/alrounders.
Edited by roturn on 14-01-2015 10:45
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 14-01-2015 10:46
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Predicted wildcards for the tour, great to see Bora back as well as MTN-Qhubeka
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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| Riis123 |
Posted on 14-01-2015 13:31
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Top 8 for Nerz? I think he is pretty mediocre and didnt take a step last year really, would even be surprised to see him crack the top-15. There are just that many much better riders than him who attends this year. |
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-01-2015 13:54
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Riis123 wrote:
Top 8 for Nerz? I think he is pretty mediocre and didnt take a step last year really, would even be surprised to see him crack the top-15. There are just that many much better riders than him who attends this year.
I also see him more around 15th to be honest.
But I did not expect König to top8 last season neither.
Nerz had two nice Vuelta GC`s and never started as leader. So he had to get bottles or even drop off the peloton during the first 1-2 weeks before he was able to go for himself in the third week. Having a clear leader role now, could change this obviously. I can`t really judge him as he did not have a lot of freedom so far in his career. |
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| Shonak |
Posted on 14-01-2015 23:22
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Lol Bretagne will be so useless, like last year. Then again, I don't really know who I would nominate instead. Sad realization follows that the team quality just isn't there anymore, on PCT level. Colombia, Androni, Cult, Roompot, Drapac?! I'd just go for Topsport because cobblez, you know.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 14-01-2015 23:27
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Will be nice to see how MTN-Qhubeka get on in the Tour  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 14-01-2015 23:31
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Tour de France Champion
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Shonak wrote:
Lol Bretagne will be so useless, like last year.
Idk, between Fedrigo, Feillu, Hivert and Hutarovich there's a decent chance of some sort of stage result. Plus whatever team they take will most definalty be out on the attack. Teams better than last year.
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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)
