|
Tour of Qatar Discussion
|
| roturn |
Posted on 16-04-2014 08:54
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22045
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
Pokerstars undoubtful the by far strongest train. Kluge a beast leadout.
Schädlich and Boom being in good position is a good sign.
Guardini being dropped less good. Also not good that he is rated below Dilier and Van Huff. 
Edited by roturn on 16-04-2014 08:55
|
| |
|
|
| rjc_43 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 08:57
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6490
Joined: 13-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Three in the top 15 makes me feel like they were almost attempting a lead out but I guess they couldn't with three others already made. Bit odd that Guarnieri didn't tag onto another sprint train in that case. Hopefully the team will get it right and I can grab a podium in the next few stages.
[url=cleavercycling.co.uk]  [/url] |
| |
|
|
| Smowz |
Posted on 16-04-2014 09:04
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
A fair opening stage I think with Pokerstars always a very hard sprint train to beat - good to see that this is rewarded with a win. Swift still very good and if he can be consistent then he could be close with Bewley to Tommake.
Everyone else is looking for a windy split. A few more riders than usual dropping off implies that it could be a bit of a war of attrition behind - I do notice that a lot of the top TT men were kept near the front should be a battle throughout the race to keep guys out of trouble.
Pendletons luck out again in the breakaway they seem to find the right way of getting these guys out there.
|
| |
|
|
| jph27 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 09:21
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7374
Joined: 20-03-2010
PCM$: 900.00
|
Good start from us with Reus our best rider in 54th. 
Still, my Sri Lankans getting dropped might lead to them in the break, at least I hope so. And Haussler beat our loaned out Petit and Guardini |
| |
|
|
| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 16-04-2014 09:25
|
Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Decent start with 2nd place. Need those time bonuses to get a gap on the time triallists and breakaway hang arounds!
Even with it being Qatar, Mohs surely isn't good enough to be a consistent lead out for all 5 stages. Just got to pounce when he slips up.
rjc_43 wrote:
Three in the top 15 makes me feel like they were almost attempting a lead out but I guess they couldn't with three others already made. Bit odd that Guarnieri didn't tag onto another sprint train in that case. Hopefully the team will get it right and I can grab a podium in the next few stages.
It is possible for 4 lead out trains to be formed this year. Hopefully there is some move coverage of the sprint behind the front lead outs in the other stages.
|
| |
|
|
| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 09:32
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4461
Joined: 07-10-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
SportingNonsense wrote:
rjc_43 wrote:
Three in the top 15 makes me feel like they were almost attempting a lead out but I guess they couldn't with three others already made. Bit odd that Guarnieri didn't tag onto another sprint train in that case. Hopefully the team will get it right and I can grab a podium in the next few stages.
It is possible for 4 lead out trains to be formed this year. Hopefully there is some move coverage of the sprint behind the front lead outs in the other stages.
There will be, the leadouts were a bit strange and it caught me out a bit when taking screens. Sorry about the poor coverage there. |
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 16-04-2014 09:43
|
World Champion
Posts: 12633
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Seems like nothing has really changed in terms of sprints. The 3 pre-stage favorites to battle it out for the win while their shitty leadouts easily takes place in the remaining top 10, while top sprinters from other teams are allover the place getting minor placings from 8-25th. Great AI.
Atleast Guerao should be top 3 favorite in quite some races this year and with both Tzortzakis and Keukeleire to help him in almost every race we could be getting those 3 in top 10 quite a lot later on.
|
| |
|
|
| ember |
Posted on 16-04-2014 10:07
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7062
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
|
Weird stuff from our team. An absolute no show, with Van Heerden and Impey finishing 46th and 47th.
Congrats to the winner! Boonen is just incredible, 34 years old and still a world class sprinter and cobbler. |
| |
|
|
| beagle |
Posted on 16-04-2014 10:22
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4235
Joined: 06-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Perfect work of my entire team, from chasing down escapees, building sprint train (even with shitty leadouts), to great win for old good Tommeke. Great! 
I still predict extremely hard battle for overall, especially Swift and Bewley looks really motivated to prove who´s the best sprinter in the world!
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
|
| |
|
|
| roturn |
Posted on 16-04-2014 10:52
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22045
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
I guess the high pace combined with wind makes it different for Guardini to fight for a top 10.
He should be stronger in other races.
That said I hope he will be in a few sprints here as well. Four more chances.
Schädlich with a quite low flat stat also did well. So not having 76+ flat can't be an excuse.
Also Ballan, Dumoulin should try to get some breakaway bonus seconds. Those can move you up in the GC a lot. But first my riders breed to attack. |
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 09-12-2025 06:42
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| cio93 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 10:53
|
World Champion
Posts: 10616
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
|
Great work from Pokerstars, I'm somehow glad to have escaped that hell this season... 
Kluge did an amazing job, that's good to see considering he would only be my #3 leadout on a mediocre day in two season's time
|
| |
|
|
| Smowz |
Posted on 16-04-2014 15:37
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
I thought that was a very good sprint stage report there. The sprint trains seem very short here, I don't understand why Van Heerden and Roelandts were so far back really. Rubbish race from them so far, they are behind my loaned Soupe and , crappy Kip and shyte Stauff for goodness sake.
The guys with trains have done best here. Swift was disappointing there with Good Energy happy also.
|
| |
|
|
| mb2612 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 17:11
|
Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Well that was shit.
Worst possible start to a season
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
| |
|
|
| jph27 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 17:15
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7374
Joined: 20-03-2010
PCM$: 900.00
|
19th! Just got to keep on improving, don't believe we're actually second in the teams though. |
| |
|
|
| ember |
Posted on 16-04-2014 17:24
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7062
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
|
Next race, please!
This is surprisingly bad from Van Heerden, but it might have been me making a mess of it, having both him and Impey at start, as I've no idea how AI reacts to that. Hopefully they can work it out over the days, then hopefully one of them will be able to at least fight for a good position before the sprint starts one day.
Though, admittedly, Boonen, Bewley and Swift are in another league, strongly challenged by Guarnieri. Congrats to Roman, must be a relief to see Bewley be right up there, considering his heavy training. |
| |
|
|
| beagle |
Posted on 16-04-2014 19:05
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4235
Joined: 06-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Only few inches margin and we could celebrate 2/2. Still very good result for us due to perfect work of entire team again.
It must be really cold in Qatar, right? And my riders looks like some kind of frog or lizard...
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 16-04-2014 19:22
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
FIRST WIN 
Wow, really happy with first two stages! Big thanks for reports, they are great and coming in insane pace, you guys are amazing!
That sprint AI is really better in a way than in the last year, it is way better to see 4 sprint trains than only 2/3 in the previous seasons. And especially, I am happy to see my sprint train is doing well, Bewley is in way better positions than in the last season and Howard is doing amazingly great as well. It is a really fantastic thing to see that my train with Bewley is able to beat Pokerstars' train with Boonen or Vesuvio's with Swift! Nice photo finish. Too bad AI can't get sprinters of other teams behind these trains, mainly SotD and Rin will be surely unhappy with these Guerao's and Bennati's results.
@ember Thank you! In the end he 'only' got an upgrade to SP83, but with a better leadout train, it starts to pay off already! Hopefully your sprinter will be able to do better than this as well.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 16-04-2014 19:51
|
World Champion
Posts: 12633
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
I was expecting it so not really unhappy. i thought about not riding the race at all.
|
| |
|
|
| roturn |
Posted on 16-04-2014 20:28
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22045
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
Either Guardini has to sprint for a late top10-15 or better, send a rider into the breakaway.
Otherwise this race is only a time trial for me, which is quite disappointing. |
| |
|
|
| rjc_43 |
Posted on 16-04-2014 20:46
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6490
Joined: 13-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
That was epic. Literally epic. I've never enjoyed coming 3rd more than that.
And Rowe in 9th is about his usual best from last season anyway, so he's probably going to do better as a lead out man!
[url=cleavercycling.co.uk] [/url] |
| |
|
