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Hel van Het Mergelland Discussion
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 16-12-2011 13:53
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The Hel van Het Mergelland joins the Management Game calendar for the first time, and is sure to be a hard race to predict. In the style of the ProTour Rund um Koln race, there are plenty of small hills, but the finish is flat - opening it up to any number of potential candidates.
 Team Bianchi head the field with Dimitri Claeys awarded the Number 1 jersey as he chases his first victory of the season - finishing 2nd in MTN, and 3rd at Netbank. Support is strong, and Frantisek Rabon may fancy his own chances in a select group sprint.
The support is lacking for  Hassen Ben Nasser but that should not stop him being a threat, unlike  Bpost who will look to both Jelle Vanendert and Cyril Gautier to deliver a strong showing - as Gautier did in taking 4th at the MTN season opener.
 Kolobnev will be expected to go strongly for Tinkoff, while  Saab will hope to cover all angles with Wyss and Breschel - plus also having one of the strongest Dutch riders in the race in Theo Eltink. Theres of course a heavy Dutch presence in local team  Koppert as well, and while  Jayco Red Bull may not have a stand out rider in the field, that certainly hasnt stopped them storming to the top of the division so far this season.
 Vespa and  Rothaus will hope to feature in some way, while  Cyclevox,  Cerne, and  Trilux may all be hoping the hills are cancelled out to see a large sprint, for Docker, Santos and Haussler to enjoy. Completing the field are  UniCredit and D2 Wildcards and division leaders  Het Nieuwsblad - who have the chance to make an impression in a race not far from their native Belgium.
Spoiler Bianchi
1. D. Claeys
2. G. Lequatre
3. S. Locatelli
4. O. Martynenko
5. F. Rabon
6. P. Rooijakkers
7. K. Vantornout
Proximus
11. H. Ben Nasser
12. N. Cohen
13. V. Hacecký
14. E. Reekers
15. D. Shatskikh
16. Y. Stoltz
17. K. Uugunbayar
Bpost
21. J. Vanendert
22. F. De Greef
23. C. Gautier
24. M. La Lavandier
25. M. La Lavandier
26. T. Stubbe
27. J. Vansummeren
Tinkoff
31. A. Kolobnev
32. A. Khatuntsev
33. A. Ovechkin
34. E. Petrov
35. I. Rovny
36. A. Timofeev
Saab
41. M. Wyss
42. M. Breschel
43. N. Brolin
44. T. Eltink
45. T. Larsson
46. J. Pronk
47. J. Sørensen
Red Bull
51. M. Chérel
52. J. Giaux
53. A. Hansen
54. A. Jelloul
55. M. Mori
56. M. Priamo
57. E. Vorganov
Koppert
61. S. Langeveld
62. H. Dekkers
63. O. Freire
64. T. Stamsnijder
65. F. Taillefour
66. B. Traksel
67. T. Veelers
Cyclevox
71. R. Mandri
72. C. Beyer
73. A. Coutts
74. M. Docker
75. L. Holohan
76. C. Opie
77. T. Rabou
Vespa
81. G. Bosisio
82. M. Bono
83. O. Gatto
84. A. Pagoto
85. A. Passalacqua
86. M. Quinziato
87. I. Speirs
Rothaus
91. A. Kunitski
92. C. Cucinotta
93. A. Krieger
94. M. Landa
95. N. Schoch
96. C. Van Heerden
97. M. Velits
Trilux
101. M. Eichler
102. A. Coyot
103. H. Haussler
104. S. Krauss
105. S. Tronet
106. P. Walsleben
107. R. Zepunkte
Nieuwsblad
111. K. Van der Schueren
112. K. Barbé
113. D. Cappelle
114. R. Fernandez
115. C. Hervé
116. Y. Kusters
117. D. Van der Ginst
Cerne
121. M. Biondo
122. L. Afonso
123. B. Borges
124. J. Insausti
125. P. Lucas Martins
126. M. Portela
127. B. Santos
UniCredit
131. D. Bragazzi
132. P. Andersen
133. F. Borghesi
134. S. Puccio
135. N. Quintana
136. A. Signego
137. T. Valjavec
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| roturn |
Posted on 16-12-2011 14:09
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Pretty interesting to see my B-squad in one of the important races for my team...Weird.  |
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| ANFreeman |
Posted on 16-12-2011 14:48
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I think I was far too optimistic in sending Docker here. It will no doubt be decided on the hills. Just hoping that Mandri retains his form of scoring top 10s.
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| BoogieBoogie |
Posted on 16-12-2011 14:59
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Posts: 779
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Hope to win this one since it's one of my goals. Will be difficult I guess.
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| felix_29 |
Posted on 16-12-2011 14:59
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3054
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What a mistake sending a cobbled squad here. For some reason i thought it was cobbled when i finished my race planner
Only a breakaway or a slow race with a mass sprint could help me now...
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 16-12-2011 17:06
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
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Our first race with the big boys. Hope we're not going to be intimidated by the experience 
Brought our best squad I think for this kind a race, but the finish doesn't really suit us. Having best sprinter with 73 in sprint won't help. So we will hope for a breakaways, seriously our whole team should attack at some point, just show ourselves to the public, as in sprint we will be 'killed' I think
If it doesnt' end in sprint, we have decent chance for good result ( Top 40/50 ), no matter what the results isn't really important for us, the participation is Thanks once again for the opportunity 
Edited by Alakagom on 16-12-2011 17:08
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 16-12-2011 17:16
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Such a difficult profile to predict in PCM. My bet is one of the lesser favorites is allowed to get away and 'let' win by the AI.
And riders that are in the break might have a good chance of a good result - someone like Bono or Pagoto. |
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| ember |
Posted on 16-12-2011 23:24
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Great report, from a good race!
Outstanding performance from Hervé, I never thought Het Nieuwsblad could be that strong in a Continental race, well done to them.
Also, congratulations to Vespa, looks like their season is getting better and better. If they can keep this "momentum," they could challenge Rapha and Jayco for the overall win, I think. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 17-12-2011 03:00
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Grand Tour Champion
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Great result from Gautier! My sponsors should be happy with his performance. Vanendert, on the other hand...
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| Smowz |
Posted on 17-12-2011 05:42
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On the edge of my seat for that one, thrilling report and I liked the innovative use of pictures for that sprint.
Mori gave an outstanding performance in that one as he has all season thus far, Cherel showed himself for the first time in the season too... Gatto was just too fast to be caught. It wasn't one of my strongest squads so a podium is great really.
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| ANFreeman |
Posted on 17-12-2011 08:57
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I guess 14th is something...
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 27-11-2024 19:15
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 17-12-2011 11:13
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Great result for Vespa - really didn't expect to see Gatto get in the break, but once he was there was always going to be in with something of a chance if they maintained advantage over the hills.
Funny though that SN wrote "Then it is Bosisio, happily celebrating in the hope that Gatto's win hides a dissapointing result for him" as it's exactly what I was thinking looking at the first screen of Gatto winning....I was like, looking and thinking why the hell is Bosisio not sprinting.....
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 17-12-2011 11:24
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Great report SN, brilliant and excting reading whole way to the end, especially to me with Hevre in the break
That's amazing results for Hevre, never expected that sort of results in this race, quite unlucky he didn't have more to give in sprint, but still it's major ahcievment for us as a team and him a as a rider. and now GP de Marsellaise coming up in his homesoil, hope Hevre can keep up the from and maybe gain us third vicotory in Div II
Nice job Gatto / Vespa with winning the race.
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| Rin |
Posted on 17-12-2011 11:33
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5 riders in the main group and you aren't able to control and win the race.. :S
When the best riders went for an attack and my team just did.. Reel them in maybe but Rabon not attacking with his fighting stat, I don't get the logic of this game ^^
I wonder why my team didn't set up some kind of train.. Lequatre could prepare with his stats a nice lead out for Rabon.
But I guess should have scored a lot of points here, I hope enough for a comeback to the first places.
Team Bianchi - 2012 Man-Game ProContinental Tour Champions
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| roturn |
Posted on 17-12-2011 12:23
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Pretty much surprised to get a top10 here. Van Heerden did a good job in his debut.
For a short moment I hoped for a podium but in the end he lost some speed obviously.
Therefore a bit disappointed by Kunitski. I would have expected him in the 24 rider group actually. He was at least top15 in Algarve. |
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| viking90 |
Posted on 17-12-2011 14:17
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Posts: 4032
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No success sending Breschel here
3 men in the 24th man group and just 11th and 12th if that wasn´t enough the man who came 10th was our former rider Christoff Van Heerden
I thought Wyss had some power left in his legs and not the worst sprint stat. |
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