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Air Force Cycling Classic Discussion
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| CountArach |
Posted on 27-04-2012 14:21
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America plays host to the next classic on the calendar. Well, I say classic. The truth is that this is less than 100km of racing. How it can possibly be called a 'classic' I have no idea. It consists of a circuit about 4.5km in length that has a short and pretty unchallenging hill in it. As is to be expected most of the big sprinters of the continental tour are here, so let us have a look through them.
 Daniele Bennati will go into this as the biggest favourite. He has won pretty much everything put in his way this season and will be hoping for yet another classic win to add to his palmares. This might be the best chance that others have to beat him, however, because his lead-out train is much weaker than usual with only his faithful lieutenant Gasparotto ready to lead him out.
 Mark Cavendish will appreciate the shorter race length as it means that his disadvantage over longer distances and hills will matter less. Could this be his big chance to take a classic victory this season? He hasn't got many reliable domestiques in his team however, so it will be interesting to see how he places himself in the finale.
Another rider who already has a classic victory to his nme this season is  Alan Davis. A tougher parcours would probably favour him more but there is no denying his pure speed. His team is much stronger but once again he lacks a real lead-out train.
A couple more riders probably liking the fairly easy parcours are  Gerald Ciolek and  Claudio Corioni. Ciolek's train is fairly weak, though he has some guys who can really push a pace to drag a break back. Corioni could potentially have a great lead-out with Marinangeli and Vigano both ready to help him.
 Andre Greipel has had a fairly good season and will be hoping to continue that here.  Francescho Chicchi is another man looking to make an impact, but once again he lacks a strong team around him. Saab may be willing to risk it in a break instead. Another rider who would love a result here is  Juan Jose Haedo, and his team is fairly strong with Sinner able to lead him out.
 Baden Cooke on paper leads his Oz Cycling team but he has been starved for results this season. Thankfully, Oz Cycling have brought a number of men who could sprint for a top 10 spot or form a strong lead-out for Cooke. Another team who have brought a strong team here, as they always do, are Jayco-Red Bull.  Chris Sutton leads them on paper, though in truth most of their team can sprint fairly well. Jayco have been immensely successful with their strength-in-depth strategy this season and this might well be another example of that.
 Fabio Borghesi leads UniCredit, who have strangely left Napolitano at home. His team might well be aiming for a break instead, which could be hard to control over the short distance. Two other teams who have clearly come with the wrong riders in tow are  Meiji and  Rothaus, both of whom will have their races hinging on a break.
Startlist
Spoiler Puma
1. D. Bennati
2. J. Bar
3. J. Bol
4. M. Delage
5. E. Gasparotto
6. T. Martin
7. G. Meersman
Proximus
11. M. Cavendish
12. N. Cohen
13. V. Hacecký
14. L. Lefèvre
15. H. Ma
16. Y. Stoltz
17. M. Ulanowski
Hollister
21. A. Davis
22. J. Gutiérrez Palacios
23. Y. Martinez
24. A. Proni
25. R. Sambris
26. S. Scheirlinckx
27. B. Selander
Bianchi
31. G. Ciolek
32. D. Claeys
33. G. Lequatre
34. S. Locatelli
35. O. Martynenko
36. F. Rabon
37. P. Rooijakkers
Venchi
41. C. Corioni
42. C. Cominelli
43. M. Corti
44. S. Marinangeli
45. A. Santoro
46. N. Tirloni
47. D. Viganò
WWE
51. A. Greipel
52. A. Diniz
53. J. Keukeleire
54. B. Mollema
55. J. Polito
56. H. Roulston
57. R. Sutherland
Saab
61. F. Chicchi
62. N. Aistrup
63. T. Larsson
64. J. Lindgren
65. L. Persson
66. J. Sørensen
67. K. Van Hummel
Oz
71. B. Cooke
72. J. Clarke
73. S. Clarke
74. L. Durbridge
75. W. Ford
76. A. Haidar Anuawar
77. M. Renshaw
Cal Giant
81. J. Haedo
82. P. Ghyllebert
83. B. Jacques-Maynes
84. L. Pasamontes
85. B. Sinner
86. S. Sánchez Gonzalez
87. T. Zirbel
Red Bull
91. C. Sutton
92. J. Cooper
93. R. Kilun
94. C. Manarelli
95. B. Sonnery
96. G. Tzortzakis
97. E. Vorganov
UniCredit
101. F. Borghesi
102. L. Bernucci
103. D. Bragazzi
104. F. Gavazzi
105. S. Puccio
106. N. Quintana
107. T. Van der Sande
Meiji
111. J. Bauer
112. T. Hayakawa
113. M. Kikuchi
114. S. Lagutin
115. J. Murakami
116. T. Scully
117. C. Shikai
Rothaus
121. D. Vesely
122. J. Ariesen
123. R. Hesjedal
124. T. Koep
125. M. Landa
126. J. Novak
127. R. Ruijgh
Edited by CountArach on 27-04-2012 14:55
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| roturn |
Posted on 27-04-2012 14:24
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Yet another sprinter classic without Vantomme. Just like every single other classic so far. 
Thought it was more hilly. Nevermind as the race was just to fill the racedays. |
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| Christer |
Posted on 27-04-2012 15:12
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Greipel, a fairly good season? Only if you compare this season with last season. I want a win, but doubt it will ever happen.
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| ltt |
Posted on 27-04-2012 15:18
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Only have 2 sprinters so can't really do a sprint train anyway 
Sent a strong team, so hopefully someone like Scheirlinckx can get in the inevitable breakaway, and then if it gets bought back give Davis a go against Bennati. Might work, as both have been pretty good all season, but then Bennati has been pretty immense in these races all season long. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 27-04-2012 15:22
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Christer wrote:
Greipel, a fairly good season? Only if you compare this season with last season. I want a win, but doubt it will ever happen.
Well he had a good early season.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 27-04-2012 15:46
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Time for some good Baden...
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| cio93 |
Posted on 27-04-2012 15:48
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That hill should make it a lot more difficult to get a bunch sprint, as it will disorganize the chase. I still hope we can make it, although Davis is a strong opponent on such a course.
CountArach wrote:
This might be the best chance that others have to beat him, however, because his lead-out train is much weaker than usual
It's Bar in, Kvist out. The other 6 are identical to nearly all other classics. And Bar was an even more useful rider than Kvist so far 
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| CountArach |
Posted on 27-04-2012 16:09
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Kvist is a huge powerhouse in a lead-out though, it has to be said.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 27-11-2024 21:06
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| cio93 |
Posted on 27-04-2012 16:14
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Stats-wise definately, but somehow he hasn't shown that often until now.
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 27-04-2012 18:34
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Great..... 
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| Smowz |
Posted on 27-04-2012 18:42
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Could go either way for me here - most likely Bennati and his lot will chase this down. If not very much hoping our teams gets a rider in the break.
A late attack in the finale may work here also.
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| beagle |
Posted on 28-04-2012 14:15
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hopefully that bump is long/steep enough to apologize myself for not participating here with one of the fastest man in the CT
although short, should be very interesting race!
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| Christer |
Posted on 04-05-2012 13:48
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I call that a win, since Bennati is cheating! Nice sprint from Greipel. Long time since he did one of those.
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| jaxika |
Posted on 04-05-2012 13:53
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Great race, great report, B ennatti its a monster |
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| roturn |
Posted on 04-05-2012 13:53
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Should have sent Vantomme here obviously. Lots of spent money for a shit race schedule. 
Will have to consider if he will stay with me and I make a better schedule next year or if he will have to leave.
At least the small amount of points will make his wage a tiny bit smaller. |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 04-05-2012 14:09
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We'll my guys tried for a good result, and it was a nice try.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 04-05-2012 14:34
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I love this guy 
And with Gasparotto proving he's an awesome lead-out rider, plus Delage, Meersman and Bar scoring, nothing more to ask for!
Congrats to WWE for winning the "race behind Bennati"
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 04-05-2012 16:04
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Congrats to Bennati (once again)! This guy is a beast.
As for Oz: at least a 13th place by William Ford. Cooke disappointing, but maybe this short "hill" was too much for his anti-climbing-skills .. In general: Could have been better, could have been worse..
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| Levi4life |
Posted on 04-05-2012 17:26
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Well that was anonymous...
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| jph27 |
Posted on 04-05-2012 17:32
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No surprise there with a win for Bennati. |
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