|
Tour of Northern Europe - Discussion Thread
|
| roturn |
Posted on 01-08-2012 12:25
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
I know, it`s still some time until this race will start. But as the final startlist has been announced I will make the presentation already.
(Actually you should check the startlist this way as it`s the first I have done, although I think it should be correct)
Maybe the most unpredictable race for the whole season. There are stages for puncheurs, for Northern classics, for sprinters and for time trialists.
So a combination of all these would be the clear favourite. But as there is no pure combination it might be very interesting to follow. Closest might be  Fabian Cancellara, who could be counted as the big here as he is one of the best on the cobbles and against the clock but the faster the race is on the hills, the harder it will be for him to keep contact.
So in general we might see the best riders on their terrain to ride very aggressive to get time gaps before their weaker part. Then there will be ~20 riders, who are able to win the race.
 Pozzato surely must be named here. Great sprinter, puncheur and cobbler and decent time trialist. So next to Cancellara he might be the favourite if he can gain time in the hills and cobbled stages. With Steurs he will have excellent support on the pavement, where they might be needed the most.
 Spyker`s season might be not that great so far and they must fear to end in the PCT next season. On the other hand they can become the big winner in this race. Stijn Devolder and Vladimir Gusev are both great allrounders, who shouldn`t lose much time on any stage here and so they might surprise with very high finishes here.
 Boonen and  Bewley have a very similar situation. They are the best sprinters here and the time bonuses they can earn there will be important. They are also great cobblers and need to gain time there as they will surely lose time in the time trials and on a hard pace also in the hills. Milka also has another chance in Efimkin, although he is more a pure puncheur and would need to gain lots of time there.
 Ballan is the man for Sony. A good cobbler and shouldn`t lose too much on the hills. But to join the very best he is missing the final kick in the time trial.
 Gilbert on the other hand will be one of the best puncheurs and decent in the cobbles but just like Ballan losing time in the time trial. Expect these two to be aggressive in their area.
 Two riders might be able to do well here. Steegmans is more the Boonen/Bewley kind of rider, just a bit weaker, while Burghardt is an excellent cobbler with decent skills in the other areas.
 Maybe the secret favourite. Posthuma combines excellent time trial skills with good hill and decent cobble skills. As long as the pace is not too high he will have good chances to surprise.
 Baugnies and  Franzoi are excellent cobblers but can`t challenge the best on the other stages, so they might surprise but more likely they will finish somewhere out of the top7-10.
 Van Garderen might have brilliant chances on the hilly stages but then he will have problems everywhere else, so a stage win is possible, a top10 unlikely. They can also go for Summerhill here who is an excellent cobbler but horrible time trialist.
 Kruijswijk combines good skills on every terrain but won`t be able to beat the better riders. His chance will be to attack on some stages and that he is one of the most attacking riders in the peloton should be obvious after this season so far.
The other teams will hope for a stage win or maybe a surprising top10 in a breakaway. Good chances for  Ignatiev/Kolobnev,  Joly,  Hoogerland/Mehr-Wenige and  Fenn.
Startlist Spoiler Carmeuse
1. F. Cancellara
2. A. Aulas
3. T. Gallopin
4. P. Jacobs
5. M. Kneisky
6. C. Lhotellerie
7. S. Vandousselaere
8. W. Weylandt
Festina
11. F. Pozzato
12. D. Drapac
13. K. Goddaert
14. A. Lavoine
15. R. Sentjens
16. G. Steurs
17. P. Voss
18. N. Østergaard
Milka
21. S. Bewley
22. T. De Gendt
23. A. Delaplace
24. A. Efimkin
25. A. Honkisz
26. M. Vanderaerden
27. E. Verbist
28. M. Vysna
Nestlé
31. T. Boonen
32. S. Caldeira
33. P. Fédrigo
34. P. Gretsch
35. M. Machado
36. H. Mottin
37. N. Portal
38. M. Sibilla
Spyker
41. V. Gusev
42. S. Devolder
43. B. Kadri
44. M. Reimer
45. N. Scheunemann
46. M. Schreurs
47. E. Weiss
48. A. Zeits
Sony
51. A. Ballan
52. K. Fouquet
53. P. Grillo
54. F. Johansson
55. S. Lang
56. M. Mortensen
57. D. Muravjev
58. M. Reihs
Bacardi
61. G. Steegmans
62. G. Bagdonas
63. M. Burghardt
64. M. Heijboer
65. J. Kocjan
66. S. Kondrotas
67. A. Kruopis
68. S. Mancuso
Pendleton's
71. P. Gilbert
72. B. Bozic
73. R. Downing
74. J. McEvoy
75. P. Mertens
76. F. Mourey
77. G. Thomas
78. B. Wiggins
Jack Wolfskin
81. J. Posthuma
82. X. Florencio
83. B. Giling
84. W. Jallays
85. P. Martens
86. K. Sys
87. L. Ten Dam
88. K. Vandewalle
Webeffect
91. J. Baugnies
92. O. Avelino
93. K. Boeckmans
94. R. Bourdouxhe
95. T. Danielson
96. A. Gilanipoor
97. B. Khalilikhosroshani
98. R. Nelson
Pearl
101. E. Franzoi
102. K. De Haes
103. W. De Vocht
104. S. Joseph
105. T. Leezer
106. G. Nizzolo
107. Y. Offredo
108. R. Vanderbiest
B&O
111. S. Kruijswijk
112. M. Christensen
113. D. Klemme
114. A. Rasmussen
115. T. Riber-Sellebjerg
116. K. Sobota
117. A. Steensen
118. K. Vanoverschelde
Wikipedia
121. T. Van Garderen
122. D. Atapuma
123. R. Cleaver
124. J. Decouttere
125. K. Eeckhout
126. D. Summerhill
127. J. Van Heerden
128. T. Vangheel
Tinkoff
131. D. Kozontchuk
132. M. Belkov
133. M. Ignatiev
134. V. Kiryenka
135. S. Kolesnikov
136. A. Kolobnev
137. A. Markov
138. A. Timofeev
Colombia
141. S. Joly
142. S. Bennett
143. A. Brea
144. H. Gallardo
145. D. Montoya
146. E. Orozco
147. W. RodrÃguez Parra
148. C. Sarmiento
Vesuvio
151. J. Hoogerland
152. S. Einsle
153. M. Ford
154. M. Kittel
155. D. Mehr-Wenige
156. T. Schwarmes
157. A. Stauff
158. J. Wallays
UBS
161. K. Lalouette
162. S. Barrio
163. R. Chtioui
164. T. Frei
165. A. Kristoff
166. G. Signorini
167. C. Sinelobov
168. D. Vorontsov
Wiggle
171. A. Fenn
172. T. Diggle
173. R. Hampton
174. P. Locatelli
175. M. Pavarin
176. D. Ratto
177. R. Tanguy
178. J. Tiernan-Locke
Santander
181. O. Guerao
182. D. Allonca
183. A. Durán
184. F. Echarri
185. A. Galdos
186. J. Gallego Martin
187. J. Moreno
188. R. Serrano |
| |
|
|
| Smowz |
Posted on 01-08-2012 14:25
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
This is the one race where Cancellara will dominate. To give Carmuese their dues - they may majorly suck balls in the mountains and the classics but they know how to win this one.
Should be interesting to see how Boonan races this, because if they really go hell for leather on that cobbled stage the gaps are going to big.
|
| |
|
|
| Kami |
Posted on 01-08-2012 14:27
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Hope for some good results, although i don't like the fact that PCM made Steegmans my leader instead of Burghardt.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 01-08-2012 17:29
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
This race is the decisive race for me. If I win, and Pozzato underways gets a stagewin and some good results this could give me a far-out shot at the 5th place. If he doesn't top 10 is the new goal.
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 07-12-2025 16:20
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 01-08-2012 17:32
|
World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
Come on, Posthuma! Time to repeat the performances from the last 2 years 
|
| |
|
|
| Bushwackers |
Posted on 01-08-2012 19:09
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1982
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 300.00
|
This isn't going to be very pretty for us.
|
| |
|
|
| CrueTrue |
Posted on 02-08-2012 17:53
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 27880
Joined: 20-10-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
GC 1-2 for Gusev and Devolder  |
| |
|
|
| roturn |
Posted on 08-08-2012 13:05
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
Actually I planned to have already finished this race by now when claiming the race.
But due to the problems with the FBD Eire Tour I haven`t started yet and now I am not at home until Monday. I doubt the FBD Eire Tour will be finished by then.
Nevertheless I will start this race next week to have some progress again just like it at the moment happens in the CT.
I could also make 1 report today and 1 report tomorrow and then continue on Monday. Depends on you, what you prefer. |
| |
|
|
| Heine |
Posted on 08-08-2012 14:19
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4467
Joined: 08-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I like to see reports as early as possible (then I'm not in the race), I hate when we get hold up... And I love to check the site and see new reports 
|
| |
|
|
| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 08-08-2012 14:50
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Yeah, if you can, get em up. |
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 08-08-2012 18:28
|
World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
Posthuma is looking good
|
| |
|
|
| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 08-08-2012 18:30
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
What a great start! Great report as well, just a shame the victory photo is mostly lapped riders. |
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 08-08-2012 18:52
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
That was close! But still happy with that 2nd..
Good stage for Bewley as well, that cobble stage should be hard enough to make big gaps in GC, so I feel pretty confident for that 2nd place overall.
|
| |
|
|
| Bushwackers |
Posted on 08-08-2012 22:46
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1982
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 300.00
|
Really exciting report. That's about all I can expect though, is a breakaway here and there. I'm gonna go feel sorry for myself now.
|
| |
|
|
| mb2612 |
Posted on 08-08-2012 22:50
|
Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
About the worst start I could have to this race.
Oh well, here's hoping for the lucky breakaway.
 [url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
| |
|
|
| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 09-08-2012 11:21
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Good start to the race for us in terms of the teams winning here. |
| |
|
|
| dave92 |
Posted on 09-08-2012 21:56
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 2856
Joined: 21-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
big disappointment to see TVG go down after looking so strong. Was decent enough all around to do well in the overall if he could have finished well today.
On the flip side Summerhill rode well compared to the other cobblers and is well positioned.
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 12-08-2012 21:05
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Good start, though Pozzato should not have come 3rd in thar group. Both him and Steurs are where they should be, so it is going to be touch and go in the cobbles
|
| |
|
|
| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 14-08-2012 17:21
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4726
Joined: 06-12-2006
PCM$: 200.00
|
Good enough for us. |
| |
|
|
| Kami |
Posted on 14-08-2012 17:30
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3386
Joined: 19-06-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Steegmans really useless.
|
| |
|
