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GP di Lugano Discussion Thread
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 24-02-2013 07:38
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Welcome to Switzerland, where the GP di Lugano will see some of the best PCT/CT-puncheurs fighting for a last win in February, while the others will try their luck at the Gisborne GP, which will be held simultaneously.
Even though the route has slightly changed from last year,  Aleksandar Flügel will try to defend last year's victory and he's definitely one of the top-favorites again.
Startlist/
The Top-favorites/
Aleksandar Flügel won this classic last year and is here to repeat his win. It will be interesting how his tactics look like, as the route has changed.
 Jonathan Bellis will try to bring home his first classics-win for his new team Rothaus. He looks in shape, as he finished within Top-5 in South Africa and also added a stage-win.
 Cyril Gautier is worth a mention, too. The Frenchman may have a moral boost with his team BPost doing very well so far in this young season.
 Hassen Ben Nasser is yet another favorite, who faces some tough competition. His punch is well known and he has also the fighting skills to battle for the win with a late attack.
 Alex Dowsett,  Johnny Hoogerland and  Aleksandr Kolobnev join the list of top-favorites. Kolobnev did very well last year, finishing as 4th. He's definitely trying to crack the podium this time.
 Maurice Schreurs is here to grab a win for his relegated team and he holds good chances as well.
Just like CT-invitee  Michele Scarponi and  Fabian Wegmann, who already said that he's going to do it like his compatriot Flügel in 2012.
 Guillame Levarlet is an interesting rider, as he may join top-favorites like Bellis or Gautier when he has a good day.
 Prio-Porto has Jose Mendes as their leader, while  Hollister has an interesting mix of several riders sharing the leadership: Betancourt and Izagirre should be named first, but also Proni combines a punch and fighting skills very well.
 HTC throws in Marc De Maar, who's one of the weaker puncheurs amongst this favorites, though.
 Metinvest (Pakthusov),  ING-CP (Zabriskie, Marchante),  Meiji (Kinoshita) and local team  Sauber (Schurter) need some luck to finish within Top-10. |
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| viking90 |
Posted on 24-02-2013 08:42
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Hope Hoogerland can do something here, have great help / co-leaders with Hermans and Lövkvist here too. |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 24-02-2013 08:45
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Looking at the startlist, I can say that most of CT puncheurs are going to be in Gisborne.  |
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| Heine |
Posted on 24-02-2013 08:52
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Great that so many top puncheurs are not here, exactly my plan. Hopefully Flügel will be able to take this win, and if I can get Kessler into top 10 aswell this will be really great 
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| Smowz |
Posted on 24-02-2013 11:52
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Looks like a fairly equal one, I think the parcours probably suit attacking riding.
Ben Nasser is the rider I think will go for it, but as ever it depends on tactics.
I am mystified by some of the lower expected teams, ING and Hollister look particularly ordinary.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 24-02-2013 12:04
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Bellis for me.
Will be interesting to see whether there will actually be a select group or if hilly AI screws it again. In the latter scenario, my outside bet for a good result is Kump.
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| rycadinho |
Posted on 24-02-2013 12:16
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Hope for lots of attacking by my riders, since I unfortunately couldn't send Roche here.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 24-02-2013 12:30
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I want this race to not too be too selective, Maar stands okay-ish chance if it comes to sprint.
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| CountArach |
Posted on 24-02-2013 13:24
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Miguel98 wrote:
Looking at the startlist, I can say that most of CT puncheurs are going to be in Gisborne.
They certainly are there. I will have the thread up for it tomorrow.
Hopefully Gautier can podium in this. I expect a small group to come in together and his high sprint should help then.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 24-02-2013 13:26
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No surprises that a lot of puncheurs favoured the race with the uphill finish. Hoping for a Top 5 from Dowsett here
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 07:55
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 24-02-2013 13:27
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Mendes for a top10 is the goal for me. Flugel seems the man for the win here, but with so many good puncheurs there's a good chance this will be an interesting race with maybe a surprise winner.
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| Stevenag |
Posted on 24-02-2013 17:04
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Hoping for a top ten from Scarponi here. Anything much higher seems pretty much out of reach. Our hill-riders have pretty much delivered beyond expectations so far, so i have some hope here as well. |
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| roturn |
Posted on 24-02-2013 17:36
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Good that most top puncheurs seem to be in Gisborne. So Bellis and Flügel should be top favourites here.
Top 3 is absolutely expected here.  |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 24-02-2013 17:39
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For you maybe. My bet is Bellis, unless the IA screws up again. |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 24-02-2013 17:46
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Have kinda high hopes for this one, and good to see that most puncheurs went to Gisborne. May Cyalogic be on my side.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 24-02-2013 17:48
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kumazan wrote:
Have kinda high hopes for this one, and good to see that most puncheurs went to Gisborne. May Cyalogic be on my side.
You should be covered in both cashes i.e. great classic or a shitty one. Great one would lead to gaps and you have good puncheur here and bad one would lead to a peleton mass sprint, where Kump stands a good chance.
Wondering how this will play out, in my careers this was usually kinda not that selective, so it wouldn't be surprised seeing a big group coming here. We'll see 
Edited by Alakagom on 24-02-2013 17:49
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 25-02-2013 06:04
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No expectations here for Metinvest. Top 10 would be a dream result from Pakthusov, or if the race is not too selective, we have two sprint guns in Capecchi and Vitoria. Top 15 is the goal realistically, but we hope for surprise. Good luck to all!
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 26-02-2013 13:47
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Sorry, guys. Wanted to post the report at the same time as Gisborne, but can't do that right now.
For those waiting: will post it within next few hours!
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| kumazan |
Posted on 26-02-2013 14:59
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That was a quite diappointing performance. Great report though tsmoha, at least this race did provide some good racing.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 26-02-2013 15:00
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Really good report, great job
And a very good result for HTC. 2 in Top 11 is very surprising, especially Armee doing so well
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