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Strade Bianchi discussion thread
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| Smowz |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:16
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The classic of the white roads, travels the lumpy roads in the Italian countryside. Whilst not as fierce or as long as the Cobbled roads found in Paris Roubaix and Flanders, this race can prove difficult. It’s not really a hilly one, the course is hardly flat but climbs lack the length to truly favour the punchy specialists. However there is enough tricky sections to force some kind of selection, some of the country roads are quite narrow also.
16 teams are here to contest this with 12 Pro-Continental teams joined by 4 Continental squads.
 Vespa are the home favourites, it is going to be a stern test for their sprint leader Jacopo Guarnieri to make the finish, if he does so he does have the speed to be a threat.
Some might speculate that this course suits a sprinter who likes the hills, who better than  Jonathan Bellis of Rothaus, certainly that teams recent exploits at their home race makes them a team in form. Speaking of in form we’d be foolish to not mention  Nolan Hoffman who’s Metinvest squad have three Italians in their squad which may give them the edge in local knowledge (you know this reporter is too lazy to check where these Italians are actually from!).
 Jurgen Roelandts of Bouygues Telecom is another dangerous sprinter who should survive the climbs, he is joined by a good collection of punchaers like Cherel, El Fares and Leverlet. This give Bouygues a few cards to play much like  Prio-Porto who have both Avelino here alongside one of the more well rounded Ventoso.
Also playing two fields are  SRAM Riboxx who have Haussler who had a great Tour Down Under joined by fast finishing veteren punchaer Fabian Wegmann.  UPC - Boehringer - Ingelheim have a couple of decent Italian shouts with Priamo, Lorenzetto and another dangerman in Tour Down Under hero in Gavazzi.
 HTC Nieuwsblad have thrown cobbled experts Baugnies and De Maar in here, not traditionally a race to suit the absolute cobbled maniacs. Both though could be a factor especially if the wind blows. Cobbled super team  Bpost look more to the punchy Cyril Gautier to lead their squad.
 Tinkoff have a squad of fast finishers with Trusov, Krasnov, Galimzyanov and Korzh all names to watch out for if near the front at the end.  Swedbank also have decent hopes with Ben Hermans and Johnny Hoogerland difficult to dismiss.
The expensive  Sergio Barrio of CSC continues his quest to mimic the Di Maggio though this looks another race unlikely to suit his characteristics.
Of the CTour teams here it is  Mobil who have the best chances of making an impact through a winner of a classic already this year in Tiziano Dall’Antonia. Credexbank have a few possibles also in Golas and Niemiec, whilst  JK Cycling and  Halfords will look to an early breakaway as their best source of exposure.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:20
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Bit odd to see Prio brought Avelino, who surely has no chance, to possibly get in the way of Ventoso. They dont seem to be the only team to have brought weaker at hills sprinters that could interfere with their preferred leader. Hard to predict who will be good enough to sprint it out at the finish.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:25
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Wow...Bellis, Ventoso, Roelandts, Guarnieri and the very similar Hoffman, Haussler are all incredibly suited to this course.
The important factor is how the gradient influences the "hill/sprint ratio".
Indeed SN, Prio could opt for Avelino here.
Edited by cio93 on 25-02-2013 21:26
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| Crommy |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:26
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This will hopefully be a fun race, lots of riders who could win here
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:29
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Pls, Dall'Antonia, a top 10. My bet for the win... Guarnieri. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 07:48
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| viking90 |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:30
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hmm, maybe not the right thing to send Hoogerland & Hermans here hope they can make it a bit though for the sprinters and attack a lot... |
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:35
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Looking forward to the report after a nice preview!
Think the flat rating should give the sprinters an edge here with the hilly sprinters having a small advantage with the uphill last km. Think the race itself won't be hard due to the flat rating (and no narrow roads?)
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| Smowz |
Posted on 25-02-2013 21:41
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The five Strade Bianchi sections are narrow, some of the stages will not be able to be changed.
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 25-02-2013 22:21
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Smowz wrote:
The five Strade Bianchi sections are narrow, some of the stages will not be able to be changed.
Okay, they should give some selection.
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| CountArach |
Posted on 25-02-2013 22:23
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Well that's what I get for assuming this would be hilly rated rather than flat.
If Bellis doesn't take this then it will be a miracle.
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| kumazan |
Posted on 25-02-2013 22:27
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I'm afraid this will be a much worse race than it could be. Of course the flat rating doesn't help at all. Too bad, as it's one of the nicest races irl.
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 25-02-2013 22:43
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I honestly wasn't sure of who to bring as my leader here so I thought it wouldn't hurt too much to make it a two spear-headed squad. I'll be shocked if Avelino gets anywhere near the victory but I just couldn't leave him out of this race with race days left to allocate. I hope Cyalogic looks past my indecision.
Anyway this should be great, I wasn't expecting such a balanced field. I don't think there is a no. 1 favourite here, but if I had to pick I'd say Roelandts is the man to beat, but obviously there are many others, especially italians who'll have the crowd on their side.
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| roturn |
Posted on 26-02-2013 05:03
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Shame that Van Heerden and Iglinski are here. Hope this won`t hurt me by Bellis not riding on his own. But otherwise I hope for a podium here. |
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| tyriion |
Posted on 26-02-2013 05:27
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Stronger field than I had hoped for. Hopefully Lorenzetto and Gavazzi will both try to sprint and give me 2 guys in the top 15. A top 5 for one of them will be hard.
Check out my ManGame team here
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 26-02-2013 05:46
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This will be hopefully a great race, at least irl it always is. We hope for top5 with Hoffman and if the race is more selective, maybe our italian rider Capecchi can score (actually for the lazy reporter's information, he is almost from Tuscany). 
My favourites are Roelandts and Bellis, i am not sure if sorts of Guarnieri will make it to the line in front. And with narrow roads, positioning at the front all day will be crucial. We were pretty good with that so far in the season, usually setting the tempo, so i hope our riders will not be in the possible splits.
Good luck to all. 
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 26-02-2013 05:46
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| viking90 |
Posted on 26-02-2013 21:30
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YES!
It paid out good sending Hermans(/Hoogerland) here
Much happier about this race then GP di Lugano  |
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| tyriion |
Posted on 26-02-2013 21:35
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Not the guy I had in mind, but the result is good so I won't complain. Seems we were active and focused all day long and Elijzen caught the right move. Congratulations to Rothaus once again, I hope they don't join my next race in Malaysia
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 26-02-2013 21:36
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How in the hell? So Dall'Antonia loses contact, chases like a manic alone, get's back in contact and finishe's 20th? How in the hell did that happen? So if it was PCM 2011 this is how it should had happen: Dall'Antonia loses contact and cooperates with the others, like this not wasting god damn energy and get's back and makes at least a decent place. |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 26-02-2013 21:41
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Great day for Bellis: 2nd in Lugano, win in Italy
Some lovely screens here, Smowz! Loved the ''heli-view'' of the first gravel sections.
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| fenian_1234 |
Posted on 26-02-2013 21:54
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Yes, some really nice screens indeed on that report.
Well done to Rothaus - though next time they need to do some more work on the front. |
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