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Hel van het Mergelland Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 27-04-2013 19:35
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
Joined: 19-07-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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The Netherlands, Eijsden in particular, welcome the PCT/CT-teams for a rather interesting flat classic. The profile looks more hilly than flat, with slopes up to 12% and short climbs all the way. Also, the 198km in total will be a factor of course, so the question is: which type of rider has an advantage here?
Looking back to 2012, it's one hard question still: Oscar Gatto (Vespa) won ahead of Frantisek Rabon (Bianchi) and Manuele Mori (Red Bull), with some prominent puncheurs doing well (Gautier 4th, Kolobnev 5th, Ben Nasser 7th). So this edition proved to be a tough and quite selective one, with a group of 24 riders battling for the win.
The startlist/
The favorites/
An interesting mix and a lot of teams gambled for 2013. Which makes it even harder to predict a winner though. Let's have a look at both sprinters and puncheurs then.
The sprinters/
 Jürgen Roelandts has to be named first. The Belgian sprinter can climb those short hills very well and is definitely top-seeded.
 Vespa also stands a good chance to repeat last year's victory, as they send a fast Italian, who ain't that bad on hills, too: Jacopo Guarnieri may be one of the toughest contenders for Roelandts.
 Bernhard Eisel should be mentioned as well: he proved to be in top shape recently and if he's still peaking, that's a nice chance.
 Yauheni Hutarovich,  Carlos Manarelli,  Michael Kreder,  Andriy Vasylyuk,  Emanuele Rizza / Igor Abakoumov,  Bruno Santos,  Leonid Krasnov, local hero  Tom Veelers or  Chris Sutton join this list, while all of them could struggle if the race will be selective.
Same goes for  Ricki Nelson,  Artur Gajek or  Graeme Briggs, while HTC's young gun  Nick Van der Lijke could surprise, even though he lacks the speed yet.
The puncheurs/
 Cyril Gautier has yet to prove he's worth his hill-leadership and this race is quite a gamble. His manager will hope for a race like 2012, were Gautier missed the podium as 4th.
 Martin Reimer is a strong finishing puncheur, with decent support by Schreurs.
And we have  Simon Geschke, who already proved that he's strong in this kind of "mixed" profiles this year.
Let's not forget Johnny Hoogerland, who could lead his team instead of Kreder. Same goes for Jerome Baugnies of course.
As you can see: a nice startlist with all possible scenarios. (And sorry, if I missed someone) |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 27-04-2013 19:39
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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PCM will ruin the logic of this race. |
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| ANFreeman |
Posted on 27-04-2013 19:42
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1019
Joined: 11-05-2009
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I think the hill gradients scared me off from bringing my sprinters here - I'll no doubt regret that.
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| jph27 |
Posted on 27-04-2013 20:12
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Team Leader
Posts: 7339
Joined: 20-03-2010
PCM$: 900.00
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Manarelli for the sprint, Bolivar for the break, Puusepp for the crazy attack  |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 27-04-2013 20:29
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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We have good options in Lijke and Baugnies. Could be awful or could end up okay, hoping for the latter. De Maar could be up there too.
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| roturn |
Posted on 27-04-2013 20:31
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Team Manager
Posts: 22246
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
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Make the hills selective and Geschke strong in the end.
Roelants might be hard to beat. |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 27-04-2013 20:45
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2889
Joined: 11-09-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Hoping that Sutton can get a top 10 + a man in the breakaway. Should be a fun race!
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| CountArach |
Posted on 28-04-2013 00:04
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8290
Joined: 14-07-2008
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With this version of PCM not enough sprinters will be dropped so Gautier has no chance of doing anything. Wasted race days for us.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 28-04-2013 08:30
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World Champion
Posts: 14236
Joined: 20-06-2011
PCM$: 300.00
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Nice preview, looking forward to the race. 
Best thing on having Roelandts, Guarnieri and Hutarovich here is the fact that they will not bother Nolan Hoffman in much more important Philly HC race ( i am honestly surprised what are these two doing here, when Philly is higher category, especially Roelandts who is ideal for US race).
Vasylyuk can maybe get top15 here and if things get harder, Eros Capecchi should be ready to step up for him.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 28-04-2013 08:30
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| Smowz |
Posted on 28-04-2013 09:18
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Team Leader
Posts: 6479
Joined: 09-04-2009
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I guess Avin there is a fear that the Manayunk Wall could scramble the AI a fair bit making a chasing sprinter team mistime a catch. This one is surely more of a sure thing for Roelandts.
If Manarelli is seen as a danger that tells me the startlist is weak
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 28-11-2024 01:48
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| jph27 |
Posted on 28-04-2013 09:24
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Team Leader
Posts: 7339
Joined: 20-03-2010
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Pfft, he won a crit and did ok in Langkawi |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 28-04-2013 09:25
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
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Smowz wrote:
I guess Avin there is a fear that the Manayunk Wall could scramble the AI a fair bit making a chasing sprinter team mistime a catch. This one is surely more of a sure thing for Roelandts.
If Manarelli is seen as a danger that tells me the startlist is weak
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| Mhaley45 |
Posted on 28-04-2013 10:57
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1036
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I have to agree with the Count on this race. Our current version of AI will allow the sprinters to stay in contnetion leaving a late attack or a sprint finish.
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| kumazan |
Posted on 28-04-2013 20:03
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Team Leader
Posts: 6662
Joined: 02-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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I hope the hills aren't hard enough to hurt Huta's chances, but in that case Bole could be a good second option for us. We'll see, should be an interesting one.
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 29-04-2013 00:37
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Team Leader
Posts: 6036
Joined: 20-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Very open race for me. Could end in a sprint or with a breakaway, but in both scenarios there is a wide range of options to win this one. Santos has been on form for us so I'm asking him a top5, but with riders like Eisel, Geschke, Guarnieri and of course the favourite, Roelandts, that isn't going to be easy.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 29-04-2013 06:11
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World Champion
Posts: 14236
Joined: 20-06-2011
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Smowz wrote:
I guess Avin there is a fear that the Manayunk Wall could scramble the AI a fair bit making a chasing sprinter team mistime a catch. This one is surely more of a sure thing for Roelandts.
If Manarelli is seen as a danger that tells me the startlist is weak
Yeah, that sounds reasonable Smowz, we will see from the outcome if it pays off. Roelandts is the sure favourite here, so maybe these points can be more secure (on the other hand for 7th in Philly and 2nd here, you have almost same points). And this course is hard too...
We have climbing sprinter for Philly, so i dont fear the walls.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 29-04-2013 06:12
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| OlegTinkov |
Posted on 29-04-2013 17:24
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2668
Joined: 31-12-2007
PCM$: 450.00
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Team Tactics Tinkoff Bank - Rosneft OJSC
| Name | Fl | Mo | Hi | TT | St | Rs | Rc | Co | Sp | Ac | Fi | Do | Pr | Role | | Krasnov, Leonid | 72 | 58 | 63 | 61 | 72 | 67 | 75 | 52 | 78 | 77 | 68 | 66 | 74 | Sprinter 1 | | Trusov, Nikolai | 69 | 68 | 66 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 78 | 56 | 78 | 74 | 70 | 61 | 70 | Sprinter 2 | | Galimzyanov, Denis | 70 | 60 | 67 | 65 | 71 | 69 | 77 | 64 | 77 | 74 | 62 | 66 | 65 | Sprinter 3 | | Timofeev, Artjom | 71 | 64 | 57 | 62 | 68 | 70 | 78 | 67 | 77 | 72 | 70 | 73 | 62 | Sprinter 4 | | Korzh, Pavel | 72 | 52 | 59 | 68 | 72 | 65 | 73 | 61 | 76 | 78 | 64 | 65 | 68 | Sprinter 5 | | Rovny, Ivan | 72 | 63 | 76 | 63 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 60 | 69 | 73 | 75 | 64 | 63 | Free role 1 | | Kozontchuk, Dmitri | 74 | 65 | 71 | 69 | 75 | 72 | 74 | 74 | 68 | 70 | 79 | 67 | 69 | Free role 2 |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 29-04-2013 20:52
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Team Leader
Posts: 7339
Joined: 20-03-2010
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That was a waste. No attacks, and Manarelli didn't sprint. Good report though |
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| kumazan |
Posted on 29-04-2013 20:54
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Team Leader
Posts: 6662
Joined: 02-07-2009
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Terrible stuff from my team. If the race was hard enough to drop Hutarovich, you'd expect Bole to do quite better.
*sigh*
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 29-04-2013 20:55
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World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
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Nice win from Roelandt's. Thank god Duque faded, could've been more points for Die Berg. No offence Vien. |
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