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Azerbaijan Tour Discussion
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:04
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For the first time the Management Game heads to Iran, and apparantely this has scared off a number of riders. Despite a challenging hill stages, and in particular a big mountain stage, the climbing field is relatively weak. Great news for those who made the journey, but not good for others. It seems many of the division's top climbers will be riding the GP Sudkarnten - but you can bet that some who disappoint there, could even have challenged for victory here!
Based on backup stats, the favourite at the start of the race is Brazilian  Magno Nazaret. Bintang hope to do well on the climbs, as is customary for them.
But this races could become very important in the season for the team of his closest competitor, Evian-MIAT.  Jose Serpa should be a strong contender for victory, and if that was not enough, Danilo Napolitano is the stand out sprinter in the field. And this time he has a competent leadout man with him, in Sonnery!
Behind the top 2 climbers, the likes of  John Gadret,  Carlos Castano,  Jianhua Ji and  Stijn Devolder will all fancy their chances with their ability to go better on the hill stage than Serpa or Nazaret.
Indeed with 75 Hill, Ji is the joint best puncheur in the field. Alongside Der, Zeits, Durasek,  Acevedo,  Pakthusov, and  Pineau.
Other strong mountain climbers in the field include  Dyachenko, Soler, Kessiakoff, Shimizu,  Mestre, Osella, Briceno,  Feillu and  Izagirre.
With 4 flat stages, Napolitano is of course not the only sprinter here - we also have the ominous presence of Nolan Hoffman, flying high in 2nd of the Individual standings. Bazajev,  Gatto, Hutarovich and Vingerling are amongst the other challengers. There is also the hill hating trio of  Kankovsky, Clarke and  Awang. They will probably struggle as they always do, because sprinters need more than just a sprint stat, but you just never know!
Iranian registered  PFG-Armavia are also here. They bring local rider Sohrabi, but could face a backlash after dramatically turning their back on Iranian riders midway through the transfer period. Ashgarzadeh is the only other Iranian in the race.
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:05
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Iran? Really SN?  |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:07
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Miguel98 wrote:
Iran? Really SN?
I know! No wonder people are scared away from Iran
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| jph27 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:11
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This could be great for us, if Serpa can avoid time loss on the hills and our train doesn't screw up. Looking forward to it  |
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| tyriion |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:15
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Pfff, didn't expect Napolitano here :/ Was hoping for a nice and easy field, but now we will hope for van Leijen and a break to succeed.
Check out my ManGame team here
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| cio93 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:16
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If I'm not mistaken, Bongiorno is actually Iberia's leader here?
Evian could really use a good points haul, plus I really like them, so this looks like the perfect opportunity. 
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:26
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TheManxMissile wrote:
Miguel98 wrote:
Iran? Really SN?
I know! No wonder people are scared away from Iran
Ahah you morons
Azerbaijan, the place where this race takes place, is a region of Iran, not the actual country Azerbaijan
https://en.wikiped...es_of_Iran
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:30
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Really?  |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:31
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Indeed. It is where Petrochemical Tabriz or whatever they are now called are based. |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 08:29
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| Spilak23 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:42
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cio93 wrote:
If I'm not mistaken, Bongiorno is actually Iberia's leader here?
Yup!  Let's hope he gets us a good result here. None of my climbers here as Transfagarasan is just perfectly made for Moreno.
I hope all my young guns attack. And maybe Anton Martin can show something in one of the mass sprints.
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| Christer |
Posted on 03-06-2013 20:42
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Hoping for some nice points here. Kessiakoff isn't the worst climber, Pineau has proven himself now and then. Vingerling is still a big question mark, though.
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 03-06-2013 21:25
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Woo, actually have some hope now for a nice position in the GC with Mestre. 
Great the big guns pass on this race...
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 21:38
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I'm not expecting much out of this race at all as Awang isn't as good as I though he would be pre season and the rest of my riders are mainly here for experience, Hopefully we will be involved in most of the breaks, and have someone challenge for the mountains jersey.
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 03-06-2013 22:06
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Should be interresting to see how our home race outfolds. Hopefully Sohrabi will benefit from the nationality bonus and do well in the sprints.
Azerbaijan Tour is one of our biggest races of the season and of course a sponsor goal. We will hope that a breakaway (as usual) save our butts and make a top 10 to happen |
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 03-06-2013 22:48
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Hopefully we can get a top 5 here that would be a great result |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 04-06-2013 06:05
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Race in important region for our co-sponsor Emirates, this is closest you can get on this years cycling calendar. So we are here with our big gun for stage wins in person of Nolan Hoffman.
Napolitano was not expected, he can be major threat for Nolan's main goal, the points jersey (and a stage win). I am looking forward to battles with Napo and likes of Bazajev and Hutarovich. All we need to do, is to place Nolan in wheel of Napo and it will be fine.
Not much hopes for GC, but Pakthusov is one of the best punchers and can limit losses in higer mountains, so maybe something like top15-20 is possible. Or Hesjedal will step up for him and try something.
Good luck to all, looking forward to top level reports of SN.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 04-06-2013 06:07
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| Smowz |
Posted on 04-06-2013 08:29
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Should be quite a tense battle for GC, reminds me of the Tour de Langkawi I ran earlier in the season. As SN and others have said with just six race days it is a slight surprise not to see any of the really big climbing CTour heavyweights turn up.
Those riders seem in the main to be sticking to European races, some sort of regional 'snobbery' perhaps? Or is it that there is a fear the climb is not going to cause a selection? It looks the kind of variable gradient that does allow selections and it should provide decent theatre.
The bottom four teams in the PCT have a real chance to gain decent points here.
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| CountArach |
Posted on 04-06-2013 09:10
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I think this could be an absolutely key race for a lot of teams facing relegation, as it is a great chance to score big on GC rather than trying to scrape top 10 positions. Not scoring well here is a big wasted opportunity.
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| roturn |
Posted on 04-06-2013 09:29
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Hilarious sprint by Vingerling here.
But maybe Pineau reached more with the 4th than he would have been able to do. |
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 04-06-2013 09:31
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Screw you Soupe, couldn't you get 3rd and Hoffman 2nd or something... I want that U25 jersey, the most legit way...
Hoelgaard will wear it tho, so hope for a picture with him wearing it next stage
Polivoda 9th, was expected...
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
