|
Tour of Northern Europe Discussion Thread
|
| roturn |
Posted on 10-12-2013 19:01
|
Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
PCM$: 3900.00
|
The Tour of Northland is pretty special when looking on the route. Stages for sprinters, timetrialists, cobblers and puncheurs. Only the climbers won`t find anything here and obviously aren`t at the start.
With so many different kind of stages it`s hard to find a real favourite as there aren`t many allrounders, that feel comfortable on all stages. So it`s all about gaining time on your stronger and limiting the loss on your weaker spots.
When coming to the favourites there might be two riders, who might stand out a bit. Not only because those are the two last winners of the Tour of Northern Europe and the two times runner up Devolder isn`t here. Both riders might be the most allround riders.
 Fabian Cancellara. His strength in the time trials and cobbles might give him a good position while he also comes over the climbs pretty well. As long as the pure puncheurs don`t gain a lot of time on him it will be hard for those to beat the Swiss.
 Pozzato must be named as well in some sort of combination rider and so also one of the top favourites. You can expect him to gain time in the hills and sprints. Also he showed some great results this season in the cobbled classics and is a decent time trialist. If he can hang on over the pavès and reduce the loss in the time trials he could be a candiadate for the overall win.
Let`s continue with the cobblers first. All of them obviously hope for a selective cobbled stage but less selective hilly stages.
 Burghardt already did well here in former years even though the trend goes into the wrong direction since 2010. As one of the best cobblers he often didn`t deliver big results and this year it was very similar until his great win in the Lisbon Classic. Climbing wise similar to Cancellara, the German lacks in time trial strength. So he needs a very selective cobbled stage to get a good GC an with 2 hilly and 2 time trial stages it`s not the most ideal course for him.
 Bewley really has an impressive season so far. He seems to be the next Tom Boonen as the Kiwi might have overtaken the more experienced Belgium. He has the sprinter advantage over Burghardt and so the bonus seconds can already reduce the gap to the puncheurs and time trialists.
 Boonen of course is also here. As said his situation is similar to Bewley`s. He might still be one of the best sprinters here and so surely hopes for at least one stage win.
 Nuyens is Puma`s cobbler sharing the lead here with top sprinter Bennati. But the better GC men most likely should be the Belgium. It won`t be hard for him but a top10 is possible.
The same counts for  Ballan,  Steurs,  Franzoi,  Summerhill, Nolf and  Blythe.
Let`s go on with the puncheurs as we have quite a few of them.
 Gilbert must be named first I think as he is not a one dimensional puncheur. He is a decent time trialist and cobbler as well, which might give him an advantage in this category. He might hope for a podium here if he can limit the loss on the non hilly stages.
 Schumacher is one of the top cobblers here and his German TT jersey proves his time trial strength as well. Also the cobbles are not totally unknown to him. So a good rider to bet I guess.
Van Garderen also a good bet to open gaps on the puncheur stages. But losing time on the other stages seems to be clear, so it might not be enough for the top.
 Claeys and  Di Maggio are very one dimensional puncheurs and obviously hope for big gaps there as both will lose a lot in the other stages. Still a decent GC is possible. Top10 might be hard though.
Outside favourites or more riders to name for top stage results are  Swift, Roux, Van Heerden, Coppel, Fenn/Rowe,  Trentin/Posthuma,  Guldhammer.
As if the startlist is not strong enough already we have more sprinters to add, who might try to outsprint the biggest favourites Bennati, Boonen, Bewley, Swift or Van Heerden: Ciolek, Haedo,  Vanoverschelde, Meyer or Richeze.
A short mentioning also for  Santander. Probably by far the weakest team here hoping for some decent sprints by Reynes although the competition seems to be too tough. Being a climber team this surely isn`t the most important race for them.
|
| |
|
|
| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 10-12-2013 19:04
|
Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
One of my favourite races on the calendar for what it is - multiple countries and in theory quite significantly different set of favourites to other stage races on the calendar. Hopefully PCM12 doesn't get too much in the way.
For Vesuvio, it is never a race we do well in GC-wise. But Paterski or Skujins in the break on the hill stages would be interesting. And of course, some opportunities for Swift - not a lot though, so he will have to take his opportunity better than in Germany
|
| |
|
|
| viking90 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 19:09
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3836
Joined: 24-01-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Time to race with the big boys! 
|
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 10-12-2013 19:53
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
Last year I won this one... This season I'll do nothing. Steurs should do alright in the cobbled stage, but he can't TT and isn't a super strong hilly rider either. This one is one to forget I'm sure.
|
| |
|
|
| tyriion |
Posted on 10-12-2013 19:59
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1506
Joined: 29-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Trentin as one of the outside favorites, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and follow this one. (See alex?)
Check out my ManGame team here
|
| |
|
|
| rjc_43 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:09
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6490
Joined: 13-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Super hard race to judge as always depending on the order of the stages. I think I judged it wrongly to bring just the classics team when Ponzi could have actually done ok here (ignoring the TTs...)
It's the kind of race that suits riders who aren't trained up the levels, but are rather added in or had stat updates to match real life. The Cancellara's, Boom's, etc.
[url=cleavercycling.co.uk]  [/url] |
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 08-12-2025 04:21
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:29
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3930
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
Wow, that looks like a very cool race. It'll be interesting to see what types of riders can take the mosst time where. Nice preview btw. 
|
| |
|
|
| Jesleyh |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:33
|
World Champion
Posts: 14744
Joined: 21-07-2012
PCM$: 200.00
|
@Dippo Agreed, it looks pretty cool
(It's actually downloadable for PCM 12 in Pelli's thread )
Feyenoord(football) and Kelderman fanboy
PCMdaily Awards: 12x nomination, 9x runner-up, 0x win.
|
| |
|
|
| mattiasgt |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:42
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2176
Joined: 15-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Loving the Swedish stages!
(Previously) Manager of Koenigsegg
Koenigsegg: ( Media)
Livin' Loud |
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:42
|
World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
tyriion wrote:
Trentin as one of the outside favorites, so I'll keep my fingers crossed and follow this one. (See alex?)
we cool we cool
|
| |
|
|
| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 10-12-2013 20:55
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7366
Joined: 19-02-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Gilbert has a good chance of a handy points haul but god only knows why I left Gusev at home... |
| |
|
|
| SotD |
Posted on 10-12-2013 21:37
|
World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
PCM$: 2980.00
|
rjc_43 wrote:
Super hard race to judge as always depending on the order of the stages. I think I judged it wrongly to bring just the classics team when Ponzi could have actually done ok here (ignoring the TTs...)
It's the kind of race that suits riders who aren't trained up the levels, but are rather added in or had stat updates to match real life. The Cancellara's, Boom's, etc.
I have the exact same feeling regarding Ulissi
|
| |
|
|
| Smowz |
Posted on 10-12-2013 21:59
|
Team Leader
Posts: 6386
Joined: 09-04-2009
PCM$: 200.00
|
Looking forward to this, the punchaers need to attack Canc before the time trial I think. Red bull to play the part of killjoys!
|
| |
|
|
| Roman |
Posted on 10-12-2013 22:02
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4279
Joined: 29-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I have a really strong team here, I should be competitive in every stage - Bewley for cobbles and sprints, Coppel for TTs, Rabon for hills. I am surely hoping for a lot of points from here.
|
| |
|
|
| mb2612 |
Posted on 10-12-2013 22:44
|
Team Leader
Posts: 5535
Joined: 18-05-2008
PCM$: 200.00
|
Reynes might get more than he minimum, maybe.
[url=www.pcmdaily.com/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=33182] Team Santander Media Thread[/url]
Please assume I am joking unless otherwise stated |
| |
|
|
| niconico |
Posted on 10-12-2013 22:46
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3926
Joined: 09-07-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I think I will win this race....
I really do.
|
| |
|
|
| Bushwackers |
Posted on 11-12-2013 01:01
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1982
Joined: 07-02-2009
PCM$: 300.00
|
Great preview, really looking forward to this one. Not sure what skill will be the most determining here.
|
| |
|
|
| ember |
Posted on 11-12-2013 09:46
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7059
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
|
My expectations for this one are just as they were for Deutschland Tour, basically none. Hopefully we can join a breakaway or two.
Definitely looking forward to the race and reports though, the battle for overall glory is hard to predict. |
| |
|
|
| tyriion |
Posted on 11-12-2013 14:48
|
Sprinter
Posts: 1506
Joined: 29-08-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Trentin 43 seconds down. I guess it's way too early to know anything about how this will play out. Every stage will be decisive as different people want different approaches to the various kinds of terrain.
All we can say is that Cancellara is the big favorite now.
Check out my ManGame team here
|
| |
|
|
| alexkr00 |
Posted on 11-12-2013 15:40
|
World Champion
Posts: 13561
Joined: 05-08-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
With the time-trials before the cobbled stage, I think Posthuma will be leading the team here, not Trentin.
|
| |
|
