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GP de Wallonie Discussion
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| CountArach |
Posted on 15-12-2013 00:46
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The Autumn classics season pushes on and we now turn to Belgium for the next 1.2 rated classic – the GP de Wallonie. The riders are faced with a fairly tough course that has few flat sections and constant changes in gradient. It should be a real strength sapper. In particular there are 3 climbs in the final 20km, each 2-3km long and with a maximum gradient over 10% and an average over 5%. These three climbs will probably determine the final outcome.
Though there aren’t a large number of teams who have turned up to the race today we still have a startlist absolutely loaded with talent. As with all of these hilly classics,  Team Gazelle bring the strongest team. It seems like these days they can just turn up to these races and it is just a question of who will take the win for them rather than if they will win at all. They bring a startlist that will be quite familiar to most people who have been following them this season with Pieter Weening and Blaz Furdi heading up a team with a huge amount of depth.
You get the feeling that  Iberia might be disappointed by the number of wins they have had this season and in any other year they would surely be running top of the table. Nevertheless they are running second and have brought their usual puncheurs here - Joaquin Rodriguez and Samuel Sanchez. There is the usual brilliant support backing them up and they will surely want to challenge the hegemony of Gazelle.
With the two table-topping teams out of the way let’s look at the others who are here.  Team PrivatBank are currently mired in a mid-table battle that could ultimately lead to a promotion spot thanks to inactivity amongst other managers. Vorganov and Fonte give them two cards that they could play if the opportunity arises.
Rather than bringing their on-paper leader Scarponi,  Kappa-ENI have given leadership to Failli and Mori. They haven’t got a lot of support riders with them but if they can help each other they might get in the right position.
 Jordi Grau leads Barcelona’s team here, and while he has more support than some of the other second-tier riders, he may still lack something against the absolute top riders. He could well fight it out for a top 5 or even, if he gets lucky, a podium.
Two PCT teams are here as well, bringing largely development squads but both of them with decent leaders.  Team CSC once more try out their gamble of bringing Sergio Barrio down to the .2 races to steal some points that would not otherwise be available to them. Meanwhile  HTC-Nieuswblad come down with a hoard of youngsters lead by Pieter Serry. Will riding on home soil give him the advantage he needs to compete with the other team leaders here?
Oh and  ANC-Halfords are here with 2 riders.
Edited by CountArach on 15-12-2013 00:46
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 15-12-2013 07:35
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This race could really help me towards promotion if Vorganov, Fonte, Cardoso and Chokheli finish quite high... 
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| Smowz |
Posted on 15-12-2013 09:11
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I'd be interested to see Barrio's points breakdown of his season. If memory serves he has barely podium'd one if these all year - certainly CSC have struggled to keep their head above water in the PCT rankings.
I think Rodriguez for the win btw.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 15-12-2013 17:51
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Smowz wrote:
I'd be interested to see Barrio's points breakdown of his season. If memory serves he has barely podium'd one if these all year - certainly CSC have struggled to keep their head above water in the PCT rankings.
I think Rodriguez for the win btw.
Barrio has picked up 97 pts from 18 C2 race days I believe - with this and Phosphatiers still to be raced. C2 was probably the best use for Barrio as he would have relied heavily on luck to score much in HC/C1 races - although he was 11th in Taldykorgan GP, one of the few C1 hill classics he has been involved with. (37 HC/C1 points have come from over 40 race days)
CSC's problem is more that they have the fewest number of riders with a 70+ average in PCT. (6 while every other team have at least 9, many have more than 15/20). It wasnt really a gamble using up race days on C2, when they didnt have riders who could score in C1 anyway.
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 15-12-2013 18:18
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My team is the best  
I wanted depth but I wanted Abal more. Which didn't quite work out because of the amount of overpowering climbers in the PCT. Also, it's hard to get depth without overpaying for riders from Spain and Portugal... It's frustrating. I expected Barrio to do better but he still got me points and is going to be even better next season.
Putting my faith in Costa in the hope of surviving relegation. Fingers crossed. 
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| tyriion |
Posted on 15-12-2013 19:02
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Mresuperstar wrote:
My team is the best
I wanted depth but I wanted Abal more. Which didn't quite work out because of the amount of overpowering climbers in the PCT. Also, it's hard to get depth without overpaying for riders from Spain and Portugal... It's frustrating. I expected Barrio to do better but he still got me points and is going to be even better next season.
Putting my faith in Costa in the hope of surviving relegation. Fingers crossed.
Crossing my fingers too
*evil grin*
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 22-11-2024 04:00
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 15-12-2013 19:54
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This race will be strange with not so many teams in it. I think there might be a surprise.
The breakaway FTW
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 16-12-2013 02:29
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One of our goals! Top 10 shouldn't be a problem though, especially with such a low amount of opponents.
I like this profile. Weening, Furdi and Westra should all be able to do well here.
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 16-12-2013 08:28
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@DubbelDekker
Well DD... anything but your win will be a surprise for most of us
Edited by ggDonovan on 16-12-2013 17:51
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 16-12-2013 15:36
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Looking at past results I guess that makes sense. But don't underestimate Iberia; they bring a strong squad with two excellent leaders here.
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 17-12-2013 22:19
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First to attack, first to finish and all from a stagiaire 
Nice surprise to be fair, also Serry keeping with other group of favoruites. Potocki should be a decent enough domestique at 77 maxed out so he might have earned himself a contract with the team indeed 
Very nice report Count as well!
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 17-12-2013 22:23
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Hmm, fairly dissapointing result for us. Smart move by HTC, Iberia and Privatbank to send someone in the break and then mark Weenings attack. We were outwitted.
Congrats to Alakagom!
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| tyriion |
Posted on 17-12-2013 22:23
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Pretty massive upset there, no Gazelle rider on the podium?!?
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| Cycleman123 |
Posted on 17-12-2013 22:26
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Wasn't expecting that for a finish! DubbelDekker must be quite disappointed with that.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 18-12-2013 06:25
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Congrats to Alakagom, when you think that HTC luck from last season is over, they strike with stagiare!
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| Smowz |
Posted on 18-12-2013 07:40
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SportingNonsense wrote:
Smowz wrote:
I'd be interested to see Barrio's points breakdown of his season. If memory serves he has barely podium'd one if these all year - certainly CSC have struggled to keep their head above water in the PCT rankings.
I think Rodriguez for the win btw.
Barrio has picked up 97 pts from 18 C2 race days I believe - with this and Phosphatiers still to be raced. C2 was probably the best use for Barrio as he would have relied heavily on luck to score much in HC/C1 races - although he was 11th in Taldykorgan GP, one of the few C1 hill classics he has been involved with. (37 HC/C1 points have come from over 40 race days)
CSC's problem is more that they have the fewest number of riders with a 70+ average in PCT. (6 while every other team have at least 9, many have more than 15/20). It wasnt really a gamble using up race days on C2, when they didnt have riders who could score in C1 anyway.
Thanks for info SN. Barrio sucked in this one, but appears as if CSC just have a sucky team anyways.
Big surprise in this one, interesting that it seemed almost a case of all against Gazelle and it worked too. Gazelle though obviously out of reach, they also have a great base for PCT next year I'd have thought.
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 18-12-2013 07:54
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Someone just secured a contract...
Shame Vorganov didn't try anything tho...
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 18-12-2013 11:56
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Well, I see I could be a better fortune teller than ManGame manager...
I really disapointed on my team performance. Not even trying is the worst I can expect from those riders. We didn't have the best riders nor the best team but at least they should come back with an screenshot.
Anyway, congratulations to Alakagom and the HTC team.
Thanks Count for the report
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| ember |
Posted on 18-12-2013 14:04
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Nice to see Bystrøm up there, a sign for what is to come, I hope.
Surprising end to the race, I was convinced the favourites would catch the escapees when Weening attacked.
Congratulations to Alakagom, and thanks for the report, CountArach! |
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 18-12-2013 14:15
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Smowz wrote:
Gazelle though obviously out of reach, they also have a great base for PCT next year I'd have thought.
I agree we have a decent base for PCT, but there are quite some challenges as well:
- The wage demands of our many successful riders might go through the roof. In the long run it is probably more efficient to promote after a mediocre season than to dominate. Or am I missing something?
- Weening will decline
- Furdi needs a year in PT to reach full XP.
It's going to be a very important and busy off-season for Gazelle.
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