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Badaling International Discussion
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 10-04-2014 09:58
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Team Leader
Posts: 6566
Joined: 11-10-2010
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Welcome to the first race of 2014 ProTours calendar, Badaling International. Traditionally, race around Beijing is first challenge for best puncheurs in world of cycling for a second consecutive year. With being 230km long, the race is surely perfect one for endurance guys.
| Type of Race: Hilly | Length: 230,8km |
The profile looks the same as the last year, since organisators decided to keep the same route for this year, aswell. After the race featured only Badaling Circuit in it's 1st and 2nd edition, this time, just as last year, guys has to ride throught the city of Beijing before they head the Great Wall of China and 7 laps of Badaling.
Previous edition of the race showed us that these 7 laps of 4,1% AVG climb can't really make big time differences, so most of predictions says that this is going to finish in uphill sprint, just as it was case last year, when  Damiano Cunego took a totally deserved win with perfectly timed final sprint. Will Damiano justify his last years win and defend the title of Badaling International Champion, or someone else is going to win it this time? We'll see!
History of the Race
All of previous 3 editions of the race had an uphill sprint fight for a win, so will the history repeat itself for 4th time or someone's going to get a solo-win there? The guys who have solo-attacks as their main plans are going to have alot of problems, as the statistics and history talks that it's almost impossible to get some bigger advantage on these long, but not that steep laps on Badaling.
Samuel Sánchez taking a win in final sprint, 2011
We're now talking alot about the history of the race, but we still didn't share the previous results with you, so nothing to wait for, here they are:
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 1.  Samuel Sánchez |  Frank Schleck |  Damiano Cunego | | 2. Damiano Cunego |  Jan Bakelants |  Edvald Boasson Hagen | | 3. Ricardo Ricco |  Patrik Sinkiewitz | Simone Ponzi |
Just as it was case in 2011, the winner had to be decided in final sprint.  Frank Schleck showed some class and great acceleration and won in front of Jan Bakelants.
Frank Schleck taking a win on bottom of Badaling Hill, 2012
And that was last time the race started on Badaling hill. 2013 year were just one in a row that finished in mass sprint. Cunego finally took the win home, as he missed it in 2011.
Cunego raising his hands and celebrating a win in Beijing, 2013
Favourites
Unlike last couple of years, most of the top puncheurs are here. Names such as
 Edvald Boasson Hagen | Jan Bakelants |  Yuri Trofimov | | Damiano Cunego |  Stefan Schumacher |  Francesco Gianni | | Dimitri Claesys |  Frank Schleck |  Ricardo Ricco |  Simone Ponzi |
...are always considered as top favourites in any kind of hilly terrains. The race was never open as this year, since basically any of these guys above can win this.
Edvald Boasson Hagen is listed as main favourite and probably the guy with highest chances to win this. Will Eddie Boss justify the name of World Champion and win this race or he will once again get the 2nd place, just as he did in 2013?
Jan Bakelants is another guy without a win here, but with 2nd place in 2012 year. Missing a podium in 2013 surely made him angry and ready to face the Badaling hill once again, with maybe a winning goal here. Who knows...
Yuri Trofimov is on another side guy who didn't take a participation in 2013 edition, since he had pretty bad result for a rider of his calibar in 2012 - 11th place. This year, Yuri will surely aim on win here. Besides his great ability to go over these steep hills and accelerate quick, Yuri is also best sprinter currently that will race in Badaling.
Damiano Cunego is here aswell. Well, that surely isn't surprise, as he's here to defend his win from 2013. Absolutely dominant sprint from Cunego last year, as you can see from picture above. He'll try to keep tempo with younger guys until the sprint once again, and eventually win the race again.
Stefan Schumacher is one of the most experienced riders here. With his great acceleration, he'll probably try to escape from a long way out, since he surely has no chance in sprint against names such as Trofimov, Hagen or Bakelants.
Francesco Gianni is the guy who never got Top 20 place in any of the previous editions in China's 2nd largest city. That's surely extra motivation for him to step out and take a win this time. It will be very hard, but not impossible.
Dimitri Claesys - Not sure what was the plan in Lotto Australia bus this morning, but Dimitri Claesys is another great puncheur from their team, besides Damiano Cunego. He's surely not the guy that wants sprint final, so he'll probably try something on his own.
Frank Schleck is surely the guy you don't want to let attacking just like that. His 79MO will surely help him to attack on ascent, but will he really risk once again and stay calm before final sprint, with only 60SP?
Ricardo Ricco is once again the guy that found his place on podium here and it was on first races edition, where he got 3rd place. He'll surely try to repeat that once again, but is he really fresh and young enough to face all of these guys above?
Simone Ponzi is last one from this short circle of favourites. Having 73MO, 76SP and 82HIL surely makes him one of the best all arounders here, besides Hagen and Trofimov. Ponzi finished as 3rd last year, but can he really improve it this year?
These are not the only favourites here, but only some kind of shortlist. The guys that can surely make something from early attack or by just calmly following guys above are: Nicolas Roche,  TeeJay van Garderen,  Alexandar Flugel, Ben Gastauer and  Robin van der Hugenhaben,  Alejandro Valverde and this short list of possible winners is about to be closed here.
It's interesting to see that  Robert Gesink, the guy that could surely get Top 10 here is missing this race. That might be good tactial decision and idea, we'll see at the end of the season!
That was basically all for this preview. The race is surely one of the hardest for gamblers, as there are alot (!) of great puncheurs and mainly all best hilly riders are here. Weather forecast for Beijing is "Sunny and clear, 34°C" which is surely great weather for Cycling. Race is about to start, so see you after on the field and after the race!
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:04
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3487
Joined: 23-07-2008
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The exictement starts amazing preview btw Admir it's really in-depth i love it. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:12
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8205
Joined: 14-07-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Brilliant preview! I'm so excited! The hope is for VdHH to get a top ten here. I figure that the mountain rating won't be exactly 0?
Edited by CountArach on 10-04-2014 10:17
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| ggDonovan |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:20
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 868
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 200.00
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Wooo!!! This is starting again!
Good luck to everybody!
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| rycadinho |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:21
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Protected Rider
Posts: 1042
Joined: 28-09-2009
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"Praying for a lucky breakaway" 
Good luck everyone, though my team will not have any chance whatsoever in these kind of races.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 08-12-2025 01:38
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:31
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3061
Joined: 15-07-2007
PCM$: 300.00
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Oh my what a preview!!! |
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| OlegTinkov |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:34
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2773
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Tinkoff Credit Systems Bank Tactics 
Kozontchuk/Brutt will try to get in the early breakaway, if they fail; rest of the team has to work in the peloton, Think/hope that Hagen and Bakelants will cancel each other out; so Ponzi, Cunego and Trofimov sprint for victory!
Edited by OlegTinkov on 10-04-2014 16:22
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| beagle |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:39
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4235
Joined: 06-10-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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Excellent preview, I can´t wait your report! GO Pokerstars GO 
Manager of Polar in Man-Game
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:47
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2073
Joined: 14-09-2013
PCM$: 4500.00
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Cool preview, excited to see the season start. I particularly like the start-line photo, nice way to see a lot of the new jerseys, and heightens the tension.
Ready, steady, Go!
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| Stromeon |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:53
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3507
Joined: 06-10-2012
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First race of the season already - good luck to all 
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 10-04-2014 10:53
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World Champion
Posts: 13662
Joined: 20-06-2011
PCM$: 300.00
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What a startlist. 
Very nice preview, are we starting today or tommorow? 
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 10-04-2014 10:54
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| Heine |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:01
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4470
Joined: 08-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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This could in theory be a good race for Flügel and his downhill stat, but in general I just hope for a top 5 from either him or Klemme, first test on their cooperation.
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:18
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Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
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Great preview. Schleck being so far down the expected favourites list will take some getting used to, Top 10 has to be the target at best for races this season, hopefully he can still get right in the mix and stop EBH winning everything.
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:20
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4368
Joined: 25-07-2010
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Ohh, Prevar as leader for SRB! Hope he can do something...
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:25
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Team Manager
Posts: 31706
Joined: 08-03-2007
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Pretty interesting to see  Pluchkin,  Tenorio and  Alarcon all on the startlist actually. Could be a gamble that does not really work for those 3 teams.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 10-04-2014 11:27
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| SotD |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:26
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World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
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Heine wrote:
This could in theory be a good race for Flügel and his downhill stat, but in general I just hope for a top 5 from either him or Klemme, first test on their cooperation.
A top 5 from either would be huge looking at the competition. Im aiming for a top 10, and hopefully some nice 25-40 positions from my helpers.
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| Heine |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:28
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4470
Joined: 08-04-2007
PCM$: 200.00
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SotD wrote:
Heine wrote:
This could in theory be a good race for Flügel and his downhill stat, but in general I just hope for a top 5 from either him or Klemme, first test on their cooperation.
A top 5 from either would be huge looking at the competition. Im aiming for a top 10, and hopefully some nice 25-40 positions from my helpers.
Thats why I'm hoping :-p
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:37
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Team Leader
Posts: 6566
Joined: 11-10-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Thanks everyone! Report of the race will be posted at about same time as the preview, which is around 11:00 AM CET tomorrow.
Edited by admirschleck on 10-04-2014 11:39
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| roturn |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:46
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Team Manager
Posts: 22043
Joined: 24-11-2007
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Very nice preview in your first race. Like the history section despite you are new to the game. Well done.
My perfect scenario would be to see Ballan, Olivier or Villella in the break. Thurau or Roux in a late attack. Sanchez to bee still there for the short uphill Sprint being a top10.
Eventually late attacks work as well. So my depth could work.
Top 15 minimum and in best case two more in top 25-30 and 8 finishers would be the wanted result. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 10-04-2014 11:51
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World Champion
Posts: 10616
Joined: 29-10-2007
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Demare to win it
Really looking forward to this with quite some movement in the puncheur part of the game.
Amazing preview indeed admir, I can't wait for the report!
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