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Tour of Ukraine Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:11
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 Tour of Ukraine
The Tour of Ukraine will be held for the first time and those five stages will hopefully make for an interesting race, that will suit one specific type of rider:
Two hilly stages - including one hilltop finish - and a very long (45km) and tricky ITT will be the crucial days for the GC-contenders and given the length of the timetrial, it seems that there's no way to take the GC with a lack of skills against the clock.
So the thrilling question will be, how selective the hilly stages will be and of course how the gaps between less stronger TTlers and those, who love to timetrial, will stand...
The Startlist
The GC-contenders
| Allrounders | HI | TT | Specialists | HI | TT |  Ignatiev | 75 | 80 |  Rogers | 67 | 81 |  Kangert | 76 | 77 |  Yatsevich | 67 | 78 |  Nepomnyachsniy | 74 | 77 |  Gretsch | 62 | 77 | | Koren | 74 | 78 | Zmorka | 63 | 77 |  Craven | 78 | 75 | Ma | 66 | 77 |  Westra | 74 | 76 |  Van Zandbeek | 69 | 76 |  Konovalovas | 76 | 75 |  Meier | 64 | 76 | | Grabovski | 71 | 77 | Sestili | 68 | 75 |  Gerdemann | 76 | 74 |  Fominykh | 66 | 75 | | Durasek | 75 | 74 |  Hacecký | 63 | 75 |  Kiryenka | 73 | 75 | | | | | Boaro | 71 | 77 | | | |  Hermans | 75 | 71 | Bilbao | 77 | 63 | | Larsson | 70 | 75 | Boswell | 75 | 66 |  De Greef | 72 | 71 | Anza | 75 | 57 |
Of course we have to start this preview with the two local teams: Metinvest lines up with the top-favorite for the GC - "The Russian Beastie Boy" Ignatiev may fancy his chances thanks to his TT-skills in particular.
Also Privatbank will have a few options to score good points: Konovalovas for the GC and a promising sprinter-duo (see below) will make for some hopes here as well.
The competition is fierce though: amongst those allrounders, who combine both hills and TTs, there are several more promising names such as Nepomnyachsniy, Kangert, Craven or less stronger puncheurs like Koren, Westra or Grabovski. The latter will need to hang on with top-puncheurs like Craven or Kangert. Other less outstanding TTlers like Gerdemann, Durasek or Kiryenka should be at least possible Top-10 contenders, as it could be a close battle there at the front.
Another question will be, how those pure TT-specialists will do: Rogers, Yatsevich or Ma (as not too shabby puncheurs) may go and try to avoid bigger gaps in the hills. They may fear the bunch sitting up, so it's up to them to stay in contention, as the 45km-TT will definitely allow such outstanding TTlers to gain minutes-gaps on less stronger.
The Sprinters
With two flat stages on the menu, there are of course some teams bringing promising fast men for some valuable points: we may start with Kump, who may even target the first hilly stage. Question is, if teammate Grillo will go for the flat stages though.
Top-favorite for those sprints will be Greipel anyway, with also Vaitkus as a possible co-leader in the sprints. Biggest threats should be Docker, Van Avermaet or maybe Peeters, while also Park/Anuawar may hope for good finishes.
A few more "punchy" sprinters at the start, who may target for the hilly stage as well:  Pozdnyakov and Grosu. Both should be also theit team's men for the completely flat days.
Note/ Due to some lack of time (and stuff) for most others, I will most probably the one to report this race. No perfect constellation, but we want to keep the pace!
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| Kami |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:15
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The only reason i took this race was because i wanted to see what Grabovski could do in his home tour. Time to find out  . A very loaded field, so even a top 10 would be a surprise though.
Bilbao might be able to win a stage though, with his decent finish.
Nice preview! Looking forward to the reports.
Edited by Kami on 19-05-2014 12:15
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| roturn |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:20
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This race has to be won by Ignatiev. Perfect race for him.
Koren, Craven, Kangert, Nepo and Westra to fight out the podium.
Two clashing races and still two great fields. |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:28
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World Champion
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Not a lot of expectations here, only came in because of a triple race clash. Every point is a point won!
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:33
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Team Leader
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Ollfardh wrote:
Every point is a point won!
I second that. I can only hope for successful break or something like that.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 19-05-2014 12:59
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World Champion
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Thanks for the preview Tsmoha, looking foward to the reports, cant wait, hopefully you will not be dead tired soon. 
This is simply our most important race in whole calendar and our win goal. Win is a must, so if Mikhail will not win both TT and GC, something is horribly wrong, he was signed mainly because of this home race for Metinvest. Craven and Kangert can be biggest opponents and i am also looking forward to what PrivatBank can do in the sprints, maaybe with Grosu joining the fun...
Dont let us down Mikhail! Ukraine stronk! I love how both ukrainian teams in the game are 1-2 in the ranking for Tour of Ukraine
P.S. Thanks for not signing in Bobridge, i feared that a lot.
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 19-05-2014 13:01
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 19-05-2014 13:14
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Avin Wargunnson wrote:
P.S. Thanks for not signing in Bobridge, i feared that a lot.
You're welcome  Of course i considered bringing him, but I decided to also give Koren a few hilly stage-races with TTs as our leader. Bobridge would have had q better chance, but I also fancy Koren's chances to maybe aim for a podium or Top-5.
Also brought Rogers hoping for a Top-20 and a stage-win. Much will depend on how early he will sit up when being dropped. Hoping for less huge gaps and he may do well. Also took care of Koren being our best rated puncheur here, toavoid a situation in which a rider like Visconti would attack in the hilly stages with Koren being dropped Hoping for all my ideas paying off in a way
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 13:07
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| Selwink |
Posted on 19-05-2014 13:15
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I don't expect too much here, but I'll be happy if my riders surprise me
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 19-05-2014 13:23
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Very surprised, but relieved, to see no Bobridge on the startlist. With Craven then being the best puncher in the field, I hope for some selective hill stages. I think he needs quite a big gap in order to keep Ignatiev behind him.
I hope Van Avermaet can deliver some good results on the sprint stages, as well. With Dockx and Sestili as support, we should be able to make a decent train for him. I fear his low acc-stat will be a problem, though.
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 19-05-2014 13:56
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Lots of competition for Westra. Top 5 would be a good result.
Hope the hilly stages are selective and that Westra goes with the favourite attacks. If it's a big peloton finish two times we can pretty much forget top 5.
Ignatiev has a huge chance to win this.
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 19-05-2014 14:23
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Sykkel_Freak wrote:
Very surprised, but relieved, to see no Bobridge on the startlist. With Craven then being the best puncher in the field, I hope for some selective hill stages. I think he needs quite a big gap in order to keep Ignatiev behind him.
It would be pretty disappointing for me to see him gapped at all, given the fact likes of gesink were not able to do it regulary in PT wildcard, but i indeed see Craven as biggest threat together with Kangaert. Fingers crosssed.
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 19-05-2014 14:49
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My win goal! Ehh... 
Hope Konovalovas can manage to sneak into the top 5. And Greipel should win at least 2 stages here, and maybe even stage 2 as well.
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| Smowz |
Posted on 19-05-2014 14:53
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Easy win for Ignatiev.
Old man Rogers will no way survive that hill. I guess Craven may distance Ignatiev on the climb - but I think he is too 'scared' to try
No room for politics in the Man game but I have to ask are any of these stages skirting near the Crimea? 
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 19-05-2014 17:14
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It's all western Ukraine Smowz! Although those with a good memory might see a strong resemblance to last year's Tour of Sochi course
The De Panne win makes me satisfied not to have Bibby here, but should be a very interesting race. Lucky for Ignatiev and co that Bobridge is missing - and sticking on Oz selections, am a bit surprised to see Rogers here rather than Olympia's Tour!
Edited by SportingNonsense on 19-05-2014 17:15
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| fintas |
Posted on 19-05-2014 17:23
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I would like to get the top 10 with Gerdemann, and some top10 of stage but but there is a lot of competition
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| jph27 |
Posted on 19-05-2014 17:34
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SportingNonsense wrote:
It's all western Ukraine Smowz! Although those with a good memory might see a strong resemblance to last year's Tour of Sochi course
The De Panne win makes me satisfied not to have Bibby here, but should be a very interesting race. Lucky for Ignatiev and co that Bobridge is missing - and sticking on Oz selections, am a bit surprised to see Rogers here rather than Olympia's Tour!
Yep, I'm surprised too. But not complaining as its good for Reus |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 19-05-2014 18:15
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jph27 wrote:
SportingNonsense wrote:
It's all western Ukraine Smowz! Although those with a good memory might see a strong resemblance to last year's Tour of Sochi course
The De Panne win makes me satisfied not to have Bibby here, but should be a very interesting race. Lucky for Ignatiev and co that Bobridge is missing - and sticking on Oz selections, am a bit surprised to see Rogers here rather than Olympia's Tour!
Yep, I'm surprised too. But not complaining as its good for Reus
It's a gamble, guys, and they do pay off sometimes
Bobridge: with him being our only top-puncheur, i decided to play the advantage of also having Koren and go for some classics instead of just sending Bobo to all stage races. Koren ain't much worse than Ignatiev on hills, so if both finish well on uphill stages, also Koren stands a podium-chance. At least that's my hope
Rogers: a more risky gamble, yes. But here's hoping that he will finish in a main group not ridicolous far behind the best puncheurs and then play his TT-strength for a Top-15/10. In Olympia's he would have had a better chance, but I still can hope for Ford or Olman to survive all road races a lot of hopes, yes, but if both plays out well, you guys have to spend me a beer
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| jt1109 |
Posted on 20-05-2014 10:28
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Team is a slightly strong one hoping that Docker can do well in the sprints which will probably mean Durasek will set their and do nothing in the race:/ but hopefully a good TT from Canadian Champion Meier in the TT after his showing in the break at Rheden other then that Cataford gets his first chance to ride a TT Matte will probably be last overall Naud has done a great job as a team-mate all season and Warbasse has rode well at the moment and a surprise point or two from him would be nice. |
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| fjhoekie |
Posted on 20-05-2014 21:29
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Right...
This should always have been an easy win... 3 riders in the top 11, and still failing... Well done!
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
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| admirschleck |
Posted on 20-05-2014 21:31
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What a great way to waste race-days! This is definitely some sort of record. No team ever did this bad. All 7 riders finishing in last 19. Just ridiculous. 
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