|
Tour of Vancouver Discussion
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-08-2014 14:54
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3905
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
HC racing returns with the Mountaineous Tour of Vancouver, where some of the best climbers of the division will battle it out on two Mountaintop finishes, as well as an opening Mountain Time Trial.
Whoever wins that opening MTT will most likely hold the yellow jersey through the next two stages, which look good for the sprinters.
Stage four will be a major challenge to anyone who wants to win the GC, and a bad day atop Mount Cypress could have catastrophical consequences.
Following that is another "easy" sprint stage, but being close to the ocean cross winds are always a possibility.
Though not quite as tough as stage four, stage six, which leads the peleton up Mount Seymour, will still be a big decider.
Contrary to last year, where the last stage was an Individual Time Trial, the race finishes up with a Team Time Trial, so teams will have to bring both Mountain helpers and time triallists if they want to win the GC.
Top favourite for the GC win of course has to be Benat Intxausti  , who has acceptable support in the mountains, with Pardilla and Hirschlein, but very strong TT support, with the likes of Yatsevich and Grabovski, and of course he can TT quite well himself.
Abal  is also in with a shout, he has Serpa and Plaza as his big support in the mountains, and Plaza and himself are also fairly good TTists, so he shouldn't lose too much on the last day either.
Jani Brajkovic  is another one to look out for. American youngster Tyler Brandt and Tom Peterson might be the only climber in his team, but everyone bar Tolleson is a good TTist, making Heineken one of the top favourites for the TTT.
Fabio Duarte  only has minimal support in the Mountains, but can count on enough support to get him through the TTT.
Domenico Pozzovivo  is another rider to look at, though he'll be on his own except for Marzano in the Mountains, and Kappas TTT train isn't exactly the best either.
Behind that we're looking at guys like Popovych  , Karpets  , Marquez  , Kiserlovski  or Lövkvist  .
Corioni , Kreder , Rangel  , Grosu , Wippert , Damrow, Tolleson and Martin will be fighting it out in the sprints, though none of them has a dedicated team, so we might well see attackers prevailing on the flat stages.
Vaitkus  is the only sprinter with anything resembling a lead out train, though he simply isn't as good as some of the above named.
Edited by Dippofix on 07-08-2014 12:43
|
| |
|
|
| fjhoekie |
Posted on 06-08-2014 14:56
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Vaitkus will win a stage anyhow...
Topchanyuk and Efimkin will be fighting for a top 10... Have got a decent TT support for them 
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
| |
|
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-08-2014 15:02
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3905
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
fjhoekie wrote:
Vaitkus will win a stage anyhow...
Topchanyuk and Efimkin will be fighting for a top 10... Have got a decent TT support for them
Nah, I doubt it. The TT support is average at best, and they'll struggle with their low hill rating. Top 10 would be a real succes.
|
| |
|
|
| jph27 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 18:25
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7339
Joined: 20-03-2010
PCM$: 900.00
|
My team not being mentioned is always a good sign  |
| |
|
|
| Miguel98 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 18:52
|
World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Pedraza not mentioned.  |
| |
|
|
| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:00
|
Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
PCM$: 0.00
|
No mention of the "local" team carrying a key goal is slightly disappointing
Cant remember exactly who i sent but breakaways, a stage win a d our goal would just be an awesome result
|
| |
|
|
| jt1109 |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:28
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3215
Joined: 23-07-2008
PCM$: 400.00
|
Shame I couldn't come here due to bands with it being a local race but that's how it is Barcadi win but Brajkovic will be close i think |
| |
|
|
| Dippofix |
Posted on 06-08-2014 19:59
|
Classics Specialist
Posts: 3905
Joined: 29-01-2013
PCM$: 300.00
|
Tbh, there were a lot of riders that might well be fighting for a Top 10, so I'm sorry for anyone I forgot to mention. I just wasn't fully sure who all would need to be mentioned, so I decided I'd keep it short and get straight to racing.
|
| |
|
|
| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 07-08-2014 06:08
|
World Champion
Posts: 14236
Joined: 20-06-2011
PCM$: 300.00
|
Top 10 is the goal with Popovych, but top5 could be possible, if he somehow founds his old form. No pressure on Grosu for the sprints, but those rolling stages can suit him to grab some top5. Good luck to all, i am looking forward to some PCT action after the break. 
Not sure about my TTT lineup here, maybe we can attack the top3 there.
|
| |
|
|
| Alakagom |
Posted on 07-08-2014 12:54
|
World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Great to see the racing back. Very nice report Dippo. Preety pleased with the opening result, hope two MTFs will be selective enough for TTT not to have much effect.
|
| |
|
|
| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 13:06
|
Bot Agent
Posts: Countless
Joined: 23.11.09
|
|
| IP: None |
|
|
| Miguel98 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 13:01
|
World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
Racing is back! Nice result by Pedraza, hopefully he will crack the top 10 in the race. |
| |
|
|
| fintas |
Posted on 07-08-2014 13:43
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
|
Do not have high expectations for this race so all you get is positive.
Karpets begins well let's see if there will be severely degraded by the final TT.
|
| |
|
|
| fjhoekie |
Posted on 07-08-2014 14:20
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Efimkin about where I expected him, Kononenko surprisingly strong, Topchanyuk not good, Vrecer decent for a helper here
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
| |
|
|
| jph27 |
Posted on 07-08-2014 15:11
|
Team Leader
Posts: 7339
Joined: 20-03-2010
PCM$: 900.00
|
Maillet already 50 seconds down  |
| |
|
|
| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 08-08-2014 19:36
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2073
Joined: 11-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Nice to see some racing again!
Good start for Duarte. If he could hold on to that 5th place until the end of the race, it would be a good race for us. Also hoping Corioni can get a stage win here, although lacking a great lead-out.
|
| |
|
|
| Miguel98 |
Posted on 08-08-2014 20:15
|
World Champion
Posts: 10497
Joined: 23-06-2011
PCM$: 200.00
|
wtf |
| |
|
|
| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 09-08-2014 17:29
|
Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2073
Joined: 11-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
That last category 4 climb seems to have had a much bigger impact than I thought it would. Corioni is at least best of the sprinters. Good to see that ahead of the next stage, which should be a clean battle between the sprinters.
|
| |
|
|
| fjhoekie |
Posted on 09-08-2014 17:44
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4476
Joined: 25-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
|
Kononenko suddenly has 77 MO, 74SP? Damn he's strong at the moment... Shame Vaitkus couldn't win this, but 4th is still decent. Efimkin nicely placed in the front aswell
Manager of Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska in the PCM.Daily Man-Game |
| |
|
|
| Stevenag |
Posted on 09-08-2014 19:40
|
Domestique
Posts: 452
Joined: 26-05-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
Great start by Pozzovivo, who finally gets a decent result, but on a flat stage.
The bonus seconds should help for a lot of what will be lost in the TTT.
To bad Brajkovic looks unbeatable at the moment.
|
| |
|
|
| Levi4life |
Posted on 10-08-2014 01:48
|
Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4882
Joined: 16-03-2007
PCM$: 200.00
|
I just left Vancouver. Very pleased with the results thusfar. Hopefully the team I sent is strong enough to support Janez
|
| |
|
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
