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Volta a Portugal Discussion
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 29-09-2015 07:50
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 Volta a Portugal
Welcome to one of the biggest HC-races on the calendar: Volta a Portugal.
The GC can go many ways. Usually you'd look at the big mountain stage to Torre for the decision, but with 32,9 km of TT-ing the next day and a plentitude of hilly stages someone might be able to take a good bit of time on the strongest climbers and the leading teams will have to work hard to keep breakaays under control.
So let's have a look at who's in play:
With that it's obvious that it's Machados race to lose. Best climber and best TT'er and hilly rider among the climbers.
The hilly stages looks very open0, but it's higghly doubtful that any of these will be able to gain enough time to challeng for the GC after the queen stage.
A very even field of TT'ers have come here so we could be in for some close decisions on both the prologue and the long ITT. Kangert and Nepomnyachsniy appears as some of the more versatile riders in the pack and with a bit of luck they could be able to challenge for a top 10 thanks to their overall strenghts.
Even though 5 stages are flat-rated none of them are in fact flat and uncomplicated so some of these sprinters could be in for a long race even though it looks like a great sprinting field on paper. Especially Ulanowskis ability to handle hills could prove a big problem for him in this race. That opens the field for the likes of Grosu and Gatto while Cavendish being the top dog here will be detemined to continue his good form of late.
All-in-all we have a very open race with no certainties.
Edited by Atlantius on 29-09-2015 08:39
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| roturn |
Posted on 29-09-2015 08:08
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Team Manager
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This was a race, I considered to take part sending the Olivier/Aru duo. By the look of the start list, they could have done pretty well I guess. Unfortunately the HC band was not 100% ideal though.
Normally this should be an easy win for Machado. |
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| fintas |
Posted on 29-09-2015 08:29
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Just like in Áustria i have 0 expectations for the GC. But for me Haussler is the main favorite to win the sprint stages, stages 3-6-7 and 11 will be complicated for the pure sprinters like Cavendish or Ulanowski and Haussler can take advantage of the hill factor....
For the GC go go Machado.....
Ps: no full startlist??
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 29-09-2015 08:31
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Team Leader
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ofc. I'll have it up in a moment
Edit: And it's up
Edited by Atlantius on 29-09-2015 08:40
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| The Rider |
Posted on 29-09-2015 09:47
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Can Machado find a way not to win this one?
Cavendish here? Hmm! Why here and not at the Olimpia tour? Hmm!
As for us. Iglinskiy to salvage a decent top 15, perhaps. With two sprint wins in similar terrain this season, Mansilla will be there or thereabouts. |
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| Avin Wargunnson |
Posted on 29-09-2015 10:09
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World Champion
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Our third PCT race this year and one we have been looking forward to the most. fintas seems asured about Haussler being a clear favourite for those lumpy flat stages, but our romanian prodigy Eduard Grosu will hopefully try to have some say about it, being even better on hills and acceleration and just lacking a bit of a speed on Haussler. 
Thus i hope for a stage win with him and GC top15 with our young stage racer Karnulin. Machado should dominate this.
Good luck to all and thanks for the preview Atlantius!
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| dev4ever |
Posted on 29-09-2015 10:20
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Small Tour Specialist
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Not picking any strong climbers here will hopefully allow my guys to go into lots of breaks... Who knows with one lucky break-stage Landa might enter top 10 again
Machado has this any day of the week, would be heartbreak to see him lose here
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| knockout |
Posted on 29-09-2015 10:41
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Grand Tour Champion
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I don't think we have seen a favourite this far ahead of the rest of the field. Machado can only lose this.
I guess Kwiatek could be his closest rival but comparing the stats there is enough space to park the Orica team bus in between .
It's very interesting to see Cav here. Huge, huge gamble and i hope it turns out as a decent decision for sutty.
For my team, Geschke is the designed leader. During planning I loved this race for him. And after the recent Top Ten he can confirm that he's not Roy-ish useless.
The rest of my squad is filled with very interesting allrounders. Siskevicius Is a puncheur with a strong finish. Dzamastagic is a god who is once again on the line to try something. And also Smukulis and Smirnovs are interesting as well when they can join the attacks. While no one of them was mentioned in the preview ( which I would not have done either) I still have some hopes for this race. They just need to try!
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| sutty68 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 10:59
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Tour de France Champion
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knockout wrote :
It's very interesting to see Cav here. Huge, huge gamble and i hope it turns out as a decent decision for sutty.
Looking back my planning could have been better but you never know he may surprise me  |
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| Bikex |
Posted on 29-09-2015 11:03
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The only race, I sent Rodrigues to as a leader. He surely isn't one of the top favourites, that's prevented by his low HI and TT abilities, but on the mountain stage I hope to see him fight it out with the other top favourites(maybe except Machado). With the home bonus, Rodrigues could do well.
Rasmus Quaade is here for two time trials, but considering his season so far, he'll completely fail. It seems like a waste of race days for Nepomnyachsniy, but maybe he'll surprise in a positive way for a change. |
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 29-09-2015 11:25
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Balls must podium for us in this race and do well in the Mountains to get high stage placings as we need the points. There is also a chance of victory here as Machado and his team will have their hands full so hopefully we can do something great here to change our season around.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 24-11-2024 05:36
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| tastasol |
Posted on 29-09-2015 11:57
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Make or break race for us. Felt that I had to send a strong team here, given the amount of race days and my lack of a good climber. Levarlet could challenge for a good GC-result, so hope the hilly stages will be selective.
Stage win and a top 15 is what I should be hoping for. Levarlet hasn't been very good this season, so this is his chance to shine. Also the by far longest running race we have done in our two and a half season. Hope it will be a good experience.
Sincerly hope that Machado will take the win. Anything else would just be a shame, really.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 12:22
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Kenya and Kärcher will leave us behind in the dust with great Kwiatek and Haussler results and Prio will score so massively that they're in a position to fight us again.
I really look forward to this.
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| Smowz |
Posted on 29-09-2015 13:41
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Looking forward to this - this my PT raiders have some chances of decent finishes here.
Machado very OP here though surely a celebration race for him!
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| Mhaley45 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 14:09
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AMEX-Navigon is just going to be sniping for stages. No serious challenger for a high GC finish other than Ian Boswell who will have a good race if he is in the top 12.
Looking for breakaways.
=========================================
Team Manager of AMEX - Navigon
Editor of the Cobbler
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 14:17
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Let's go for breaks here. |
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 29-09-2015 15:03
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Thanks for the preview Atlantius.
I think it's obvious to everyonr that Machado is the favourite, so there's no reason he won't finish second here 
Good luck everyone.
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| viking90 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 15:50
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Breakaways if we want anything good out of this race, and maybe "Hoogie" can get a okey GC place with his good combinated Hill/Mon stats. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 29-09-2015 16:47
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Really looking forward to this race. Kwiatek can challenge Machado on the hilly days, hopefully he continues his amazing form this year. If he does anything is possible, including the win.
Bookwalter should get at least a stage here in one of the two TT's so this should be a very successful race here. Hoping it can be a launchpad to promotion for us. |
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 29-09-2015 16:49
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I would cry a little river if Machado won't win this!
Kwiatek, Cataldo, Boily... A few allround guys, who will do well. Maybe Bennett, that would be cool to see. No good memories for Oz here, but I still kinda like that race. Good luck you all.
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