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Olympia's Tour Discussion
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| Tamijo |
Posted on 14-01-2018 07:31
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 [C1] Olympia's Tour
Welcome to the 6th edition of Olympia's Tour.
The Venue
Olympia's Tour was first raced back in 2011, won by Jérome Giaux from Team IKEA – Bianchi by a breakaway on the final stage, at the time a hilly route.
The race was not selected for the 2012 MG calendar, but was quickly reclaimed for a 2013 edition and has been races every year since.
From 2015 the onwards the hilly final stage was removed from the race, preventing a puncher from taking the win.
Now we got a combination of the opening ITT’s, sprinter stages and a TTT, making it most likely that the winner will be amongst those 3-5 riders that will not lose too much time on the first day. That said there could easily be time lost on the TTT, also important seconds won from the bonus in the sprints, could become important.
We have 16 PCT teams participating:
Berg Cycles, Compal-Merida, Euskaltel, Fablok - Bank BGZ, Ferrero – Samruk, Generali – EDF, Grieg – Eftel, Indosat Ooredoo – ANZ, Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam, Minions, Netia – Vónin, Novatek-Panarmenian.net, Orange Pro Cycling, Podium Ambition, Team Ticos Air Costa Rica and Valio - DeLaval
4 CT teams: cycleYorkshire, Kulczyk – DMTEX, Löbauer Stadtwerke – Etixx and Philips – Continental.
The Favorites
Last year’s winner  Kovalev is not here, this year riding for PT team Tinkoff Sport Academy, but 2015 winner  Cornu and 2014 winner  Ford is both attending and the two are the strongest time trialist, with Fords lack of resistance hard to say how well he will do against Cornu and some of the other top tempo riders.
Right beneath them we got  Ignatiev, a very strong rider on any parameter.
 Viennet  Paillot both also serious contenders for a win here.
And then from CT team cycleYorkshire, two strong riders  Robert and Stannard, and a very strong TTT squad.
We got  Li with the best sprint amongst the better TT riders, also  Viviani and  Dempster as dangerous outsiders, both from teams with a strong TTT setup
Time Trial
TT specialists:
| Name | TT | PR | RE | SP | Name | TT | PR | RE | SP | | Cornu | 81 | 81 | 76 | 61 |  Mullen | 78 | 78 | 74 | 60 | | Ford | 81 | 81 | 64 | 73 | Sterbini | 78 | 78 | 73 | 57 | | Viennet | 80 | 80 | 75 | 55 |  Balloni | 78 | 78 | 71 | 63 | | Paillot | 80 | 80 | 74 | 63 | Sterobo | 78 | 78 | 69 | 56 | | Ignatiev | 80 | 80 | 74 | 72 | Li | 78 | 78 | 68 | 75 | | Viviani | 79 | 79 | 77 | 71 | Tennant | 78 | 77 | 76 | 67 | | Dempster | 79 | 79 | 74 | 71 | Atkins | 78 | 77 | 75 | 61 | | Robert | 79 | 79 | 70 | 55 | Boaro | 77 | 78 | 71 | 61 | | Stannard | 79 | 79 | 70 | 57 | Ghyselinck | 77 | 77 | 77 | 64 | | Dennis | 78 | 81 | 75 | 65 | Andersen | 77 | 77 | 74 | 51 |
Team Time Trial strength:
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Total | | cycleYorkshire | 79 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 74 | 388 | | Grieg | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 388 | | Generali | 79 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 388 | | Valio | 80 | 77 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 375 | | Orange | 80 | 77 | 74 | 72 | 68 | 371 | | Novatek | 81 | 74 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 370 | | Ferrero | 80 | 75 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 370 | | Berg | 78 | 76 | 73 | 71 | 70 | 368 |  Philips | 77 | 76 | 73 | 72 | 68 | 366 |  Fablok | 77 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 66 | 366 | | Compal | 78 | 77 | 72 | 68 | 67 | 362 | | Kulczyk | 78 | 77 | 73 | 65 | 62 | 355 |  Indosat | 75 | 74 | 72 | 66 | 65 | 352 | | Euskaltel | 81 | 72 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 347 |  Netia | 74 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 64 | 342 |  Minions | 75 | 73 | 64 | 61 | 60 | 333 |  Podium | 68 | 66 | 65 | 65 | 62 | 326 |  Lierse SK | 67 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 64 | 325 | | Löbauer | 73 | 64 | 62 | 62 | 59 | 320 |  Ticos Air | 68 | 65 | 64 | 62 | 61 | 320 |
The Sprints
As none of the sprinters has a very strong TT, it is not very likely to see a top sprinter take the GC, but there will of course be fierce competition to take the wins on the four pancake flat stages.
Lo Cicero and Mohs will be the favorites in the sprints, Mohs maybe with a slight advantage to the a better team support, but on paper Lo Cicero fastest.
Right beneath them Kennaugh, Goss Vantomme, Guillén and Nelson definitely also dangerous for a stage win.
Holloway, Silvestre, Bouhanni and Rowe not outright favorites for a stage win, but a podium is very possiable on the right day.
Guardini will be racing for Mohs, but if anything should happen to his captain, he will be very likely to podium the sprinter stages and may well bring home some good results in any case.
List of sprinters:
| Name | S | A | Name | S | A | | Lo Cicero | 84 | 78 | Bouhanni | 80 | 77 | | Mohs | 83 | 82 | Rowe | 80 | 70 | | Kennaugh | 82 | 81 | Hochmann | 79 | 80 | | Goss | 82 | 78 | Matthews | 79 | 79 | | Vantomme | 82 | 78 | Stepniak | 79 | 79 | | Guillén | 81 | 82 | Bennett | 79 | 79 | | Nelson | 81 | 81 | Manarelli | 79 | 79 | | Guardini | 80 | 82 | Krieger | 79 | 79 | | Holloway | 80 | 82 | Chen | 79 | 78 | | Silvestre | 80 | 81 |  Pelucchi | 79 | 77 |
We haven’t seen a breakaway change the result of the GC over the last few years and it is not very like that will happen, but the race will have small time differences so it is not impossible that a successful breakaway can make a difference.
Full startlist:
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| Ad Bot |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 14-01-2018 08:21
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Always two of the big three sprinters at these races, Mohs vs. Lo Cicero this time. Vantomme went really well last year here iirc though, so maybe a few expectations, although our talents in these flat races have really been messing us up a bit, so we'll see. 
As for the GC, imagine if CycleYorkshire won the stage... Would propel them out of the CT ceiling (quite literally if they promoted  )in terms of points scored. 
Finally thank you for the wonderful preview Tamijo! 
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| tastasol |
Posted on 14-01-2018 08:52
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2889
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Wow, the TTT looks like a real fight! Sending our strongest TT team here, so hopefully they will have good daily form when it counts. A bit worried that we lack a top TT rider, but we'll see. Near the front, guys!
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| viking90 |
Posted on 14-01-2018 09:00
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Always been a race I have looked forward to 'cause Ahlstrand potential to Score big here but he only got One stage win but aswell the pts jersey, and Early om in my first season we took two stages, Guarnieri and Chicchi that was two of few highlights from that season 
Mohs with Guardini as leadout is the favorite for me. (regarding the sprints
if that´s enough for GC I dont know)
Good luck guys!
Edited by viking90 on 14-01-2018 10:08
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 14-01-2018 10:06
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Posts: 6795
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This was always going to be an important race for us. Even more so with how the early season have gone for us.
Hopefully Paillot will have one of his good days on the TT, Lo Cicero getting in shape and then we should be able to ride a strong TTT as well.
I have somewhat sacrificed Lo Cicero's leadout in advantage of the TTT so hopefully they won't decide making their own train.
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 14-01-2018 10:22
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
Joined: 19-07-2010
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Fantastic preview with all the overview of the TT stuff! Thanks for that.
Ford should be in real danger to lose some time on the flat stages, I fear. It's always been a gamble, but of course it has to be tried. Cheering for him, obviously. Cornu, Ignatiev and Paillot, as well as Viennet as some real contenders of course. But I also like the setup for cycleYorkshire and would be rooting for Dennis as well.
Goss for the sprints! Should be a fun race to follow.
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 14-01-2018 10:46
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Grand Tour Champion
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My race planning has been abysmal this season...
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 14-01-2018 11:45
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
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Why am I here?
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| fintas |
Posted on 14-01-2018 12:40
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2602
Joined: 21-03-2008
PCM$: 1200.00
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Win goal thought for Fiedler, but with his departure from the team the possibility of this happened disappeared. Silvestre is the only possibility to get a good result, I liked to at least win a stage.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 14-01-2018 13:07
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11677
Joined: 27-07-2015
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Home race. We're here to soak up the sun and have the best seats in the house for everything. We might wave to the home crowds a bit too
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 14-01-2018 13:28
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 29989
Joined: 20-10-2006
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Disappointing season needs to be turned around starting immediately. Kennaugh and Viennet (latter has been extremely sucky this season) to the rescue. |
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 14-01-2018 14:01
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4505
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Here's hoping Goss can keep his terrific consistency going here. Pretty decent team by his side for the sprint stages, so here's hoping he can get a few good results. Bit of a lottery I think for the overall win, hard to predict who'll come out on top.
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| ryant |
Posted on 14-01-2018 15:30
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2322
Joined: 15-08-2012
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We have a decent chance at this race, I'm just hoping theres no break aways that change the GC race. The TTs are also a bit of a lottery so lets just hope we hit the jackpot here, as this could be a very important moment for our promotion push
 John St Ledger in Team Bunzl-Centrica and Team U25Red Bull Driver in RFactor
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| Booker |
Posted on 14-01-2018 19:01
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Breakaway Specialist
Posts: 875
Joined: 03-07-2013
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Dumbassery on the race planning of Kulczyk's team manager, I don't know who that guy thinks he is.
Absolute shambles on my TTT lineup, hopefully PRL is the dominant stat. Could be as it's under 20km? Anyone have an answer whether PRL or TT will be the stat mainly used?
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 14-01-2018 19:06
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 9099
Joined: 13-03-2013
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Eventhouhh we could have been here with a nice ttt line-up for Brändle I'm happy that whe are not here
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| matt17br |
Posted on 14-01-2018 19:10
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 10525
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we're gonna absolutely disintegrate everyone in here go on guys disappoint me
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 15-01-2018 03:08
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Team Leader
Posts: 5533
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Cornu is the top TT rider here and so will hopefully win the ITT. The problem being our TTT set up isn't very good so hopefully Cornu pulls it ridiculously. Expecting at least a Top 10 GC but hopefully higher.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 15-01-2018 08:51
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11677
Joined: 27-07-2015
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What a time for Grabovski to finally deliver! 5th is a great result in this field 
Thanks for the report Tamijo Congrats LLS!
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| Selwink |
Posted on 15-01-2018 09:29
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8856
Joined: 17-05-2012
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Seriously?
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 15-01-2018 09:29
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Directeur Sportif
Posts: 11819
Joined: 19-07-2010
PCM$: 300.00
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Ford 
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