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Roma Maxima Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 20-09-2018 07:49
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 Roma Maxima
A new race on the schedule - well, at least "new" in a way: the Roma Maxima comes with a well known route, that used to be the Strada Appia's course for the previous seasons. They will now be used for this first edition of this new event on the PCT calendar and with the the KBC De Panne Tour held at the same time (starting one day earlier), it was always going to be one of the most interesting race clashes for cobbles this year.
Not much to say about this known route then: a climb halfway through the race, that did not use to be of any bigger impact for the actual outcome in the ProTour's race editions. The crucial cobbles towards (and in) Rome then and obviously, it's a perfect route for a selective race, where only the very best cobblers should be able to fight for the victory.
The Startlist
The Favorites | Favorites | FL | HI | CO | SP | Outsiders | FL | HI | CO | SP |  Baugnies | 78 | 72 | 80 | 65 |  Joseph | 74 | 66 | 76 | 66 | | Vanbilsen | 78 | 69 | 80 | 72 |  Nepomnyachsniy | 74 | 64 | 76 | 78 |  Burghardt | 75 | 68 | 80 | 65 |  Domene | 73 | 57 | 76 | 74 |  Vanmarcke | 76 | 66 | 80 | 70 |  Debesay | 74 | 73 | 75 | 69 |  Nolf | 74 | 66 | 80 | 63 |  Van der Haar | 77 | 72 | 75 | 72 |  Theuns | 72 | 74 | 78 | 77 | Langeveld | 75 | 71 | 75 | 62 |  Taubel | 73 | 65 | 78 | 61 | Grashev | 68 | 69 | 75 | 65 |  Bush | 74 | 62 | 78 | 71 | Fouquet | 74 | 67 | 75 | 68 | | Taillefour | 77 | 57 | 78 | 54 | Østergaard | 74 | 63 | 75 | 65 | | Breen | 77 | 70 | 77 | 73 | Verbist | 75 | 62 | 75 | 56 | | Bolivar | 73 | 66 | 77 | 64 |  Per | 75 | 69 | 74 | 70 | | Grand | 72 | 65 | 77 | 65 | Harrison | 72 | 67 | 73 | 78 | | Insausti | 70 | 64 | 77 | 57 |  Batmunkh | 73 | 65 | 73 | 74 | | Saber | 75 | 68 | 76 | 81 | Gatto | 70 | 73 | 71 | 77 |
So who's going to benefit from this gamble, whether to go to Italy or the Belgium stage race? Obviously, those riders who will ride here, will hope for their decision to pay off eventually:
Baugnies as the big favorite with no Blythe or Vanspeybrouck at the start. And with his latest success at the Viana do Castelo, he maybe would have been a top favorite anyway. He's been super aggressive in the early season classics so far and it may be the most interesting question, whether he continues to attack here or not. At least, there's some more pressure to deliver a podium/win now.
Vanbilsen, Vanmarcke, Burghardt and Nolf with a rare top favorite opportunity then. Both Vanbilsen and Vanmarcke had some solid results so far this season and they simply have to aim for the podium here. Also Nolf with some pressure to deliver in Vanspeybrouck's abscence and it's surely a great opportunity for Carlsberg to score on two occasions. The same goes for Podium Ambition and also Lierse, too.
Theuns as an ever interesting contender as well: with his sprint abilities, he will try to be in the front group as long as possible. The same goes for Bush, Breen and of course Saber. The Moroccon as another rider, who will have to take this rare opportunity of a less packed cobblers field. If he will hang on until the final kilometres in Rome, he's definitely a real threat for whatever position he will fight then.
Taubel, Intsausti, Nepomnchyachsniy, Debesay or Van der Haar as other possible Top-10 contenders. Both Debesay and Van der Haar had at least one strong result in an early season classic this season and they will attempt to be in the front groups again. Just like a few premium domestiques or second options for their teams - like Taillefour, Grand, Bolivar, Joseph or Domene. Local hero Gatto as one of those sprinters, who may have secret hopes for a bigger group to fight for the victory. It does not seem likely, though.
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 20-09-2018 08:03
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All depends on how long Saber and maybe Per can hang on to the front. A few too many cobbles sectors for both of them perhaps. Any points would be better than GW, so there's a huge scope for improvement 
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 20-09-2018 08:05
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This race looks interesting!!! Lots of strong guys here!! Good luck everyone!
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| jandal7 |
Posted on 20-09-2018 08:22
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World Champion
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My hopes here hinge on two people who should have maybe gone to Belgium: Debesay and Jams! Gimme a top 10 and a break, come on 
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant."
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| Booker |
Posted on 20-09-2018 08:56
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Jérôme has to be the big favorite for this one - and that’s exactly what I like to see in our win goal race!
Can’t really look past him to be honest, with his form so far this year and the profile set up well for him.
Thanks for the preview tsmoha, you are the arbiter of all PCT cobbled races this season, it is written.
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| Aquarius97 |
Posted on 20-09-2018 09:33
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Well, well, well. Sep, you have a nice record in this route, finishing in 2016 only behind the two cobbled monsters of this era.
I hope Sep can get a podium here at least to make the gamble to not being in De Panne worthy. I guess Theuns is winning this
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| quadsas |
Posted on 20-09-2018 11:01
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Small Tour Specialist
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our team is baroudeurs and sprinters...could get a fluke result here
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 20-09-2018 11:11
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Going to need Marcus to attack and push hard to get something from this, because he's not going to win a sprint. Would like to slip someone in a breakaway, but i don't think PCM will do that despite not having a strong enough team to sit in and help... Top5 will do me happily!
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 20-09-2018 11:39
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Hoping for a good result from Breen. The combination of <200 km of racing and flat cobbles should suit him fairly well. He needs to get his positioning right, though, so he doesn't miss any splits like he has done on a couple of occasions this season.
Looking forward to the report! 
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Posted on 23-11-2024 15:35
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 20-09-2018 12:00
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WCC decided to commit to Roma when the cobbled calendar clash became apparent, forgoing De Panne. Fingers crossed this turns out to be a good decision and provides a solid ppRD return. The fact that 2nd cobbled option Bolivar makes it into the preview reflects a weakened (but not weak!) start-list due to the clash. Between Bush, Bolivar and Harrison hoping for a good outcome .
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 20-09-2018 14:21
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Bringing Vanbilsen here seems the correct decision, a podium here is a must.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 20-09-2018 14:48
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Stronger startlist than I expected to be honest, but hopefully that will only help VSB in Belgium. It's not crazy strong though, so Nolf certainly has the skill capability to get a top 5 or at least top 10. Whether he will or not is a totally different question, one that I'm assured has a negative answer. But we'll see.
Only time we were forced to split our cobbles team. It would be nice if it ended up being worth it, but we'll see.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| matt17br |
Posted on 20-09-2018 19:12
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Well, Theuns is supposed to do great here. Looks like it might have been equally good to take him here or to KBC looking at startlists, so hopefully a bad daily form doesn't see me regretting this decision.
Thanks tsmoha! Baugnies is the favourite here I think.
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| Aquarius97 |
Posted on 21-09-2018 13:08
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Now i get to know what Booker felt in previous cobbled races 
Sep wasted probably too much in the cobbles trying to make a selective race, but at the end fourth in that sprint is a normal results, seeing who finished ahead. A nice scoring race for Sep again (41 points), who continues with his great cobbles campaign, and reassures me that i made the right decision in the cobbled clash, seeing what happened in Panne S1.
Also Taillefour scoring his first point of the season (maybe his only ) after finishing 24th.
Thanks for the report tsmoha and congrats to Ollfardh and those managers who got a big chunk of points from this race (WCC, Phillips)
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| matt17br |
Posted on 21-09-2018 13:15
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Very solid podium here by Theuns that proves he has what it takes to be among the best in the division. Very pleased with his performance and racing in general.
Congrats Ollfardh and thanks tsmoha for the very nice report!
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| AbhishekLFC |
Posted on 21-09-2018 13:17
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Finally, the Per has come back from 2017!
At last a race where we over-perform! That is the David Per who took the CT by storm and the reason we took him back on loan. Brilliant work from him to set up Saber. Although our captain couldn't quite pull off the sprint victory, 2nd place is much much more than I was expecting. Add Per's 9th place to that and I'm thrilled
Cograts to Lierse on the win and thank you for the report tsmoha
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 21-09-2018 13:22
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Vanbilsen Maximus! Clearly the strongest today so glad he could still finish it in the sprint after everyone came back. A great first win of the season and it's also the first Italian classic we win. It also provides us some much needed points after a bad februari.
Thanks for the report Tsmoha!
PS: Baugnies who?
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 21-09-2018 13:47
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Tour de France Champion
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What i expected/feared would happen for Marcus. Show good strength to go with the moves, but ultimately lack the final power to get a reasonable result. Luckily we were firing hard in KBC so it's a limited loss, even if it is another nail in the coffin of Burghardts future.
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 21-09-2018 14:02
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Delighted with this outcome for WCC, the gamble to bypass De Panne seems to be vindicated (2nd year in succession of randomness their means lottery ticket might have won or lost, but prefer better certainty). Most delighted that Bolivar steps up (in admittedly a weaker field), the Colombian 2nd tier cobbler getting a nice points haul and first signficiant result on his palmares in 6th. Bush in 5th and back-up from Harrison and Russo in 15th and 17th in the 2nd group means our depth versus most of the competition trying to juggle both cobbled races in the clash pays off.
Congrats to Lierse on the win, and thanks to TSM for the usual high quality reporting that makes the action easy to follow.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 21-09-2018 14:04
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Fricking Nolf. He was right up there the whole way. Followed every move. Not that it means anything. 10th. Fricking disgusting. I wish I had dumped that trash the first day of transfers.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
