East Midlands Cicle Classic Discussion
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Posted on 25-11-2024 01:19
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liefwarrior |
Posted on 03-05-2022 15:27
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East Midlands Cicle Classic
History Year | Class. | Winner | Team | 2020 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Moser - Sygic | 2019 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Moser - Sygic | 2018 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Moser - Sygic | 2017 | 1.PT | Greg Van Avermaet | Evonik – ELKO | 2016 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Becherovka - Petrof | 2015 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Becherovka - Petrof | 2014 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Becherovka - Kiwibank | 2013 | 1.PT | Sam Bewley | Milka - AVG | 2012 | 1.PT | Tom Boonen | Nestlé Cycling Team | 2011 | 1.CTour | Luke Rowe | Wiggle - San Pellegrino | 2010 | 1.CTour | Oscar Freire | Nokia-Nike |
We return to the the East Midlands for the 12th edition of the region's Cicle Classic. The best flandriennes the cycling world has to offer have had a while to rest since the heights of the spring classics, but now its time to welcome them back in time for autumn. It's an opportunity to see who has managed to maintain their form through summer, or for some to make up for disappointments earlier in the year.
There is only one thing that is certain: this race is Sam Bewley's to lose. Since its introduction to the Pro Tour ten years ago the legendary kiwi has made every single podium and only been knocked from the top step twice. Tom Boonen has long since retired from professional cycling, and Van Avermaet will be joining him after failing to acquire a contract for this season.
A Tier Sam BEWLEY | Edward THEUNS | Lukasz WISNIOWSKI |
B Tier Adam BLYTHE | Danny SUMMERHILL | | Floris GERTS |
C Tier Mike TEUNISSEN | Nathan VAN HOOYDONCK | Mads PEDERSEN | Jan POLANC | Mekseb DEBESAY | Rasmus TILLER | David PER | Arman KAMYSHEV | Florian SENECHAL |
Sam Bewley ( Mapei) will appear in new colours in this years edition, now riding for Mapei. He started the season well, winning the Franceville Classique from a select group. At Paris-Roubaix, probably most similar parcour to the one here, he stayed patient and showed some promise as a track cyclist with an impressive sprint in the velodrome. Hiccups in Italy, Ronde, and the other big British cobbled race: Cheshire, show that he isn't infallible, but aren't enough to suggest he is anything other than a favourite for the win. So, who might challenge the king?
Edward Theuns' ( MOL) season has to be highlighted by his incredible performance at Ronde van Vlaanderen. He marked multiple attacks prior to following the winning move, from there he showed his prowess in the sprint to dominate his fellow escapees at the finish. He followed this up with a very nice second-place in Paris-Roubaix, but convincingly lost out to Bewley in the sprint. If Bewley is dropped as he was in Flanders then Theuns will surely be the favourite, outside that things are less certain.
Adam Blythe ( Eurosport x GCN), last year's Ronde van Vlaanderen winner, dropped down to the ProContinental Tour for 2021, but even at a lower level he hasn't been able to repeat that impressive feat. In the various HC and C1 classics he's been outdone by Joeri Stallaert at every turn. At the PT and PTHC level he has often ended up scoring Top 10s from the chasing group, with the only major failures coming in Cheshire and Dunkerque. If he manages to make it to the end with the lead group then Blythe might manage a solid placing, but a win would certainly exceed expectations.
Danny Summerhill ( Amaysim Cervélo) spent so long dominating in the ProContinental Tour so it is somewhat surprising to find struggling somewhat at the higher level. It might seem peculiar to say that this year's winner of Milano - San Remo is struggling, and perhaps it is an exaggeration. However, outside of the Italian job the American has only scored a single podium, at Macskako Kerekparverseny. His inability to turn aggression into results and poor finishing on the flat have combined into a series of Top 10 finishes. Perhaps here he can revive his campaign.
Mike Teunissen ( Gazelle) has had something of a mixed season so far. His best performance has been 5th in Ronde van Vlaanderen, were he weathered the hills of Flanders only to be dropped on the run into the finish. Similarly, he stuck with the front group at Paris-Roubaix, but proved weak when contesting the sprint. He hasn't managed to stick with the winning move at any of the other cobbled events this year; while he is a contender for a Top 5 nobody should be expecting this Dutchman to win.
Nathan van Hooydonck ( Aegon - Peroni) is another name which has occasionally appeared in the coverage of the spring classics. He was part of the lead group that hit the velodrome in Paris-Roubaix but could only manage 7th. He missed the winning move in Flanders and subsequently failed an attempt to bridge across, albeit managing a Top 10. A big black mark for the Belgian was his atrocious ride on Cheshire's opening stage, losing nearly twenty minutes. He is another who will be looking to follow the right moves to secure a high scoring placing rather than searching for outright victory.
Jan Polanc and Krists Neilands ( Evonik - ELKO) will be contesting leadership between themselves. Polanc ought to be the favoured man, with a podium in Italy and 4th in Poland.
Mekseb Debesay ( Generali) may be Africa's number one flandrienne, but he isn't quite amongst the world's best. He started off well Franceville and Appia Antica but has been middling since then. Experience suggests he will be aggressive but likely lack the power to stay out in front.
Lukasz Wisniowski ( Grieg-Maersk) has to be one of the biggest contenders for victory here. He is joined by Mads Pedersen and Jo Kongstad Ringheim, who are both great cyclists in their own right. The former world champions only cobbled win so far was at Strade Appia Antica, where he rode everybody off his wheel and powered into the finish. He'll be looking to do something similar today, as on several occassions he has destroyed the favourites group only to be outsprinted by whoever happened to hold onto his wheel that day.
Floris Gerts ( Huski Chocolate) has been absolutely sensational in 2021. He rode courageously at Ronde van Vlaanderen, and was rewarded with a podium placing. He followed that up with a more conservative ride into the Top 5 at Paris-Roubaix. Not happy with those two results he went one better in Poland and secured victory by passing Wisniowski moments before the line. The parcour here in the United Kingdom might not be as favourable to him as elsewhere, but perhaps he could use one of the bumps in the road to launch an attack.
David Per ( Isostar - Specialized) began his season rather well. Top 10s in Italy and Flanders, even if he couldn't stick with the favourites, were solid results. Scoring a podium in the Roubaix Velodrome would've been an excellent way to cap off the spring of 2021. Unfortunately, Per rode in Britain at the Cheshire Tour. His torrid performance, losing significant time in the hardridden opening stage and again on the final day, has certainly reduced his stock when it comes to the Midlands.
Przemyslaw Kasperiewicz ( King Power) delivered one of the most impressive rides of the season in the Cheshire Cycling Tour's Stage 1. Launching the morning's first attack, he spent nearly two hundred kilometres at the head of the race. Even once the favourites had chased down the move in the closing stages he had enough power in the legs to rebuild a gap of nearly a minute over the chasing group. Aside from an also impressive 4th-place in Flanders and the General Classification victory in Cheshire the Pole has mostly struggled in and around the lower end of the Top 10. That's probably where he will end up today, as it is likely too much to ask for the heroics he has already displayed more than once per annum.
Michael Boros ( Moser - Sygic) has big boots to fill, but appears to be more a stopgap than a true replacement for Bewley.
Marcos Altur's ( Podium - Ambition) performances so far can best be described as disappointing. Spanish fans will be praying that the time has come for his season to turn around.
Arman Kamyshev ( Team Tinkoff) is our pick for leader of the most stacked team in attendance. Unfortunately for the Russian squad neither he nor Florian Senechal have been able to produce the goods thus far this season, even with the assistance of Alexander Sulimov. We can expect to see their jersey at the front of the peloton, even once it starts to reduce, but unless they can coordinate some aggressive moves I suspect the stars will disappoint their domestiques once again.
Other riders to look out for include Rasmus Tiller ( Farfetch; Ivan Centrone ( EA Vesuvio); Georgios Karatzios ( Festina - OAKA); Abou Sanogo ( ISA - Hexacta); Lukas Meiler ( Team Puma - SAP); Luke Rowe ( Xero Racing); and Eric Young ( Zwift).
Start List:
Spoiler de Kleijn | Arvid | Aegon - Peroni | Vanhoucke | Harm | Aegon - Peroni | Erdenebat | Bilguunjargal | Aegon - Peroni | Summerhill | Danny | Amaysim Cervélo | Chatarunga | Sameera | Amaysim Cervélo | Schreurs | Hamish | Amaysim Cervélo | Scotson | Callum | Amaysim Cervélo | Naud | Patrick | Amaysim Cervélo | Monk | Cyrus | Amaysim Cervélo | Harper | Chris | Amaysim Cervélo | Ghyselinck | Jan | Amaysim Cervélo | Centrone | Ivan | EA Vesuvio | Lampawog | Jay | EA Vesuvio | Cabrera | Nicolas Alejandro | EA Vesuvio | Valter | Attila | EA Vesuvio | Munton | Byron | EA Vesuvio | Wirtgen | Luc | EA Vesuvio | Gall | Felix | EA Vesuvio | Ries | Michel | EA Vesuvio | Blythe | Adam | Eurosport x GCN | Moulingui | Clenne Morvan | Eurosport x GCN | Insausti | Jon Ander | Eurosport x GCN | McLay | Dan | Eurosport x GCN | Rutsch | Jonas | Eurosport x GCN | Doull | Owain | Eurosport x GCN | Stedman | Max | Eurosport x GCN | Hulgaard | Morten | Eurosport x GCN | Polanc | Jan | Evonik - ELKO | Neilands | Krists | Evonik - ELKO | Hofstetter | Hugo | Evonik - ELKO | Budenieks | Kristaps | Evonik - ELKO | Becis | Armands | Evonik - ELKO | Stoltz | Yannick | Evonik - ELKO | Waersted | Syver | Evonik - ELKO | Navardauskas | Ramunas | Evonik - ELKO | Tiller | Rasmus | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Salzmann | Jodok | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Boutopoulos | Georgios | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Geniets | Kevin | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Affini | Edoardo | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Wouters | Enzo | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Elosegui | Inigo | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Soulious | Zisis | Farfetch Pro Cycling | Karatzios | Georgios | Festina - OAKA | Kortsidakis | Michail | Festina - OAKA | Miltiadis | Andreas | Festina - OAKA | Agrotis | Alexandros | Festina - OAKA | Kiriakidis | Ioannidis | Festina - OAKA | Rochas | Remy | Festina - OAKA | Vila | Aimiliano | Festina - OAKA | Kopfauf | Markus | Festina - OAKA | Teunissen | Mike | Gazelle | Potts | Marc | Gazelle | Malecki | Kamil | Gazelle | Kruijswijk | Steven | Gazelle | Hofland | Moreno | Gazelle | Senyenov | Roman | Gazelle | Carcueva | Jonel | Gazelle | Arslanov | Ildar | Gazelle | Debesay | Mekseb | Generali | Gaday | Lucas Manuel | Generali | Menten | Milan | Generali | De Buyst | Jasper | Generali | Van Baarle | Dylan | Generali | Vermote | Julien | Generali | Kung | Stefan | Generali | Malori | Adrian | Generali | Wisniowski | Lukasz | Grieg-Maersk | Pedersen | Mads | Grieg-Maersk | Ringheim | Jo Kogstad | Grieg-Maersk | Kosic | Nejc | Grieg-Maersk | Laporte | Christophe | Grieg-Maersk | Resell | Erik Nordsaeter | Grieg-Maersk | Dahl-Olsen | Gunnar | Grieg-Maersk | Eekhoff | Nils | Grieg-Maersk | Gerts | Floris | Huski Chocolate | Roosen | Timo | Huski Chocolate | Erdenesuren | Munkhtulga | Huski Chocolate | Meeus | Jordi | Huski Chocolate | Hoehn | Alex | Huski Chocolate | Hofstede | Lennard | Huski Chocolate | Dima | Emil | Huski Chocolate | Champoussin | Clement | Huski Chocolate | Sanogo | Abou | ISA - Hexacta | Chokri | El Mehdi | ISA - Hexacta | Harrison | Sam | ISA - Hexacta | Arissol | Ahmad | ISA - Hexacta | Feng | Chun Kai | ISA - Hexacta | Sagiv | Guy | ISA - Hexacta | Frame | Alex | ISA - Hexacta | Ferreyra | Diego Agustin | ISA - Hexacta | Per | David | Isostar - Specialized | Bester | Shaun Nick | Isostar - Specialized | Rickaert | Jonas | Isostar - Specialized | Scully | Tom | Isostar - Specialized | Riabushenko | Aliaksandr | Isostar - Specialized | Sweeny | Harry | Isostar - Specialized | Peak | Barnabas | Isostar - Specialized | Krul | Stef | Isostar - Specialized | Kasperkiewicz | Przemyslaw | King Power | Ferreira | Ricardo | King Power | Darbinyan | Varsham | King Power | Marzuki | Nur Amirul | King Power | Vanthourenhout | Michael | King Power | Herregodts | Rune | King Power | Mostov | Zeke | King Power | Leung | Chun Wing | King Power | Bewley | Sam | Mapei | van den Berg | Julius | Mapei | Schlechter | Pit | Mapei | Silva | Nihal | Mapei | Predatsch | Kevin | Mapei | Grosser | Aaron | Mapei | Rohendi | Teten | Mapei | Rodriguez | Cristian | Mapei | Theuns | Edward | MOL | Kalf | Steven | MOL | Lovassy | Krisztian | MOL | Petit | Adrien | MOL | Waeytens | Zico | MOL | Van den Berg | Lars | MOL | Matte | Charles | MOL | Hussein | Mujtaba | MOL | Boros | Michael | Moser - Sygic | Hnik | Karel | Moser - Sygic | Polnicky | Jiri | Moser - Sygic | Toupalik | Adam | Moser - Sygic | Cink | Ondrej | Moser - Sygic | Atkins | Josh | Moser - Sygic | Osorio | Juan | Moser - Sygic | Kukrle | Michal | Moser - Sygic | Altur | Marcos | Podium Ambition | Owen | Logan | Podium Ambition | Matthews | Darren | Podium Ambition | Bridges | Jyme | Podium Ambition | Ewan | Caleb | Podium Ambition | Gayral | Joshua | Podium Ambition | Welten | Bram | Podium Ambition | Cataford | Alexandor | Podium Ambition | Meiler | Lukas | Team Puma - SAP | Cavagna | Remi | Team Puma - SAP | Weinstein | Domenic | Team Puma - SAP | Steimle | Jannik | Team Puma - SAP | Baterdene | Narankhuu | Team Puma - SAP | Zwiehoff | Ben | Team Puma - SAP | Schinnagel | Johannes | Team Puma - SAP | Zimmermann | Georg | Team Puma - SAP | Senechal | Florian | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Kamyshev | Arman | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Sulimov | Alexander | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Zubov | Matvey | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Rybalkin | Aleksey | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Yatsevich | Kiril | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | O'Brien | Kelland | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Rubio | Einer Augusto | Team Tinkoff - La Datcha | Rowe | Luke | Xero Racing | van Zyl | Johann | Xero Racing | Vermeersch | Florian | Xero Racing | Novardianto | Jamalidin | Xero Racing | Stannard | Robert | Xero Racing | Nikiema | Bachirou | Xero Racing | Mudgway | Luke | Xero Racing | Kipkemboi | Salim | Xero Racing | Young | Eric | Zwift Pro Cycling | Yechezkel | Aviv | Zwift Pro Cycling | Kurianov | Stepan | Zwift Pro Cycling | Russo | Clement | Zwift Pro Cycling | Eaton | Daniel | Zwift Pro Cycling | Cavendish | Mark | Zwift Pro Cycling | Rhim | Brendan | Zwift Pro Cycling | Tejada | Harold | Zwift Pro Cycling | |
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TheManxMissile |
Posted on 03-05-2022 15:54
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Tour de France Champion
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Can Altur put in a decent ride? Why am i even asking, of course he can't. At least this doesn't count for points so i don't really care as the XP is banked.
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SotD |
Posted on 03-05-2022 15:55
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World Champion
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Can’t see past Karatzios here. Surely he’ll win :-)
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roturn |
Posted on 03-05-2022 17:18
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Team Manager
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As you said, in classics Van Hooydonck was pretty solid this season. Let's hope he can forget that Cheshire debacle and remember his firm from the earlier classics.
Much needed here. |
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OlegTinkov |
Posted on 03-05-2022 17:42
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2666
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Hopefully we will see some agressive riding and please not Bewley again!
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Croatia14 |
Posted on 04-05-2022 07:23
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Directeur Sportif
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Completely missed the preview but this might have been the report of the year so far. Fantastic structure and graphical work alongside some very well written coverage. Thanks a lot!
I also enjoyed Pers race, though I assume that he was not at his best with his quiet performance and slightly under par finish. Still that was a very decent race.
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SotD |
Posted on 04-05-2022 07:59
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World Champion
Posts: 12188
Joined: 29-11-2006
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Not exactly a top result, but we can't expect much more than this, so we are perfectly satisfied with the results.
Thanks a lot for the report
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cunego59 |
Posted on 04-05-2022 11:01
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Team Manager
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Just wanted to add to Croatia that I thought this was a really really cool report! Unique structure, visually extremely pleasing imo and "narratively" both detailed and easy to follow. Fantastic work! Great preview as well!
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roturn |
Posted on 04-05-2022 11:28
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Team Manager
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I liked the style of the report as well except for one bit. The "titles" kind of spoilered before coming to the text below. Otherwise I liked the "topic sorted kind of reporting style".
19th was unfortunately not a good day for us. Seems like the early activity by strong support riders such as Vermersch or later van der Hoorn didn`t really help the main leader to have enough energy later on in the final.
Bewley with yet another big win in his late career while some other cool riders in the mix this time.
Thanks for the report! |
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jandal7 |
Posted on 04-05-2022 11:30
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World Champion
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Really enjoyed the unique report, always enjoy people playing with the structure and conventions of a report and just as importantly it was still well written and entertaining (and with some cool screenshots).
Shame for us it was all in service of a race where we barely showed up Another race in succession where Luke Rowe went completely AWOL despite being a former winner!
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."
[ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
5x x5
2x x2
2x x2
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Roman |
Posted on 04-05-2022 12:55
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4386
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So cool to see Super Sam completing his fourth win in a row for the second time in the history of this race. Some records just cannot be broken, we are witnessing history.
Really happy with the result of Karel Hnik, this has to be probably his best result ever in his MG career.
Thanks for the report.
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knockout |
Posted on 04-05-2022 14:52
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Grand Tour Champion
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Great report!
This is one of the cobbled races that suit Polanc the least with a relatively flat route and a rather short race and the results was not good either. 15th is rather bad but expected bad but im disappointed by the lack of depth results by Neilands, Hofstetter et al.
Sam wow.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters!
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jaxika |
Posted on 04-05-2022 16:59
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Classics Specialist
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Good race by Theuns, didnt dissappointed our expectations. Good show by Petit too at the 21st place.
Congrats to Bewley, what a rider!
Thanks for the report! |
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baseballlover312 |
Posted on 04-05-2022 17:46
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Tour de France Champion
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Gotta love Bewley. Dude just doesn't quit. Won another Roubaix and still hungry at 34.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy
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TheManxMissile |
Posted on 04-05-2022 18:46
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Tour de France Champion
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XP gained! And nothing else to comment on!
Enjoyed the unique report style, not sure i'd want that too often though. Agreed the titles created a bit of a spoiler but overall still good.
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tastasol |
Posted on 04-05-2022 19:55
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Classics Specialist
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Cool report! Not sure if I would want a permanent switch to a style like that, but cool to see you mixing it up and bringing some "new life" to the reports. Thanks, lw!
Thought we did a good race for a long time, but just a man short, it would seem. Ideally we should have had Pedersen in that front group, and he probably would have been for an other team. But that will be something for next year, perhaps.
Still a good result by Wisniowski. No shame being beaten by Bewley in the sprint!
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cio93 |
Posted on 05-05-2022 09:27
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World Champion
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Indeed a lovely report style, I agree with the general sentiment here! Thank you very much lief for pouring that much passion and creativity into it.
Two Top30s for us is a good race considering we're at best a third tier team here, I'm happy with that effort from Cavagna and Meiler. Doing well in the big group sprints for minor placings is vital to make the most out of these races.
Congrats to Bewbastard, what a season he's still having.
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OlegTinkov |
Posted on 05-05-2022 10:40
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Small Tour Specialist
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Although I really enjoyed the report itself, Tinkoff's team tactic during the cobble races this year is mind-blowing bad. Next year we should rename this race to Sam Bewley Cicle Classic Extravaganza.
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alexkr00 |
Posted on 05-05-2022 16:42
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World Champion
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Lovely pictures in the report.
Too bad they played those games in the end, Gerts lost a sure podium there.
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Scorchio |
Posted on 05-05-2022 18:38
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2073
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ISA - Hexacta have been totally anonymous in the results of the cobbled races all season long. This was actually one of Sanogo's better days out, but 35th is not much to celebrate in the bigger scheme of things. BotD appearances are all our cobbled unit is really capable of when examined in the cold light of day. Tried hard 2 seasons ago to get a suitable rider to lead on this terrain, but just came up short; results suggest I should have tried harder again in the 2020-2021 off-season!
As for this race specifically, Bewley continues to beat back the advances of old father time. He's pulled off quite a number of top results this season even after multiple declines. This must surely be his last race winning season unless he drops down a division (or 2). His career palmares is incredible, and just keeps going and going!
A tip of the cap to our reporter, always interesting to see innovation/different approaches to reporting.
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG
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