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Coppa Placci Discussion
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| jackgibbs |
Posted on 17-10-2026 13:25
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 Coppa Placci
Nestled in the lower slopes of the Apennines is the microstate of San Marino, and it is to that medieval hillside republic that the CT schedule next turns.
The Route:
At a modest 162.4km long, the route is a somewhat curious one. It contains an introductory section, an outer loop completed for one-and-a-half cycles, and an inner loop whose main ascent is ridden no fewer than nine times. The opening section is a long descent from the gun, followed by the full completion of the outer loop: a series of short punchy climbs, five full trips around the inner loop, and then a sixth ascent of its main hill that at the top features a branch off to continued climbing and a first crossing of the finish line. After a descent comes the half-completion of the outer loop: the same series of short punchy climbs, then two more full trips around the inner loop, but followed on this last time through by the branch into the race finale on just the third trip up the main hill.
The course is just about never flat, and especially with a long composite drag to the finish will demand a true puncheur to storm to victory. To say that for the division a strong field will be in attendance is an understatement; just about every notable eligible hill specialist will line up at the start.
The Favorites:
| Rider | MM | HI | ST | RS | SP | AC |  Lutsenko | 76 | 81 | 73 | 70 | 70 | 78 |  McCarthy | 73 | 80 | 77 | 72 | 63 | 71 |  Kinoshita | 74 | 79 | 74 | 71 | 64 | 71 |  Yates | 74 | 79 | 74 | 67 | 75 | 77 | | Yates | 72 | 78 | 77 | 74 | 62 | 69 |  Mayer | 74 | 78 | 66 | 72 | 72 | 77 | | Kelderman | 73 | 78 | 74 | 69 | 63 | 66 |  Tesfatsion | 77 | 78 | 68 | 72 | 69 | 78 |  Vogt | 69 | 78 | 75 | 68 | 60 | 60 |  Quita | 76 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 71 | 74 |  Lafay | 76 | 77 | 72 | 72 | 65 | 74 | | Langellotti | 75 | 77 | 76 | 71 | 67 | 74 |  Schlegel | 78 | 77 | 71 | 74 | 64 | 75 |  De La Cruz Chapulin | 73 | 77 | 75 | 76 | 68 | 77 | | Nikiema | 74 | 77 | 72 | 74 | 70 | 76 | | Watson | 71 | 77 | 74 | 70 | 61 | 70 |  Azman | 77 | 77 | 69 | 72 | 65 | 75 | | Jung | 72 | 77 | 72 | 72 | 63 | 71 |  Blouwe | 74 | 77 | 71 | 73 | 68 | 74 | | Lilovski | 72 | 77 | 70 | 70 | 65 | 73 | | Kanepejs | 72 | 77 | 72 | 71 | 62 | 71 |
Of the favorites, Lutsenko of Air New Zealand, McCarthy of SEE Turtles, Kinoshita of Fincantieri, and Yates of JEWA are the strongest on paper. Expect them to receive able support from (the other) Yates, the pair of Nikiema and Watson, Langellotti, and Kelderman, respectively.
Mayer of Banco Vaticano, Tesfatsion of Karthago, Quita of Deutsche, winner of 2023 edition Lafay of Euskotren, Schlegel of IESE, and Vogt of The Cardinals all ride with strong support of their own, but are the out-and-out favorite for their team. For IncaLine De La Cruz Chapulin should expect to be much more isolated in his leadership, while for Simba Cement Azman will most likely earn the favorite nod over his less well-rounded teammate Jung. As the flip side of their remarkable depth Tafjord are saddled with far less clarity, as Blouwe, Lilovski, and Kanepejs are all of similar mettle, not to mention their other three 76 HI rated teammates that should be in the mix as well.
The Startlist:
Its depth is considerable: no fewer than 39 riders on the startlist bring a 76+ HI stat, which expands to 54 at 75+ HI. That latter count includes the full 8 starters from Tafjord-Kraft, 5 each from Fincantieri - Grand Seiko and Deutsche WindGuard, 4 each from Simba Cement - Tanga Fresh, SEE Turtles, and IESE ProCycling Team, and 3 each from Karthago and JEWA Tirol.
With the winner earning the salute of the immaculately titled Captains Regent, we should expect quite the dynamic and exciting day of racing ahead! |
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| jackgibbs |
Posted on 17-10-2026 13:26
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Crucial race for us here: team goal essentially on home roads, sent the strongest team I could muster. Should suit Langellotti and Kinoshita well. |
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 17-10-2026 13:43
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Bit worried we'll see a repeat of Hong Kong where Tesfatsion faded on the final hill, so if we could repeat a top 10 I'd take that for sure. Thinking with the hilltop finish we'll see less randomness but I definitely wouldn't mind if a PCT rider wants to steal some points again. 
Great preview Jack! Thanks!
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Heine |
Posted on 17-10-2026 14:05
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5130
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Hoping for another good result from Wirtgen in another race that fits him well
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| Caspi |
Posted on 17-10-2026 15:44
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Thanks for the preview, and what a startlist 
I expect McKenna to be the most important domestique for Azman instead of Jung (or Turgis).
Top 5 should be doable, however I could also see us finish outside the top 10.
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 17-10-2026 15:49
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Incredible startlist. Can only hope to squeeze someone in the early break or get someone on a really good daily form to have a chance at points here. Should be a fun race anyway.
Thanks for the preview, jack!
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 17-10-2026 21:12
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Guess this is not going to be any better for us than Hong Kong, so having someone in the breakaway should be the best we can get here 
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| seancoll |
Posted on 18-10-2026 03:48
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Don't think this one goes quite as mountain focused as Hong Kong, so hoping McCarthy has a better shot here. Need him to help pull up Watson and more importantly Nikiema to good results as well - at least one top 10 is the expectation, but it's time these guys give us a top result although I guess I'd trade medium results here for some GC points later in the season.
Waiting for Tafjord to put some crazy team tactics into place, but at least maybe they'll deal with the pacing alongside WindGuard.
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 18-10-2026 04:59
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Thanks a lot jack for the great preview! Cool that our hill squad are mentioned, but as you say, with no clear leader.....well, let's see how this goes.
I guess we'll end with just a couple of depth points again |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 18-10-2026 05:16
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Fabianski wrote:
Guess this is not going to be any better for us than Hong Kong, so having someone in the breakaway should be the best we can get here
I'm slightly more optimistic based on the nature of the hills in the profile compared to HK. Could see Vogt sneak into the top 75 here.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Heine |
Posted on 18-10-2026 16:13
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Another quitetly good c2 performance from Wirtgen. Very nice to just pick up c2 points along the way
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 18-10-2026 22:58
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| Imladrik |
Posted on 18-10-2026 16:34
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Ooooh missed it was finally our season opening (if I didn't miss any race until today).
What a way to begin! Our duo once again worked well together (well, not together, but they were brought to the top) and improve on last season (when they did 4-5). Quite some depth too with Rondel and Kam; and the ever so quiet Armirail, right outside of the points.
Congrats to Wingard, thanks for the report and the preview!
“...the secret of the Great Stories is that they have no secrets. The Great Stories are the ones you have heard and want to hear again. The ones you can enter anywhere and inhabit comfortably."
A. Roy
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| jackgibbs |
Posted on 18-10-2026 16:41
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Well that was a disaster: I don't mind seeing the flier from Kinoshita with Masnada and Langellotti also in the group, but deeply disappointing that he cracked while Berthet managed to recover for 2nd.
The positioning from Langellotti was also a mess: he was at the back entering the final climb, surged forward into the Top 5 wheels at one point, then got squeezed through a corner and collapsed back to the back of the group. And Masnada couldn't move up either. No Top 10 in a hilly classic (let alone a goal race and home race) is just unacceptable. |
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 18-10-2026 16:50
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Love seeing Quita stunting on the CT division, y'all should have paid more when you had the chance 
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 18-10-2026 17:35
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Wrong guy, but Colnaghi really showing early int he season and he gets us there!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 18-10-2026 18:36
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Bjartne wrote:
Thanks a lot jack for the great preview! Cool that our hill squad are mentioned, but as you say, with no clear leader.....well, let's see how this goes.
I guess we'll end with just a couple of depth points again
That was my worst scenario, and we we're never even CLOSE to a single point.
This has to be one of the worst races we've ever taken part in, and I want to forget it as soon as possible |
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| Blasing |
Posted on 18-10-2026 18:58
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Domestique
Posts: 475
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P3 and P10, great result for us. Unlucky that we couldn't be that few meters faster and finally take a win with Yates. P2, P3 and P4 by now for him.
But a great result nevertheless.
Thanks for the report!
Manager of JEWA TIROL Cycling Team
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| Blasing |
Posted on 18-10-2026 18:58
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Domestique
Posts: 475
Joined: 27-06-2011
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P3 and P10, great result for us. Unlucky that we couldn't be that few meters faster and finally take a win with Yates. P2, P3 and P4 by now for him.
But a great result nevertheless.
Thanks for the report!
Manager of JEWA TIROL Cycling Team
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 18-10-2026 22:45
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Vogt and KHJ definitely were quick in teaching Colnaghi how to be better than them 
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