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Tour of Tasmania Discussion
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| tsmoha |
Posted on 28-02-2015 18:12
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Directeur Sportif
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 Tour of Tasmania
Very last stage race in the ProTour 2014 and we're heading for Tasmania, Australia. A short 3-days-event featuring three different kind of terrains will surely make for some interesting racing. This young event goes into it's second edition, with Tejay Van Garderen taking out last year's premiere ahead of Fabian Cancellara and teammate Taylor Phinney.
Kicking off with a flat stage, the two crucial stages for the GC will again offer chances for both puncheurs and TT-specialists, who will survive the hilly stage without a too huge time loss. The concluding timetrial comes rather short, but given the profile of the hilly stage, any seconds can be crucial. It also features a short, but steep climb (13% slopes), so pure flat TT-specialists may suffer there.
The Startlist
The Favorites
| Allrounders | HI | TT | Puncheurs | HI | TT |  Boasson Hagen | 85 | 72 |  Claeys | 83 | 64 |  Trofimov | 83 | 77 |  Gastauer | 81 | 66 |  Schumacher | 82 | 75 |  Klemme | 80 | 67 |  Van Garderen | 82 | 69 | Flügel | 80 | 65 | | Schleck | 82 | 69 |  Sagan | 78 | 68 |  Ponzi | 82 | 68 |  Vanendert | 78 | 71 | | Gesink | 81 | 80 |  Sinkewitz | 78 | 64 |  Costa | 80 | 76 | Diggle | 77 | 70 |  Gilbert | 80 | 72 | | | |  Sanchez Gil | 79 | 75 | | | |  Taaramäe | 78 | 80 | TT-specialists | HI | TT | | Dekker | 76 | 79 | Phinney | 77 | 83 |  Keinath | 76 | 75 |  Coppel | 74 | 83 |  Van den Broeck | 76 | 75 | Posthuma | 73 | 79 |  Izagirre | 76 | 75 | Bookwalter | 72 | 79 | | König | 75 | 74 | Martin | 72 | 79 |  Nepomnyachsniy | 74 | 77 |  Zabriskie | 70 | 81 |
Let's start with the defending champion: Van Garderen and Phinney again at the start and aiming for a similar strong performance like last year, where both podium'd this race eventually. It will be interesting to see, how the team handles the hilly stage with two of the most promising GC-contenders in one team.
Last year's runner-up Cancellara won't be at the start, but Simply Red Bull lines up with Coppel instead. Surely aiming for that TT, but also willing to repeat his 7th place from last season.
Hagen (4th), Gesink (5th), Trofimov (6th) and Schumacher (9th) may aim for more success this time. They all have the needed setup to aim for the GC-victory. Guys like Schleck or Ponzi will need an aggressive second day, just like Van Garderen. Of course we don't have to remind you of both Ponzi's and Trofimov's sprinting abilities, so we may watch out for them in the opener already.
Let's keep it short for the rest: we do have several more threats like Gilbert, LLS, Taaramäe or pure puncheurs like Claeys, Klemme/Flügel or Sagan, who can do something special. Same goes for those TTlers, who survive hills pretty well. Posthuma (10th last year), as well as Bookwalter, Martin and Zabriskie shouldn't be underestimated.
The Stage-Hunters
| Sprinters | SP | TTlers | TT | | Swift | 84 | Kittel | 81 | | Guarnieri | 82 | Schädlich | 80 | | Avelino | 82 | Van Winden | 80 | | Impey | 80 | Dempster | 79 | | Stauff | 80 | Malori | 79 | | Howard | 80 | | |  Tzortzakis | 80 | | |
At least two outstanding sprinters with Swift and Guarnieri, who will need to take that victory on first day. Same goes for Impey, who (like Swift) may actually fancy his chances to also survive the hilly stage in the front groups then.
As said before, pure TTlers may fear this challenging climb in the timetrial, but Kittel, Schädlich or Van Winden will surely hope to score some points in the final stage.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 28-02-2015 18:19
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World Champion
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Gesink's last chance at redemption.
But I doubt he will do anything impressive so I'll just be happy with a repeat of last year's feast with 2 riders in the top 10 and 4 in the top 20.
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 28-02-2015 18:32
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Small Tour Specialist
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TSM reporting again - that man deserves a medal!
Expecting a big battle between Trofimov and Phinney for the overall here.
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 28-02-2015 18:38
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Team Leader
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Would love to see Costa reaching a honourable place here, but I'm not expecting him to shine in the hilly stage, which should make things difficult.
Trofimov to win?
Thanks for the top-notch preview tsmoha. Absolutely magnificent work you've done this season 
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 08-12-2025 07:49
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| Smowz |
Posted on 28-02-2015 19:02
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It is a loaded field and for some the stakes are high - happy then we are snug in our position just below elite. Hoping for some sweet inactive AI on hilly stage.
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| wackojackohighcliffe |
Posted on 28-02-2015 20:04
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Quite an unpredictable kinda race, looking forward to it. Thanks tsmoha, good luck all.
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| rjc_43 |
Posted on 28-02-2015 20:43
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Oh my. What have I done.
Ponzi and Guarnieri in the same team?! This isn't going to end well. Or should I say start well.
[url=cleavercycling.co.uk]  [/url] |
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| ember |
Posted on 28-02-2015 23:31
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Obviously hoping the hilly stage proves selective with Boasson Hagen up for it. Also have some hopes of a top 5 from Impey on the first stage.
But we shall see, hilly stages hasn't exactly been great this season, though there are exceptions. Hopefully this one comes as an exception as well  |
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| Heine |
Posted on 01-03-2015 05:09
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Not really expecting anything when I see the field. Just gotta hope for an aggressive hilly stage
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| OlegTinkov |
Posted on 01-03-2015 08:48
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Scorchio wrote:
Expecting a big battle between Trofimov and Phinney for the overall here.
Don't forget Lombardia!
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 01-03-2015 08:55
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Final race for Pökälä with Aker. Hopefully this time he will be succesful in helping Hagen win
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| SotD |
Posted on 01-03-2015 09:48
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Another horrible lineup for Festina... If lucky, then Tzortzakis will take a top 10 from the 1st stage and then Boily might end somewhere around top 25 on stage 2, while Dees could do something similar in the TT. I guess that if I end up having a guy in the overall top 25 I should be happy.
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| ember |
Posted on 01-03-2015 10:16
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Atlantius wrote:
Final race for Pökälä with Aker. Hopefully this time he will be succesful in helping Hagen win
Thanks! And it has been a pleasure having him in the team. Though, he has got a wildcard here as he's mostly here to test his own strength in the TT as one of our best time trialists |
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| jph27 |
Posted on 01-03-2015 14:29
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Not sure what to expect here. Fancy Phinney for the win, but all hinges on just how selective stage 2 is. |
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 01-03-2015 14:34
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ember wrote:
Atlantius wrote:
Final race for Pökälä with Aker. Hopefully this time he will be succesful in helping Hagen win
Thanks! And it has been a pleasure having him in the team. Though, he has got a wildcard here as he's mostly here to test his own strength in the TT as one of our best time trialists
Yet he rarely does much in the WT-peloton. Will be a great TT'er in CT next year with his development though. Perhaps his spot on Aker can be taken by another Finnish rider next year...
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| roturn |
Posted on 01-03-2015 14:41
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Hoping for a very selective hilly stage. With the help of Roux LLS hopefully with the best there and enough gap to the stronger time trialists.
Won't have a chance otherwise. Top5 would be awesome. Top10 and a second good GC needed. And eventually top 5-8 in the tt. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 01-03-2015 15:09
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Tour de France Champion
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Gotta say Wikipedia look stronger than Vesuvio for this one, and could decisively shift the title fight. Certailny a terrific undercurrent to the race.
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| cio93 |
Posted on 01-03-2015 15:15
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TheManxMissile wrote:
Gotta say Wikipedia look stronger than Vesuvio for this one, and could decisively shift the title fight. Certailny a terrific undercurrent to the race.
Don't underestimate Frank here though, you know what a legend he is
Definitely a lot of preliminary decisions that will happen here even though there's a monument still to come and this is the shortest stage race.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 01-03-2015 17:04
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World Champion
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Kreder... where did that come from 
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| cio93 |
Posted on 01-03-2015 17:08
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World Champion
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I can't wait until Demare goes for these stages too...
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