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USA Pro Cycling Challenge Discussion
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| Vien |
Posted on 14-07-2019 06:49
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2241
Joined: 16-06-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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 USA Pro Cycling Challenge
It took a few extra months, but that only means the riders are more raring to go: The USA Pro Cycling Challenge! A chance for the sprinters with the ability to ride alone to conquer it all.
The race is back in the man-game as a C2 stage race, though you may remember the profile being the same as the route of the first four stages of the Tour of America from the last years. Three sprinter stages, both not extremely long or hilly, meaning that every type of sprinter will be able to go for the win. And then a 6-kilometer time trial to shake up the GC and decide the true winner.
Also interesting are the two KoM sprints in this race. With the first being category 4 and the second being catergory 3, the second sprint will likely be decisive to decide the winner of the polka dot jersey!
| FL | SP | ACC | PRL | | FL | SP | ACC | PRL |  Guarnieri | 76 | 82 | 81 | 75 |  Colbrelli | 74 | 79 | 75 | 66 |  Van Heerden | 73 | 82 | 73 | 62 |  Vanderaerden | 72 | 79 | 75 | 58 |  Kip | 69 | 80 | 82 | 75 | Wippert | 70 | 78 | 82 | 74 |  Carsi | 70 | 80 | 82 | 71 |  Modolo | 74 | 78 | 81 | 70 |  Manninen | 74 | 80 | 80 | 76 | Korzh | 74 | 78 | 80 | 68 |  Salleh | 70 | 80 | 80 | 71 | Liepins | 73 | 78 | 79 | 60 |  Keukeleire | 72 | 80 | 79 | 58 |  Sobota | 72 | 78 | 78 | 67 |  Vanoverschelde | 72 | 80 | 75 | 72 |  Jones | 72 | 78 | 78 | 65 | | Hochmann | 70 | 79 | 80 | 75 | Manan | 68 | 78 | 78 | 57 |  Matthews | 75 | 79 | 79 | 64 |  Kruopis | 73 | 78 | 77 | 76 |
The C2 status and the prologue didn't scare off a lot of managers, as there's a very strong field of sprinters here! Guarnieri and Manninen are the riders who stand out as the most balanced ones with great prologue capabilities, however, they have time and time again shown to be beatable. Like by Van Heerden, the recent winner of the Course du Solinardosc, or Salleh, the #2 there.
Then there are a few slightly less balanced top sprinters who do have a great prologue stat and thus are higher on the list of favourites than usual: Amateur rider Kip, Carsi, Vanoverschelde and Hochmann (if Rothaus chooses him as leader). Keukeleire is among the top sprinters as well, but has a dreadful prologue stat and will be on damage control in the TT.
Among the biggest outsiders are Matthews, Colbrelli, Vanderaerden and Modolo. Kruopis may do well in the GC too with his TT ability, but will struggle getting the bonification seconds to win.
| TT | PRL | | Chavanne | 65 | 82 | | Hansen | 77 | 79 |  Sterbini | 78 | 78 | | Sterobo | 78 | 78 | | Ghyselinck | 77 | 77 | | Downey | 77 | 77 | | Rolland | 77 | 77 | | Hussein | 77 | 77 | | Bille | 73 | 77 | | Hacecký | 77 | 76 | | Pökälä | 77 | 76 | | Ovechkin | 76 | 76 |
Of course, a lot of time trialists arrived as well to either win the TT or gain a good GC result that way. Even if the stage is likely too short to gain enough to win outright. And when it comes to prologues in the CT, obviously Chevanne's name has to be mentioned first. Still, the TT might be a kilometer too long for him to guarantee the victory here. Hansen, Sterbini and Sterobo, the first two coming from the PCT, will be the main riders to look to upset him.
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| Jakstar22 |
Posted on 14-07-2019 07:27
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7542
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Hopefully Carsi can improve his position slightly from the last sprinters hit out! This race suits him with the hills at the start of the stages and a short TT at the end! Maybe another top 10 is possible!!
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| Atlantius |
Posted on 14-07-2019 08:20
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Team Leader
Posts: 6753
Joined: 21-07-2010
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Now would be a good time for Manninen to live up to expectations if he wants support next season.
Also thanks for your big effort to get the game up in pace.
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 14-07-2019 08:23
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2130
Joined: 11-07-2010
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Hopefully Guarnieri will contest for more than lower top 10 stage results, but not feeling confident after Course de Solidarnosc. He's prologue stat is pretty good, so if he's in a decent position after stage 3 he should do well.
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 14-07-2019 08:26
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3061
Joined: 15-07-2007
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We're hoping for a Sterobo and Matthews stage podium in this race, not much more to hope for really, thank you Vien!  |
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 14-07-2019 08:53
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Team Leader
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I have Fonseca here to give us some hope in the sprints and Ganna to hopefully pull something out of nowhere and get something in the GC and the U25. Would also be good to see a few of our riders try join the breakaways.
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-07-2019 09:43
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Team Manager
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Could become another decent race for me.
Two top10 time trialists and Van Heerden on fire with Wippert/Hochmann leadout. Might not be as strong as Coutinho but still high quality train. |
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| sammyt93 |
Posted on 14-07-2019 12:46
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Classics Specialist
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I'm hoping Salleh can have another strong showing after Solidarnosc, and if we get really lucky Gabby will stay close enough over the flat stages to be able to get a good GC or even the win with another monster Epilogue.
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| hillis91 |
Posted on 14-07-2019 15:42
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Team Leader
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Im hoping for an upset here. Not much else to hope for! 
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| SotD |
Posted on 14-07-2019 16:47
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World Champion
Posts: 12632
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Could go either way. Kip has the speed and PRL stat to possibly do well, but honestly I think he won’t get any stage results good enough to get top 15 GC.
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 14-07-2019 19:24
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Directeur Sportif
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Please Lasse Hansen do some magic here!
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 08-12-2025 16:30
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| quadsas |
Posted on 14-07-2019 23:25
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Kruopis has a decent chance for top 10, with prologue and that
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 15-07-2019 05:51
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Team Leader
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42nd from Fonseca is nothing short of absolutely horrible. He's really got to sort himself out as he should be fighting for Top 10 or 15 at the very least...
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 15-07-2019 08:28
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Team Leader
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I totally forgot we were here! I now remember being really ecstatic about being able to take Lasse here in planning though
13th in the first stage was alright, the team is treating him as our leader though which is fantastic so if he can just sneak into the top 10 once or twice for the bonuses, we could end up with a fanstic result here, otherwise, we'll hope for TT success.
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Sykkel_Freak |
Posted on 15-07-2019 09:12
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2130
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Perfect way to start the race! Bit of messy lead-out, but we did enough for Guarnieri to handle the rest on his own. Hope we'll continue like this!
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| jaxika |
Posted on 15-07-2019 09:21
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3253
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Really nice to see Kobe performing lately  |
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| SotD |
Posted on 15-07-2019 12:48
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World Champion
Posts: 12632
Joined: 29-11-2006
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5th for Kip here is pretty good. Mygind survived in the front group too, and has a pretty good PRL stat. Too bad Tleubayev was so bad, as he too could’ve done well.
Chavanne got really lucky there! What a shame that would have been for his team!
Now fingers are crossed for Kip to survive, and do well again, and for Mygind to survive.
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| SotD |
Posted on 16-07-2019 09:14
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World Champion
Posts: 12632
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Another strong performance from Kip here, riding very smart and not overdoing things.
A GC top 10 looks possible now, but I’m unsure as to how high he can finish.
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 16-07-2019 09:30
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Team Leader
Posts: 5569
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Very happy with Fonseca finishing inside the Top 10 and gaining some time in terms of bonuses for the GC. The points he'll be able to get won't mean much for us but it would be a little boost before we join this mob full time next season
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| Bjartne |
Posted on 16-07-2019 09:40
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3061
Joined: 15-07-2007
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Matthews 9th is okay I guess, but we really need to climb the GC-ranking to get some points away from this race |
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