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Rund um Koln Discussion
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 13-03-2020 20:15
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Grand Tour Champion
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 Rund um Koln
History
| Year | Winner | Team | | 2018 | John Degenkolb | Team | | 2013 | Tom Boonen | Pokerstars.com | | 2012 | Jukka Vastaranta | Pearl Adidas | | 2011 | Leonardo Duque | Energie - Diesel | | 2010 | Luis Leon Sanchez Gil | Rabobank | | 2009 | Manuel Antonio Cardoso | LA/MSS/Pearl Jam | | 2008 | Fabian Wegmann | Tinkoff Credit Systems |
Rund um Koln returned after a long absence last year and the organization was, well, not optimal. The race was supposed to be held in August but the absence of a route to race on meant the race was postponed to October. Despite the organizational blunders the race is back for another edition, and even got a promotion to ProTour. Last year's winner Degenkolb is not returning, nor is anyone else who won the race previously. Nothing seems to point towards the race being in doubt this year, so let's find out who adds his name to the list!
Profile
The race should be one for the sprinters. The initial phase of the race is quite hilly, but the final laps around the city of Cologne are almost flat. The hills might make some sprinters feel a bit scared, as they should be conquered before they can even think about sprinting.
Startlist
| Team | Sprinter | SP | ACC | Leadout | SP | ACC |  Aegon | Groenewegen | 82 | 81 | Vesely | 81 | 80 |  Air France | Kennaugh | 82 | 81 | Clarke | 78 | 76 |  Aker | Swift | 84 | 82 | Scully | 79 | 80 |  Ambition | Ewan | 83 | 81 | Nelson | 81 | 81 |  Bennelong | Howard | 82 | 79 | McCormick | 73 | 72 |  eBuddy | Grosu | 83 | 80 | Brus | 78 | 78 |  Evonik | Van Stayen | 84 | 78 | Liepins | 78 | 79 |  Fablok | Guardini | 80 | 82 | Stepniak | 79 | 79 |  Farfetch | Kemboi | 79 | 80 | Van der Sande | 79 | 79 |  Festina | Coquard | 84 | 83 | Petit | 80 | 78 |  Gazelle | Senyenov | 68 | 73 | Hofland | 68 | 72 |  Generali | Martinelli | 78 | 78 | Planckaert | 77 | 77 |  Grieg | Bertilsson | 79 | 77 | Pedersen | 76 | 75 |  Indosat | Kristoff | 83 | 79 | Goss | 81 | 77 |  Isostar | Kump | 81 | 80 | Van der Sanden | 78 | 79 |  Lierse | Gaviria | 79 | 82 | Bonifazio | 78 | 78 |  Moser | Soupe | 79 | 77 | Baska | 76 | 77 |  Puma | Demare | 82 | 81 | Felline | 74 | 78 |  Repsol | Mas | 71 | 78 | Barbero | 70 | 74 |  SPAR | Guerao | 83 | 76 | Hsu | 77 | 77 |  T-Mobile | Favilli | 76 | 74 | Goncalves | 67 | 70 |  Tinkoff | Van Heerden | 81 | 72 | Samolenkov | 80 | 79 |  Vesuvio | Van der Lijke | 82 | 79 | Reimer | 77 | 80 |
As said before, reigning winner Degenkolb is not on the startlist. The other two podium riders, Van der Lijke and Demare, are back and ready to take his throne. They both fall into the category of punchy sprinters who now how to handle a hill.
Other riders who fall into this category are World Champion Kump, and Van Stayen. Unfortunately the laps around Koln are not that hilly, so their advantage is gone once we reach the city.
The best flat sprinters are Swift and Coquard. Their results this season haven't always been great but that's no reason to stop mentioning them.
Grosu and Ewan are sprinters who also survive a hill. It should be enough to bring them in contention for the win.
Acceleration is important as well, which might be detriment to Kristoff and Guerao. Both good sprinters but not known for having the fastest acceleration.
The list of favorites goes on with more teams bringing sprinters capable of at least a top ten but also for a win. Groenewegen, Kennaugh and Howard might not be the biggest favorites but the underdog role might suit them to go under the radar and sprint to victory.
The PCT wildcard went to Lierse, who bring and Gaviria to upset the opposition. They cannot score points but they will leave with eternal glory. Kemboi another rider who can surprise here.
Edited by Marcovdw on 13-03-2020 21:27
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| jph27 |
Posted on 13-03-2020 20:56
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Speaks volumes about how crap our team is that we're mistaken for a PCT wildcard 
If Kemboi rides like he did in the Giro we might be in for a nice surprise here, but I guess it's unlikely. With Van der Sande and Lander here as well though we're going all out for the depth approach, or even a sneaky late break. But in truth, I expect nothing. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 13-03-2020 21:08
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 17833
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If you had Rocket-Ricki-Kek-Edmo/Ala/Matthews as a leadout under manual control you'd easily win. Under AI control on sprint weird 18, hopefully a Top10. Got enough flat workhorses with some HL stat to control a break, or power one along if the unexpected happens.
Really should contest the race win, but as we know we're relegating it honestly doesn't make a blind bit of differen either way. Lets just have fun and show what we've got in pink!
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 06-12-2025 20:43
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 13-03-2020 21:26
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Grand Tour Champion
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jph27 wrote:
Speaks volumes about how crap our team is that we're mistaken for a PCT wildcard
Sorry about that, there's only one wildcard team here which got me confused 
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 13-03-2020 21:59
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Tour de France Champion
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Hey, I wanna be a PT team as well!
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| matt17br |
Posted on 13-03-2020 22:39
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I'm here for that sweet participation trophy
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| ember |
Posted on 14-03-2020 07:40
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Should be an interesting race, as the profile makes a late attack possible, I think.
Having said that, I expect Swift to be around for the sprint, and hopefully we'll be able to give him a nice position with Dakteris and Scully, or even Oss if the hills have a bigger impact.
Looking forward to the race, as it should be an entertaining one, given the profile  |
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| roturn |
Posted on 14-03-2020 08:41
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Strongest possible sprinter line-up here with both main and all leadout riders.
So expectations are high. Podium would be awesome, top 5 really nice and top 10 absolutely expected worth maybe some backup points. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 14-03-2020 13:05
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World Champion
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Home race, win goal!
Obviously not anywhere close as easy as a Giro Top 3, but it had to be done as is customary by now.
I hope for a large break that requires a high pace throughout the day, and therefore a tired peloton by the end that has split WITH US MAKING THE SPLIT!
Similar races like Frankfurt end up with a realistic front group size of 30-40 in the latest PCMs, that would be ideal.
It does increase the risk of successful late attacks though, which is why it is important that as many of our exclusively 73hill+ lineup as possible make it into that selection to chase. Especially Arndt and Mager have no excuses to get dropped.
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| knockout |
Posted on 14-03-2020 21:19
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cio93 wrote:
I hope for a large break that requires a high pace throughout the day, and therefore a tired peloton by the end that has split WITH US MAKING THE SPLIT!
This please.
Kinda feels like a home race to me although it probably shouldnt. Quite big ambitions here, waiting to be disappointed
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 14-03-2020 21:49
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Complete no show, but that's ok in a non point race. To be fair, AI was pretty good in that sprint.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| knockout |
Posted on 14-03-2020 22:13
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Grand Tour Champion
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okayish result.
good report. thanks.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 14-03-2020 22:16
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World Champion
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Very annoyingly and very disappointingly, Demare was in perfect position the ENTIRE race right up until 1.5km to go when he slipped to the back of that train and lost all chances.
With the late corner, it was obvious nobody further down than fifth was going to contest the podium spots, and it's infuriating that yet again positioning wasn't on our side, just like in literally every single classic since probably MSR.
If that had been a longer sprint with competing trains, or even just a straight piece of road (petition to remove all corners in the last 3k), there still would've been an opportunity with the powerful slipstream, but obviously we don't get lucky like that.
Aegon and eBuddy scoring big is also bad.
Goal failed, not as badly as it could've been, but the race went ideal for us and yet again we couldn't take advantage of it. Herklotz cannot keep us up there on his own and contribute many more points, with only one race left.
We gotta find ways to surprise again like we did in spring.
Congrats to Indosat and thanks for reporting this Marco!
I'm sorry for being so negative in race reviews lately (besides the giro), life's not great and it rubs off sometimes.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 14-03-2020 22:41
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 17833
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Alright, Top5 works well enough from the random dice roll of PCM18 AI sprinting. I wish there was more to say, but zero sprint trains or any set-up means very little to say. Maybe next time we'll win the rng stakes. And as always, thank god our only goal of the season is not suffer a two-for-one relegation to the CT!
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 15-03-2020 01:29
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Fun race, Kump not good enough though.
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| ember |
Posted on 15-03-2020 09:33
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Good race! Thank you for the report, Marcovdw
Positioning seemed to be key in the end, and unfortunately Swift drew the shortest straw of all sprinters with 1500 meters left and over the bridge.
I must say it was cool to see Yzeiraj try join the late attacks, as it made me think of next year, where he should be even stronger for such stunts
Big congratulations to Indosat! Kristoff winning is never a bad thing! |
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| roturn |
Posted on 15-03-2020 09:53
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Groenewegen really having good positioning in races like this lately.
Big year for him but hopes were there with my line-up.
Still obviously in the very lucky side in comparison to several others.
Thanks for the report. |
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| tastasol |
Posted on 15-03-2020 10:09
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Classics Specialist
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Wisniowski is getting predictable What I hoped to see from us as I opened up this report. A good presence in the front of the peloton through the day and a vintage Wisniowski attack. Not enough this time, but maybe the next time. Nice win for Kristoff!
Thanks for the report
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 15-03-2020 13:49
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World Champion
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Grosu continuing his great season. Hopefully he'll carry it on to La Vuelta as well.
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| matt17br |
Posted on 15-03-2020 14:14
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50 points is 10 more than I had expected! Great result for us.
Massive congrats to Eden on hitting the jackpot in PCM 18's sprint lottery! Thanks Marco for reporting.
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