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Rund um Köln - the discussion thread
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| ivaneurope |
Posted on 29-01-2024 20:34
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 Rund um Köln
With the month of May ongoing, there's the annual flat classic in Cologne, Germany. The Rund un Köln is 200+ km journey around the city, located in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany. While the race typically finishes in a mass sprint, if the conditions are right, an attacker could have his chances at win. But how the last year's race went?
| 1 | Caleb Ewan | ISA - Hexacta | 4h48'39 | | 2 | Arnaud Demare | Team Puma - SAP | s.t. | | 3 | Fernando Gaviria | Isostar - Specialized | s.t. | | 4 | Dylan Groenewegen | Aegon - Peroni | s.t. | | 5 | Eduard Grosu | Huski Chocolate | s.t. | | 6 | Tosh Van der Sande | Duolingo | s.t. | | 7 | Stanislaw Aniolkowski | Team Popo4Ever | s.t. | | 8 | Daniel Vesely | Minions - Subwoolfer | s.t. | | 9 | Artem Nych | Polar | s.t. | | 10 | Bryan Coquard | ELCO - ABEA | s.t. |
The race finished in a mass sprint with Caleb Ewan standing tall ahead of Arnaud Demare and Fernando Gaviria. Ewan and ISA are back as they try to win back-to-back edition which in the entire history of the race never happened. In face there is no repeat winner in this race and Ewan is the only rider that could achieve this. Demare is not there this year as he moved down to PCT with Tryg - Gobik, but Gaviria is as he moved over to Moser - Sygic following the sudden demise of Isostar - Specialized. Dylan Groenewegen is also not here with the Fastend team (f.k.a. Aegon - Peroni) being relagated. Other notable returns include Edward Grosu from Rabobank, Artem Nych from Polar, Team Popo4Ever's Stanislaw Aniolkowski and Bryan Coquard from ELCO - ABEA.
We've seen what happened last year, but who are the favorites?
| Rider | FL | HI | ST | RS | SP | AC |  Coquard | 73 | 67 | 71 | 74 | 84 | 83 |  Gaviria | 76 | 72 | 74 | 76 | 83 | 84 |  Ewan | 75 | 71 | 73 | 71 | 83 | 81 |  Grosu | 73 | 73 | 74 | 70 | 83 | 80 |  Ahlstrand | 73 | 66 | 73 | 72 | 82 | 81 |  Van der Lijke | 73 | 76 | 73 | 71 | 82 | 79 |  Philipsen | 74 | 69 | 74 | 70 | 81 | 80 |  Kanter | 75 | 67 | 75 | 73 | 81 | 80 |  Samolenkov | 74 | 64 | 75 | 71 | 81 | 79 |  Enger | 73 | 69 | 71 | 73 | 81 | 78 |  Carsi | 70 | 55 | 66 | 69 | 80 | 82 |  Cullaigh | 74 | 67 | 73 | 70 | 80 | 81 |  Kemboi | 78 | 64 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 80 |  Jakobsen | 74 | 67 | 75 | 73 | 80 | 80 |  Aniolkowski | 76 | 65 | 76 | 74 | 80 | 79 |
Well, last year Coquard, Gaviria, Ewan and Grosu were the top picks - in that order. Demare was 5th on this list, but since he's not here this time, his place is taken up by the 2nd placed overall in the PCT last year Jonas Ahlstrand who switched to the Minions teams. Other notable names like Philipsen, Kanter, Carsi, Kemboi and Jakobsen who could have a shot is the top sprinters collapse in the end.
| Rider | FL | HI | ST | RS | SP | AC | FT |  Katrasnik | 81 | 63 | 72 | 76 | 63 | 72 | 81 |  Wisniowski | 80 | 71 | 75 | 76 | 73 | 76 | 74 |  Kurianov | 79 | 65 | 76 | 74 | 75 | 70 | 72 |  Per | 79 | 70 | 74 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 68 |  Culey | 79 | 65 | 77 | 76 | 66 | 70 | 74 | | Brockhoff | 79 | 70 | 74 | 76 | 62 | 73 | 64 |  Mundle | 79 | 65 | 69 | 73 | 59 | 69 | 80 | | Kemboi | 78 | 64 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 80 | 61 | | Siric | 78 | 71 | 77 | 80 | 77 | 71 | 60 | | Antonijevic | 78 | 66 | 67 | 74 | 71 | 74 | 80 | | Sweeny | 78 | 71 | 67 | 76 | 69 | 71 | 74 | | Andersen | 78 | 69 | 69 | 74 | 68 | 69 | 72 | | Christensen | 78 | 70 | 76 | 74 | 68 | 65 | 71 | | Nych | 78 | 67 | 75 | 72 | 65 | 76 | 84 | | Lander | 77 | 69 | 77 | 72 | 79 | 77 | 63 |
A rider could benefit from an attack in the final kilometers, but the conditions have to be right in order to come to pass. Gasper Katrasnik seems like the rider with best chances, but it could be anyone else as well. Note that Kemboi makes an appearance in both lists - he could well surprise the leaders with a sneak attack in the closing 10 km and has the sprinting prowess to resist as well. However, it is rare to have a late attack be successful.
And here is the startlist as the report will be made by the production crew here at IESN, who made their debut earleir than expected with Olympia's Tour and will be once again covering the action - this time from Germany. Goodbye for now.
Starlist:
Spoiler | Last name | First name | 2023 Team | | Wisniowski | Lukasz | Aker - MOT | | Suter | Joel | Aker - MOT | | Bolor-Erdene | Enkhtaivan | Aker - MOT | | Ariesen | Tim | Aker - MOT | | Swift | Connor | Aker - MOT | | Videika | Airidas | Aker - MOT | | Laporte | Christophe | Aker - MOT | | Dversnes | Fredrik | Aker - MOT | | Culey | Marcus | Amaysim Australia.com | | Sweeny | Harry | Amaysim Australia.com | | Christensen | Ryan | Amaysim Australia.com | | Wohler | Alex | Amaysim Australia.com | | Monk | Cyrus | Amaysim Australia.com | | Schreurs | Hamish | Amaysim Australia.com | | McCarthy | Jay | Amaysim Australia.com | | Miller | Nick | Amaysim Australia.com | | Noppe | Christophe | Binance | | Van Lerberghe | Bert | Binance | | Bush | Robert | Binance | | Carsi | Mustafa | Binance | | Gough | Regan | Binance | | Perez | Anthony | Binance | | Goncalves | Gaspar | Binance | | Matsangos | Alexandros | Binance | | Per | David | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Resell | Erik Nordsaeter | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Sureda | Jaume | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Hnik | Karel | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Mestric | Matija | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Cannister | Goldwijnn | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Juul-Jensen | Christopher | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Jimenez Retana | John | Carlsberg - Danske Bank | | Siric | Ivan | Cedevita | | Poljanec | Miha | Cedevita | | Enger | Sondre Holst | Cedevita | | Wright | Fred | Cedevita | | Stojnic | Veljko | Cedevita | | Govekar | Matevz | Cedevita | | Hocevar | Kristjan | Cedevita | | Croes | Jonathan | Cedevita | | Antonijevic | Goran | cycleYorkshire | | Atkins | George | cycleYorkshire | | Cullaigh | Gabriel | cycleYorkshire | | Buttigieg | Aidan | cycleYorkshire | | Barbari | Adel | cycleYorkshire | | Dujardin | Sandy | cycleYorkshire | | Zukowsky | Nickolas | cycleYorkshire | | Pelikan | Janos | EA Vesuvio | | Geniets | Kevin | EA Vesuvio | | Van der Lijke | Nick | EA Vesuvio | | Zingle | Axel | EA Vesuvio | | De Bod | Stefan | EA Vesuvio | | Alaphilippe | Julian | EA Vesuvio | | Smit | Willie | EA Vesuvio | | Bax | Sjoerd | EA Vesuvio | | Kortsidakis | Michail | ELCO - ABEA | | Stavrakakis | Georgios | ELCO - ABEA | | Karatzios | Georgios | ELCO - ABEA | | Coquard | Bryan | ELCO - ABEA | | Koumpetsos | Anastasios | ELCO - ABEA | | Bester | Shaun Nick | ELCO - ABEA | | Christapopoulos | Pangiotis | ELCO - ABEA | | Evangelos | Sarris | ELCO - ABEA | | Kurianov | Stepan | Evonik - ELKO | | Neilands | Krists | Evonik - ELKO | | Ansons | Kristers | Evonik - ELKO | | Gavars | Eriks Toms | Evonik - ELKO | | Kanepejs | Deins | Evonik - ELKO | | Plapp | Luke | Evonik - ELKO | | Krasts | Alekss | Evonik - ELKO | | Bergstrom Frisk | Hannes | Evonik - ELKO | | Mundle | Benedikt | Gazelle | | Lander | Sebastian | Gazelle | | Teunissen | Mike | Gazelle | | Godon | Dorian | Gazelle | | Hofer | Andreas | Gazelle | | Vervaeke | Louis | Gazelle | | Karnulin | Denys | Gazelle | | Pedersen | Mads | Grieg-Maersk | | Würtz | Mads | Grieg-Maersk | | Trondsen | Trond Hakon | Grieg-Maersk | | Stokbro | Andreas | Grieg-Maersk | | Tiller | Rasmus | Grieg-Maersk | | Jansen | Amund Grondahl | Grieg-Maersk | | Bazhkou | Stanislau | Grieg-Maersk | | Waerenskjold | Soren | Grieg-Maersk | | Andersen | Idar | ISA - Hexacta | | Mraouni | Salah Eddine | ISA - Hexacta | | Santos | Emerson | ISA - Hexacta | | Baska | Erik | ISA - Hexacta | | Ewan | Caleb | ISA - Hexacta | | Dlamini | Nicholas | ISA - Hexacta | | Contreras | Emiliano | ISA - Hexacta | | Sepulveda | Eduardo | ISA - Hexacta | | Vanthourenhout | Michael | King Power | | Chiu | Ho San | King Power | | Ferreira | Ricardo | King Power | | Herregodts | Rune | King Power | | Menten | Milan | King Power | | Hecht | Gage | King Power | | Fernandes | Jose | King Power | | Fung | Ka Hoo | King Power | | Kemboi | Salem | Lidl Cycling | | Vermeersch | Gianni | Lidl Cycling | | Dekker | David | Lidl Cycling | | De Bie | Sean | Lidl Cycling | | Stewart | Jake | Lidl Cycling | | Salzmann | Jodok | Lidl Cycling | | Phonarjthan | Patompob | Lidl Cycling | | Casillas | Jhonatan | Lidl Cycling | | Barbier | Rudy | Minions | | Dakteris | Janis | Minions | | De Witte | Mathias | Minions | | Ahlstrand | Jonas | Minions | | Bolivar | Isaac | Minions | | Alexander | Nathan | Minions | | Perez | Cristian | Minions | | Brown | Nathan | Minions | | Chavanne | Gabriel | MOL Cycling Team | | Altur | Marcos | MOL Cycling Team | | Keough | Luke | MOL Cycling Team | | Donovan | Mark | MOL Cycling Team | | Rivera | Kevin | MOL Cycling Team | | Kolev | Yoan | MOL Cycling Team | | Majoral | Jordi | MOL Cycling Team | | Carretero Millan | Hector | MOL Cycling Team | | Gaviria | Fernando | Moser - Sygic | | Toupalik | Adam | Moser - Sygic | | Bogdanovics | Maris | Moser - Sygic | | Bonnamour | Franck | Moser - Sygic | | Boros | Michael | Moser - Sygic | | Gross | Felix | Moser - Sygic | | Nommela | Aksel | Moser - Sygic | | Hofland | Moreno | Moser - Sygic | | Brockhoff | Jan | Polar | | Nych | Artem | Polar | | Garcia Cortina | Ivan | Polar | | Lauk | Karl Patrick | Polar | | Philipsen | Jasper | Polar | | Becis | Armands | Polar | | Oldani | Stefano | Polar | | Carpenter | Robin | Polar | | Van den Berg | Julius | Rabobank | | Pedersen | Casper | Rabobank | | Roosen | Timo | Rabobank | | Grosu | Eduard | Rabobank | | Van der Kooij | Bas | Rabobank | | Vader | Milan | Rabobank | | Bloem | Joren | Rabobank | | Van Den Berg | Marijn | Rabobank | | Varga | Peter | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Aniolkowski | Stanislaw | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Horvat | Ziga | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Gladysh | Roman | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Lutsyshyn | Roman | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Parashchak | Yaroslav | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Papanov | Martin | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Kachur | Dmytro | Team Popo4Ever p/b Morshynska | | Nieuwenhuis | Joris | Team Puma - SAP | | Rutsch | Jonas | Team Puma - SAP | | Kanter | Max | Team Puma - SAP | | Steimle | Jannik | Team Puma - SAP | | Meiler | Lukas | Team Puma - SAP | | Schinnagel | Johannes | Team Puma - SAP | | Egger | Mike Aaron | Team Puma - SAP | | Fortunato | Lorenzo | Team Puma - SAP | | Manakov | Viktor | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Kamyshev | Arman | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Senechal | Florian | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Samolenkov | Artem | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Goldstein | Roy | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Vorobev | Anton | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Sulimov | Alexander | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Tikhonin | Evgenii | Tinkoff - La Datcha Team | | Katrasnik | Gasper | Trans Looney Tunes | | Lecourt De Billot | Olivier | Trans Looney Tunes | | Calmejane | Lilian | Trans Looney Tunes | | Bystrom | Sven Erik | Trans Looney Tunes | | Korosec | Rok | Trans Looney Tunes | | Tulett | Ben | Trans Looney Tunes | | Sobrero | Matteo | Trans Looney Tunes | | Murn | Bostjan | Trans Looney Tunes | | Cosnefroy | Benoit | ZARA - Irizar | | Jakobsen | Fabio | ZARA - Irizar | | Ovsyannikov | Alexandr | ZARA - Irizar | | Hofstetter | Hugo | ZARA - Irizar | | Hesters | Jules | ZARA - Irizar | | Sam | Henry Alberto | ZARA - Irizar | | Vandevelde | Yentl | ZARA - Irizar | | Gilmore | Brady | ZARA - Irizar |
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 05-12-2025 15:08
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| ember |
Posted on 29-01-2024 21:13
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One of very few flat classics we couldn't bring Kragh too, as he's busy in the Vuelta and using his GT race days. Think and hope Wisniowski alone gives us enough of a good chance to make a top 10, but we definitely have one bullet less than we like to for these races.
Hoping for an aggressive race over the hills, to zap energy from the great sprinters here, giving Wisniowski a better chance to make that top 10. |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 29-01-2024 21:30
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Tour de France Champion
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With AKA at the Vuelta, it's Per's chance to lead a flat (uncobbled) classic. We've never really gone to a flat classic with a big time flat beast before, so I don't know what to expect really. Hopefully he attacks and it doesn't come down to a sprint. His flat and spr/acc combo should be suited to surviving on a late attack, but the race has to play out for it.
Thanks for the preview!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 29-01-2024 21:50
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 7770
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Go Ahlstrand!
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| knockout |
Posted on 29-01-2024 22:12
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Grand Tour Champion
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Might be repeating myself from every flat classic but my only hope is that Kurianov can deliver something nice here. Had a couple top 20s earlier iirc so a continuation of that would be nice. Proper late attack action is obviously accepted too.
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 29-01-2024 23:15
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World Champion
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Grosu got some good results here in the last couple of years. Hopefully he'll continue on that trend as we need points.
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| SotD |
Posted on 30-01-2024 05:22
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World Champion
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Coquard was bad last season. I Can imagine something similar again unfortunately. Fingers are crossed that I’m wrong.
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 30-01-2024 08:03
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
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Hope Mundle or Lander can do something.
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| redordead |
Posted on 30-01-2024 08:23
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Siric has proven to be useless in these races so far. Enger has been very good all season and it would be unfair to ask for another good result. But with the Vuelta being pretty much non scoring we need the points from somewhere.
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| cio93 |
Posted on 30-01-2024 15:16
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World Champion
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Our home race with a German leader for the first time!
We all know it's a great opportunity for the flat beasts as well, so first of all fingers crossed that it won't be.
Last year's result shows we know how to do well here, but it'll be the first time that Kanter gets a shot at this finish. At face value, his spot in the sprinter hierarchy is ideal for a good result from the slipstreams, but we've also been left out of competition completely before.
A top 5 would be amazing for the home crowd.
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 30-01-2024 20:42
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Should be a competitive race, that is for sure!
If it all ends as it is supposed to in a bunch sprint then Jakobsen is here to get us a result. It's a strong field though so a Top 10 would have to be considered a success.
On the other hand, if it goes differently then we have an aggressive, strong Cosnefroy ready to battle it out against the flat beasts. I think he's been hard done by not being included in the favourites so let's see if he can surprise a few!
Thank you for the preview and looking forward to a thriller!
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| SotD |
Posted on 01-02-2024 20:30
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World Champion
Posts: 12631
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Another bad result. They won’t really take an end this month. It will be a very detronising feel once we recap.
Congrats on a great win - and thanks for a Nice report Ivan.
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| alexkr00 |
Posted on 01-02-2024 21:31
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World Champion
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Not a disaster, but not the result I was hoping for
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| cio93 |
Posted on 01-02-2024 21:34
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World Champion
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No idea who's gonna stop Aker from winning the PT now, what a performance so far! Congrats ember.
It's not a Top 5 as I would've loved to see, but I'd argue 7th and 8th after showing ourselves in the hectic finale is even better!!
Our new signing and future star Jonas Rutsch showed his fighting spirit and joined the right moves, sadly it wasn't quite enough to compete for the win but that's acceptable considering his lack of experience.
Max Kanter finishing third of the sprinters from the peloton shows there was even more possible in a second different scenario, but I'll happily take the combination of two semi-optimal constellations.
Definitely a home race performance to be proud of!
Thank you Ivan for the report!
Edited by cio93 on 01-02-2024 21:37
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| ember |
Posted on 01-02-2024 21:35
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What a beautiful win that was! He must have been on a great day, and then to get all the timing right, what a performance. Winning in the rainbow jersey really is something special.
Very cool to see us get paid for the gamble to build a team for the flat classics with only rouleurs. Though, clearly this payday was far more than we could have expected and hoped for. We definitely take it, very nice to kind of keep the momentum after the sensational first week of the Vuelta as well. |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 01-02-2024 21:40
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Pretty disappointed to see Per not getting in on the action despite being our absolute leader here and tailor made for a late attack. Maybe the fighter stat actually mattered a lot. But tough to see other flat beasts win while he just sits idly by despite not having a sprinter to protect.
Aker just can't lose these days, congrats again, and thanks for the report!
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 01-02-2024 22:00
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Grand Tour Champion
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Thanks ivan for the report, and congrats ember! Great to win in the rainbow jersey.
Disappointing result for Ahlstrand, though discounting the late attackers it would have been fine.
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| Luis Leon Sanchez |
Posted on 01-02-2024 22:48
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Cosnefroy with a strong performance for 6th!! Great to see him aggressive in the finale and rewarded with a great result for us. Jakobsen 17th is a few additional points which I can accept given Cosnefroy's performance.
Thank you for the report and congrats on the win Ember!
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| redordead |
Posted on 02-02-2024 06:13
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Easily the worst race of the season.
"I am a cyclist, I may not be the best, but that is what I strive to be. I may never get there, but I will never quit trying." - Tadej Pogačar
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| knockout |
Posted on 02-02-2024 08:08
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8235
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Aker again, what an outstanding run they are having right now. Crazy stuff! Congrats ember!
A Big Thank You To All MG Reporters! |
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