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Tour of Qatar Discussion
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| CrueTrue |
Posted on 16-04-2014 21:23
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Tour de France Champion
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Rather poor positioning by Kennaugh, at least on the 1st stage, but can't complain too much when other sprint trains are that superior. |
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| Heine |
Posted on 17-04-2014 07:36
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Grand Tour Specialist
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I'm happy that my team tries in the breakaways, simply a too strong field to get any results without a lucky breakaway
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 09:49
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Please note that like Tachira there is a problem with the young rider classification. This will be fixed when allocating the stage and overall young rider points. The standings will also be fixed from stage 4 onwards. |
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| Miguel98 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 09:55
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World Champion
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Only hell, that gap! This definetelly might happen in this type of stages in PCM, though I never seen it happen by 25 seconds!  |
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| niconico |
Posted on 17-04-2014 09:58
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Classics Specialist
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Good sprint by Dempster! Shame van der Lijke couldn't position himself.
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 09-12-2025 20:11
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:03
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Team Manager
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What a farce that was.
What even happened there? Couldn't really see with there only being screenshots from the front looking back, thus not covering most of the action. Swift takes up position in Boonen's slipstream then what?
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-04-2014 10:05
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| jph27 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:10
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We got into the break, just with our worst sprinter. Stil at least we tried 
Bizarre AI though. |
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| dev4ever |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:27
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Small Tour Specialist
Posts: 2276
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Wow, gaps on sprint stages
Luckily this shouldnt occur in the continental tour, although I am kinda worried about my own chances in sprints now
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| CountArach |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:34
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Grand Tour Champion
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SportingNonsense wrote:
What a farce that was.
What even happened there? Couldn't really see with there only being screenshots from the front looking back, thus not covering most of the action. Swift takes up position in Boonen's slipstream then what?
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
That's my guess - flat probably really came into play today, which is good actually because that is what Qatar should be all about.
I am confused about why Bonnet was my sprinter here and on stage one but c'est la vie. All of my time trialists are still on the same time as most riders and thus can hopefully score decently.
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| Scorchio |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:37
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Posts: 2073
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SportingNonsense wrote:
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
I too have been wondering about the wind conditions in Qatar (and other races too in fact) so far re:
(i) big bunches of riders being dropped (some of whom are quite strong),
(ii) stage 3's bizarre sprint. 4 lead-out trains with 5km to go seemed far too early to me (though never played PCM13, (limited) experience is with PCM12), then disintegrating and the gap created (PCM AI definitely having a flaky!), and
(iii) the presence of so many TT'ers / classic type guys in the sprint.
Perhaps a weather update at stage start and end (as often changeable, but hard to keep track on during a stage) could be a recommendation for a standardised inclusion in all race reports? This is proposed as adding value, the reporting of the new season has been to a very good standard to date across the board imo!
Manager of ISA - Hexacta in the MG |
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| SotD |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:38
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World Champion
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Great. Also Lecuisinier dropped far back now. So Guerao is here to take a 50-something spot, and then *knockonwood* Bernaudeau can stay in st. and take a 20-something GC.
It doesn't really seem to matter how well your sprinter is placed - Guerao was perfectly positioned, and still fucks up big time.
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| roturn |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:38
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Shame to see my team going for neither sprints nor breakaways. At least the time trialists are doing fine. |
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:40
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SportingNonsense wrote:
What a farce that was.
What even happened there? Couldn't really see with there only being screenshots from the front looking back, thus not covering most of the action. Swift takes up position in Boonen's slipstream then what?
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
He just faded I guess. Boonen and Bewley were both incredibly strong, and with Cancellara and Dempster doing so well the strongmen clearly had a good day.
Maybe 1 more screen for the battle for 5th-10th should have been put in, but I can't cover everyone's sprinter individually, especially if they aren't near the front and there's plenty of other action happening further forward. If I do it's a lot of work. |
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| CountArach |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:40
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8205
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Scorchio wrote:
Perhaps a weather update at stage start and end (as often changeable, but hard to keep track on during a stage) could be a recommendation for a standardised inclusion in all race reports? This is proposed as adding value, the reporting of the new season has been to a very good standard to date across the board imo!
Yeah more information about weather would be a great inclusion, though it isn't really necessary on most stages which tend to be normal temperature with little wind. As long as things like high wind, rain and high temperature are reported that would be a great inclusion.
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| beagle |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:45
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Grand Tour Specialist
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Wow, this is brutal
Strange tactic of my team with vanishing sprint train almost 3km before line. Bewley was extremely strong, luckily Boonen could hang on his rear tire and eventually outsprint him. Maybe gap was caused by strong wind combining with B+B's high Flat?
EDIT: multiply Zabel'd 
Edited by beagle on 17-04-2014 10:48
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| SportingNonsense |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:52
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Team Manager
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FroomeDog99 wrote:
SportingNonsense wrote:
What a farce that was.
What even happened there? Couldn't really see with there only being screenshots from the front looking back, thus not covering most of the action. Swift takes up position in Boonen's slipstream then what?
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
He just faded I guess. Boonen and Bewley were both incredibly strong, and with Cancellara and Dempster doing so well the strongmen clearly had a good day.
Maybe 1 more screen for the battle for 5th-10th should have been put in, but I can't cover everyone's sprinter individually, especially if they aren't near the front and there's plenty of other action happening further forward. If I do it's a lot of work.
Anything would be an improvement on only showing the front 2-5 riders 
You don't need to cover everyone's sprinter individually when you provide enough coverage to allow people to follow their own sprinter themself. It takes what, 5 seconds, to move down the field and take an extra screenshot.
And like it or not, Swift is one of the top favourites. If a top favourite fails in any race, that ought to be covered.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 17-04-2014 10:52
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| FroomeDog99 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:58
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 4461
Joined: 07-10-2012
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SportingNonsense wrote:
FroomeDog99 wrote:
SportingNonsense wrote:
What a farce that was.
What even happened there? Couldn't really see with there only being screenshots from the front looking back, thus not covering most of the action. Swift takes up position in Boonen's slipstream then what?
Wind making it a day for the strong men I can only presume.
He just faded I guess. Boonen and Bewley were both incredibly strong, and with Cancellara and Dempster doing so well the strongmen clearly had a good day.
Maybe 1 more screen for the battle for 5th-10th should have been put in, but I can't cover everyone's sprinter individually, especially if they aren't near the front and there's plenty of other action happening further forward. If I do it's a lot of work.
Anything would be an improvement on only showing the front 2-5 riders
You don't need to cover everyone's sprinter individually when you provide enough coverage to allow people to follow their own sprinter themself. It takes what, 5 seconds, to move down the field and take an extra screenshot.
And like it or not, Swift is one of the top favourites. If a top favourite fails in any race, that ought to be covered.
It's not like I'm trying to take shortcuts, you only made your sprint report points about the first stage after I'd written every sprint stage. I added extra detail but there's not a lot I can do when I can't take new screens.
I remember it was pretty chaotic behind at the time with no lead out trains and with the bonuses being decided up the road 3 or so bits on the riders in contention behind would be enough. |
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| rjc_43 |
Posted on 17-04-2014 10:59
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I was thinking Guarnieri was going for a top 3 again until the name Rowe popped up near the end.
I can only guess the flat stat was one of the main features in that stage - hence Rowe doing his best result for two seasons.
Big pity that that gap happened though, kinda ruins any chance for any other rider to even have the slightest slimmest chance of doing anything. Fight for a top ten GC I guess then?
I'll be interested to see how badly Guarnieri does with his ok prologue stat, but awful TT stat...
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| Smowz |
Posted on 17-04-2014 11:29
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Boonen and Bewley continue their war - I thought Bewley may be top dog this year, however the Pokerstars sprint train of doom is really hurting the Kiwi. Still Bewley is going far better than the other superstar sprinters.
I can only imagine how cio would have reacted to this:
32 Daniele Bennati
I see Van Heerden made it back on, however the Aker sprinters have been nowhere did this team not do a pre season training camp or something? Hagen ran out of power at the end of Badaling also.
As Scorchio is saying the wind may be the reason for these strange sprints - last year I think a lot of secondary sprinters would have been able to come late. This year the strongmen just romp away.
Some teams are getting some lucky breakaways keeping in the pack. This is going to give them a nice bonus and considering Boonen and Bewley could well mop up two of three end stage bonuses I am hopeful Fab can sneak in the top 10 and maybe beat Fiedler in the TT.
Thanks for the reports Froomedog99, happy to see the SRB jersey through Canc getting in the sprint!
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-04-2014 12:00
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 17835
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Brilliant race! The wind is doing what i so hoped it would do and completely throw a spanner in the works! I love it!
The hard men are taking the race by the scruff of the neck and having a great battle up front. Behind it's a bit about luck but you can always use some in cycling. Soupe is capitalizing nicely on this for SRB, nothing particularly major but he's proving to be of some use and that experience will be key in future seasons when he's commanding back at B3B
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