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Tour of Ukraine - Discussions
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| seancoll |
Posted on 11-11-2024 23:47
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 Tour of Ukraine
It’s another time trial heavy event in Ukraine as the PTHC calendar continues along here in February. Last year’s event went to Taylor Phinney who won every stage and every jersey available to him. The 2022 version was only slightly less dominant for the American, winning 2 stages and the points jersey. Phinney isn’t the only 20time winner here though as Pluckhin has taken the victory twice as well. Eastman is the only other rider to have won the title in the last 5 years as he took the win in 2020.
Looking at the stages, of course the favorites here will be time trialists and climbers. The first prologue should benefit the short specialists, but the uphill nature should make it look more attractive to the climbers and the long time trialists. Climbers will be hoping for huge fights on Stage 2, but that’s been uncommon so far this MG season. Stage 3 will allow riders a chance to gain a place or two – a long, relatively flat TT should benefit those strongest in the solo efforts, but they’ll need to set themselves up on the first stages.
Favorites
| Name | MO | HI | TT | ST | RS | RC | AC | PR |  Wirtgen | 78 | 75 | 84 | 76 | 75 | 75 | 72 | 80 |  Würtz | 67 | 71 | 83 | 78 | 78 | 76 | 70 | 79 |  Dunbar | 77 | 76 | 82 | 74 | 77 | 78 | 68 | 77 |  Mullen | 62 | 70 | 81 | 75 | 74 | 72 | 70 | 78 |  Lammertink | 64 | 69 | 80 | 70 | 76 | 70 | 68 | 79 |  Mano | 72 | 75 | 80 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 66 | 77 |  Bjerg | 64 | 68 | 80 | 73 | 77 | 73 | 70 | 79 | | Bernal | 82 | 74 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 69 | 76 |  Ganna | 69 | 73 | 80 | 74 | 81 | 69 | 73 | 82 | | Tanfield | 59 | 63 | 79 | 74 | 75 | 71 | 72 | 79 |  Paillot | 69 | 70 | 79 | 74 | 73 | 66 | 63 | 79 | | Geoghegan Hart | 79 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 74 | 75 | 69 | 76 | | Christodoulos | 68 | 68 | 78 | 75 | 69 | 70 | 64 | 79 | | Munton | 74 | 73 | 78 | 73 | 74 | 76 | 64 | 77 | | Pelikan | 66 | 70 | 78 | 74 | 72 | 70 | 69 | 77 | | Onodera | 66 | 69 | 78 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 68 | 75 |  Ioannidis | 75 | 73 | 78 | 76 | 74 | 73 | 70 | 76 | | Kiriakidis | 74 | 73 | 78 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 71 | 76 | | Christapopoulos | 62 | 73 | 78 | 72 | 72 | 66 | 69 | 77 |  Leknessund | 77 | 74 | 78 | 77 | 81 | 77 | 69 | 78 |  Bissegger | 68 | 69 | 78 | 73 | 77 | 72 | 73 | 77 | | Brunel | 67 | 71 | 78 | 72 | 78 | 73 | 65 | 78 |  Sajnok | 61 | 65 | 78 | 70 | 76 | 71 | 72 | 79 |  Conci | 77 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 75 | 78 | 68 | 77 |
Wirtgen has to stand out as the huge favorite here. Bernal and Dunbar the next two on our radar while Geoghegan Hart should be the rider most hoping for a huge day in the hills.
From the team side, pretty amazing to see the time trial depth from EA Vesuvio but also Cedevita and Elco - ABEA all shown here. We shall see how many from those teams will be able to make it up to the top on stage 2, but in the TTs, they should be very competitive in the team battle.
Leknessund appears to the be top favorite in the Young Rider's category.
Looking forward to three major fights amongst some of the strongest in the world.
Startlist:
Spoiler
| Last name | First name | 2024 Team | | Berwick | Sebastian | Aker - MOT | | Donovan | Mark | Aker - MOT | | Kamp | Alexander | Aker - MOT | | Lastra | Jonathan | Aker - MOT | | Bravo | Edison | Aker - MOT | | Harper | Chris | Aker - MOT | | Silva | Pedro | Aker - MOT | | Valter | Attila | Aker - MOT | | Teuns | Dylan | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Uwizeyimana | Bonaventure | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Van Eetvelt | Lennert | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Velasco | Simone | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Willems | Jago | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Habimana | Jean Eric | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Kuypers | Gerben | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Uhiriwe | Renus | Bralirwa - Cegeka | | Pogacar | Tadej | Cedevita | | Ciccone | Giulio | Cedevita | | Geoghegan Hart | Tao | Cedevita | | Lammertink | Steven | Cedevita | | Christodoulos | Michael | Cedevita | | Penko | Izidor | Cedevita | | Sheehan | Riley | Cedevita | | Stojnic | Veljko | Cedevita | | Girdlestone | Keagan | EA Vesuvio | | Wirtgen | Tom | EA Vesuvio | | Munton | Byron | EA Vesuvio | | De Bod | Stefan | EA Vesuvio | | Pelikan | Janos | EA Vesuvio | | Onodera | Rei | EA Vesuvio | | Wirtgen | Luc | EA Vesuvio | | Tanfield | Harry | EA Vesuvio | | Ioannidis | Nikolaos | ELCO - ABEA | | Kiriakidis | Ioannidis | ELCO - ABEA | | Christapopoulos | Pangiotis | ELCO - ABEA | | Affini | Edoardo | ELCO - ABEA | | Mavrikakis | Michail | ELCO - ABEA | | Christakos | Dimitrios | ELCO - ABEA | | Agrotis | Alexandros | ELCO - ABEA | | Spanopoulos | Ioannis | ELCO - ABEA | | Montenegro | Santiago | Everesting | | Orosco | Kemp | Everesting | | Rachid | Elias Abou | Everesting | | Silva | Thomas | Everesting | | Lau | Wan Yau | Everesting | | Phonarjthan | Patompob | Everesting | | Kusi | Clement | Everesting | | Vasko | Levente | Everesting | | Carboni | Giovanni | Gazelle | | Senni | Manuel | Gazelle | | Leknessund | Andreas | Gazelle | | Aleotti | Giovanni | Gazelle | | Pavlic | Marko | Gazelle | | Nsengimana | Jean Bosco | Gazelle | | Balmer | Alexandre | Gazelle | | Hofer | Andreas | Gazelle | | Cort Nielsen | Magnus | Grieg-Maersk | | Gaudu | David | Grieg-Maersk | | Gebrezgabihier | Amanuel | Grieg-Maersk | | Vabo | Tore Andre | Grieg-Maersk | | Abrahamsen | Jonas | Grieg-Maersk | | Würtz | Mads | Grieg-Maersk | | Hulgaard | Morten | Grieg-Maersk | | Bazhkou | Stanislau | Grieg-Maersk | | Canty | Brendan | Indosat Ooredoo | | Dunbar | Eddie | Indosat Ooredoo | | Yudha | Muhammad | Indosat Ooredoo | | Abdurrahman | Muhammad | Indosat Ooredoo | | Sakalou | Andrei | Indosat Ooredoo | | Arif Prayogo | Dealton Nur | Indosat Ooredoo | | Pszczolarski | Wojciech | Indosat Ooredoo | | Rubenis | Pauls | Indosat Ooredoo | | Fraile | Omar | JEWA TIROL | | Paillot | Yoann | JEWA TIROL | | Grossschartner | Felix | JEWA TIROL | | Laurance | Axel | JEWA TIROL | | Bayer | Tobias | JEWA TIROL | | Terada | Yoshiki | JEWA TIROL | | Kabas | Maximilian | JEWA TIROL | | Darbellay | Valentin | Jura GIANTS | | Errazkin | Xuban | Jura GIANTS | | Schmid | Mauro | Jura GIANTS | | Bissegger | Stefan | Jura GIANTS | | Brunel | Alexys | Jura GIANTS | | Kung | Stefan | Jura GIANTS | | Delco | Lorenzo | Jura GIANTS | | Setiawa | Andreas Odie Purnama | Jura GIANTS | | Gidich | Yevgeniy | King Power | | McNulty | Brandon | King Power | | Mano | Yuttana | King Power | | Herregodts | Rune | King Power | | Fung | Ka Hoo | King Power | | Menten | Milan | King Power | | Van Baarle | Dylan | King Power | | Covi | Alessandro | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Fedeli | Alessandro | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Van Gils | Maxim | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Oomen | Sam | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Sajnok | Szymon | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Siddikov | Dilmurdjon | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Potocki | Viktor | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Suter | Joel | Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam | | Kelderman | Wilco | Llapi-Vita | | Borges | Bruno | Llapi-Vita | | Chiarello | William | Llapi-Vita | | Goos | Marc | Llapi-Vita | | Groselj | Ziga | Llapi-Vita | | Yzeiraj | Marildo | Llapi-Vita | | Bechkov | Aleks | Llapi-Vita | | Demiri | Mikel | Llapi-Vita | | Vakoc | Petr | Lotto-Caloi | | Drizners | Jarrad | Lotto-Caloi | | Bergstrom Frisk | Hannes | Lotto-Caloi | | Zana | Filippo | Lotto-Caloi | | Vanbilsen | Kenneth | Lotto-Caloi | | Price-Pejtersen | Johan | Lotto-Caloi | | Berckmoes | Jenno | Lotto-Caloi | | Fagundez | Eric Antonio | Lotto-Caloi | | Sommer | Jan | Minions | | Bjerg | Mikkel | Minions | | Vosekalns | Andris | Minions | | Dall'Oste | Daniele | Minions | | Cattaneo | Mattia | Minions | | Brown | Nathan | Minions | | Casillas | Jhonatan | Minions | | Quintana | Dayer | Minions | | Brozyna | Piotr | MOL Cycling Team | | Dina | Marton | MOL Cycling Team | | Kenyeres | Abel | MOL Cycling Team | | Rhim | Brendan | MOL Cycling Team | | Stancu | George Alexandru | MOL Cycling Team | | Stash | Mamyr | MOL Cycling Team | | Haig | Jack | MOL Cycling Team | | Kennaugh | Tim | MOL Cycling Team | | Stocek | Matus | Moser - Sygic | | Kolar | Michael | Moser - Sygic | | Toupalik | Adam | Moser - Sygic | | Cerny | Josef | Moser - Sygic | | Neuman | Dominik | Moser - Sygic | | Hosek | Josef | Moser - Sygic | | Vacek | Karel | Moser - Sygic | | Turek | Daniel | Moser - Sygic | | Vanderpool | Kristian | Podium Ambition | | Campbell | Akil | Podium Ambition | | Perez | Cristian | Podium Ambition | | Croes | Jonathan | Podium Ambition | | Norbert | Andrew | Podium Ambition | | Alexander | Nathan | Podium Ambition | | Le Court | Kim | Podium Ambition | | Forbes | Nathaniel | Podium Ambition | | Bernal | Egan | Polar | | Eyob | Mektel | Polar | | Mullen | Ryan | Polar | | Jaramillo | Daniel Alexander | Polar | | Zambanini | Edoardo | Polar | | Sweeny | Harry | Polar | | Brockhoff | Jan | Polar | | Christensen | Ryan | Polar | | Areruya | Joseph | Xero Racing | | Ganna | Filippo | Xero Racing | | Khodayari | Farzad | Xero Racing | | Pidcock | Thomas | Xero Racing | | Pomoshnikov | Sergei | Xero Racing | | Martin | Guillaume | Xero Racing | | Strong | Corbin | Xero Racing | | Van Zyl | Johann | Xero Racing | | Conci | Nicola | ZARA - Irizar | | Storer | Michael | ZARA - Irizar | | Cosnefroy | Benoit | ZARA - Irizar | | Finkler | Leonardo Henrique | ZARA - Irizar | | Soler | Marc | ZARA - Irizar | | Castrillo | Jaime | ZARA - Irizar | | Vandevelde | Yentl | ZARA - Irizar | | Gilmore | Brady | ZARA - Irizar |
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 12-11-2024 00:21
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 16552
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Let's go PCT teams! We'll need all the help we can get.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| SotD |
Posted on 12-11-2024 06:03
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World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
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Will be interesting to see if my versatile TT’ers Can do well here or if the better pure TT’ers or puncheurs/GC riders will have the edge.
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| redordead |
Posted on 12-11-2024 07:05
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Team Leader
Posts: 5511
Joined: 18-10-2017
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Hopefully TGH and Pogacar can work well on stage 2. If we can't get depth scoring in this race then I struggle to see where we could this season.
Thanks for the preview 
"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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| ember |
Posted on 12-11-2024 07:24
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Team Leader
Posts: 7057
Joined: 27-03-2008
PCM$: 900.00
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Thank you for the preview, seancoll!
We have no GC ambitions here with the prologue and the TT. This is more a result of putting Valter into every race where there are some kind of hills. That stage 2 should on paper suit him very, very well! I really hope we can run away from this race with the stage win there, eventhough I fear it could become a battlefield between the stage racers and Valter not getting any priority by the AI.
Fingers crossed for big gaps as well, but seeing the season so far, I will happily take a Valter sprint win on stage 2  Kind of afraid that the downhill finish makes for passive racing, but we shall see. I’m hoping I’m wrong!
For the overall win, Wirtgen is the standout rider. The only scenario he can struggle in, is in the hilly stage proves to be way more difficult and the stage racers like Bernal and Pogacar putting the hammer down. |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 12-11-2024 07:44
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 15024
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 11500.00
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Oomen didn't make the preview, but he failed here big last year, so it's understandable. Let's see what we can do this year.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| DubbelDekker |
Posted on 12-11-2024 08:57
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 2797
Joined: 20-04-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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If stage 2 is selective we could end up scoring well through depth and possibly a Leknessund top 10.
If not we get swamped by TT specialists.
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| roturn |
Posted on 12-11-2024 09:03
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Team Manager
Posts: 22043
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If only knowing before band selection, that Phinney had been a realistic target...missing lots of potential wins and almost guaranteed podiums with a bad PTHC band selection post transfers, but on the other hand can avoid Wirtgen in especially but also Dunbar or Würtz a bit more often. 
Can`t see past Wirtgen here with a potential 2 or even 3 stage win performance. |
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| Gustavovskiy |
Posted on 12-11-2024 09:28
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Team Leader
Posts: 6174
Joined: 20-07-2008
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This should be a good race for us. We're scoring too many points we need to ease a little bit on that front and this seems like the perfect opportunity for that.
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 12-11-2024 10:22
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5234
Joined: 29-09-2018
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Not sure what to expect here. But at least it shouldn't be much worse than last year, where we got a measly 12 points from here.
I sure hope for the "hilly" stage to be pretty selective this time. Whether it is or not, Schmid should be there to get us a good stage result. And then we rely - once again - on Darbellay for the GC. He should keep up with the good climbers there, and hopefully put a minute or two into the pure TTers. The prologue should suit him, and he's solid on flat TTs as well, so stage 2 better be selective.
If it isn't, we'll have to hope for Bissegger, Brunel and Küng to make the split this time. If Schmid is considered to be a favourite on day 2, the team should hopefully be better positioned than last year - but there's a lot of "ifs" for us. Reflected by the expectations, which are the lowest for any PTHC race this year.
Wirtgen should easily get this one, unless Bernal gets a minute on day 2. Otherwise, his TT advantage is just too big to lose out again - in particular given that the good GC riders should be close together and have the same conditions this time, unlike Tasmania.
Thanks for the preview, good luck to all!
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| Laurens147 |
Posted on 12-11-2024 10:27
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Sprinter
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Thanks for the preview sean!
Maybe Vakoc can do something in stage 2, otherwise it'll be a zero pointer I'm afraid.
MG - Lotto - Caloi
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 05-12-2025 17:07
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 12-11-2024 13:20
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Grand Tour Specialist
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First big test for shiny new Dunbar - this is his only race for a while so hopefully he can dust off the cobwebs and try and stick as close to Wittgenstein as he can. We have a great supporting team here, but the competition is pretty fierce so gonna need s2 so be moderately selective for a chance at a top-5 here.
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| Eden95 |
Posted on 12-11-2024 13:20
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First big test for shiny new Dunbar - this is his only race for a while so hopefully he can dust off the cobwebs and try and stick as close to Wittgenstein as he can. We have a great supporting team here, but the competition is pretty fierce so gonna need s2 so be moderately selective for a chance at a top-5 here.
Thank you for the preview!
Indosat - ANZ HQ
"This Schleck sandwich is going to cause serious indigestion for Evans" - Phil Liggett |
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| Fabianski |
Posted on 12-11-2024 14:47
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Grand Tour Specialist
Posts: 5234
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Fabianski wrote:
I sure hope for the "hilly" stage to be pretty selective this time. Whether it is or not, Schmid should be there to get us a good stage result.
[...]
If Schmid is considered to be a favourite on day 2, [...]
Nevermind, just saw Areruya on the startlist 
Quite some strong puncheurs here actually, also the omni-present Valter and Pidcock, and top climbers like Haig, Pogacar, Bernal... Stage 2 could very well be carnage this year, at least I doubt it'll be as boring as the previous version of this stage. Full startlist doesn't bode well for our GC ambitions, but well, I still hope we'll be slightly better than last year
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| ember |
Posted on 12-11-2024 16:18
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Team Leader
Posts: 7057
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Fabianski wrote:
Fabianski wrote:
I sure hope for the "hilly" stage to be pretty selective this time. Whether it is or not, Schmid should be there to get us a good stage result.
[...]
If Schmid is considered to be a favourite on day 2, [...]
Nevermind, just saw Areruya on the startlist
Quite some strong puncheurs here actually, also the omni-present Valter and Pidcock, and top climbers like Haig, Pogacar, Bernal... Stage 2 could very well be carnage this year, at least I doubt it'll be as boring as the previous version of this stage. Full startlist doesn't bode well for our GC ambitions, but well, I still hope we'll be slightly better than last year
Scratch everything I said about Valter aiming for the stage win! Areruya here is quite something. Fingers crossed it means we get a super selective stage 2, but just easy enough to make Valter one of the elite riders |
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| Marcovdw |
Posted on 12-11-2024 20:07
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Grand Tour Champion
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Should be a good race for Cattaneo, but his GC will mostly depend on stage two.
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| whitejersey |
Posted on 12-11-2024 21:14
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Classics Specialist
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Should be a lock for Wirtgen, but anything can happen in Ukraine!
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| SotD |
Posted on 13-11-2024 05:20
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World Champion
Posts: 12631
Joined: 29-11-2006
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Solid start to keep multiple riders in contention. Stage 2 needs to be a little bit difficult for the pure timetriallists, but not hard enough to kill off my guys. It’s a fine balance.
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| redordead |
Posted on 13-11-2024 06:34
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Team Leader
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It's too early to tell whether we did enough in this opening stage, but it seems an okay start.
"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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| ember |
Posted on 13-11-2024 07:21
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Team Leader
Posts: 7057
Joined: 27-03-2008
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Now for the big highlight! Really, really curious to see how stage 2 will play out with the many top stage racers, climbers and hybrids that are present. Though, some of them might also have conflicting interests. For example, what will Areruya do if Ganna is treated as their GC leader? |
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