2012 Montepaschi Strade Bianche

[Dazed and Confused]

IMO it's too hard for Degenkolb. Actually can't think of any Argos rider who could be a factor. Surprise WC selection for me.

Could be, but guys such as Flecha and Van Summeren have been in top 10 or thereabouts. Don't think Degenkolb can win it, but perhaps he can play a role. Lets see.

 

[the asian]

do you know if the race has been upgraded to 1.HC? It's still listed as 1.1 on the website of the uci but they would not be allowed to invite more that 50% pro tour teams if it's 1.1

Indeed, the No of pro Tour Teams indicate it must have been upgraded.

Or they must have got some special exemption.

 

[theyoungest]

Yay Argos.... I hope there's a climber or puncheur hidden somewhere in those names that I don't know of their line up

Argos are invited everywhere because of their philosophy: clean racing with cr.p riders. Basically they have three guys who can survive a hill: Degenkolb, Dumoulin, and De Kort. Maybe now also Van Rensburg.

 

[Ferminal]

Could be, but guys such as Flecha and Van Summeren have been in top 10 or thereabouts. Don't think Degenkolb can win it, but perhaps he can play a role. Lets see.

He would go well up until the 20% ramp at the end.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

He would go well up until the 20% ramp at the end.

yep, needs a pretty big gap before to get near podium. Still I would expect him to be visible.

 

[search]

honestly I don't think he is much worse than Kocjan or Gatto when it comes to going uphill

 

[Dazed and Confused]

honestly I don't think he is much worse than Kocjan or Gatto when it comes to going uphill

Neither do I, but he needs to deliver before we can claim we know anything.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Neither do I, but he needs to deliver before we can claim we know anything.

look to wc 2008 u23, that duarte won. degenkolb can climb very well, although it has gotten worse at argos. think he also got heavier

 

[search]

same for the wc in geelong when he followed Gallopin's attack on the final hill and still managed to take silver in the big bunch sprint after being catched

 

[Gotland]

Androni were certain to be invited. They were the winners of the Italian cup last year.



IMO it's too hard for Degenkolb. Actually can't think of any Argos rider who could be a factor. Surprise WC selection for me.

Movistar seems to have got the selection mainly because of Visconti.

Good that IAM have been invited, Lofkvist will get a chance.

Also hope that Gilbert and Cancellara will turn up.

I don't think Löfkvist is going to Strade bianche. I think he is doing Paris-Nice. That is pitty since 2009 he was really amazing on the last upphill. And was very close to win 2010. Only lost in the last couple of meters.

 

[Pentacycle]

look to wc 2008 u23, that duarte won. degenkolb can climb very well, although it has gotten worse at argos. think he also got heavier

Michael Matthews was a very good climber in the U23 too, does that mean he got heavier? Climbing with the pros is obviously a lot different from espoir racing.

 

[Ferminal]

Like Kump in Mendrisio?

 

[El Pistolero]

Michael Matthews was a very good climber in the U23 too, does that mean he got heavier? Climbing with the pros is obviously a lot different from espoir racing.

Not even sure what the WC in 2008 has to do with anything. It wasn't a particularly hard edition.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Michael Matthews was a very good climber in the U23 too, does that mean he got heavier? Climbing with the pros is obviously a lot different from espoir racing.

matthews is still a very good climber, although rabo mostly wasted him

 

[Pentacycle]

matthews is still a very good climber, although rabo mostly wasted him

He should've been GT leader there?

 

[theyoungest]

matthews is still a very good climber, although rabo mostly wasted him

His form peak was ruined by injury last year, he crashed in Tirreno. In the Brabantse Pijl you could see he still had the climbing legs. But then they didn't bring him to Amstel, might have been worth a try.

But in races like Vattenfall, for instance, he didn't reach the finish in the front peloton. For a 'very good climber', that's not very good.