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No need for WT. Better to stay at .HC, but move the race perhaps back a week or two to get a bit more attention from the Tour warmup guys. It's better to see a good collection of ProConti and motivated WT teams fighting than have another Eneco-type WT race where a few teams are just making numbers up. This race is developing well over the last few years and the parcours is improving. Like the Tour of Britain, it's getting a good mix of improving international entries while still giving a key target for the national teams where they're not totally overmatched - Joker have a stacked lineup here, for example.
But then, I don't like the WT concept anyway and think having everything aspire to be WT will result in a closed shop at the top (especially if Cookson's stupid stupid stupid calendar reform comes into being), which takes away a lot of the character of races.
But then, I don't like the WT concept anyway and think having everything aspire to be WT will result in a closed shop at the top (especially if Cookson's stupid stupid stupid calendar reform comes into being), which takes away a lot of the character of races.
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I would've thought this type of puncheur finish would be suited to EBH, but he looked pretty weak.
Also, Txurruka!!!!11
Also, Txurruka!!!!11
- Feb 20, 2010
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Amets Txurruka, king of all! This kind of thing is becoming Caja's trademark, after Fraile at Dunkerque a couple of weeks ago 
- Apr 17, 2013
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Re:
That's why it needs some years. The norwegians need to start appreciating cycling more to make it a succesful event on a WT-level. My hope is that it will gain prestige and attract greater names in the future. As long as the current WT points system is there, promoting the race is the only way to make the great stars spare it any thought of consideration. Ofcourse you may also simply prefer that the biggest teams don't attend the race. In that case, I see your point. Still other norwegian stage races like Tour des Fjords also offer opportunities for national norwegian developmental teamsLibertine Seguros said:
- Feb 20, 2010
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Re: Re:
As a result, I find .HC to be a great level of racing for what I guess you'd call "emerging" cycling countries where the sport is establishing itself as it helps develop riders as well as give a focal point for the domestic season to build around rather than shutting the domestic pros out of the biggest audience-winner event, as there aren't enough Norwegian teams at the top 2 levels to give the race a real Norwegian feel otherwise. I like races to have their own feel, something that makes them stand out, and I love Norway and want the race to have a distinctive Norwegian flavour, as opposed to being another bleh World Tour week tour with half the péloton just riding for miles. It's developing something of that at present, and will continue to do so if they continue with the progress they're making. The Ronde van België and Tour of Britain are both much better as .HC races than they would be at the WT level. California perhaps as well, though of course we've just come off a chronically bad edition of that race.
It's not so much about biggest teams per se - there are still plenty of big teams here. I just would prefer it where the big teams that show up are the teams that care; I'm not keen on making something World Tour if I fear that they would be replacing second- and third-tier teams who really care about fighting for the race with first-tier teams who don't and just make up numbers. Call it "Euskaltel-at-Roubaix" syndrome, if you like. I think it better to give teams like Joker and Coop a chance to fight against the big teams that want to be there than for those big teams to fight among themselves because a bunch of teams like Astana and Lampre send a few domestiques to get miles in their legs.Cance > TheRest said:
As a result, I find .HC to be a great level of racing for what I guess you'd call "emerging" cycling countries where the sport is establishing itself as it helps develop riders as well as give a focal point for the domestic season to build around rather than shutting the domestic pros out of the biggest audience-winner event, as there aren't enough Norwegian teams at the top 2 levels to give the race a real Norwegian feel otherwise. I like races to have their own feel, something that makes them stand out, and I love Norway and want the race to have a distinctive Norwegian flavour, as opposed to being another bleh World Tour week tour with half the péloton just riding for miles. It's developing something of that at present, and will continue to do so if they continue with the progress they're making. The Ronde van België and Tour of Britain are both much better as .HC races than they would be at the WT level. California perhaps as well, though of course we've just come off a chronically bad edition of that race.
Re:
EBH hasn't been explosive since 2012, unfortunately...He's also way too heavy now with his 77 kgs.Maaaaaaaarten said:
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