Nov 16, 2013
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It can't be true that this race does not have a thread!!!

But I don't know how to post images :(

Anyway:

Stage 1: Easy, no wind, in a forest, sprint.
Stage 2: Easy, no wind, not in a forest, southwards, sprint.
Stage 3 (ITT): Hard, ITT, flat, no wind, not sprint.
Stage 4: Very hard, no wind, very hilly, ending on a hill, 7.4 km, 5.9%, irregular, lots of hills throughout.
Stage 5: Easy, wind possible, looks foresty, probably no selection, sprint.
Stage 6: Quite hard, puncheur finish, quite a lot of altitude metres, wind unlikely to play a role.
Stage 7: The what has sadly become a mandatory feature of a MTF on Valdeblore - La Colmiane. Hopefully, it will not have a "the last live sport we are gonna see for months" vibe like last year.
Stage 8: Short, hard, no Col d'Èze, possible to stress a weak leader's team if you're Contador, not a sprint, de la Cruz is ready to take his third win here even if it ends with a descent.

Favourites:

**** * Roglic
*** Porte, Schachmann,
** Vlasov, I Izagirre, TGH, Gaudu, Hindley
* De la Cruz, Teuns, Bennett, Kruijswijk, Lutsenko, Dennis, G Martin, Benoot, Barguil, Latour.

No, it's not a coincidence that I have a gap between 5 and 3 stars.

Sprinters present: Bennett, Démare, Pedersen, Ackermann, Nizzolo, C Bol, Kristoff, Degenkolb, Matthews, Philipsen, EBH, Bauhaus, Laporte, Bouhanni, Coquard, Meeus, Danny van Poppel, Greipel, Groves.

I agree with those who say that the start list is slightly underwhelming.

Past winners (in the time I watched the race):
2020: Schachmann
2019: Bernal
2018: Soler (how!?!)
2017: Henao
2016: Thomas
2015: Porte
2014: Betancur
2013: Porte
2012: Wiggins
2011: T Martin
2010: Contador
2009: LL Sánchez
2008: Rebellin
2007: Contador

So, all in all, I checked the weather forecast, and sadly, it doesn't seem like we will get the crosswind action that we have gotten used to. But luckily, we have other races this year to accompony this race with!
 
Feb 20, 2010
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Am I missing an in-joke or something?


Not only is there a thread, but you've posted in it?
 
Oct 14, 2017
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To answer you question about Soler having won in 2018. If I remember correctly, he had an extremely good ITT and then on the final stage went out on the attack early and had help of a small crash from the chasing group of leaders.
 
Aug 6, 2010
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Am I missing an in-joke or something?


Not only is there a thread, but you've posted in it?

I don't get it either.

But for some reason I am now anticipating posts from a new poster by the name of 'tobydawg'.
 
May 5, 2010
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<RedheadDane mode>But the topic is the same. Wouldn't that make this topic the same popularity as the "other" topic?</RedheadDane mode>

The topic of this thread is clearly that we should move along.
And I think not!
 
I can't believe this thread has 18 posts while my Godon-thread may never reach ten.

Reading it for the second time this sentence especially springs into mind:
"I agree with those who say that the start list is slightly underwhelming." You must then have remembered the conversation about the start list in the other thread?

Anyway, great thread, it's starting to become my second favourite after classes with the pros.
 
Aug 6, 2010
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I can't believe this thread has 18 posts while my Godon-thread may never reach ten.

Reading it for the second time this sentence especially springs into mind:
"I agree with those who say that the start list is slightly underwhelming." You must then have remembered the conversation about the start list in the other thread?

Anyway, great thread, it's starting to become my second favourite after classes with the pros.

Godon?

I think most of us here are atheists; rename it Godoff.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: SafeBet
Nov 16, 2013
26,686
27,791
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I can't believe this thread has 18 posts while my Godon-thread may never reach ten.

Reading it for the second time this sentence especially springs into mind:
"I agree with those who say that the start list is slightly underwhelming." You must then have remembered the conversation about the start list in the other thread?

Anyway, great thread, it's starting to become my second favourite after classes with the pros.

Or I may have other friends :cool:
 
Feb 20, 2012
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Really? It's the same way as it has always been. [ IMG ] (url of online image) [ /IMG ]
I think stage profiles can get wonky with the overlay or something, so it's just a blank image from some sources if you try to plug the URL directly.