Clásica San Sebastián - 2 August 2014

[SafeBet]

Clásica San Sebastián - 2 August 2014

Profile:

Map:

Video of the last wall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhdmn3Yocg&feature=player_detailpage#t=951

And profile:

(props to hrotha)


Startlist: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Clasica_Ciclista_San_Sebastian_2014-Startlist

Official website: http://clasica-san-sebastian.diariovasco.com/


Race starts at 11.30 AM on Saturday. Expected to finish around 5-5.30 PM.

 

[hrotha]

Just what this race needed, an absurdly steep wall near the finish to render everything before it virtually pointless.

RIP Jaizkibel.

 

[Miburo]

GVA to win this

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Hopefully Tony can repeat. But the last climb might be difficult for him, although he was climbing very well on a few occasions in the TDF. At least he's in shape to get another good result.

I see Lulu is doing Volta a Portugal strangely enough this race which he won twice. Maybe he doesn't like the new course?

I'm rooting for Tony, Tongue Man and Lutsenko

 

[SafeBet]

Just what this race needed, an absurdly steep wall near the finish to render everything before it virtually pointless.

RIP Jaizkibel.

If you or anybody else have details about the absurdly steep wall please post them

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

I found this; it's a weird profile though

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Terrible development wrt the parcours.

Sagan to take his 2nd biggish win of the season.

 

[hrotha]

If you or anybody else have details about the absurdly steep wall please post them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hhdmn3Yocg&feature=player_detailpage#t=951

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Terrible development wrt the parcours.

Sagan to take his 2nd biggish win of the season.

no way Sagan is staying with Valv, Jrod, Martin etc. over 2,5km @ 9%

certainly not after 200+km with a bunch of pretty serious climbs.

 

[Arredondo]

No Sagan for the win. Climb classics and Sagan, it still has to begin.

I'll pick Visconti from a long range attack.

 

[Sasquatch]

Yeah, I think Visconti is a nice choice!

Have a feeling Rodriguez will come out firing and take it though.

 

[Netserk]

Weird. When I download the .kml from the official site the route is only 200km and skips Arkale the second time

http://www.openrunner.com/index.php?id=3910669

BTW that's one hell of a climb to end it all with. Even worse route than Lombardia

 

[jens_attacks]

worst decision ever. i hope flooding will happen and land sliding like with stupid pompeiana in san remo and that stupid mountain bike hill gets erased from the route
180 riders to hit the last ramp....wow ...just wow, what are they thinking??? congrats purito. another youtube classic of 5 minutes

thanks jaizkibel, there were some good years

 

[the asian]

Really stupid decision to change the course.

Limits the no of potential winners to a handful.

No way Gallopin can survive that. This will be a race for the Fleche Wallone guys.

Will probably lead it to be a bore-fest.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Cool route. Ensures the strongest will win

(somebody has to have a different opinion, or this forum would be so boring)

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Yeah, actually, I hoped Gallopin might get an okay result because I like him, but no chance. Lotto just needs to hope Vanendert found some shape in Wallonie.

Man, why is every organisation trying to rape their classics? Pompeia, ****ing loops in RVV, horrible Lombardia route and even though it's not a monument, now San Sebastian, which has been a pretty entertaining race last couple of years, is deformed as well.

All of these races were pretty good and didn't need any change at all.

 

[BigMac]

Yeah, actually, I hoped Gallopin might get an okay result because I like him, but no chance. Lotto just needs to hope Vanendert found some shape in Wallonie.

Man, why is every organisation trying to rape their classics? Pompeia, ****ing loops in RVV, horrible Lombardia route and even though it's not a monument, now San Sebastian, which has been a pretty entertaining race last couple of years, is deformed as well.

All of these races were pretty good and didn't need any change at all.

In this case, I think the organisers don't want to risk having another Gallopin taking the win. This way they make sure (hope) one of the big names will take it. Can't blame them - they aren't exactly rich over there these days and a Purito or Valverde win will certainly attract more people's attention, especially from Spain. There are many who are only familiarized with the big guns.

 

[MBotero]

Purito vs El Bala could be a pretty epic fight for the win,but Martin could spoil their party.

 

[theyoungest]

It's designed like a Vuelta stage. Maybe they want to be 100% sure of a Spanish winner?

That climb is ridiculously narrow BTW. It does add to the Basque character of the race.

 

[Cult Classics]

Just what this race needed, an absurdly steep wall near the finish to render everything before it virtually pointless.

RIP Jaizkibel.

I will wait to see the race before making up my mind on this. But it's not as if the Jaizkibel always made the race winning selection previously. It might still thin it out I guess. Last year's race was enjoyable though so I'm not sure what forced the change... it's not been like the days of the 2006 mass sprint for some time and we've not had a winning group larger than 3 since 2008 (and 3 solo wins in a row).

Is the run in particularly scenic? I wonder if they want to try to take attention away from that terrible industrial run in of previous years... San Sebastian by the bay looks pretty cool.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

In this case, I think the organisers don't want to risk having another Gallopin taking the win. This way they make sure (hope) one of the big names will take it. Can't blame them - they aren't exactly rich over there these days and a Purito or Valverde win will certainly attract more people's attention, especially from Spain. There are many who are only familiarized with the big guns.

These two uphill sprint specialist are going to retire within a few years.
Continuing to cater for them will only create an even bigger crater when they hit the wine and tapas bars.

Don't think its the right plan at all.

 

[Cult Classics]

Yeah, actually, I hoped Gallopin might get an okay result because I like him, but no chance. Lotto just needs to hope Vanendert found some shape in Wallonie.

Man, why is every organisation trying to rape their classics? Pompeia, ****ing loops in RVV, horrible Lombardia route and even though it's not a monument, now San Sebastian, which has been a pretty entertaining race last couple of years, is deformed as well.

All of these races were pretty good and didn't need any change at all.

Obsessed with big name winners. Having the likes of Matt Goss, Tony Gallopin, Nick Nuyens on the winners' roll doesn't make the race look high quality (notwithstanding those riders beat the top names). I don't like the new Flanders route but the organisers will look at the results and say "Boonen, Cancellara, Cancellara - it's a course of champions". San Remo hasn't had a big name winner for years and they probably hope that new hill means Gilbert, Cancellara or Nibali can win it. Not saying it's right but I bet that's how they think.

 

[ILovecycling]

Agree with DT.
I didnt like last 2 editions of SS.Too tough for solo puncheur to finish it off from last climb.
This is maybe too much,but we shall see.

Valverde ftw

 

[dduff442]

Weird. When I download the .kml from the official site the route is only 200km and skips Arkale the second time

http://www.openrunner.com/index.php?id=3910669

BTW that's one hell of a climb to end it all with. Even worse route than Lombardia

Is that profile correct? There's a different version here. The closing kms are the same in both versions, mind.

That is a brutal climb to have just 6kms from the finish line.

 

[jens_attacks]

i hope contador attacks on jaizkibel...oh wait...