ENECO Tour(WT), 12th-18th August 2013

[Kazistuta]

Surprised none of the Dutch posters have opened this thread, after all it's their biggest stage race

Well, I guess I'll give it a shot then - sorry if I "steal it", feel free to add knowledge:

History:

Originally the race was known as Tour of The Netherlands, but in 2004 it switched name to ENECO Tour, named after the new race sponsor ENECO Energie. Since 2004 the race has taken place in both Holland and Belgium, and in the future the race might cross into Luxembourg as well, as the race originally was intended to be called Benelux Tour, with the joined forces of Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg cycling federations behind.

Last year:

Lars Boom overtook Svein Tuft on the last day with an impressive effort on top of Geraardsbergen. The GC was mostly shaped after the time trial ranking, but the legendary hill turned the tables a bit around on the ultimate stage. But the final top10 still was dominated by the time trial teams Orica-Greenedge and Omega Pharma-Quick Step.

1 BOOM Lars
2 CHAVANEL Sylvain 0:26
3 TERPSTRA Niki 0:49
4 CONTADOR VELASCO Alberto 0:55
5 DURBRIDGE Luke ,,
6 CASTROVIEJO Jonathan 0:58
7 TUFT Svein 1:00
8 KWIATKOWSKI Michal 1:05
9 LANGEVELD Sebastian 1:07
10 BAKELANTS Jan 1:13

This years edition:

A couple of flat stages, a couple of decent hilly ones, especially the penultimate stage ending on La Redoute, a short time trial and the Geraardsbergen in the last stage again - though this time the riders don't finish at the top, rather 3-4 kilometers after.

Pre-race favorites:

Once again this race is for the classic riders with a strong time trial. I definitely will forget some, but here's my take:

***** Lars Boom, Sylvain Chavanel
**** Wilco Kelderman, Bob Jungels
*** Jan Bakelants, Niki Terpstra, Bradley Wiggins
** Taylor Phinney, Zdenek Stybar, Lieuwe Westra, Sebastian Langeveld
* Philippe Gilbert, Manuele Boaro, Stijn Devolder, Alex Dowsett

 

[Kazistuta]

Stages 2013:

The race organisers have been pretty limited in their stage profiles, only found for the harder stages:

Stage 1:
Monday 12th Aug Koksijde (B) > Ardooie (B) 166 km - pure flat I guess

Stage 2:
Tuesday 13th Aug Ardooie (B) > Vorst (B) 176,9 km

Stage 3:
Wednesday 14th Aug Oosterhout > Schouwen-Duiveland 185,5 km - sprinters stage

Stage 4:
Thursday 15th Aug Essen (B) > Vlijmen 176,3 km - another sprinters stage

Stage 5:
Friday 16th Aug Sittard/Geleen > Sittard/Geleen 13,5 km - A shorter time trial this year

Stage 6:
Saturday 17th Aug Riemst (B) > La Redoute (B) 155 km - This stage looks the most promising of them all, including a finish up La Redoute, famous from Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Gonna be fun to watch!

Stage 7:
Sunday 18th Aug Tienen (B) > Geraardsbergen (B) 200,8 km - A repeat of Geraardsbergen from last year, according to the time table it doesn't end on top as the profile suggests

 

[Eyeballs Out]

The live ticker site also has profiles for each stage - and yeah stage 1 is another sprint stage

The mini LBL circuit does look good

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

By the way, this Ardennes stage is very difficult, no chance for Boom to win this at all.

Neither for Taylor Phinney etc.

 

[classicomano]

Keldermerckx!

 

[Kazistuta]

By the way, this Ardennes stage is very difficult, no chance for Boom to win this at all.

Neither for Taylor Phinney etc.

After seing him being aggressive in the mountains of Tour De France, I wouldn't put it beside him to surprise at his home tour, despite the three ascents of La Redoute.

But the route seems harder than at first sight, maybe need to include Moreno Moser on the list of favorites.

Phinney is indeed out of contention, though.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The final 75km of this stage is harder than the LBL finale. If Boom can stay anywhere near Gilbert, Moser, Chavanel, etc. it'll be a miracle. (miraculously horrible racing, that is. No way he can stay with these guys when the roads goes up steep for the 9th time, if they're racing.)

 

[SKSemtex]

After seing him being aggressive in the mountains of Tour De France, I wouldn't put it beside him to surprise at his home tour, despite the three ascents of La Redoute.

But the route seems harder than at first sight, maybe need to include Moreno Moser on the list of favorites.

Phinney is indeed out of contention, though.

Yes, perfect chance for Moreno to show us something.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

The three climbs on the finishing lap are:

Côte de la Redoute 2,1km @ 9,1% (5 on the map)

Côte de Chambrelles 1,6km @ 9,3% (6 on the map)

Côte de Niaster 1,9km @ 7,9% (7 on the map)

 

[Parrulo]

That hilly stage could be interesting.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Best Eneco route design in ages, possibly ever.

Just needs that third stage to spend a bit more time on the coast to make echelons more of a threat and it's got everything a Benelux stage race should have - a windy stage, a stage with cobbled bergs for the rouleurs, a stage with Ardennes climbs for the puncheurs, a TT short and tricky enough that it won't be decisive but will generate gaps, and some sprints.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Keldermerckx!

This.......................

 

[Anderis]

The route is perfectly matched for Kwiatkowski. It's a pity he will not be riding there.

 

[Flamin]

Awesome parcours.

It will be interesting to see how guys like Boom and Chavanel cope with the hilly stage and if there's anyone who can put enough time into them to contend for the overall. Gilbert? Spilak? Moser?

 

[Echoes]

Surprised none of the Dutch posters have opened this thread, after all it's their biggest stage race

It's CN. Only Bore de France matters...

History:

Originally the race was known as Tour of The Netherlands, but in 2000 it switched name to ENECO Tour, named after the new race sponsor ENECO Energie. Since 2000 the race has taken place in both Holland and Belgium, and in the future the race might cross into Luxembourg as well, as the race originally was intended to be called Benelux Tour, with the joined forces of Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg cycling federations behind.

??? It was the Tour of the Netherlands until 2004. When P-Mac created the Pro Tour (now World Tour) in 2005, he artificially made a Tour of the Low Countries out of it, in order to be a part of the PT. The first edition was chaotic. The former Tour of the Netherlands was way better organized (Belgian poster speaking). One of the first stage in 2005 won by Van Heeswijk ended on a speed bump/sleeping cop. And the Ardennes stage saw the peloton between mislead in such a way that Jussi Veikkanen who was dropped from the peloton, suddenly found himself ahead of them and besides, the organization decided to stop the breakaway riders (including Bart Dockx, I don't remember the other ones) for the time the peloton lost. Just a pretty damn joke ! Ballan won.

Best Eneco route design in ages, possibly ever.

Then it's ever. The race is not ages old, lol. And it still is a crap course.

I don't like it when a stage race make use of classic climbs. Kapelmuur and Redoute belong to Flanders (yes, I know ...) and Liège. But making multiple ascents of these, is really ... ugly.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Then it's ever. The race is not ages old, lol. And it still is a crap course.

I don't like it when a stage race make use of classic climbs. Kapelmuur and Redoute belong to Flanders (yes, I know ...) and Liège. But making multiple ascents of these, is really ... ugly.

Did I say it was an amazing course or anything? I just said it was the best Eneco route. Which is damning with faint praise. It hits all the buttons, it may not hit them in the perfect way for you, or for me, or for whoever, but it does do everything a stage race in the Benelux countries should do to at least attempt to be interesting.

And I said 'possibly ever' because I don't know much about the parcours in the Eneco back in the days when José Iván Gutiérrez was winning it, but I presume it was mostly flat and TT biased.

 

[Kazistuta]

??? It was the Tour of the Netherlands until 2004. When P-Mac created the Pro Tour (now World Tour) in 2005, he artificially made a Tour of the Low Countries out of it, in order to be a part of the PT.

That's yet another example not to use wikipedia for truth value...

Edited in OP.

 

[Roderick]

I think it's impossible to make a one week stage race-route that suits Gilbert more than this.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

 

[Parel van het Zuiden]

Gilbert or Kelderman FTW Chavanel nr 3.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

*** Chavanel, Gilbert
** Moser, Devolder, Spilak
* Boom, Kelderman, Westra, Pozzato, Iglinsky etc.

imo

only naming Boom because he's defending champion btw

Everybody who can do okay in a hilly stage if he feels like it and is in shape gets one star though, that's what the etc. is for. Could also name Jungels, Leukemans, etc.... guys who might as well top 10, but who will have very little chance to win.

 

[roundabout]

Gilbert finished 2nd in the nationals today. Seems to be in okay form.

Edit: although it's a bit less impressive looking at the gaps

 

[Shardi]

The short and hilly ITT could suit alot of classics-riders. Both Chavanel and Gilbert will do well in it it.

 

[Popchu]

Gilbert finished 2nd in the nationals today. Seems to be in okay form.
Edit: although it's a bit less impressive looking at the gaps

He was too late on the start podium, lost some seconds there.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

If Demare brings his Dunkerque form (The London showdown was a good indicator), he could take this overall.

Wiggo could go very well too.