kurtinsc said:
Could someone with some U23 knowledge highlight who the leaders/co-leaders for each team might be?
I'll give it a go. I don't know that much about every country but the guys to watch this race is:
2 Tony Gallopin (France)
3 Romain Hardy (France)
10 Marko Kump (Slovenia)
13 Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands)
15 Tom Jelte Slagter (Netherlands)
18 Coen Vermeltfoort (Netherlands)
20 Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Colombia)
21 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Colombia)
27 Taylor Phinney (United States Of America)
29 John Degenkolb (Germany)
44 Nélson Oliveira (Portugal)
48 Yannick Eijssen (Belgium)
59 Michael Matthews (Australia)
71 Mikel Landa Meana (Spain)
73 Alex Dowsett (Great Britain)
95 Yonathan Monsalve (Venezuela)
99 Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland)
114 Daniel Diaz (Argentina)
Holland has a really strong squad with a lot of options. I don't know why Belgium left both van Staeyen and Keukeleire at home as they seemed to be their best shot. Eijssen is strong but I doubt he'll be able to get away and avoid a sprint.
Matthews should be the big favorite with Degenkolb close. After those I guess Dumoulin, Phinney and Kump. Don't forget about Vermeltfoort if it ends in a mass spring. Don't rule out Kwiatkowski either.
My top 5:
1. Michael Matthews
2. John Degenkolb
3. Marko Kump
4. Michal Kwiatkowski
5. Tom Dumoulin