- Feb 20, 2012
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Juan Ayuso is on the provisional startlist for Romandia, but last I heard he still isn't training so you can probably scratch his name again. On the startlist too, and likely participating: Jan Christen, with the national team.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Well they did refuse to race when they passed through and went up Kolovrat last Giro. You might be onto something
In reality I wonder if the descent isn't a bit dangerous, which means it might get canceled when riders look at the route 5 minutes before the race starts.
- Apr 10, 2019
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The ITT features a climb of 4.3kms at 5.7% total and 3 short cimbs before it, the middle one is 500m at 6.2%. The climbers should be able to limit the gaps in this one, looks like one of those Romandie TTs for gc riders to me.
The uncategorized small climb 6kms from the finish on the previous stage is 1km at 6%, should be one for the stagehunters.
Higuita and Mäder might be the guys to beat, no idea what to expect from Adam Yates and Plapp form wise.
- Feb 20, 2012
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I like how Romandie has a very unique identity as a stage race.
And it's identity is that it's terrible.
And it's identity is that it's terrible.
- Apr 10, 2019
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The most terrible thing is usually the weather, racing a week with the typical TdR weather must be really unpleasant (unless you're Spilak).
It used to be 1-2TTs, big mountain stage and the rest reduced sprint stages for Albasini. Now the Albasini stages have been replaced by 1-2 breakaway stages that Küng can win if the weather is bad enough and sprint stage(s).
Last years route was even worse than usual.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Yeah.
They always waste a full day with having 2 TTs in 6 stages. Routes are never balanced well because the one mountain stage is always either too soft or too hard, and the main ITT is pretty climby as well. And the other 3 days are ALWAYS a complete waste of time.
- Apr 30, 2011
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It has its own balance. Surely it's fine that one stage race suits TTers. The prologue is a necessity of the calender, and I think 1-2 mountain stages is plenty for a short stage race.
- Apr 10, 2019
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With Trentino/Tota becoming the pefered Giro prep race (if any at all) it's also in a weird spot right after Lbl. Most of the Tour guys just finished their spring campaign,so not too many of them will show up either.
- Feb 20, 2012
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Its main appeal should be that it's a WT stage race that's winnable for 2nd line contenders, which is why it should attract not the absolute world beaters, but a pretty deep field.
I don't complain that it suits TTers at times. I complain that it generally has only one road stage that matters and it tends to be Thyon MTF or very lethargic.
The last mountain stage in Romandie I really liked was that 2018 mountain stage.
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If I was a professional rider, I'd put a gun to the head of my directors in order to enforce starting rights to the Tour of Hellas. Most aesthetically pleasing race on the calendar. Prologue in Heraklion, a finish in Olympia. Let's get that mountain stage to Mt. Olympus going so that we may face Zeus himself.
Bonus: Superman is starting.
Bonus: Superman is starting.
- Apr 30, 2011
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- Nov 16, 2013
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That was already discussed here (probably not the most suitable of places):
Page 3 - Adam Hansen
Page 3 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
forum.cyclingnews.com
- Apr 30, 2011
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I didn't see that, thanks. I think it's better than this thread.That was already discussed here (probably not the most suitable of places):
Page 3 - Adam Hansen
Page 3 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
- Aug 3, 2015
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The route doesn't look good at all, we can all agree with that, Romandie has that identity and thats fine for me. Don't mind the double TT when you consider the rest of the stage races where we don't see too much of that at all.
The bigger problem for the race seems to be that they really can't draw the best riders anymore for various reasons, but then again, its perfectly fine (to me) to have a big race like this contested by 2nd tier riders and younger lads trying out in big WT stage races where they actually have a change.
Its just Romandie being Romandie, now minus the Giro contestant (and that has been a case for a while now) and the big Tour riders who has other priorities, be it either participating in the classics like Pog after a hard spring or Jonas' razor sharp focus on July. And what does racing hard in Romandie in *** conditions exactly do for you if you wanna win TdF? Not much, lets be honest, it most likely is for the worse and there are more important things to do in exactly that period in the season.
The bigger problem for the race seems to be that they really can't draw the best riders anymore for various reasons, but then again, its perfectly fine (to me) to have a big race like this contested by 2nd tier riders and younger lads trying out in big WT stage races where they actually have a change.
Its just Romandie being Romandie, now minus the Giro contestant (and that has been a case for a while now) and the big Tour riders who has other priorities, be it either participating in the classics like Pog after a hard spring or Jonas' razor sharp focus on July. And what does racing hard in Romandie in *** conditions exactly do for you if you wanna win TdF? Not much, lets be honest, it most likely is for the worse and there are more important things to do in exactly that period in the season.
Armchair Cyclist
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- Mar 22, 2010
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Ok then, a bridge b/t LBL and the Giro (glad you pointed that out!)
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