Lesser Known Race Results 2020

[Dekker_Tifosi]

yeah it was never a sprint after that fall. Think some AG2R leadout caused it.
Kinda said. Wanted to see Jakobsen really try against Ackermann like in Scheldeprijs. But it wasn't to be.

Great work by Bora in the last kilometer

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

yeah it was never a sprint after that fall. Think some AG2R leadout caused it.
Kinda said. Wanted to see Jakobsen really try against Ackermann like in Scheldeprijs. But it wasn't to be.

Great work by Bora in the last kilometer

Agreed. It’s a real pity we didn’t get to see an Ackermann - Jakobsen drag race, to see where the two breakthrough young sprinters of the year currently are against each other.

It’s an even bigger pity that neither are doing the Vuelta. Fair enough I suppose that QS are being careful with Jakobsen but Ackermann was 24 in January and should be ready to give a GT a go.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

yeah it was never a sprint after that fall. Think some AG2R leadout caused it.
Kinda said. Wanted to see Jakobsen really try against Ackermann like in Scheldeprijs. But it wasn't to be.

Great work by Bora in the last kilometer

Agreed. It’s a real pity we didn’t get to see an Ackermann - Jakobsen drag race, to see where the two breakthrough young sprinters of the year currently are against each other.

It’s an even bigger pity that neither are doing the Vuelta. Fair enough I suppose that QS are being careful with Jakobsen but Ackermann was 24 in January and should be ready to give a GT a go.

And he was scheduled to do it but then Sagan wanted to go and they didn't want to take both. IMO that's enough proof that the two and Bennett cannot keep living in harmony.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re: Re:

yeah it was never a sprint after that fall. Think some AG2R leadout caused it.
Kinda said. Wanted to see Jakobsen really try against Ackermann like in Scheldeprijs. But it wasn't to be.

Great work by Bora in the last kilometer

Agreed. It’s a real pity we didn’t get to see an Ackermann - Jakobsen drag race, to see where the two breakthrough young sprinters of the year currently are against each other.

It’s an even bigger pity that neither are doing the Vuelta. Fair enough I suppose that QS are being careful with Jakobsen but Ackermann was 24 in January and should be ready to give a GT a go.

I think Bennett will be the one in surplus. It sounds harsh cause Bennett was really good in the Giro, but Ackermann is german is extremely fast and Sagan is Sagan.

And he was scheduled to do it but then Sagan wanted to go and they didn't want to take both. IMO that's enough proof that the two and Bennett cannot keep living in harmony.

 

[toolittle]

Re: Re:

It is a WT race. Top 3 are strong riders with great form.
Lesser Known Race Results... ****... This might be the greatest "Lesser Known Race".

I would've like to open a thread but I hadn't got time.

What saddens me the most is that last stage of Deutschland Tour had more coverage than this despite this edition being excellent.

How about the worst and unimportant "Well Known Race"?

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Re: Lesser Known Race Results 2018

GP de Fourmies

Pascal Ackermann doing Pascal Ackermann things...

 

[Hugo Koblet]

This guy is on fire!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

Been saying exactly the same thing for months - Ackermann neads to ride a GT in year three for his future development and if Sagan does the TDF/Vuelta again where does it leave Ackermann.

 

[Beobachter]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

I already said so a couple of times here and there but I don't think it will be too much of a problem next year. Of course, if the three of them were still contracted for Bora in 2020, it would be a problem. For 2019, it's still manageable.
And I especially don't agree on the "there just aren't enough big races to go around", there definitely are. Look at the last third of the season (August-September). At first, when I heard Sagan would race the Vuelta, I wasn't convinced. But fact is it has made lot of sense so far. Sagan: Vuelta. Ackermann: Hambourg, Deutschland, Fourmies, Bruxelles, Münster. Bennett: Bretagne, Québec, Montréal. All of them have a calendar with nice races that fit to their profiles perfectly.

For next year, Bennett already said it's not a problem for him not to race the Tour. Ackermann is obviously too young for the Tour. The Tour is then not a problem for 2019. It might be for 2020, but I think Bennett would have left the team then.
Bennett only wants one thing: race MSR. Which is perfectly possible and would make sense for him to go (tactically, it's better for Bora to have both Sagan and Bennett there).

Among all the nice races the calendar offers, there are plenty of races to make them all three happy next year.
(and I would add that sadly for him since Bennett has quite often health issues or completely out of shape, some possible troubles will be avoided de facto )

 

[yaco]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

I already said so a couple of times here and there but I don't think it will be too much of a problem next year. Of course, if the three of them were still contracted for Bora in 2020, it would be a problem. For 2019, it's still manageable.
And I especially don't agree on the "there just aren't enough big races to go around", there definitely are. Look at the last third of the season (August-September). At first, when I heard Sagan would race the Vuelta, I wasn't convinced. But fact is it has made lot of sense so far. Sagan: Vuelta. Ackermann: Hambourg, Deutschland, Fourmies, Bruxelles, Münster. Bennett: Bretagne, Québec, Montréal. All of them have a calendar with nice races that fit to their profiles perfectly.

For next year, Bennett already said it's not a problem for him not to race the Tour. Ackermann is obviously too young for the Tour. The Tour is then not a problem for 2019. It might be for 2020, but I think Bennett would have left the team then.
Bennett only wants one thing: race MSR. Which is perfectly possible and would make sense for him to go (tactically, it's better for Bora to have both Sagan and Bennett there).

Among all the nice races the calendar offers, there are plenty of races to make them all three happy next year.
(and I would add that sadly for him since Bennett has quite often health issues or completely out of shape, some possible troubles will be avoided de facto )

You conveniently miss the point - A third year rider should be aiming to ride a GT for development reasons - And of course Ackermann is a chance to win a stage - 2020 will be problematic because if Bennett and Ackermann continue to improve then Bora won't have the budget.

 

[Beobachter]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

I already said so a couple of times here and there but I don't think it will be too much of a problem next year. Of course, if the three of them were still contracted for Bora in 2020, it would be a problem. For 2019, it's still manageable.
And I especially don't agree on the "there just aren't enough big races to go around", there definitely are. Look at the last third of the season (August-September). At first, when I heard Sagan would race the Vuelta, I wasn't convinced. But fact is it has made lot of sense so far. Sagan: Vuelta. Ackermann: Hambourg, Deutschland, Fourmies, Bruxelles, Münster. Bennett: Bretagne, Québec, Montréal. All of them have a calendar with nice races that fit to their profiles perfectly.

For next year, Bennett already said it's not a problem for him not to race the Tour. Ackermann is obviously too young for the Tour. The Tour is then not a problem for 2019. It might be for 2020, but I think Bennett would have left the team then.
Bennett only wants one thing: race MSR. Which is perfectly possible and would make sense for him to go (tactically, it's better for Bora to have both Sagan and Bennett there).

Among all the nice races the calendar offers, there are plenty of races to make them all three happy next year.
(and I would add that sadly for him since Bennett has quite often health issues or completely out of shape, some possible troubles will be avoided de facto )

You conveniently miss the point - A third year rider should be aiming to ride a GT for development reasons - And of course Ackermann is a chance to win a stage - 2020 will be problematic because if Bennett and Ackermann continue to improve then Bora won't have the budget.

Well, my words were also considering the GTs. Of course, Ackermann should aim stage wins at a GT next year, so will he since it's how it's planned
I would prefer him to race the Giro over the Vuelta (which would mean Bennett racing the Vuelta ; just my preference though ). Both GTs are an option so far, we'll see.

For 2020, I dont think money would be the problem (if Bora succeeds to keep all their current leaders + manages to sign Schachmann as rumored, it would mean that money is not really an issue for them). The problem would rather be if the riders are all too good to be satisfied of their roles in the team. That's why I think unfortunately Bennett will move to another team then. But again, it's about 2020. There is 2019 before, so plenty of time to see how the situation will evolve

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

I already said so a couple of times here and there but I don't think it will be too much of a problem next year. Of course, if the three of them were still contracted for Bora in 2020, it would be a problem. For 2019, it's still manageable.
And I especially don't agree on the "there just aren't enough big races to go around", there definitely are. Look at the last third of the season (August-September). At first, when I heard Sagan would race the Vuelta, I wasn't convinced. But fact is it has made lot of sense so far. Sagan: Vuelta. Ackermann: Hambourg, Deutschland, Fourmies, Bruxelles, Münster. Bennett: Bretagne, Québec, Montréal. All of them have a calendar with nice races that fit to their profiles perfectly.

For next year, Bennett already said it's not a problem for him not to race the Tour. Ackermann is obviously too young for the Tour. The Tour is then not a problem for 2019. It might be for 2020, but I think Bennett would have left the team then.
Bennett only wants one thing: race MSR. Which is perfectly possible and would make sense for him to go (tactically, it's better for Bora to have both Sagan and Bennett there).

Among all the nice races the calendar offers, there are plenty of races to make them all three happy next year.
(and I would add that sadly for him since Bennett has quite often health issues or completely out of shape, some possible troubles will be avoided de facto )

The problem with this is that Bennett and Ackermann have been just a bit too good. Both are clearly on an upswing - last year Bennett won his first WT races, this season his first GT stages, Ackermann has been winning smaller races for fun and has his first WT wins already. If Bennett had won say just a single Giro stage and had looked generally slower than Viviani and if Ackermann had won say four races rather than eight, there would be more room for their careers to move forward while on the same team as Sagan and each other. But that didn’t happen and both already look like top rank sprinters (I think there’s currently a top tier of eight to ten guys who can all beat each other on their day, perhaps the deepest sprint field with the least clear hierarchy ever).

They are all under contract and they are professionals. They may be able to manage next season. Bennett would be I think willing to accept the Giro and being on the MSR team as the “in case it comes back together” option. Ackermann may be willing to accept the Vuelta as he hasn’t done a GT yet. But I’m not sure about that second part, particularly if he keeps winning. If both improve again next year though the issue becomes less whether Bora can keep all three and more if they can keep either rider. Even if say Bennett goes, an Ackermann with maybe 10 wins and a couple of GT stages next year is really going to think that he deserves to be the main man somewhere too.

 

[Beobachter]

Re: Re:

This guy is on fire!

He should be at the Vuelta.

Unbelievable that Bora have all three of their main sprinters contracted for next year. There just aren’t enough big races to go around. There will be problems next year. Either Bennett or Ackermann would be the main man at well over half of WT teams. It will be hard to convince even one of them to play second fiddle after next year. Why would they? Bennett just won three Giro stages. Ackermann has won seven races in the last three months. No sprinter is humble enough to accept never doing the Tour or MSR when they are that fast and win that much.

I already said so a couple of times here and there but I don't think it will be too much of a problem next year. Of course, if the three of them were still contracted for Bora in 2020, it would be a problem. For 2019, it's still manageable.
And I especially don't agree on the "there just aren't enough big races to go around", there definitely are. Look at the last third of the season (August-September). At first, when I heard Sagan would race the Vuelta, I wasn't convinced. But fact is it has made lot of sense so far. Sagan: Vuelta. Ackermann: Hambourg, Deutschland, Fourmies, Bruxelles, Münster. Bennett: Bretagne, Québec, Montréal. All of them have a calendar with nice races that fit to their profiles perfectly.

For next year, Bennett already said it's not a problem for him not to race the Tour. Ackermann is obviously too young for the Tour. The Tour is then not a problem for 2019. It might be for 2020, but I think Bennett would have left the team then.
Bennett only wants one thing: race MSR. Which is perfectly possible and would make sense for him to go (tactically, it's better for Bora to have both Sagan and Bennett there).

Among all the nice races the calendar offers, there are plenty of races to make them all three happy next year.
(and I would add that sadly for him since Bennett has quite often health issues or completely out of shape, some possible troubles will be avoided de facto )

The problem with this is that Bennett and Ackermann have been just a bit too good. Both are clearly on an upswing - last year Bennett won his first WT races, this season his first GT stages, Ackermann has been winning smaller races for fun and has his first WT wins already. If Bennett had won say just a single Giro stage and had looked generally slower than Viviani and if Ackermann had won say four races rather than eight, there would be more room for their careers to move forward while on the same team as Sagan and each other. But that didn’t happen and both already look like top rank sprinters (I think there’s currently a top tier of eight to ten guys who can all beat each other on their day, perhaps the deepest sprint field with the least clear hierarchy ever).

They are all under contract and they are professionals. They may be able to manage next season. Bennett would be I think willing to accept the Giro and being on the MSR team as the “in case it comes back together” option. Ackermann may be willing to accept the Vuelta as he hasn’t done a GT yet. But I’m not sure about that second part, particularly if he keeps winning. If both improve again next year though the issue becomes less whether Bora can keep all three and more if they can keep either rider. Even if say Bennett goes, an Ackermann with maybe 10 wins and a couple of GT stages next year is really going to think that he deserves to be the main man somewhere too.

Well, I think Ackermann like all the guys at Bora knows what he needs to do, all seem to be patient enough to develop themselves step by step, no one seems to be willing to risk to be burned by their ambition and by being willing to go too fast.
The race calendar is one thing, the supposed role is another, but so are the team environnement, the consideration received by the team. Moving to another team is never so obvious, it's even less for someone like Ackermann (who turned pro at Bora - which means thanks to them -, who is German like the team is, who has his friends in the team...).
Again, there shouldn't be any problem next year. 2020 is in a while, so we'll see then but I wouldn't worry for now about that since on the big picture Bora offers many advantages.

And anyway, the answer should be delivered soon enough. Bora is terribly slow to announce the renewals, but it will come one day and that day we'll know whether Ackermann extended for one year or for two years (or - one can dream - three years), which will enlighten us on how (and where) Ackermann sees his future

 

[tobydawq]

In fact, there should be plenty of problems next year, and if Ackermann were riding for another team we would all be waiting to see how many stages he would win in his debut Tour.

Indtead you're telling yourself and us, that he is "obviously not ready" for the Tour next year. This is just not true.

 

[Beobachter]

Re:

In fact, there should be plenty of problems next year, and if Ackermann were riding for another team we would all be waiting to see how many stages he would win in his debut Tour.

Indtead you're telling yourself and us, that he is "obviously not ready" for the Tour next year. This is just not true.

It's just better not to begin to race GTs with the Tour. For the sake of the development of the youngster, Giro or Vuelta are much more preferable. There is no point for him to race the Tour if he's not sure he can go to Paris. Which is precisely why he should try himself during three weeks, either in Italy or in Spain.
He might be ready to race the Tour or he might not. But it would be risky/stupid to send him straight to the Tour. Ackermann is a smart guy, who knows he has to improve step by step. Which is precisely why I don't see him wanting to go too fast.
Giro or Vuelta first, then the Tour, that's the best and the most clever thing to do (in that case and in general).

 

[tobydawq]

Groenewegen has so far only done the Tour - Ackermann was attacking in the hills in Deutschland Tour and is obviously a much better climber than Groenewegen who doesn't seem to have lost anything by beginning with the Tour.

I don't think there is any question he would be able to get to Paris. But we won't know because Sagan cannot have a potential usurper on his team.

 

[Jagartrott]

Four QS in the first five in the 2.2 km prologue in the Okolo Slovenska.
Why does this sound like Slovenia, even though it's Slovakia, btw?

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

Four QS in the first five in the 2.2 km prologue in the Okolo Slovenska.
Why does this sound like Slovenia, even though it's Slovakia, btw?

Because in Slovak, Slovakia is Slovensko.

 

[RedheadDane]

Groenewegen won Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen.

 

[RedheadDane]

(Sorry for the double-posting)

Primus Classic won by the guy with (one of) the coolest name(s) in the peloton; Taco Van Der Hoorn!
Won by... basically just leading himself out from the front of the break.

---

Coppa Agostoni won by Gianni Moscon in a two-way sprint against Rein Taaramae.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Moscon wins Coppa Agostoni in a convincing way.

Unfortunately, he will play a big role in the Worlds.

 

[Laplaz]

Moscon wins Coppa Agostoni.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

Moscon wins his comeback race. Great... Taaramäe "sprinted" like Uran in London.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

Moscon wins his comeback race. Great... Taaramäe "sprinted" like Uran in London.

The Sky team was mostly kids. Particularly, Donovan in the early part and Dunbar in the latter part did a huge amount of the controlling of the race. They have a frankly disturbing strength in depth.