Lesser known races 2023 edition

[Devil's Elbow]

Wouldve been hilarious if Pozzo gave Israel their first win of the season.

Wait, Israel haven't won yet despite racing stuff like Rwanda? Adapting a little too well to life outside the WorldTour for their own good...

 

[theyoungest]

I think he was clearly robbed here.

He's riding on the cote d'azur though. That's a DQ.

 

[Samamba]

Wait, Israel haven't won yet despite racing stuff like Rwanda? Adapting a little too well to life outside the WorldTour for their own good...

Even tho they are doing better on points than last year, their start has been shiit again. That being said, their Rwanda team was just Froome and some devo's. And well Froome... Their 1 good rider this season is Clarke and he was in the same boat as Pozzo last year. Woods is finally showing great form too now luckily for them.

 

[Mayomaniac]

A shame that tomorrow's stage is also not televised, just look at that profile:

 

[Mayomaniac]

Even tho they are doing better on points than last year, their start has been shiit again. That being said, their Rwanda team was just Froome and some devo's. And well Froome... Their 1 good rider this season is Clarke and he was in the same boat as Pozzo last year. Woods is finally showing great form too now luckily for them.

Between the Ardennes classis an the stage races befoe/afterwards Woods usually delivers a decent amount of points.

 

[Skijumper Roglic fan]

Wait, Israel haven't won yet despite racing stuff like Rwanda? Adapting a little too well to life outside the WorldTour for their own good...

Yes, that‘s sad, rather… Just like Eolo, who also seem to not really move forward.

Tudor and Q36.5 on the other hand were well visible, these last few weeks, also results-wise…

 

[Mayomaniac]

Yes, that‘s sad, rather… Just like Eolo, who also seem to not really move forward.

Tudor and Q36.5 on the other hand were well visible, these last few weeks, also results-wise…

I'll say this, at least Eolo have a few interesting youngsters who jut turned pro. Raccani, Piganzoli, Fancellu and Tercero all had good results in the u23 ranks. Albanese also hasnt raced at all util now because of his nasty training camp crash, but they got him back on track and turned Fortunato into a respectable rider. For a team that mainly focuses on younger riders and doesn't have a big budget they aren't that bad.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Zwiehoff managed to be in the break today and was (i don't know if he still is) in the virtual GC lead

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Soudal back in control, every attacker bar Guerin (who is of no GC relevance) caught.

 

[SafeBet]

Sep looking good!

 

[Samamba]

How does Italy have the worst European 1.1 (Alfredo) and 1.Pro race (Industria) on the calendar? I just looked at the starting list for Industria and that's ridiculous for a .Pro race. That's not even the weakest European one, it's the weakest in the world probably, even Japan and Maryland do better than that.

 

[search]

It's obviously a small organizer with no money, trying to set up a race as good as possible. Usually they do alright, considering that the situation in Italy is difficult, with no WT teams for example.

Not sure what's your obsessions with it, to bring it up again and again. If they had more money, they would invite better teams.

 

[Ricco']

Italy used to have a good 'opening weekend' with Strade and this race until Tirreno changed dates, which killed this race's appeal for teams and riders. Even Milano-Torino going from October to the week before Sanremo killed it.

They would now be better sending it to the period around Lombardia, because in this current date they have no chance to attract any big teams or riders.

We went from a top-10 with Vansevenant, Mollema, Landa, Quintana, Valverde and Nibali in 2021 to Ulissi, Fedeli, Meurisse, Vendrame, Gallopin and Hirschi in 2022. That's more about date change than money.

 

[Samamba]

It's obviously a small organizer with no money, trying to set up a race as good as possible. Usually they do alright, considering that the situation in Italy is difficult, with no WT teams for example.

Not sure what's your obsessions with it, to bring it up again and again. If they had more money, they would invite better teams.

What obsession lol? I brought it up when Alfredo for a 2nd seemed to have like 11 teams starting (which wasn't the case in the end) and now because the start list just isn't worth the .Pro status. If they don't have enough money, they simply shouldn't have that status.

These races either need another spot or the calendar (because I'm assuming that's the main reason) or Industria needs a status change. Don't need to get that defensive about the race. You don't need to act like I've mentioned it 10 times. I've always liked these Italian one day races, but this is getting stupid. It's the same with Milano Torino, that race got ruined.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Mauro Schmid has come 2nd in 3 of the four stages of Coppi e Bartali. In the other he came second in the group he was in (5th on the stage). The final stage is a time trial, and according to PCS, he is second in the time trial rankings among the field for this event. Is this A) some sort of a record, or B) a betting scam?

 

[search]

These races either need another spot or the calendar (because I'm assuming that's the main reason) or Industria needs a status change

Why, though? Sure, the start list isn't stellar, but there are four World Tour teams, which is in line with other .Pro races as well. ZLM had three last year, for example, Tour of Britain five. 2021 Plumelec (3) and Dwars door het Hageland (5), among others, were in a similar range as well.

I don't think there are strict guidelines about it, but if it was an issue, UCI would downgrade them, I think?! And that most likely would lead to even worse competition, so not sure how anyone would benefit from doing that, if not absolutely necessary.

 

[Samamba]

Why, though? Sure, the start list isn't stellar, but there are four World Tour teams, which is in line with other .Pro races as well. ZLM had three last year, for example, Tour of Britain five. 2021 Plumelec (3) and Dwars door het Hageland (5), among others, were in a similar range as well.

I don't think there are strict guidelines about it, but if it was an issue, UCI would downgrade them, I think?! And that most likely would lead to even worse competition, so not sure how anyone would benefit from doing that, if not absolutely necessary.

So it isn't in line with most other 1.Pro races? You are indeed naming the other bad .Pro races, 2 of them being stage races, that's why I named 1.Pro, not 2.Pro. Yes Hageland is also bad, but it still has more (and I don't think that race deserves .Pro at all). This one has like 3 and a half, with Astana being the half. That team shouldn't even be PCT anymore.

The issue is obviously UCI points. Before the war for points this wouldn't matter, now it does. If you make your UCI ranking so important you can't have races with super weak start lists giving out a massive amount of points. It's an easy point grab. EF might just get over 600 points this week in Italy, super smart (they finally realized how to get points this year), but also a bit stupid.

Honestly while I agree some races would have even worse competition with a downgrade, I don't believe this one would, That's how bad the competition is. All those teams would still be here, as it's the typical teams that do those Italian races.

I don't want the downgrade btw, Italy deserves some good .Pro races, but they should give it another spot on the calendar, so teams actually go there with decent riders.

Not going to discuss this further, I've made my point. Still don't get why you were pretending like I've been repeating this 10 times when I've never mentioned Industria before.

 

[search]

It's 2023 now. No one cares about points.

 

[DNP-Old]

Another very promising ITT from Michael Leonard.

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Mauro Schmid has come 2nd in 3 of the four stages of Coppi e Bartali. In the other he came second in the group he was in (5th on the stage). The final stage is a time trial, and according to PCS, he is second in the time trial rankings among the field for this event. Is this A) some sort of a record, or B) a betting scam?

He was going for the prestigious Most Top tens Without a Win trophy but overdid it and will probably win Coppi e Bartoli overall?

 

[Samamba]

EF 2nd, 3rd and 4th lmao. Schmid wins GC as expected, Cavangna with 2nd stage win (also as expected).

 

[repre]

It's 2023 now. No one cares about points.

I disagree. Some teams don't and they will be in huge danger come 2025. And other's are and they will be risk-free in two years. I think Lotto and IPT taught other's a lesson last year

 

[yaco]

I disagree. Some teams don't and they will be in huge danger come 2025. And other's are and they will be risk-free in two years. I think Lotto and IPT taught other's a lesson last year

All the bottom half teams are chasing points - One only has to look at the team's calendar.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Ben Healy in the tricolour today;

 

[Carrick-On-Seine]

Ben Healy in the tricolour today;

Why the turquoise or is that rapha trying to be all stylish or something?