Lesser known races 2023 edition

[Norbea]

Tour of Norway - Prologue - Fløien

1. Tulett
2. Sheffield +1
3. Valter +19
4. Holter +26
5. Vacek +28

 

[Devil's Elbow]

So that was it for GC then? Don't get this parcours honestly.

Probably. I was hoping things might happen tomorrow, but with Ineos in first and second it's highly unlikely. And that's with Plapp doing the worst TT he's ever done.

 

[Samamba]

Norway is notorious for having echelons on the weirdest places (e.g. the summit of Seljestadjuvet). Thibau and the dream of the bonifications is also still in play. If he isn't isolated again, he can win a stage.

Yeah I guess tmrw could be weird but Ineos really isn't going to get surprised. Just too strong here, and with this prologue you kinda knew they were already going to be ahead of the rest.

 

[DNP-Old]

Thibau climbed faster than everyone sans Tulett and Sheffield, remarkable. He's becoming such a weird rider - in a good way.

 

[Samamba]

Thibau climbed faster than everyone sans Tulett and Sheffield, remarkable. He's becoming such a weird rider - in a good way.

Way more climber than I initially thought. Could become really good in hilly races, like really really good. Explosive, fast at the end, good uphill, ...

 

[yaco]

Probably. I was hoping things might happen tomorrow, but with Ineos in first and second it's highly unlikely. And that's with Plapp doing the worst TT he's ever done.

Name me a good ITT Plapp has done in Europe since he turned pro?

 

[SafeBet]

Promising results from Milesi and Vergallito (2022 Zwift Academy winner and great podcaster).
And nice to see Tobias Johannessen back at a decent level.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Nice of The French to hand Oier Lazkano Boucles de la Mayenne after one of his classic breakaways.

Get this boy to The Tour or something come on Movistar.

 

[Ricco']

Promising results from Milesi and Vergallito (2022 Zwift Academy winner and great podcaster).
And nice to see Tobias Johannessen back at a decent level.

Yeah, Vergallito has been surprising me. I honestly didn't have much expectations for him, of course he's not a Jay Vine (as Vine had already more than decent results in Aus before the pandemic) but I was expecting more last year from Bogna than this year from Vergallito.

He had already a great result in Flèche Ardennaise and today was decent as well. I don't think he is WT material or deserves a spot on the pro team just with what he shown this year, but after his initial contract ends, I think he could be a good addition to an italian pro conti team already with this level.

 

[SafeBet]

Yeah, Vergallito has been surprising me. I honestly didn't have much expectations for him, of course he's not a Jay Vine (as Vine had already more than decent results in Aus before the pandemic) but I was expecting more last year from Bogna than this year from Vergallito.

He had already a great result in Flèche Ardennaise and today was decent as well. I don't think he is WT material or deserves a spot on the pro team just with what he shown this year, but after his initial contract ends, I think he could be a good addition to an italian pro conti team already with this level.

I think he has burnt some bridges with the Italian cycling environment but let's hope he can get a contract.
His story is very telling of the problems of youth cycling in Italy.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Bad weather in Norway, so todays stage is shortened to about 85 km. They will start in Røldal where the IS was originally placed, meaning they don’t go over Seljestadjuvet (18 km, 5,9%).

 

[SafeBet]

Bad weather in Norway, so todays stage is shortened to about 85 km. They will start in Røldal where the IS was originally placed, meaning they don’t go over Seljestadjuvet (18 km, 5,9%).

That changes the stage a lot, doesn't it? How's the wind?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

It's a somewhat Crans Montana last week-esque change, where the long flat early on and the first climb are scrapped, but in return we have an uphill start. Let's hope it works out better here, don't have much hope though because here, too, Ineos have every incentive to strangle the race.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

That changes the stage a lot, doesn't it? How's the wind?

Yes it makes the stage a lot shorter and a lot easier. I just read the brief news, but I assume the wind is the main reason.

 

[Samamba]

Ewan can still win! He beats Merlier in the Marcel Kint classic, or whatever it is called now.

 

[postmanhat]

Ewan can still win! He beats Merlier in the Marcel Kint classic, or whatever it is called now.

Gutted I missed that as was beginning to doubt if it would ever happen again!

Watching the replay it was noticeable that it was a very reduced bunch sprint. Hopefully this will help his confidence in bigger, more chaotic finishes, which is where he's been pretty terrible for a while now.

 

[Samamba]

Gutted I missed that as was beginning to doubt if it would ever happen again!

Watching the replay it was noticeable that it was a very reduced bunch sprint. Hopefully this will help his confidence in bigger, more chaotic finishes, which is where he's been pretty terrible for a while now.

Not really reduced just half the peloton not trying in the end anymore. Also apart from QS and Intermarché this field was really low level. Doesn't matter tho. He beats Merlier and Thijssen Ewan style, this will definitely give a lot of confidence.

 

[Samamba]

First out of 2 decisive stages in Isère Tour today and we got a great race with the strongest battling it out. In the end Lennert Van Eetvelt dropped Onley, Martinelli, Kulset and Graat and went solo. He only has 1 teammate (and that one can't climb) to control tomorrow, but he seems the strongest in the race. Great comeback after the AFLD bullying him.

Van Eetvelt completely destroyed the rest in the last 7km.

1	VAN EETVELT Lennert	Lotto Dstny Development Team	7	5		4:35:34
2	ONLEY Oscar	Development Team DSM	3	2	2″	0:52
3	KULSET Johannes	Uno-X Dare Development Team	1	1		1:11
4	MARTINELLI Alessio	Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè				,,
5	GRAAT Tijmen	Jumbo-Visma Development Team				,,
6	REINDERINK Pepijn	Soudal - Quick-Step Devo Team				1:25
7	CAPRON Rémi	VC Villefranche Beaujolais				,,
8	ŤOUPALÍK Adam	Elkov - Kasper				,,
9	TJØTTA Martin	Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme				,,
10	ROLLAND Brieuc	Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ				2:08

 

[Ilmaestro99]

First win for Demare this season in Mayenne

 

[Samamba]

If they didn't just randomly give Lazkano 4 minutes yesterday Demare would've won 3 out of 3 stages here and GC.

Menten was pretty close today tho. He improved a lot this year. Points merchant for Lotto.

 

[postmanhat]

First out of 2 decisive stages in Isère Tour today and we got a great race with the strongest battling it out. In the end Lennert Van Eetvelt dropped Onley, Martinelli, Kulset and Graat and went solo. He only has 1 teammate (and that one can't climb) to control tomorrow, but he seems the strongest in the race. Great comeback after the AFLD bullying him.

Van Eetvelt completely destroyed the rest in the last 7km.

1	VAN EETVELT Lennert	Lotto Dstny Development Team	7	5		4:35:34
2	ONLEY Oscar	Development Team DSM	3	2	2″	0:52
3	KULSET Johannes	Uno-X Dare Development Team	1	1		1:11
4	MARTINELLI Alessio	Green Project-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè				,,
5	GRAAT Tijmen	Jumbo-Visma Development Team				,,
6	REINDERINK Pepijn	Soudal - Quick-Step Devo Team				1:25
7	CAPRON Rémi	VC Villefranche Beaujolais				,,
8	ŤOUPALÍK Adam	Elkov - Kasper				,,
9	TJØTTA Martin	Bourg-en-Bresse Ain Cyclisme				,,
10	ROLLAND Brieuc	Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ				2:08

Really impressive to distance Onley by that much. He seemed to lose form when the racing left Spain earlier in the year, maybe he had a health issue? Then the ridiculous doping control. Such a shame he's missed so many .1 and Pro races that would have suited him. TDS next will be a big challenge, but we're in WT GC season now I suppose?

 

[Samamba]

Really impressive to distance Onley by that much. He seemed to lose form when the racing left Spain earlier in the year, maybe he had a health issue? Then the ridiculous doping control. Such a shame he's missed so many .1 and Pro races that would have suited him. TDS next will be a big challenge, but we're in WT GC season now I suppose?

He crashed a lot, had an injury then was pretty good in Catalunya for having only trained 100% for a lil over a week. He missed his first 2 big goals (Liege and Romandie) because of the AFLD bullying him.

Yeah apart from Mercan Tour Tuesday (and he will probably be a bit tired) and Argau he'll only ride WT races this year. Maybe a minor race after Vuelta if he has something left.

 

[postmanhat]

He crashed a lot, had an injury then was pretty good in Catalunya for having only trained 100% for a lil over a week. He missed his first 2 big goals (Liege and Romandie) because of the AFLD bullying him.

Yeah apart from Mercan Tour Tuesday (and he will probably be a bit tired) and Argau he'll only ride WT races this year. Maybe a minor race after Vuelta if he has something left.

Thanks a lot for that. So unfortunate as he could have had a great season already. Will be a lot tougher now and of course, not the optimal scenario for Lotto gaining points, pfft.

 

[RedheadDane]

There are great historical connections regarding Danes in Estonia:

Stage:

1	WALLIN Rasmus Bøgh	Restaurant Suri - Carl Ras	14	20	12″	3:54:53
2	LARSEN Mathias	Restaurant Suri - Carl Ras	5	12	8″	0:17
3	MALMBERG Matias	Maloja Pushbikers	3	7	4″	,,

GC:

1	WALLIN Rasmus Bøgh	Restaurant Suri - Carl Ras	125	100	13″	8:04:19
2	MALMBERG Matias	Maloja Pushbikers	85	70	6″	0:28
3	VAHTRA Norman	Estonia	70	50	1″	0:33

Dunno if any flags fell from the sky.

 

[tobydawq]

Not really reduced just half the peloton not trying in the end anymore. Also apart from QS and Intermarché this field was really low level. Doesn't matter tho. He beats Merlier and Thijssen Ewan style, this will definitely give a lot of confidence.

Pretty funny that his first win of the season has Merlier and Thijssen as 2nd and 3rd considering the two photo finish gates from earlier in the year!

It's actually quite amazing he managed to win that after Merlier opened with 150 metres to go and had the shortest way round the slightly bending finishing "straight".