Lesser known races 2024 edition

[RedheadDane]

It was a weird sprint, but you should of course never bet against someone riding on a Van Rysel bike this year.

But not the Van Rysel riding team everyone was expecting.

 

[RedheadDane]

And over in Spain, the coverage for l'Ebre has started.

Break:
Jaap Voogel
Logan O'Krafka
Edgar Curto
Leander Van Hautegem
Eduardo Perez-Landaluce

Last shot of the timeboard said around 3:30

No clue how close they are to the finish.
Or who's pulling in the peloton.

Now Van Hautegem, Curto, and Perez have separated themselves from the rest.

47 Ks to go.

 

[SafeBet]

Enormous Cofidis fail?

Well you have Oldani who has a very good shot at winning if properly lead out. And then you have Hermans who has a very good shot at a 6th place whatever happens.
But of course Hermans is too big a name to lead Oldani out...

 

[RedheadDane]

Balderstone gone solo with less than 5 Ks to go.
He's got just over 40 seconds to a small chase group.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Balderstone doesn't look great now. It would be nice seeing the guy with no. 1 win though.

 

[RedheadDane]

He held on.
And debuted the "Look at my epic tan-line" victory celebration.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

At one point it looked like Parra could close the gap, but in the end he was the one getting caught and outsprinted by Bou.

 

[RedheadDane]

At one point it looked like Parra could close the gap, but in the end he was the one getting caught and outsprinted by Bou.

You still got stakes in the Bou company?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

You still got stakes in the Bou company?

I let him go from my CQ team, but I still support him and his gf Marta Romeu.

 

[Squire]

Well you have Oldani who has a very good shot at winning if properly lead out. And then you have Hermans who has a very good shot at a 6th place whatever happens.
But of course Hermans is too big a name to lead Oldani out...

Yeah, that was one of the weirder things I've seen in a while. Oldani forced to cover moves in the last couple of kilometres and then being gassed for the sprint with Hermans just chilling in the group. No wonder Oldani brought out the Italian hand gestures.

 

[Valv.Piti]

What the hell happened to Lafay?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

What the hell happened to Lafay?

Knee problems have kept him out until now.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Will we ever get a top 10 from this race? Even Tudor is usually faster than this.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

A pair of slippers for the top 3, and a nice victory belt for Balderstone.

 

[Ulle97]

Has anyone checked out the stage profiles for the Val d'Aosta Mont Blanc.

Some tasty climbs in it that the Tour or Giro could use.

Did you see Pre de Pascal climb??? 6km at 10%. Nasty finish in any Grand Tour even.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

A pair of slippers for the top 3, and a nice victory belt for Balderstone.

Why are you saying wow to this, @SHAD0W93 and @Sandisfan?

I mean a victory belt/scarf is a totally normal prize...

 

[SHAD0W93]

Why are you saying wow to this, @SHAD0W93 and @Sandisfan?

I mean a victory belt/scarf is a totally normal prize...

Let’s just say I wouldn’t be as appreciative if that was one of the rewards for winning.

 

[Samamba]

Jarno Widar is just insane. Dude is basically alone in Aosta cause his teammates got sick and just rides at the front of the peloton the last 50km 2 stages in a row. Yesterday only Crescioli was able to follow, today only Dostiyev. The rest? Minutes back.

Bit sad for Rojas, he really deserved to win today. At the front all day just to get catched by Widar in the last km.

Even tho he's rumoured to have a contract at Lotto, you gotta wonder if he actually will be pro there. There's no way UAE, Bora, Visma, Ineos, etc. don't just try to buy him out.

Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc 2024 Stage 4 results

Jarno Widar is the winner of Giro Ciclistico della Valle d'Aosta - Mont Blanc 2024 Stage 4, before Ilkhan Dostiyev and Vicente Rojas. Jarno Widar was leader in GC.

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Rob5091]

Now that the big top in France has been done for the year, it's back to proper bike racing with the Tour de Wallonie (2.pro) - 5 stages starting today at 13.20 CET with TV from 16.30 CET startlist at https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-wallonie/2024/startlist
Roadbook at https://www.trworg.be/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Guide_Technique_Ethias_TourdeWallonie2024_HD.pdf

Stage 1 - Tourni to Fleurus 179.2 km with 3 sectors pavé

As well as the normal 10, 6 & 4 seconds bonis at the finish, there's "In addition, time bonuses are also awarded, during each stage, for each intermediate sprint. Bonuses will be carried over to the general time classification, namely: 1st: 3 sec - 2nd: 2 sec - 3rd: 1 sec"
and ...something that sounds like it's straight out of the Cold War, "the Proximus Radar Section"
"During each stage, the riders will be timed between KM-1 of the third bonus sprint and the line of the third sprint bonus. The rider who has covered this kilometer the fastest will win a bonus of 1000 €. This award will be presented at the protocol ceremony every day."

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Yeah! CX aces in the startlist:

• 171 ISERBYT Eli
• 172 VANTHOURENHOUT Michael
• 161 VAN DER HAAR Lars
• 163 RONHAAR Pim
• 7 DEL GROSSO Tibor

 

[Squire]

The French Hirschi will probably dominate this race if his form is anything like it has been for most of this season.

 

[topcat]

Now that the big top in France has been done for the year, it's back to proper bike racing with the Tour de Wallonie (2.pro) - 5 stages starting today at 13.20 CET with TV from 16.30 CET startlist at https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/tour-de-wallonie/2024/startlist
Roadbook at https://www.trworg.be/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Guide_Technique_Ethias_TourdeWallonie2024_HD.pdf

Stage 1 - Tourni to Fleurus 179.2 km with 3 sectors pavé

As well as the normal 10, 6 & 4 seconds bonis at the finish, there's "In addition, time bonuses are also awarded, during each stage, for each intermediate sprint. Bonuses will be carried over to the general time classification, namely: 1st: 3 sec - 2nd: 2 sec - 3rd: 1 sec"
and ...something that sounds like it's straight out of the Cold War, "the Proximus Radar Section"
"During each stage, the riders will be timed between KM-1 of the third bonus sprint and the line of the third sprint bonus. The rider who has covered this kilometer the fastest will win a bonus of 1000 €. This award will be presented at the protocol ceremony every day."

Is Pog riding this or is he gifting the win to the lower class?

 

[RedheadDane]

Coverage has started.
Man, we get spoiled by the Tour and its full-stage coverage! Now we gotta get used to coverage starting with barely more than 50 Ks to go.

 

[RedheadDane]

That was awkward...

Not terribly well-filmed.
Meeus wins.

 

[Ricco']

This era without Eurosport Player is sad.