Lesser known races 2024 edition

[Rob5091]

Région Pays de la Loire Tour - stage 1, wind & rain and bunch sprint coming up. What could possibly go wrong?!
edit - not so smart to attack into a 40km/h headwind!

 

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Aberasturi takes the sprint. A bit of a surprise, even against this competition

 

[Samamba]

Aberasturi takes the sprint. A bit of a surprise, even against this competition

Are we sure lmao. I need to see that photo finish

 

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Are we sure lmao. I need to see that photo finish

yeah, now they say van den Berg won

 

[Samamba]

Really weird that it seemed like Euskatel riders got confirmation in their ear pieces, but looks like Van den Berg gets it

 

[Rob5091]

We now know that Ben Healy needs to work on his sprint leadout, but chapeau EF! Van den Berg wins in a photo finish. Aberasturi close but no cigar.

 

[Anderis]

It seems that EF has been targetting races with weak sprinter fields with Van den Berg this year. A way to get a few easy wins.

 

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It seems that EF has been targetting races with weak sprinter fields with Van den Berg this year. A way to get a few easy wins.

MvdB was supposed to do the cobbled classics but skipped them because of his injury. So this wasn't really planed, I guess.

 

[DNP-Old]

Sam Bennett is a thief.

 

[Samamba]

MvdB was supposed to do the cobbled classics but skipped them because of his injury. So this wasn't really planed, I guess.

He rode Catalunya and Flanders (and he was pretty strong)? That doesn't scream "injured".

 

[Anderis]

MvdB was supposed to do the cobbled classics but skipped them because of his injury. So this wasn't really planed, I guess.

Wasn't it?

He rode Catalunya during the time some of the cobbled classics took place (and won a stage there) so I wasn't aware that he had any injury. Heck, him riding Catalunya was part of my point as he rode a race that has one of the weakest sprinter fields of all WT races when races like Brugge-De Panne and G-W were taking place simultaneousy (where he would have been his team's biggest hope for a good result if he rode).

 

[search]

He rode Catalunya and Flanders (and he was pretty strong)? That doesn't scream "injured".

Wasn't it?

He rode Catalunya during the time some of the cobbled classics took place (and won a stage there) so I wasn't aware that he had any injury. Heck, him riding Catalunya was part of my point as he rode a race that has one of the weakest sprinter fields of all WT races when races like Brugge-De Panne and G-W were taking place simultaneousy (where he would have been his team's biggest hope for a good result if he rode).

during Catalunya he said himself that they added it to get back in shape (after his concussion). So it wasn't planed initially.

And if he did the full classics season instead, I don't think he would still start in Pais de la Loire.

 

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From the communiquée:

https://chronoconsult.fr/_archives/resultats/regionpaysdelaloiretour/pdf/2024/RPDLT2024_Resultats_Stage_1.pdf?version=1

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I was getting a little worried about Aberasturi after a string of decent, but not so stellar top 20 results, so it's nice to see him get so close to a victory.

 

[ice&fire]

Folks, is this the Scheldeprijs thread?

 

[hayneplane]

Sam Bennett is a thief.

I had him on my CQ ranking team thinking he could have a redemption arc on a soft French Cup schedule but after today I give up all hope of him doing anything worthwhile.

 

[Rob5091]

Région Pays de la Loire Tour - stage 2,Châteaubriant to Saumur 162.1 km start 12.30 CET, TV from 13.40 CET

4 laps to finish on a local circuit with this little steep lump in it -

 

[Sciatic]

Région Pays de la Loire Tour - stage 2,Châteaubriant to Saumur 162.1 km start 12.30 CET, TV from 13.40 CET

4 laps to finish on a local circuit with this little steep lump in it -

Should provide lovely views of Saumur

 

[Rob5091]

Château d’Amour sounds like a brothel, but it's another name for Saumur's chateau. (according to https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-saumur-france/ )

 

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they are on the final circuit now in Sarthe, so about to hit the climb for the first time. Cosnefroy, Healy and Costiou are probably the best climbers in this field. Last year's runner-up Dversnes is around as well.

 

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Cosnefroy, Coquard, Delettre, Kopecky, Manzin, van den Berg, Vliegen, Watson and Costiou got clear on the penultimate lap

 

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Vliegen and Manzin dropped, Venturini joins the group on the final climb. But he peloton isn't far behind

 

[Samamba]

Sorry but what are all those guys in the front group doing... You saw that attack from costiou coming like 5kilometers ago.... Arkea the only team with 2 there and no one looks at Costiou who just sits at the back.

 

[tobydawq]

Bennett comfortably winning the sprint. For second.

 

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Costiou takes it with a late attack. Bennett wins the sprint behind.