Lesser known races 2025 edition

[yaco]

Why are Jayco trying to turn Engelhardt into a climber rather than a fast man after a hard day like he was before? Seems like he has more potential as the latter...

Nah - He is better as a punchy rider, although today is his climbing limit, as I suspect he will struggle in stage four and five. He's definitely improved this year, however, Jayco made him before offering him a contract. For me its a no brainer to extend his contract.

 

[YavorD]

I think Ayuso can ride can't he?

Which would be a hilarious addition to the punishment schedule, Avenir, Poland, Guangxi, then off to the Tour of Sudan to see if he can solve the civil war.

No, I think not. 2003 are the oldest eligible for Avenir.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Nah - He is better as a punchy rider, although today is his climbing limit, as I suspect he will struggle in stage four and five. He's definitely improved this year, however, Jayco made him before offering him a contract. For me its a no brainer to extend his contract.

The problem is that he has lost most of his punch.

 

[ppanther92]

I unfortunatey see no way Großschartner takes this over Del Toro. Later went like a rocket for the last 200m to stop August from winning. So the 3s on GC he can make up in 50m of climbing. Still, 2nd should be possible.

 

[ppanther92]

This tour of Austria Englisch feed sounds like just some random cycling fans doing the talking, rather than professional commentators.

Which probably is the case. I watched on ORF but isn't Lukas Pöstlberger in the stream as expert?

 

[YavorD]

Gotta admit, the stage tomorrow in Austria is designed really well.

 

[Cycling111]

Gotta admit, the stage tomorrow in Austria is designed really well.

But there are no climbers than those from the UAE.

Del Toro will win more easily than today.

 

[Unchained]

I don't understand why they're racing this. Or well, I do, due to the absurd record of victories. It would have been better to do a good job at the Giro and have Del Toro win instead of the ridiculous they did in Finestre.

But they're determined to win all these races against riders from development teams and continenal teams.

Completely wrong..!!!
Race converted from amateur to pro years ago. Race organization has obviously done an outstanding job to lure( pay) WT talent to their event . Some bizarre misplaced amateur mindset that you are some local youngest at the race with your mom and dad and suddenly UAE, Ineos, Jayco, EF, Alpecin,ect.. roll up in million dollar buses to ruin your day and rub your nose in it, just wrong.
The races pay start money and other perks to attract the best, any silliness about the Tour of Austria being backwater, second rate event is utterly ridiculous!!
These people, these communities work hard year after year to build and improve their race, try to get sponsors to sweeten the prize list and overall funding to get race on par with week,10 day events.. Dauphine, Tour dSwiss as examples, races like TDA are setting themselves up perfectly to shift every so slightly to become a TDF tune up race and instead of some WT teams and the rest continental level pro teams, the start list will be WT heavy and conti minority entries.
Austrian organizers have current strategy of lots of German speaking squads, and it makes the media effort almost effortless.. Can put a microphone in front of every, any rider get a majority German response, riders like Del Toro can respond in English.. and give his Italian, Spanish responses to those media outlets if they are there.
And your premise of big fish, small pond is also completely crazy..
Most( all!!) Continental and amateur riders in their wildest dreams want to race Pogacar, MVP, Remco!! They are over the moon elated to go head to head against UAE and other WT teams..
Del Toro is brand new, nowhere near as prestigious as the top of the elite food chain, but he'll do.
It's so so, too sad to hear people project about what they think they see, UAE and other WT teams were invited, paid to race in remote mountains of Austria, they don't pick the race, it's the other way around.
The organization puts all the concerns of big teams at ease.. We have hotels, we have groceries, we have support, we have confirmation from other quality teams, our start list is full, and we have start and prize money, media coverage that make it worth your while.
**and just a tiny tidbit that is important.. Del Toro said in post win interview , UAE objective is to have Austrian Felix Grosschartner to win overall GC..
The people who should be writing to complain about a race on the rise are events that are traditionally used as TDF preparation.. The Tour of Austria is developing to prestigious event, best talent, outstanding organization..

 

[Dazed and Confused]

So the folks at ASO decided to support the ToA in the weekend. As a reminder, the profile of stage 4 which starts at 11:00 local.

Note the distance, which means the first climb will start approx. 1h later than the start.

Youtube link:

View: https://youtu.be/ZieAhwSy9sk

 

[danielzu]

Mulu takes the gc lead in china by 1 second. One stage left.

 

[Tim Cahill]

The East Asian races are usually not on or stupid hard to find, so it's great to see Rukinov in action on the big screen.

Come on Astana give him a chance, then again perhaps his biopassport is more a biocatalogue at this point.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

ToA:
About to take on the Kuhtai:

 

[QueenStagiaire]

The horse is loose, although this isn‘t its best terrain.

 

[Squire]

The horse is loose, although this isn‘t its best terrain.

I thought Merlier was in the Tour.

Or is he just the Belgian horse, and there is another rider who is the horse?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

I thought Merlier was in the Tour.

Or is he just the Belgian horse, and there is another rider who is the horse?

Here it was an actual horse, that‘s probably Merlier‘s brother.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Rui Costa seems confused, someone should tell him this is notTdS last decade....

 

[Tim Cahill]

Regardless it's nice to see Rui out on front again, I hope to see him in his natural habitat, Vuelta breaks, flat out refusing to work.

 

[search]

About time for Burgos to sign Rikunov.

 

[Tim Cahill]

1.30 for Rui at the top, he can extend on the descent and will need to.

 

[Peyroteo94]

1.30 for Rui at the top, he can extend on the descent and will need to.

Zero chances against UAE.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Vino has attacked

 

[Tim Cahill]

Zero chances against UAE.

Probably not no, but he can be of help to Ryan if he lasts long enough

 

[Libertine Seguros]

About time for Burgos to sign Rikunov.

Speaking of those visible in the race right now, slight surprise that they didn't sign Colin Stüssi after he won the Volta a Portugal and you'd think that would be safer ground (and easy to do since they tend to do the Volta or at least appear in the same races as many of the Portuguese teams) than a Russian who has been largely racing non-UCI or Asia Tour events...

Oh, who am I kidding, it was Team Vorarlberg. But they could kill two birds with one stone and sign Artëm Nych...

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Hopefully not headwind in the valley section for Rui.

 

[Tim Cahill]

2.10 for Rui!

Hopefully there is a Giro-Style leadership squabble in the UAE ranks.