Lesser known races thread 2021

[RedheadDane]

A small winner in France:

1	DE KLEIJN Arvid	Rally Cycling	125	75	4:44:23
2	MORIN Emmanuel	Cofidis, Solutions Crédits	85	55	0:02
3	TESSON Jason	St Michel - Auber93	70	40	,,
4	REINDERS Elmar	Riwal Cycling Team	60	32	0:04
5	GHIRMAY HAILU Biniam	Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux	50	28	,,
6	FUENTES Ángel	Burgos-BH	40	24	,,
7	REYNDERS Jens	Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise	35	20	,,
8	ZINGLE Axel	Cofidis, Solutions Crédits	30	18	,,
9	BARTHE Cyril	B&B Hotels p/b KTM	25	16	,,
10	KONGSTAD Tobias	Riwal Cycling Team	20	14	,,

 

[RedheadDane]

And Kooij takes the win in Croatia, after a crash brings down a bunch of riders in the finale.

 

[Bonimenier]

A last kilometer like that should not be allowed in a sprint stage. Especially because it's not the first edition there are crashes in that corner.

 

[MrTea1976]

What a ridiculous corner.

 

[Nirvana]

Valverde was already losing his hair by his mid 20s IIRC

I've started to have grey hair by my mid 20s but i still have all of them on my head nowadays.

 

[sir fly]

I've started to have grey hair by my mid 20s but i still have all of them on my head nowadays.

I don't have any hair on my head and they're all grey.

 

[tobydawq]

A last kilometer like that should not be allowed in a sprint stage. Especially because it's not the first edition there are crashes in that corner.

True, but one good thing about it is that there hardly ever are serious consequences from crashes in corners like that because the riders are riding quite slowly. Crashes in uncomplicated bunch sprints are much more dangerous, if less likely to happen.

 

[topcat]

A load of off topic posts here. This is the Nibali thread.

 

[Koronin]

Can't wait for the menopause. But I'd like to keep my hair.

I'm seconding this.

 

[BlueRoads]

A load of off topic posts here. This is the Nibali thread.

Usually it's really not that difficult, the cyclingnews forum consists of the Nibali thread and the Evenepoel thread, and anybody can distinguish these two riders, but now that Nibali started to win lesser races it's not that easy anymore.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

With the finish at 2:30pm, the riders have already started in the CRO Race. It's also the queen stage.

The climbing starts pretty early with the climb to Gračišće.

The main climb of the day, and the race in general, is the Poklon. We have an easy start (just under 5k at just under 4%), then we join the profile below 0.5k in and follow it until the pass at 8k.

Opatija is at the foot of one of the descents of this climb, but we don't head there immediately, instead looping over the Kastav through Rijeka...

...before embarking on a final circuit, taking in the wall below twice. According to the signs alongside the road, it peaks at 17%.

Over in France, we have the Classic Loire Atlantique on the outskirts of Nantes. The finish is just after 5pm, sadly coverage will be limited to a highlights programme. We have 11 laps of the circuit below:

These are the climbs:

For reference, the uncategorised hill just before the finish line is 800 metres at 4.3%.

Doesn't look like much, but it's usually been enough to stop the sprinters, with the exception of the most recent edition (in 2019) won by Rudy Barbier.

 

[noob]

Cro race light is amazing! Insanely beautiful!

 

[Devil's Elbow]

After the race blew up on the big climb, Yates, Zoidl and Williams still have 45 seconds in hand on what's left of the peloton with 15k to go with the gap going out. The stage winner should be the one to take the GC lead too.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

First time up the little wall and Williams takes 10 metres on the other two. About 10 riders left in the chase at 35 seconds.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

This will be close.

 

[RedheadDane]

Did the commentator just call Markus Hoelgaard a "German rider"?
That's almost as bad as referring to Danes as"Norwegians". I mean, generally I think commentators should know the nationalities of riders.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Williams still out of sight, think it's a little more than 10 seconds.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Hoelgaard and Buitrago have joined Yates. Hoelgaard versus Williams for GC then, keep in mind the Zagreb circuit tomorrow tends to see gaps and suits Hoelgaard better in theory.

Edit: those three have been caught by a group with Van Dijke, third on GC.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Williams takes it. Hoelgaard second 9 seconds down, Van Dijke third, still all to play for tomorrow especially with Williams sitting up to celebrate

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Also, as much criticism as the organisers deservedly get for the sprint finish designs, taking out the big MTFs and replacing it with this has worked really well.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Williams has 17 seconds on Van Dijke and 18 on Hoelgaard. Not necessarily over yet.

 

[RedheadDane]

Williams has 17 seconds on Van Dijke and 18 on Hoelgaard. Not necessarily over yet.

PCS says 11 and 12 seconds. The chase group coming in at 10 seconds.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

PCS says 11 and 12 seconds. The chase group coming in at 10 seconds.

Going off what was shown on screen. I think PCS have forgotten that Williams took additional seconds in the intermediate sprints today.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Did the commentator just call Markus Hoelgaard a "German rider"?
That's almost as bad as referring to Danes as"Norwegians". I mean, generally I think commentators should know the nationalities of riders.

Amalie Dideriksen apparently received a fan letter this week (or at least that's when she posted it on Instagram) originally adressed to the Norwegian federation. It was probably from the same guy who made the graphics during the WC RR.

Meanwhile in Denm...I mean Norway

https://twitter.com/x/status/1444277599090401282

View: https://twitter.com/VegarKulset/status/1444277599090401282

1	ANDERSEN Idar	Uno-X Pro Cycling Team		15	3:38:13
2	MARCHAND Gianni	Tarteletto - Isorex		10	0:02
3	ERIKSSON Lucas	Riwal Cycling Team		7	0:04
4	ERIKSSON Jacob	Team Coop		4	0:09
5	HOLTER Ådne	Lillehammer CK		2	,,
6	TJØTTA Martin	Ringerike SK		1	0:13
7	AULSTAD Brage	Lillehammer CK			0:19
8	DINHAM Matthew	Team BridgeLane			0:46
9	LOCK Dennis	Team Sparekassen Vendsyssel Aalborg			0:58
10	GATE Aaron	Black Spoke Pro Cycling Academy			1:02

 

[johnymax]

Fun racing in Croatia today. Strong showing by Williams. Didn't know he was such a strong climber.

Also those roads along the coast are beautiful.