Lesser known races thread 2022

[Mayomaniac]

Fun fact: There's actually a well known historian called Mustafa Sayar.
Imagine my confused looked when I heard that Mustafa Sayar was holding a presentation at our university.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

It was one of those World Tour Lite races for like 3 editions. IIRC the pre-WT 2016 was good with crosswinds and several interesting stages. But I could be mixing up years. But mostly its been a bunch of sprint stages 1 MTF and maybe one other hilly stage.

 

[RedheadDane]

I think it might be one of the few - if not the only - race in the new batch of WT races (from 2017) to actually lose WT status due to simply not being popular with the riders. From what I recall, they could practically never attract the required minimum of WT teams.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I think it might be one of the few - if not the only - race in the new batch of WT races (from 2017) to actually lose WT status due to simply not being popular with the riders. From what I recall, they could practically never attract the required minimum of WT teams.

They probably weren't willing to give the teams additional financial incentives like other newer WT races...

 

[tobydawq]

They probably weren't willing to give the teams additional financial incentives like other newer WT races...

Like Omloop and Strade?

 

[greyclouds]

In my mind it was a WT race with a similar route as this one. Most of the time just one mountain stage.

Yeah I always think about it as a sprinters heaven warmup race before the GT season. Cavendish has 11 stage wins there..

 

[Netserk]

It ranks together with Danmark Rundt as the worst .Pro stage race. They should both be demoted (Tour de Pologne and Tour Down Under too).

 

[tobydawq]

It ranks together with Danmark Rundt as the worst .Pro stage race. They should both be demoted (Tour de Pologne and Tour Down Under too).

What's wrong with Danmark Rundt?

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

It ranks together with Danmark Rundt as the worst .Pro stage race. They should both be demoted (Tour de Pologne and Tour Down Under too).

Danmark Rundt isn’t bad from what I could tell.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I think it might be one of the few - if not the only - race in the new batch of WT races (from 2017) to actually lose WT status due to simply not being popular with the riders. From what I recall, they could practically never attract the required minimum of WT teams.

It changed from April to October when it went World Tour so that could have been some of the reasoning too. Like how the China races weren’t well liked either among their other issues.

Yeah I always think about it as a sprinters heaven warmup race before the GT season. Cavendish has 11 stage wins there..

And he only started it 4 times. It’s not like he rolled up to here every year.
Greipel started it 8 times and is at 11 wins. Bennett 4 times and 9 wins. It’s Tour of Qatar with a mountain/hilly stage thrown in so the sprinters can’t win it and missing the crosswinds.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I think Tour of Poland is fine as a WT-race. Sure its not the greatest of races, but its not too shabby either and usually we get to see some good racing by 2nd and 3rd-tier GC riders - many young talents also take part, specifically I remember Vingegaard winning here and Remco demolishing everyone.

But yeah, Turkey has no business being WT, and neither does that horrid race in China. Nuke that race.

Also, why is De Panne WT and KBK not? Weird. Rest of the WT races I like, but this race in China stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Like Omloop and Strade?

No, I was talking about the Arabian races and stuff like that.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I think Tour of Poland is fine as a WT-race. Sure its not the greatest of races, but its not too shabby either and usually we get to see some good racing by 2nd and 3rd-tier GC riders - many young talents also take part, specifically I remember Vingegaard winning here and Remco demolishing everyone.

But yeah, Turkey has no business being WT, and neither does that horrid race in China. Nuke that race.

Also, why is De Panne WT and KBK not? Weird. Rest of the WT races I like, but this race in China stick out like a sore thumb.

They brought back the China race?!?!

Not to mention the points they give with the monuments sharing the same points given with other classics and Tour Down Under giving more points then the two Spanish week races.

 

[Mayomaniac]

I think Tour of Poland is fine as a WT-race. Sure its not the greatest of races, but its not too shabby either and usually we get to see some good racing by 2nd and 3rd-tier GC riders - many young talents also take part, specifically I remember Vingegaard winning here and Remco demolishing everyone.

But yeah, Turkey has no business being WT, and neither does that horrid race in China. Nuke that race.

Also, why is De Panne WT and KBK not? Weird. Rest of the WT races I like, but this race in China stick out like a sore thumb.

If they want WT races in China they should turn Quinghai Lake into one. Mountain passes at 3,800m of altitude, a MTf at 4,100m of altitude and a "sprint" stage with +200kms at 3,200m of altitude...

Nobody has problems with more "exotic" races if they actually grew over time and there is a local movement behind it. People here mainly complain when the UCI pushes stuff to a ranking way above his weight. Just look at all the jokes about the "4th gt" the Tour of California and how well liked the hard Tour of Utah was, that race even managed to get tons of panache out of Sepp Kuss.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Qinghai Lake is also like, two weeks long, which will always stand against it as it would need to be neutered to meet WT rules. As well as taking place during July when the Tour is going on.

These end of season nothingburger races are never going to be a major factor, but the Tour de Fuzhou has some possibilities, and there's a lot that can be done even close to major metropoles in Guangdong or Sichuan, while Yunnan offers myriad possibilities. I've designed a pretty varied (imo) race in Hong Kong, but appreciate that the combination of lack of space and potential for political protest with the eyes of the world on Hong Kong make that a probable non-starter. And even based on what we have had, at least the Tour of Beijing had some variety in the parcours, rather than being four sprints and a 3km uphill finish. You at least had a MTF, a couple of hilly stages, and a stage with plenty of climbing but not an MTF in the Chao Yang Temple finish, as well as possibilities to do stuff with, like, the 2008 Olympic Road Race route, the 2022 Olympic venues now, and so on.

I mean... it's come to this. Waxing nostalgic about the Tour of f'n Beijing.

 

[Samamba]

Paddy Bevin might just win the GC of a .Pro race with a 14k MTF in it. Says enough.

Who's that Chinese guy btw?

Nairo must've taken a big hit in that crash seeing that he can't make the difference on this climb.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Paddy Bevin might just win the GC of a .Pro race with a 14k MTF in it. Says enough.

Who's that Chinese guy btw?

Nairo must've taken a big hit in that crash seeing that he can't make the difference on this climb.

Lyu Xianjing!!!!!

Legitimately a great talent and a strong climber, who has been completely off the radar post-pandemic. Just turned 24. Best Chinese rider in living memory. Won Tour of China II back in 2019 after climbing with Kevin Rivera on Mendingshan, and won on Kuliang in the Tour of Fuzhou in 2018 ahead of known CT sputniks like Ilya Davidenok and Ben Dyball.

 

[Netserk]

What's wrong with Danmark Rundt?

It has by far the worst field of any stage race that has always been just below the WT/PT.

 

[Samamba]

Well this was disappointing.

Great win for Sepulveda tho.

 

[SafeBet]

Lyu Xianjing!!!!!

Legitimately a great talent and a strong climber, who has been completely off the radar post-pandemic. Just turned 24. Best Chinese rider in living memory. Won Tour of China II back in 2019 after climbing with Kevin Rivera on Mendingshan, and won on Kuliang in the Tour of Fuzhou in 2018 ahead of known CT sputniks like Ilya Davidenok and Ben Dyball.

Finally riding something in Europe. I had completely forgotten about him since COVID-19 hit the world.
Hopefully a PCT team gives him a shot sooner than later.

 

[roundabout]

pretty neat to see a MTF ending on the cobbles

but also a pretty boring climb

 

[Samu Cuenca]

To be fair to Bevin he has been climbing quite well in the last couple of seasons, though I still expected him to be dropped here.

A shame for Uno-X that Charmig got sick before the race.

 

[Samamba]

Felt like Vine and Vanhoucke were looking at eachother and Quintana to much. Sepulveda was dropped 3 times before they let him get away.

 

[Ricco']

Turkish MTFs are always so underwhelming.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Turkish MTFs are always so underwhelming.

Turkish MTFs have given us some of the most legendary, stunning, awe inducing rocket fuelled performances of the recent era!