Lesser known races thread 2022

[Samu Cuenca]

I just sort of assumed he wins this year...

So he can add the year 2022 to his palmares?

 

[RedheadDane]

So he can add the year 2022 to his palmares?

Yes! The real important win.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

A threatening group out front in Maryland, likely to go to the line. Group 1 includes Simmons, Schultz, Powless,Piccolo, Cort, and Skujins, while group two features reinforcements for the top teams. I can’t see why Bike Exchange would help out front, as the only way they can win is likely from an attack. EF should have a field day of UCI points if the break wins.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

looks certain to be contested by the lead group now

 

[DNP-Old]

It might be my lack of sound, but this race is quite to follow. Who is which group? The first two groups are very much recognisable, but I just saw Groenewegen pulling with some Axeon's on his wheel. Is he in chase 2, or in the peloton?

By the way, amongst those from Axeon is Jack Drage, a very skinny climber from New Zealand. The boy is build like a twig, and he makes Gaudu look obese. Matthew Riccitello also in their group, he was part of the devastating Simmons generation in the juniors and could have lined-up with Israel as well, where he will turn pro. Looking very much forward to Darren Rafferty as well, Ireland's next big thing.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

It might be my lack of sound, but this race is quite to follow. Who is which group? The first two groups are very much recognisable, but I just saw Groenewegen pulling with some Axeon's on his wheel. Is he in chase 2, or in the peloton?

By the way, amongst those from Axeon is Jack Drage, a very skinny climber from New Zealand. The boy is build like a twig, and he makes Gaudu look obese. Matthew Riccitello also in their group, he was part of the devastating Simmons generation in the juniors and could have lined-up with Israel as well, where he will turn pro. Looking very much forward to Darren Rafferty as well, Ireland's next big thing.

Pro-tip, the PCS live ticker.

Anyways, nice group. I hope Israel doesn't *** this up.

 

[Samamba]

Full on meme race this. And people say Belgian or French races are "easy" lol. It's like 35 pros racing against guys who have 7 to 5 day jobs. Actually impressed with how Bex won't even get a ton of points out of this. Good on EF capitalizing on this.

 

[ciranda]

Have watched for like twenty minuters and not seen the lead group so far but it doesn't matter cause races in the evening are the best.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Good amount of screen time for Eder Frayre and the L39ion jersey, don't know if they're just trying to show the highest placed domestic pro or something but yea. Frayre's actually a decent puncheur but one of the last riders L39ion would want as sole representative in the break on a flat finishing circuit most likely, you'd think they'd want one of the faster finishers there.

Come on Lozano, a Novo Nordisk win would be the coolest.given all these bigger name teams cancelling one another out.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Good amount of screen time for Eder Frayre and the L39ion jersey, don't know if they're just trying to show the highest placed domestic pro or something but yea. Frayre's actually a decent puncheur but one of the last riders L39ion would want as sole representative in the break on a flat finishing circuit most likely, you'd think they'd want one of the faster finishers there.

Come on Lozano, a Novo Nordisk win would be the coolest.given all these bigger name teams cancelling one another out.

I quite liked Frayre's NC jersey, but he sadly can't wear it anymore.

 

[Samamba]

BEX masterclass here today.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

I wish American racing grows from this, as apart from the WT teams here it’s meme teams largely. It’s the fault of the lack of UCI races recently, and the lack of California and Utah have really hurt.

 

[Samamba]

Wait no way EF is fcking this one up right?

as apart from the WT teams here it’s meme teams largely

Yeah this is the main problem. Only 4 WT teams is one thing (horrible for a .Pro race tbh), but the biggest problem is the fact that the other teams are just bad. Too big of a difference between the WT teams and the PCT/CT teams. It's like Pros vs. Amateurs right now. Fun to see, but also a bit of a meme.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

EF have cloned Piccolo to get more points, but they should have chosen a different rider.

A possible last hurrah for Vanmarcke would be great.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Yes! Nice to see Sep get a dub.

 

[Samamba]

Signs of life from Israel (210ish counting UCI points) but maybe even more important Vanmarcke with a win. He deserves it.

EF seriously messed up tbh, and BEX even more today.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Zukowsky came pretty close, but Vanmarcke already looked like the strongest rider before the sprint.

Piccolo did well to close the gap, if it actually was a minute when he started chasing on his own, but he and Powless didn't execute the final perfectly. If Powless had allowed Piccolo to ride away with Vanmarcke, they could possibly have ended up with a second place.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Wait no way EF is fcking this one up right?



Yeah this is the main problem. Only 4 WT teams is one thing (horrible for a .Pro race tbh), but the biggest problem is the fact that the other teams are just bad. Too big of a difference between the WT teams and the PCT/CT teams. It's like Pros vs. Amateurs right now. Fun to see, but also a bit of a meme.

HPH are a decent enough team, this isn't their strongest lineup considering it's a home race but then the loss of all of the North American stage races lately really hurts them, riders like Keegan Swirbul are kind of limited in value as a result when they've got some of the highest upsides on the squad. The only other ProTeam was Novo Nordisk who are easily the weakest team at that level, but knowingly so, because of their recruitment policy. The American pro scene without the stage races is currently really low level for distance races, led so heavily by crits and TTs, with the loss of races like the Philly Classic, Utah, Colorado, California and so on - even with that the level of the Joe Martin and the Tour of the Gila seems lower than in recent years this year, although it is a little artificial in its bias toward amateur teams in that teams like Aevolo and Canel's are long time third tier pro teams that haven't taken UCI status this year, since with none of the .Pro and .1 races in the US running this season save for this, they don't need it for any of the races they wanted other than the Maryland Classic.

 

[yaco]

That was a strange race with 25 riders being allowed to to ride away unchecked in the first 30 kms, even though all teams had representation - Once the group had three minutes it was race over - I fail to understand what EF and BEX were doing - You only have to do soft turns at the front when you have multiple riders, to save energy for the undoubted attacks which will happen in the last 30 kilometres - Today again shows how poor BEX is at this style of one day race. Finally. it's a shame that Vanmarcke had to eschew any grand tour in 2022 to chase UCI points in these type of races.

 

[Anderis]

Piccolo has only 5 race days for EF but he already made it to the top10 EF scorers this year.

 

[DNP-Old]

Have watched for like twenty minuters and not seen the lead group so far but it doesn't matter cause races in the evening are the best.

Ah, yes, just like the good old the days. The night sky was upon us here in Europe, the moonlight squeezing through the curtains, as we were conducted through the streets of California, Utah and the immensely successful USA Pro Cycling Challenge by the living fossils that were Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett, watching the magna opera of Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriskie, Tejay Van Garderen and Matt Busche on the legendary Tourtracker. May we never forget.

 

[RedheadDane]

Now he wins a race?
I could have used that during the Spring Classics CQ game...

But congratulations anyway.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Ah, yes, just like the good old the days. The night sky was upon us here in Europe, the moonlight squeezing through the curtains, as we were conducted through the streets of California, Utah and the immensely successful USA Pro Cycling Challenge by the living fossils that were Paul Sherwen and Phil Liggett, watching the magna opera of Levi Leipheimer, David Zabriskie, Tejay Van Garderen and Matt Busche on the legendary Tourtracker. May we never forget.

Utah was actually a good race with really good routes.

 

[firefly3323]

Utah was actually a good race with really good routes.

Yeah, the final stage going over Empire Pass down into Park City was always fun to watch.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Yeah, the final stage going over Empire Pass down into Park City was always fun to watch.

Yes and Powder Mountain that one time when Tommy D crushed everyone.