Paris - Tours Elite 2013 (1.HC), Oct 13th

[Dazed and Confused]

Coming to you live on some Eurosport channels at 14:15 (CEST) is this race:

Thanks to a couple of small hills (and iirc some narrow roads) leading into the finale:

this is often worth while watching.

Latest winners:

2012 MARCATO Marco
2011 VAN AVERMAET Greg
2010 FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar
2009 GILBERT Philippe
2008 GILBERT Philippe

Official race site: http://www.letour.fr/indexPAT_fr.html

Startlist here: http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Paris_Tours_Elite_2013-Startlist

The winner? Who knows, but one thing is sure: Chava will attack for a solo win at some point.

 

[jsem94]

Pretty unpredictable.

How's the wind going to be? Tailwind means attacks could actually be fruitful.

 

[Arredondo]

The race too long for me, but i'm going for Demare. Degenkolb a close second.

Kristoff apparently has ended his season, could see him fight for victory here though.

 

[Geraint Too Fast]

The winner is obvious, right John?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

The race too long for me, but i'm going for Demare. Degenkolb a close second.

Kristoff apparently has ended his season, could see him fight for victory here though.

possible, but fear not for your precious time, the race is scheduled to finish between 15:36 - 16:06 local depending on pace. Fine tune the tune in.

 

[Arredondo]

possible, but fear not for your precious time, the race is scheduled to finish between 15:36 - 16:06 local depending on pace. Fine tune the tune in.

I will watch the sprint, but to bad this race isn't the big classic anymore. It has the same level of the Scheldeprijs, sadly enough.

 

[Peter von]

I will watch the sprint, but to bad this race isn't the big classic anymore. It has the same level of the Scheldeprijs, sadly enough.

Yeah the non WT thing isn't working out so well for them.
The good thing is that the strongest teams doesn't have the fastest sprinters, so it could turn out to be a pretty fun race to watch. Or maybe i'm just being hopeful.

 

[Arredondo]

Yeah the non WT thing isn't working out so well for them.
The good thing is that the strongest teams doesn't have the fastest sprinters, so it could turn out to be a pretty fun race to watch. Or maybe i'm just being hopeful.

Could be indeed nice to watch, however with Demare and Degenkolb, you still have two top sprinters who are the big favorites to win. I really hope for some old proper racing before the final 'hill'. in the last two editions, there were two small breaks who fought for the victory. Hopefully this wil repeat itself.

 

[Pentacycle]

Tommy V.

Just sayin.

 

[manafana]

still its a race thats had a quality field, would love see it restored as a proper farewell from france to the cycling season.

 

[trevim]

Keirsbulck, Offredo, Degenkolb (awesome ride last year, proving that he's much more than a sprinter), Vanmarcke are the ones I'll cheer for. Oh and of course, José Gonçalves, I hope he has a good run although La Pomme will probably be riding (and rightfully so) for Martinez.
I just saw Ricardo Mestre in the start list. Either he can pull of a Virenque or maybe Euskaltel has just sent him to every race in the calendar as a rooster filler...

 

[diegotelmo]

If Machado ws here he would win... easy!

 

[ElChingon]

Don't forget, even a climber out for a contract could win this one! (Has happened before)

 

[Peter von]

Could be indeed nice to watch, however with Demare and Degenkolb, you still have two top sprinters who are the big favorites to win. I really hope for some old proper racing before the final 'hill'. in the last two editions, there were two small breaks who fought for the victory. Hopefully this wil repeat itself.

yes very good sprinters indeed, not to be forgotten, but also good enough for teams like BMC to know that Avermaet needs to get in a break if he is to win.

 

[Netserk]

I will watch the sprint, but to bad this race isn't the big classic anymore. It has the same level of the Scheldeprijs, sadly enough.

There's been one bunch sprint in five years....

 

[search]

I will watch the sprint, but to bad this race isn't the big classic anymore. It has the same level of the Scheldeprijs, sadly enough.

that's just not true

and especially with the parcours change two years ago it's not even close to be a sprinter's race anymore

 

[search]

and last year it wasn't just "a small break who fought for the victory", the race was very hard, super fast right from the start, the peloton was down to pieces and Degenkolb had to attack solo to try to get to the front for no one being able to chase anymore

we could still end up with a sprinter winning this tomorrow (although I'd say both Degenkolb and Demare will develop more into classic riders à la Hushovd for example than sprinters), but I think it's a good course, and if you have a wide variety of riders being able to fight for the win there's not much more to ask for at this point of the season.

is there anyone who could celebrate a long overdue victory (like van Avermaet and Marcato in the last two years) again btw?

 

[greenedge]

I think Coquard has a chance and the duo of Boom/ Vanmarcke i expect to feature in any late moves.
My dark horse, Wesley Kreder

 

[Pentacycle]

is there anyone who could celebrate a long overdue victory (like van Avermaet and Marcato in the last two years) again btw?

Despite his spectacular four in a row in the Druivenkoers he still needs to win a big classic. He has the required shape, but of course he has to arrive solo.

 

[roundabout]

I always thought that he is decent finisher

 

[Libertine Seguros]

is there anyone who could celebrate a long overdue victory (like van Avermaet and Marcato in the last two years) again btw?

Kristoff's been top 10 at San Remo, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, the Worst Race In The World, Vattenfall and Brussels, along with 6 GT stages, and has been top 20 at Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen for good measure, but a stage of de Panne is all he's won outside of his home country this year.

 

[Netserk]

Kristoff's been top 10 at San Remo, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, the Worst Race In The World, Vattenfall and Brussels, along with 6 GT stages, and has been top 20 at Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen for good measure, but a stage of de Panne is all he's won outside of his home country this year.

You forgot his stage win in Suisse

 

[Afrank]

Would be cool to see Coquard do well here. Think Demare and Degenkolb could go well, perhaps Degenkolb can get the win he missed out on last year. Farrar I could also see doing well.

 

[Bushman]

I always thought that he is decent finisher

Decent yes, just never the fastest.

 

[maltiv]

Kristoff's been top 10 at San Remo, RVV, Paris-Roubaix, the Worst Race In The World, Vattenfall and Brussels, along with 6 GT stages, and has been top 20 at Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen for good measure, but a stage of de Panne is all he's won outside of his home country this year.

He's not riding P-T though

Nibali for example hasn't won anything outside of his home country, so Kristoff is ahead of him at least!