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Route and teams of the fifth Montepaschi-Strade Bianche announced

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Roland Rat said:
On the one hand I applaud the organisers for this, but on the other I think they're a bunch of idiots.

But surely inviting Sky would be beneficial for the Italian TV bit, seeing as Sky Italy are involved in theteam.

As Stef pointed out, Dave Brailsford personally said that sky were going last night.

If sky arent invited then there may be a bit of a ****storm brewing.
 
Oct 31, 2010
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Y'all may want to invite the world to this race, but I like that they've kept it more focused, local even, should be left that way too. It's a stunner of a race and I don't want the ASO/UCI et all fekin around with it.
Y'all need to go and watch it, you can ride it/some of it too. It's amazing. Deffo a to do if you've not done it yet.. I've done parts.. it's like no other..totally brill
 
Jan 2, 2010
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Finbouy said:
Y'all may want to invite the world to this race, but I like that they've kept it more focused, local even, should be left that way too. It's a stunner of a race and I don't want the ASO/UCI et all fekin around with it.
Y'all need to go and watch it, you can ride it/some of it too. It's amazing. Deffo a to do if you've not done it yet.. I've done parts.. it's like no other..totally brill

I agree. It's the most beautiful course and it will be a great race no matter who's there.

Some of the non-invites are a little odd but it's only 14 teams so not everybody can come. I think every team that is coming will bring somebody who is genuinely targeting the race and it will be lots of fun.
 
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Brailsford just confirmed in live chat, sky not invited.

"We've chased it up with RCS and their claim is that it's due to the 40% rule in 1.1 races. 14 teams, 7 of which are World Tour teams and the rest are Pro Continental."

now thats interesting. That ruling frankly is stupid.
 
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Frankly to not invite the entire podium from last year I think is ********.

That said, while i think the 50% rule is great for the smaller teams, it does nothing to improve the status of the race. can see both sides.
But regardless, I think to not give the entire podium from last year another shot sucks.
 
Jul 2, 2009
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meandmygitane said:
And why is HTC there but not Sky or Astana?


HTC have an Italian who can do well (Pinotti), Sky and Astana don't, plus they have foreigners who have done well.

I think they're trying to boost the chances of Italians to raise the profile with the tifosi and gain domestic sponsorship. The future of the race has to take priority over the quality of the race.
 
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Mambo95 said:
HTC have an Italian who can do well (Pinotti), Sky and Astana don't, plus they have foreigners who have done well.

I think they're trying to boost the chances of Italians to raise the profile with the tifosi and gain domestic sponsorship. The future of the race has to take priority over the quality of the race.

But doesnt having the entire podium from last year missing undermine the credibility of this years winner?

I think considering how the race has built in the last few years, and adding the additional publicity it got and will get from the "eroica" giro stages, they really should be pushing to invite the biggest teams, or the teams that put most effort in last year, along with the italian teams.

I just hope that some of the pt teams treat the race with contempt and dont get invited back.

Im not biased from the sky thing (which i think is stupid) but bcause its one of my favourite races and not seeing some of the top teams there annoys the **** out of me.
 
Mambo95 said:
HTC have an Italian who can do well (Pinotti), Sky and Astana don't, plus they have foreigners who have done well.

gasparotto?and maxim won it last year and he even spoke italian which was funny.it's a shame,very very disappointing for me because it's one of my favourite races of the year.

all this nationalism and traditionalism disgust me.sorry eroica,it's 2011 not 1936.wake the fucc up people.
 
Jul 2, 2009
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TeamSkyFans said:
But doesnt having the entire podium from last year missing undermine the credibility of this years winner?

I think considering how the race has built in the last few years, and adding the additional publicity it got and will get from the "eroica" giro stages, they really should be pushing to invite the biggest teams, or the teams that put most effort in last year, along with the italian teams.


It's a hard balance to strike.

While cycling fans generally love the race, Italian fans are famously partisan. If there aren't Italians contending they will lose interest (one 2nd place in four editions). And the most important factor for any new race is to have local support, from fans and sponsors.

None of us know how MSB is doing financially. My guess is, with just 14 teams, not so well. So, if loading the startlist in favour of the Italians is the best way to ensure the continuation of the race, then I'm all for parochial team selections.
 
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On the other hand, after teh success of the eroica giro stage, if they had invited the top teams this year then there may have been someone other than rai happy to broadcast it and rai could have sold it on to eurosport, sky sports or whoever.

It says something about how good the race is that last year, rather than putting the traditional closing 5k video online i spent hours cutting it and putting the entire 50 minute program on youtube in five segments.
 
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TeamSkyFans said:
On the other hand, after teh success of the eroica giro stage, if they had invited the top teams this year then there may have been someone other than rai happy to broadcast it and rai could have sold it on to eurosport, sky sports or whoever.

It says something about how good the race is that last year, rather than putting the traditional closing 5k video online i spent hours cutting it and putting the entire 50 minute program on youtube in five segments.


As I said, we don't know what their situation is and what is going on behind the scenes. If they're in trouble and need Italians to contend to survive, then bring on the Italians.
 
May 5, 2009
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TeamSkyFans said:
Brailsford just confirmed in live chat, sky not invited.

"We've chased it up with RCS and their claim is that it's due to the 40% rule in 1.1 races. 14 teams, 7 of which are World Tour teams and the rest are Pro Continental."

now thats interesting. That ruling frankly is stupid.

I understand this rule. Because without this rule, non Pro Tour teams would be in an even more unfavourable positions.

However, given the epicness and status of the Eroica, it is really urgent to upgrade this race in order to avoid such ridicolous line-ups. Let's make it Pro Tour or HIST status or 2.1!
 
la.margna said:
I understand this rule. Because without this rule, non Pro Tour teams would be in an even more unfavourable positions.

However, given the epicness and status of the Eroica, it is really urgent to upgrade this race in order to avoid such ridicolous line-ups. Let's make it Pro Tour or HIST status or 2.1!

Not sure if you know how the new catagories work, but 2.1 is the same level as 1.1, but 2 in front denotes it's reserved for stage races.

I have to say I am surprised to see it still ranked as 1.1, given the global awareness of this race.
I would say given Pat's key objective, moving it up to 1HC, should be a priority.
 
Oct 16, 2010
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in italy rcs is supposed to be in crisis with financial troubles.
so the less team they invite , the less the race will cost.
that is the explanation of strade bianche and tirreno poor list of entries.

thee main reason of the crisis is the shortage of public money given by the local authorities to rcs. it was easy for them to be good organizers when more of the 50% of the money was public.
in tha actual situation of the economy that does not more happen and it is also hard to find private sponsorships and in part they are not very clever in doing that, they do not know how to sell their products.
zome is not the great manager even if many people in the forum ( not italians) think he is a genius.
 
Oct 26, 2010
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TeamSkyFans said:
On the other hand, after teh success of the eroica giro stage, if they had invited the top teams this year then there may have been someone other than rai happy to broadcast it and rai could have sold it on to eurosport, sky sports or whoever.

It says something about how good the race is that last year, rather than putting the traditional closing 5k video online i spent hours cutting it and putting the entire 50 minute program on youtube in five segments.

Isn't it still a problem that most topriders aren't at their level jet this early in March? Topteams with no real topguys at form seems to me like Lance or Andy getting hyped to take part in a race and show nothing.
 

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