The big one: Tour of Poland, Aug 1st -7th

[hrotha]

How tough is that Ustroń climb in the 5th stage? Looking at the profile at the official site I get around 7.5% on average, for 4.5 km. Is that right?

 

[p e t e r]

Well one of them they start in the town Auschwitz. (Oswiecim – Bulkowina Tatrzanska)

Riders are going to stop in front of the former nazi concentration camp for a minute of silence there.

 

[Ferminal]

How tough is that Ustroń climb in the 5th stage? Looking at the profile at the official site I get around 7.5% on average, for 4.5 km. Is that right?

Looks around 4km at 8.5% to me (with a flat 500m to the finish).

 

[The Hitch]

Riders are going to stop in front of the former nazi concentration camp for a minute of silence there.

Thats good to hear. I think they should do something on day 1 since they are going through warsaw on august the 1st. Perhaps finish at the uprising museum or something. Or they might have something planned, I dont know.

 

[Martin]

I thought about Belgium, but a lot of the people I thought were Belgian, were just dutch who watch sporza. Perhaps they make up the bulk of elsewhere.

Well I think Peter is not going to win because there's no prologue... and for the sprints it must be Benatti who'll be the Liquigas favourite. Sagan will be a leadout man.

 

[theyoungest]

Looks around 4km at 8.5% to me (with a flat 500m to the finish).

And the other climb is less than 4% for 10 km, although it looks like the Zoncolan on the profile. Hm, maybe Sagan could survive this.

 

[markene2]

Dyachenko ftw!

 

[p e t e r]

Thats good to hear. I think they should do something on day 1 since they are going through warsaw on august the 1st. Perhaps finish at the uprising museum or something. Or they might have something planned, I dont know.

There is a happening planned to celebrate the 66th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising's outbreak during the 1st stage. Here's the line-up of that day: http://www.tourdepologne.pl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=246&Itemid=246&lang=en

 

[Big GMaC]

So those profile are pretty exaggerated then?

 

[The Hitch]

Well I think Peter is not going to win because there's no prologue... and for the sprints it must be Benatti who'll be the Liquigas favourite. Sagan will be a leadout man.

not for overall but for a stage win or 2.

 

[sublimit]

A bit of a turkey shoot for Greiple, Sagan should get a stage somewhere.

Those stage profiles make it look like they are crossing the Alps the hard way - they have got to be exaggerated.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Grega Bole, baby!

Nice to see Danilo Wyss.

Yes, BMC will have their leadout train up and running at the tdp. Wyss and Kristoof are both very fast. They could a few high placings and possibly a win.

Greipel will overshadow cav's 50000 tour stage wins in this all important tour!

But Cav's pig headedness will always outweigh Greipel's.

Lol.
Well he might just have conceded because even acf is getting excited about this tour de pologne – 1st post in the thread.

As I said. Biggest race outside cycling heartland of western Europe.

Yes, the parcours in this race really excite me and the strong field should make a thrilling race. BMC in there with a good chance of doing something is good.

Looks around 4km at 8.5% to me (with a flat 500m to the finish).

Ballan for overall. he was climbing well in the tour and has some good form coming out of it. They should have a short tt in this race.

 

[KazakhNeRider]

Astana for Tour of Poland

Here are the riders to be present for the race Tour of Poland:

Oscar Pereiro (SPA)
Assan Bazayev (KAZ)
Allan Davis (AUS)
Alexandr Dyachenko (KAZ)
Dimitri Fofonov (KAZ)
Maxim Gourov (KAZ)
Mirko Selvaggi (ITA)
Andrey Zeits (KAZ)

Sport Manager : Alexandr Shefer

 

[The Hitch]

Ballan for overall. he was climbing well in the tour and has some good form coming out of it. They should have a short tt in this race.

As i remember, a family member of mine, who knew little of the cycling scene presently, though who used to know much about the local cycling scene, made a big deal that the world champion was taking part in the tdp.

To Ballans credit, he came here and he won. Dont know how well he will do this year, but he sure has a good chance. A good place for BMC to make some valuable pro tour points as well. 100 points would go a long long way to making an easier 2nd season.

 

[Ferminal]

A good place for BMC to make some valuable pro tour points as well. 100 points would go a long long way to making an easier 2nd season.

I think that's why they were sending Evans to those Canadian PT one-dayers.

 

[therhodeo]

Is there anywhere someone in the US could watch this online?

 

[skidmark]

Whooee, this is always an interesting one, with a bunch of teams putting alot of inexperienced guys on the team... like the profile, should suit someone with good punch (obviously, with Ballan and Voigt as the last 2 winners). It'd be good to see Ballan defend, but this could certainly suit someone like Sagan, as people have obviously pointed out, or even a good sprinter with some climbing legs, if there are bonus seconds (Allan Davis? Well maybe stage 5 is too much). Or maybe an underachiever, like Devolder or... Tom Danielson?

And for the guy asking where to watch online, try steephill.tv or cyclingfans.com, who reliably offer coverage for alot of races.

 

[Kazistuta]

Yes, BMC will have their leadout train up and running at the tdp. Wyss and Kristoof are both very fast. They could a few high placings and possibly a win.

(...)

Ballan for overall. he was climbing well in the tour and has some good form coming out of it. They should have a short tt in this race.

Kristoff is very overrated imo. BMC won't win any bunch finishes with him/Wyss in Poland, that's for sure. Greipel firstly, but also guys like Bennati, Furlan, Napolitano, Bruising-Brown, Weylandt, JJ Haedo, De Haes, Förster, Hendo/Sutton, Hutarovich, Davis, Bozic, Wagner and Reimer would be rated before the BMC "half-sprinters". Both Kristoff and Wyss have better chances on harder stages, where some of the aforementioned sprinters might fall off. But not in a bunch sprint against these decent names.

Ballan is indeed on decent form, but if he's a candidate for the overall, so should Sagan. He's not a worse climber than Ballan.

It's a bit hard to predict how much a difference stage 5 is gonna be. My picks would be guys like Bole, Gusev, P.Velits, Cataldo, Devolder, Dan Martin, Machado, Kiryienka, Intxausti, Carrara and Tondo .... and if I should pick one for you, ACF94, it would be Santambrogio

 

[auscyclefan94]

As i remember, a family member of mine, who knew little of the cycling scene presently, though who used to know much about the local cycling scene, made a big deal that the world champion was taking part in the tdp.

To Ballans credit, he came here and he won. Dont know how well he will do this year, but he sure has a good chance. A good place for BMC to make some valuable pro tour points as well. 100 points would go a long long way to making an easier 2nd season.

Ballan is got some serious form going into the great event!

I think that's why they were sending Evans to those Canadian PT one-dayers.

Yes and cadel wanted to say high to all his canadian fans.

Kristoff is very overrated imo. BMC won't win any bunch finishes with him/Wyss in Poland, that's for sure. Greipel firstly, but also guys like Bennati, Furlan, Napolitano, Bruising-Brown, Weylandt, JJ Haedo, De Haes, Förster, Hendo/Sutton, Hutarovich, Davis, Bozic, Wagner and Reimer would be rated before the BMC "half-sprinters". Both Kristoff and Wyss have better chances on harder stages, where some of the aforementioned sprinters might fall off. But not in a bunch sprint against these decent names.

Ballan is indeed on decent form, but if he's a candidate for the overall, so should Sagan. He's not a worse climber than Ballan.

It's a bit hard to predict how much a difference stage 5 is gonna be. My picks would be guys like Bole, Gusev, P.Velits, Cataldo, Devolder, Dan Martin, Machado, Kiryienka, Intxausti, Carrara and Tondo .... and if I should pick one for you, ACF94, it would be Santambrogio

Krisstoff overated? When he was 20 years old he onwed hushovd at the norwegian champs. He has had some good placings in short tt's, and has had some good results in stage races. 10th at schilderprijs this year.

Don't underestimate Danilo Wyss who has a bit more experience and is a good sprinter. At down under he came 4th to greipel in one of the stages but he made up about 5 places in 50m because he was too far back. Ballan is better than sagan with climbing. Did you see ballan on the Bales this year at the tdf? he was super strong.

 

[Moondance]

Mateo Carrara will win....

That is all.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Mateo Carrara will win....

That is all.

Oh crap! I think there could be another war on this forum with BMC fans V vacansoleil fans or ACF94 V "the dutch fanboy club"

 

[Moondance]

Oh crap! I think there could be another war on this forum with BMC fans V vacansoleil fans or ACF94 V "the dutch fanboy club"

Mateo Carrara was Italian last time I checked....

 

[auscyclefan94]

Mateo Carrara was Italian last time I checked....

Rides for a dutch team?

 

[Moondance]

Rides for a dutch team?

I guess... Although if I was really being fanboy-ish I would've pick Hoogerland or Weening ftw.

I actually think Carrara has a very good chance. He's been getting good results all year (won Tour of Luxembourg) and would've done very well in Switzerland if he hadn't put in a worse TT than Robert Gesink even (he still got 15th). He's also got a very good sprint for someone with his climbing ability, so he could hoover up bonification seconds or stage placings when needed. I would honestly bet money on him to win considering the pathetic line-up for this race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Mollema is participating.

You guys are delluding yourselves if you think any other rider has a chance of winning this with Bauke at the start