Tour de San Luis 2012, 1ª Etapa: San Luis - Villa Mercedes (189 km)

[Kvinto]

hmm, since 2004 Tom Boonen has constantly started his season in Qatar and now he rides San Luis and is scheduled for Qatar. I hope it means he'll be targeting SanRemo before his obvious goals.
Chavanel is also there in his build-up for Paris-Nice...

 

[El Pistolero]

hmm, since 2004 Tom Boonen has constantly started his season in Qatar and now he rides San Luis and is scheduled for Qatar. I hope it means he'll be targeting SanRemo before his obvious goals.
Chavanel is also there in his build-up for Paris-Nice...

He's starting so early this year because he had to end his season so early. I hope it means he can reach his form in time for the spring classics, but I still have some doubts. He could well win a stage here though, but Guardini will be tough to beat if he makes it to the finish line. Any other decent sprinters in this race?

And when is the big mountain stage where Contador is going to win?

 

[Kvinto]

He's starting so early this year because he had to end his season so early. I hope it means he can reach his form in time for the spring classics, but I still have some doubts. He could well win a stage here though, but Guardini will be tough to beat if he makes it to the finish line. Any other decent sprinters in this race?

besides Guardini, i guess only JJ Haedo, but if Boonen rides it only for 'racing kms' Chicchi is always strong in winter races. the others are at best semi-decent like Roberto Ferrari...

 

[canyonball]

I'm terrible at predictions, but I'll give it a shot just for fun...

1. Viviani
2. Haedo
3. Chichi

 

[El Pistolero]

besides Guardini, i guess only JJ Haedo, but if Boonen rides it only for 'racing kms' Chicchi is always strong in winter races. the others are at best semi-decent like Roberto Ferrari...

Trust me, Boonen wants to win

Boonen made a bet with a BV(bekende Vlaming= famous Flemming) that if Boonen wins a stage the BV has to ride the length of the stage Boonen won. Not that he wants to win a race because of that bet, but you only make a bet like that if you're somewhat motivated to win

 

[luckyboy]

Hope Boonen gets it. Will try and catch the end if there's a good feed about.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Angelo Furlan could be an outsider. He was 2nd at Paris-Tours two years ago and this could be one of the biggest races he gets to do all season. Grischa Janorschke and Robert Förster aren't slow, nor is Samuel Caldeira of Carmim-Prio.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Would be nice to see Ventoso win this. He's has been riding cyclocross this winter, and hopefully is in decent form.

 

[hfer07]

an important question:

Will be any broadcasting of the race at all?
If so-are there any links/feeds available?
thanks

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The sprinters in the field:

Haedo brothers
Förster
Keough
Viviani
Casper
Ferrari
Ventoso
Boonen
Chicchi
Max Richeze
Janorschke
Furlan
Colbrelli
delle Stelle

A shame that a lot of the Argentinian fastmen aren't able to ride this. Over the last years "Frösi" usually had a good start into the season so I'd love to see him taking at least one of the flat stages. This here may be one for Chicchi or Richeze, I would say. Richeze is the only one with some race km in his legs (Chile), that may suit him.

So many sprinters listed, and yet you missed the winner in the field.

He may not be earning points for me this year, but Guardini is still a little beauty.

 

[will10]

So many sprinters listed, and yet you missed the winner in the field.

He may not be earning points for me this year, but Guardini is still a little beauty.

In his defence, Guardini was added to the startlist after he'd listed all the other sprinters.

 

[Lupetto]

an important question:

Will be any broadcasting of the race at all?
If so-are there any links/feeds available?
thanks

Fox Sports will broadcast the race. Last year there was a stream, so chances are good.

 

[TeoSheva]

the first stage starts at 13h00 in San Luis, so if I'm not wrong, 17h00 CET. 189km, that means that they should arrive a little before than 22h00. I hope there will be a good streaming!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

but the race starts the 23th right?

 

[will10]

but the race starts the 23th right?

yep first stage will finish around 2200 tomorrow

 

[Ryaguas]

but the race starts the 23th right?

Yep!
mmmm I think that the 1st stage will be something like
JJ Haedo
Chicchi
Ventoso

 

[Lupetto]

the first stage starts at 13h00 in San Luis, so if I'm not wrong, 17h00 CET. 189km, that means that they should arrive a little before than 22h00. I hope there will be a good streaming!

21:18 CET (44km/h), 21:30 CET (42km/h), 21:43 CET (40km/h).

 

[daveinzambia]

Time zones on this one way too complicated for me in Oz. think fro us the race starts tomorrow. can someone just post the number of hours till the start for dumb people like me.

 

[search]

Time zones on this one way too complicated for me in Oz. think fro us the race starts tomorrow. can someone just post the number of hours till the start for dumb people like me.

in 15 1/2 hours, I think

 

[daveinzambia]

Cheers, means it should be getting interesting about the time i get up

 

[Cobber]

Time zones on this one way too complicated for me in Oz. think fro us the race starts tomorrow. can someone just post the number of hours till the start for dumb people like me.

Brisbane is 9 hours ahead of CET, so 2200 CET on Monday will be 7am Tuesday in Brisbane.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Apparently there will be a livestream on thischannel.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

My prediction:

1. Guardini
2. Viviani
3. Haedo

 

[greenedge]

Ventoso, Boonen, Viviani.

 

[Cimber]

Not regarding st 1, but the race in general:

Contador is 7,5 kg above his optimal weight, and didnt impress on the latest training camp where a Danish amateur beat him in an uphill-test. So maybe we shouldnt expect to much from him this early. But then again, Contador usually goes for the win when he participates in a win:

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/contador-jeg-er-for-fed

Regarding st. 1 think JJ must be very motivated and maybe better prepared than alot of the others for obvious reasons.