What's the first race you are looking forward to in the new season?

[Echoes]

Cyclocross of Baal on 01/01/2011.

 

[NickBVK]

Tour Down Under, first real racing in months + new teams/kits etc.

And I'm going

 

[auscyclefan94]

Easy. TDU.

It's the first racing in several months with the top teams. It's also the first chance to see new teams, new outfits or riders on new teams for the first time.

I might look forward to other races even more but the first race is definately TDU.

Exactly right. Also I am going to the TDU next year!

 

[stefank]

TDU. If for no other reason than it's the first one that happens.

 

[Barrus]

De Omloop
Quite obvious, isn't it? Although I do need to agree with Francois is that I am really looking forward to the winter cyclocross

 

[Jamsque]

Shameless addict that I am, I'll take whatever fix I can get, so I am looking forward to the TDU. There could actually be an interesting sprinter's show-down there, we might get new team Gorilla vs Tyler Farrar Sprinter for Team Garmin Transitions.

 

[Kvinto]

I want to see TDU, I like Mallorca Challenge and Algarve but the real season starts with first cobbled classics (and Strade Bianche).

 

[schweinika]

TDU because it's the first race shown on tv. And it might be interesting seeing the new teams in action. Plus the sprints.

 

[Mellow Velo]

It depends what you have regular access to, I suppose.
I raise an eyelid when the Trofeo Mallorca is on.
My real wake up call is the Trofeo Laigueglia.
I jump out of bed for the Het Nieuwsblad.

(since there's all this Northern European insomnia out there.)

 

[Kwibus]

Voted for TdU since I can't wait for the first real race. I think I will most look forward to Omloop, but I just can't wait for the season to start.
It will be my first season that I will follow right from the start. I'm so looking forward seeing all the winter/spring races that I've never seen before.

It's almost pathetic how much I'm looking forward to this

 

[Moondance]

Het Nieuwsblad.... Obviously.

I'll probably still pay some attention to Down Under & Qatar, and look on youtube for some clips of the spints... However, the first race I'll invest in emotionally will be the Omloop.

 

[jens_attacks]

tour down under for me.

 

[Anonymous]

I will watch TDU, Qatar etc, but the first "competative" race for me is Omloop. Thats when the season really starts..

 

[Marcus135]

TDU, means start of season plus can see all the new teams in action

 

[Finbouy]

I watch whatevers on Eurosport. Last year they had loads of races on and I hope that 2011 is the same.
As to what I look forward to, well so long as the TDU starts, I'll be watching that, then I look forward tot he Classics, then P-R, by then the season is well under way and I can watch whatever I like..
Whoop

 

[Barrus]

I watch whatevers on Eurosport. Last year they had loads of races on and I hope that 2011 is the same.
As to what I look forward to, well so long as the TDU starts, I'll be watching that, then I look forward tot he Classics, then P-R, by then the season is well under way and I can watch whatever I like..
Whoop

Concerning Eurosport, does anyone know which races Eurosport will cover next year? This year it was great to see Qatar, Turkey and several other reasonably small races

 

[Jan the Man]

Omloop het Nieuwsblad

 

[nobilis]

Any race after 2 months of off-season is most welcome. So basically, TDU.

 

[L'arriviste]

Got to be the Tour du Haut Var for me (starts even before Omloop HN). I was spellbound by this year's edition (won by Christophe Le Mevel).

Very beautiful region at a time of year when few people see it, everything still pre-springtime, everything bathed in a special kind of light which has the colour of a slice of panettone.

 

[arnaud]

tour of quatar : it's a bit of fascinating and there's no shelter at all so wind create a spectacular race
It's the best preparation for classics and all the big competitors will be here (gilbert, haussler, oonen,farrar) with their typical team for classics

 

[The Hitch]

Concerning Eurosport, does anyone know which races Eurosport will cover next year? This year it was great to see Qatar, Turkey and several other reasonably small races

I know they are covering Tour Down under which last year (at least in the UK) they didnt.

And during the latter half of the season Harmonn and kirby said a few times that eurosports cycling viewership is up, so they expect to be buying more races as well. Dont know what more they can show though. Last year the only thing they missed was TDU a few cobbles, the iberian local stage races (burgos Catalunia murcia, algarve) and San sebastian.

Oh and unforgivably, only a replay of the Zonc. I tell you right now, this season I will preffer for them to not cover Eneco, tour of turkey, quatar, oman rather than not show the Zoncolan stage live.

 

[Barrus]

I know they are covering Tour Down under which last year (at least in the UK) they didnt.

And during the latter half of the season Harmonn and kirby said a few times that eurosports cycling viewership is up, so they expect to be buying more races as well. Dont know what more they can show though. Last year the only thing they missed was TDU a few cobbles, the iberian local stage races (burgos Catalunia murcia, algarve) and San sebastian.

Oh and unforgivably, only a replay of the Zonc. I tell you right now, this season I will preffer for them to not cover Eneco, tour of turkey, quatar, oman rather than not show the Zoncolan stage live.

I'd rather have that the other way around, as Sporza does not show Trukey Qatar, Oman and a few other minor races, but do show the entire Giro live (otherwise I could still get the Rai for that one) But they didn't show Oman last year, now did they?

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Any of the classics. I'm really interested to see how the new team lineups will shake out in these.

 

[Jukebox]

I am of a very similar opinion to many in that I look forward to TDU to see the new kits and it is the first race of the year that looks and acts like a real race, with mass photos, ect. However, the Omloop is the first race that matters.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Algarve. I always feel like it's the first properly decisive race of the season. Isn't Comunidad Valenciana back and in February next year too?