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Which Non-GT Stage races are the most Prestigious

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Re: Re:

Blanco said:
spalco said:
I think Tour of California is really underrated here. It may be a joke of a race, but I reckon most riders would choose winning California over Romandie or Tirreno. It's also a stand-alone race and not just Tour-preparation.

You reckon wrong.

Tirreno absolutely not, Romandie on the other hand probably yes. Romandie is the lowest profile “traditional” Western European one week race in the WT. The GC level is probably objectively higher than California, the sprinting level lower, but there’s a lot more publicity around California. It’s worth more to most sponsors and increases a rider’s visibility and marketability more than the second biggest one week race in Switzerland.
 
The problem for California is that much-vaunted and much-hyped place in the calendar. It's too early to be really considered Tour buildup, so any realistic GT contenders won't be in anything like peak form, and it comes at the end of a rest period for northern Classics men and right in the middle of a rest period for Ardennes Classics men. As a result, it can sometimes draw a good field, but the A-list names consist mainly of people who are either out of form, holding on to the last scraps of remaining form, or not yet starting to build up their form properly, so that the only people who are hitting the ground running in California are people who are either in the domestic péloton and other wildcards, or are tertiary contenders for the WT teams that make the trip, that didn't make the Giro selection and aren't going to lead at the Tour, or prospects eager to prove themselves to get into the Tour selection. Sometimes some of the bigger guns are in enough form to still be decently competitive, but they aren't usually going to be targeting the race.
 
Re: Re:

chiocciolis_calves said:
Sartorius said:
For me it's:

1. Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Dauphine, Tour de Suisse
2. Romandy, Catalunya, Itzulia
3. Binck Bank, Poland, California
4. Tour Down Under, Abu Dhabi
5. Rest

Beating Gaimon's Strava times is more prestigious than winning the Tour of California. That race has always been and will continue to be a joke. When I think of other races that could be upgraded in place of that steaming turd...

I like this post, I absolutelly agree that California Is crap, And strava comparsion make me laugh, thanks for that
 
Re: Re:

bassano said:
chiocciolis_calves said:
Sartorius said:
For me it's:

1. Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Dauphine, Tour de Suisse
2. Romandy, Catalunya, Itzulia
3. Binck Bank, Poland, California
4. Tour Down Under, Abu Dhabi
5. Rest

Beating Gaimon's Strava times is more prestigious than winning the Tour of California. That race has always been and will continue to be a joke. When I think of other races that could be upgraded in place of that steaming turd...

I like this post, I absolutelly agree that California Is crap, And strava comparsion make me laugh, thanks for that

Having heard of the Tour Of Romandie is more prestigious than winning the Tour Of California :D

Just thought I'd get in on the act, and at the same time honour the late great John Clarke from The Games; "Having heard of the Greater Icelandic Open would be more prestigious than winning a gold medal in tennis at the Olympic Games."
 
It's a mixed bag for me.

--P-N is too early in the season for me to care, weather is always gloomy.

-- Up and coming: Tour of the Alps or whatever it's called now was pretty good this year. Pino/Pozzo/MAL/Froome were top 4.

--Normally you'd have to say the Dauphine/Suisse as "most prestigious", but again, as other have noted, they aren't necessarily objectives but more barometers.

--Personally I enjoy watching Pays Vasco a lot, though it's also early, the weather is generally better and I love the scenery.

--If the Tour of California had a harder course (and it could be), I'd rank it higher. In the US, at least, Tour of Utah has produced some barnburners. I can't argue with those who says ToC is a turd.
 
Re:

Bolder said:
It's a mixed bag for me.

--P-N is too early in the season for me to care, weather is always gloomy.

-- Up and coming: Tour of the Alps or whatever it's called now was pretty good this year. Pino/Pozzo/MAL/Froome were top 4.

--Normally you'd have to say the Dauphine/Suisse as "most prestigious", but again, as other have noted, they aren't necessarily objectives but more barometers.

--Personally I enjoy watching Pays Vasco a lot, though it's also early, the weather is generally better and I love the scenery.

--If the Tour of California had a harder course (and it could be), I'd rank it higher. In the US, at least, Tour of Utah has produced some barnburners. I can't argue with those who says ToC is a turd.

Why and so what? Bad weather makes races.
 
Re: Re:

tobydawq said:
Bolder said:
It's a mixed bag for me.

--P-N is too early in the season for me to care, weather is always gloomy.

-- Up and coming: Tour of the Alps or whatever it's called now was pretty good this year. Pino/Pozzo/MAL/Froome were top 4.

--Normally you'd have to say the Dauphine/Suisse as "most prestigious", but again, as other have noted, they aren't necessarily objectives but more barometers.

--Personally I enjoy watching Pays Vasco a lot, though it's also early, the weather is generally better and I love the scenery.

--If the Tour of California had a harder course (and it could be), I'd rank it higher. In the US, at least, Tour of Utah has produced some barnburners. I can't argue with those who says ToC is a turd.

Why and so what? Bad weather makes races.

Dunno, the "race to the sun" always seems kind of dreary to me -- I watch early season stage races for the scenery as much as anything, to be honest.
 

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