slcbob

I was looking for someplace to comment on the Paris-Nice team choices of our little cabal of frequent offenders. Found none. Hence this thread.

https://www.velogames.com/index_stage_season_2023.php

For anyone not already afflicted, here's the info for the mini-league found engraved onto granite near some ruins by GrainBrain 's home. Join up, go for event wins, and rest assured that folks will miss races. Don't worry about the one(s) that got away.
bike forums
league code: 877037911

I see a bold move on behalf of our green & yellow jersey wearer after stage 1 of Paris-Nice: avoiding the GC favorite budget busters, fielding a premium pack of sprinters and a couple of economy plus GC contenders. I have tried that strategy in the past. I don't recall it working out very fruitfully, no matter how brilliant I felt about it after triaging the parcours and counting the bunch sprints. We shall see!

This quirky TTT may be interesting. And let's pray for some crosswinds, because they are just so entertaining.

GrainBrain

In Tirreno ...

ooga-booga with. that. Kämna. pick! That was impressive!

Ciccone fans are here (he's looking good earlier) with a great TT ... Mās, Lutsenko, O'Connor all good TTs. I'm thinking Buitrago does well. semroc is keeping his powder dry for now, but geeze van baarle, Vermeesch, piddock, mas, landa, cav, Girmay ... I offer a friendly wave as I slide down the standings.

I'm hoping I didn't see Mateo on the ground in the last km of Paris nice. Tufts is just incredible but I have big faith in Powless.

GrainBrain

I did like the TTT refresh, EF have really dialed their time trialing. Disappointed to see Powless shelled but he recovered some and isn't awfully far down. Didn't expect Cort to do that much. Good on Kooij, interesting that wright, de lie, mclay, groves can't catch a spot.

I have hopes Ganna snags GC at some week long. It's always great to see him go full power on lesser slopes with the pure climbers to snatch an early leaders jersey. Doesn't usually work out but still awesome. Roglic is doing Roglic things, 100% sure Wout is targeting Paris Roubaix. So happy to see Hugh!

GrainBrain

semroc Awesome Pog/Gaudu pick, that might cost me (will?) top spot! Didn't pick him but gutted for Mattias Skjelmose, he was looking awesome and had a nasty fall to the face. Martinez got shelled for sure wonder what happened?

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slcbob

Same old story... I picked him!

I seriously considered Pedersen and Gaudu. As David St. Hubbins said: it's such a fine line between clever and stupid.

slcbob

Belated congrats to semroc for getting to Nice first. Vitor Barsocchi's Iron Butterfly was recovered and gently beating its wings when the rest of us made it to the Adriatic, and he leads the Stage Race Championship with 5140 points (#229 in the Gen Pop).

Next race in the series is Catalunya, starting Monday.

GrainBrain

Catalunya! I threw in Bernal BECAUSE. For the record I had picked the 6 pointer Lenny Martinez after looking through pcs a bit. Then Ow Do blabs about him.

I feel like Carapaz for stage one.

slcbob

I'll take Carapaz for stage 2.

PCS top 2 sprinters are Coquard and Hofstetter. It might be a rare Cofidis win on stage 1.

GrainBrain

Hofstetter DNF'd his last race, not sure why? I wondered if Carapaz might pull a flyer into that uphill finish, make it interesting. I didn't put him in my team though, went with Simmons as a versatile rider. Wondering if he'll just work for Aberasturi and ciccone though.

GrainBrain

Nice picks on stage one slcbob, ooga-booga with that Ide Schelling pick!

slcbob

Uggh. I hadn't noticed Hugo's woes. One of those was the race where he was riding on stubby broken handlebars. He came in today 15:00 down. He could be my mandatory goose egg.

GrainBrain

I'll join you in your woes since I swapped out van Gil's to keep Simmons and Rubio. Simmons probably will be ciccone's man now since he hasn't shot anyone's favorite cat. Then I get to watch Jetse Bol doing his thing. Is there anywhere to find more info on breakaway riders? Asking for a friend.

slcbob

One of the wacky little stats buried in PCS is "KMs in the break." It's visible from the livestats for each day. It includes cumulative kms for the stage race so you can watch the usual suspects and frequent offenders. Here it is for today's Catalunya stage. https://www.procyclingstats.com/race...s-in-the-break

When my wife finds out Adam Yates crashed today, she will immediately ask me "Did you curse our Adam by putting him on your team?" Fortunately, I did not. I don't even have to lie about it. This time. Was that Yates in front and crossing into the wheel touch?

Cataldo took a beating today. I rarely need an excuse to raise a glass, but I certainly will. Slainte.

P.S. I just saw the finish. Remco made up a lot of ground at the end.

GrainBrain

Yeah finally! A couple of you have Quinten Hermans, I didn't see him? I dunno - I filled the team out quick on Saturday and didn't give it much thought. Well I wanted some bigger hitters but whoa is me I didn't give any thought to the breakaways - bummer since the usual bunch is in there now. Not a single rider from Euskaltel - Euskadi? For shame! You better perform Paret-Peintre!

slcbob

VG Spring Classics are over. They never got their own thread, unlike Superclasico (not here) and Stage Race series (here). There was a FIERCE sprint for last place in the overall resulting in LBL stage honors going to the artist formerly known as ooga-booga, narrowly over GrainBrain who still managed to cling to the series maglia nera. Meanwhile, Keka76 limped over the line as the cream of our crap. No doubt somewhere he is wearing a chiclice and hair shirt because he plummeted to the top 3% of the general population. Simply unacceptable, lad. Do better. At leas canam73 made you work a litle.

Well struggled, all y'all. Don't forget the stage race championships continue with the Tour of Romandie on Tuesday. And Superclasico is just getting started.

GrainBrain

Yes locked in to Romandie - well the first iteration. Just here to enjoy cheese, seems some other league members have an eye on redemption. I think I'm happy with my first selection, all 8 point or higher, the priciest being Ayuso. Literally have done no lookings into. Did not choose Cavendish.

GrainBrain

Nice prologue Bob, 44th! Of course now that 4 point cérny pick would be nice. Good on him - he and Remco can sleep easy away from leffevteerrrs sharp tongue.

slcbob

I keep tripping over acorns in the stage races. I am relishing the moment being in the top 20 of the overall stage race comp. But I will eventually have a tour sans and wind up in the autobus. I just hope it is from lousy picking rather than from forgetting to submit a team! Stupidity is more excusable than senility.

diphthong

in other news, miggylo again goes from furst to wurst. o miggylo say it ain't so!

GrainBrain

Highs and lows in Gila for sure. Neat to see project echelon team doing well, but a real bummer for Lopez!

diphthong

just waiting on the dauphiné...

slcbob

Keka winds up on the Poland top step of our little league, but by less than seemed likely. Diphthong yoyo'd his way to the bottom step.

Most remarkable: all of the children were below average. No one cracked the gen pop 50th percentile.

Hasta Benelux. With La Vuelta hot on its heels.

diphthong

la vuelta...mmmmmm.

slcbob

Most of the few of us who bothered to show up for the Renewi / Benelux tour could have stayed home. Little ground was gained on the boycotters.

diphthong

totally spaced on that outing. guilty.