cycling4freaks.com

A little bit late, but didn't have time before...
7 Teams, 63 riders, all of them active apparently so not bad!
Wasn't on during the first stage so can't say much...Spree did some weird stuff here and there I think?
Hard to tell who are the GC favorites, because of how GREAT the profiles are...
But after day one, half the peloton is 6 minutes behind already, so the favo list is smaller! Big surprise to see Eggenberger giving up, maybe too hilly to ride for him?
In my opinion, Favo check should be something like this...

General Classement:

*** Amar Moawad(Tukhtahuaev), Theo Thornquist(Gipfelstuemer)
** Robert Wilson(Dickson PRT), Martin Spree(Rsc Spree)
* Kristof Rousseau(Feiting Siebing), Samuel Lanz(Big Donkey)


Points Classement:

*** Robert Wilson(Dickson PRT), Lukas Eggenberger(Tukhtahuaev)
** Theo Thornquist(Gipfelstuemer)
* Martin Spree(Rsc Spree)


Youth Classement:

*** Matthieu Majerus(Gipfelstuemer), Roger Noels(Feiting Siebing)
** Emil Amundsen(Dickson PRT)
* Pirmin Engier(Tukhtahuaev)



Team Classement:

*** Gipfelstuemer
** Tukhtahuaev
* Big Donkey, Feiting Siebing, Dickson PRT

Donkey is a bit cannon fodder here... Doesn't matter. Riding for Quttiboyev. But I'm thinking about giving that up after wasting energy for it yesterday.... Brilliant tactic, yeah. Yesterday Lanz good, best of the flat guys, but all alone, Tukh with his classic (and mine) just a bit ahead, but couldn't reach him, so had to wait for the Feiting Siebed army... Of course not brilliant by the Donkey yesterday, this Quttiboyev thing. Should have brought Faye for a) Lanz in situations like yesterday, Faye-Lanz-Krankl can be something, slightly ahead of the flat masses behind. Maybe get Tukh. b) TTT. Like this, probably try for a stage win somehow. Or ride for Quttiboyev!

GC: Before yesterday I'd have said:

Cooper-Moawad-Van Looy if it's for 60-80 (even if none of them actually is one), with Moawad maybe favorite nr 1, he should do well in the TTT as well, Gipfelstuermer might lose some time there. Gaurain has strong TT, but pavé Tukh is better. But then it will depend on how the day before is ridden...

Classics, I'd have said Quinthammer-Wilson-Spree-Askarov. Here Quinthammer with his team probably the strongest, if he's leader, but IMO the most sensible one. Spree-Askarov depend a lot on their TTT.

Day 1: Adams-Spree-3 Gipfels... Askarov is not completely out, neither is Moawad, 1' behind, but Askarov ahead of the Gipfels in the pavé, which will be interesting today and probably on the last day. (Although we have hills and hills there too before the pavé) Depending on the TTT Moawad too, he will lose on day 4, no way around it, but day 5 should be no problem, time gain more likely than loss, same for today.

Donkey still looking for a stage win opportunity, today seems the best, but well, not that good either. I'll win the TTT then...

Finally Spree won, won it in the ITT. Pavé turned out to be somewhat less important than I had thought, so Tukh lost too much time to turn it around, same for Gipfel and even more so for Dickson. Then it was defense for Spree, which worked well.

Last stage a bit surpising that he wasn't dropped at the 5, quite a few guys stayed on, then all except Lanz dropped a few km later at a 4. Weird... With rain maybe the drop happens at the 5 already? Then there is a chance for Tukh to win it I think.