Spring Classics 2019

Discuss about the RSF Races

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team fl
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Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Wed Mar 06, 2019 9:55 am

It has begun!!! The spring classics are here, although spring is not ready yet. So far, three Belgian races were ridden: Omloop, KBK and Samyn. They will be followed by Strade Bianche on Saturday and culminate at RVV on 7 April. In between is MSR at 23 March, La Primavera, THE spring classic when it REALLY begins.

After that, some more Belgian races and then two more monuments with PR and LBL. How exciting! Are you excited too? I am, Hugo Marxer is, forget about tours, let's ride classics!!!

The schedule (monuments bold):

- 01.03.: Omloop Het Niewsblad
- 02.03.: Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne
- 05.03.: Le Samyn
- 09.03.: Strade Bianche
- 10.03.: GP Industria
- 17.03.: Ronde van Drenthe
- 20.03.: Nokere Korse
- 22.03.: Koksijde Classic
- 23.03.: MSR
- 24.03. GP de Denain
- 27.03. De Panne
- 29.03. Harelbeke
- 31.03. Gent-Wevelgem
- 03.04. Dwars door Vlaanderen
- 06.04. GP Miguel Indurain
- 07.04. Ronde van Vlaanderen
- 10.04. Scheldeprijs
- 14.04. Paris - Roubaix
- 17.04. De Brabantse Pijl
- 21.04. Amstel Gold Race
- 22.04. Tro-Bro Léon
- 24.04. La Flèche Wallonne
- 28.04. Liège-Bastogne-Liège
I didn't mean to say it. But I meant what I said.

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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Wed Mar 06, 2019 10:04 am

Team FL is happy with the results so far, although it could have been even better. At Omloop, Kopinski and Coolman got 2nd and 3rd, Kopinski won KBK in a very nice fashion and Le Samyn was a fun race too with Karl getting second and Coolman 4th. So it seems like a pattern that these two guys will lead the team in the other Belgian classics too.

For Strade Bianche, Hugo Marxer is still working on the tactics while he has no clue whatsoever for MSR yet. But it seems sensible that Baltasar Banzer gets his chance too, maybe later on at GW? Who knows. For April, PR and RVV seems to be the goals, but it's still far away...

Anyway, the team feels newborn after Afshin's retirement. A heave weight has fallen from its shoulders (has a team shoulders?). The riders are feeling the vibes of spring and the new guys, Zwerver and Funk will happily serve the team as helpers until they have developped themselves from helper caterpillars into winning butterflies.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Wed Mar 06, 2019 12:47 pm

Het Whatever and Harelbeke the main Donkgoals. In theory. Because we've never won those. The problem: Big Donkey 2019 really doesn't have riders that fit those 2 races. So Harelbeke will end like Het Whatever.
Top 10.. finally was happy with my top 10 there.
So still thinking about Catalunya, even if the main plan says classics.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Wed Mar 06, 2019 2:21 pm

Ah little mistake, main secondary goal, main goal is always Milano-Sanremo.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Tukhtahuaev » Thu Mar 07, 2019 7:31 pm

Most exciting part of the year. I'm very happy with 2 wins and a 2nd place in the first 3 races. Main goal is of course Ronde van Vlaanderen with Igor Pankratov, but the team won't be happy with just that

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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Sat Mar 09, 2019 10:29 am

Strade Bianche:
The Donkey is sad. Ride at 22:00 local time, which means I probably forget the start, miss the first x minutes, since I'll be drinking alcoholic beverages. In a place where mobile reception is bad too. Might be in time for the end, but might not... so let's forget 22h. So 2am? Argh. Stupid times. 2am it is... or not at all.

Team? Too expensive, since we'll bring 2 expensive Hiroshis. Look like leaders, maybe a cheaper Hiroshi an alternative as leader? But the cheaper Hiroshis are not big fans of steep finishes. Ah well, we'll see, 18h Saturday, probably a time I know no other managers, and they've never heard of that great upcoming afternoon team "Big Donkey", so a great tactic for some Hiroshis might surprise them!
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:02 am

No Strade Bianche and Industria for Team FL, unfortunately. Let's see if there will be more time for the upcoming races…
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Mon Mar 11, 2019 11:24 am

Donkey Strade Bianche:
Waiting for Siena. An impressively actionless edition, basically everybody was waiting till the end, 6* to the finish. Favorite Kushbakov won, 1" before the other favorite (who had 0 chances according to his manager)Hurtado. If he takes the risk (a good manager would have, but one that prefers having no chances not) and follows instead of attacking himself, who knows.
Donkeystar Matsuyama, Hiroshi, took the risk and tried to follow Hurtado, couldn't, but at least he got to win a sprint, so 6th. Matsuoka followed Gajda, so was 1" ahead of Matsuyama. 4" back. 5+6th.
Double leader not ideal, perfect a long time, but once Rapid Vitesse dropped the helpers and there were only 2 Donkeys there... should have let Matsuoka help a Matsuyama. But well, take the risk, didn't work. But well, no ideal rider for this, Matsuyama's pavé is ok, his flat not, Matsuoka's pavé on the other hand not enough.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:58 am

Bah, so far I miss all the races. Drenthe, Nokere… Hopefully I will have time for Koksijde Classic tomorrow. MSR I guess I have to dance… but it's MSR! Best line-up available there with Banzer, Kopinski, Kaiser, Satour, Ritter, Coolman, Rossard, Spirito and Spaeth (most likely).
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Sun Mar 24, 2019 4:54 am

MSR done, Donkey failed.
Not the best MSR in my view, the race, but also the Donkey.
Early escape, 5 teams, including Liquigas, km 1 block by Gipfel, so only a little ahead, km 2 Innocenti goes and gets the escape. Liquigas with Madsen? No no. They go again on km 4, after thinking a bit about having Innocenti follow, no, need him as loader. Group went again, same one, nobody else was seemed to dislike having Liquigas there... so it went. And went, and went. And stopped at 16'. And Morricone, the Liquigas guy mysteriously decided to drop. Later they went again, 23', the Donkey decided to start riding. Alone. Big fail there by Gaurain, Gipfel and after he dropped Liquigas. Don't know if they planned to go in later, but I thought even 23' was too much. And Gaurain with Wauthier looked very strong. Madsen favorite if the 60+ mountain sprinters stayed away, which was possible. Gipfel maybe with the even stronger group, but that looked more difficult, or then with numbers and the right classic attack? Donkey with Matsukaze of course a big big danger too, at least in his own mind. But no, team there, had his chances, even if I'd say nr 4 team, but close enough to help too. But alone from km 12x? Farmer attempt by Gipfel on the Turchino, not very effective, gave up, INnocenti was let back and basically allowed to ride alone till the end of the downhill... There Feiting finally really joined. Gipfel waiting for Liquigas, Liquigas waiting for Gipfel... at some point you have to ask if you want to wait for others so not to have a "disadvantage", all of one loader less, or you want to ride for your chances... At around 170, a bit under 50 km Donkey went out... Gaurain forced to ride alone.
A bit before 200 Wiedmer joined, then, oh wonder, Liquigas and Gipfel decided to join. Donkey out again immediately. Main reason, just discovered my old Matsuzaka Matsukaze problem... .after the Turchino downhill had changed back the Matsukaze help to... Matsuzaka. Argh. And as well, they finally ride, good thing to boycot them. But ok, without the helping mistake (which somehow didn't cost that much, slow tempo and Innocenti was still on Matsukaze so once he stopped he was helping) no no, now need the extra loader.
From there tempo was there... I thought way too late. Capi... on Capo Berta Matsuoka tried to sieb Wauthier, hoping he had fighting off, either he hadn't, or with 68 flat not needed.
Cipressa, sieb, Gipfel, then Madsen, then Matsukaze, then Matsubara, then FEiting. Originally had wanted to have Matsuoka wait for Matsubara there, hoping that he would be where he was, in front of Gaurain. Then ride... but like Gaurain and Gipfel first, I was reluctant to ride for Madsen. AFter all could be expected that he has enough riders ahead, has a 63-63 train, but doesn't ride. Letting Matsubara do the job. Of course in retrospect should have tried that anyway, see if he rides or not, if he does, ok help with Matsubara, but only just enough to keep Gaurain away, if he doesn't, stop after the downhill. So Gaurain ocmes back easily, with Palladino, great job for him by CC, Matoussi there for that km basically, the last climb km of the Cipressa, after the sieb. All there, but grouip through. It was, but very close, had Gaurain gotten just a little bit of help there...
Liquigas not interested, Gipfel and Donkey neither, but IMO more undertstandeable. At this point it was attacks for us. Sprint clear outsiders. Nobody tried in the Poggio, looked hopeless. Fit Matsubara in second last km, didn't come away which pissed me off, he should. But was happy he didn't, Palladino on the wheel. And of course later I discovered that it wasn't just Palladino, but more riders, then clear that he doesn't get away.... in the heat of the battle just scrolled till Palladino... waah.

IN the end 1 km missing, CC wins in front, Lünen second, IN the peloton Liquigas the king shows his "disinterest" (that last's as long as he isn't winning) by doing the dumbest sprint he could. Unlucky Wauthier stuck on him. Gipfel did a weird sprint too IMO, 70-64 instead of 57-64-70... so CC with ??-69-82 tehre the strongest too. Donkey on Gipfel, was thinking about a train, but decided to attack a second time (principle, even if was clear he wasn't getting away) with Matsubara, so no riders for a train anymore, 59-59-72 it would have been. 4+5th, considering how the race went, and what I did I actually can be happy with that...

IMO Gaurain as favorite no 1 though failed with early tempo... too scared of the Turchino? OR had he planned to go in at 24'? 25'? Don't know, but IMO even 23 was too much. And not joining after one team went in... AFter that yes, he rode very well, controlled for 140 km (small break between Capo Berta and Cipressa, but that was ok ,since tempo was there) and then was unlucky in the sprint.
Liquigas as expected didn't do much. Actually did worse than me, good. Escape, then drop? He was let go, 16' advantage, 3 leaders, they take a break he drops? Joined the chase with Gipfel around km 200, but why not believe in Madsen more? The form was clearly there, keeping Wauthier away wasn't impossible, with his team alone hard, but Timmermans is strong. And can hope to get help by other teams, Donkey for example. But not without doing anything. Donks still should have tried to put Liqui in the position to ride there.
Gipfel with the Turchino farmer attempt, then the short Cipressa attempt, but there Feiting's team was too strong after all. But why not join earlier tempo? And by that like in the case of Gaurain I mean before the Turchino. Before Liquigas dropped... 15'? OK, go in, Liquigas has a helper less, too, sacrifice one. If not then, later. And while now that it was a sprint in the peloton his chances don't look that good, that wasn't sure, there were other possible outcomes. By waiting till after the last minute to ride, IMO the chances for a sprint or a closed race in the end increase.
CC: Palladino! The Donkey completely dismissed his chances. Hadnt even really noticed Matoussi there, even though CC sort of announced it, what to do with Houssem now? Didn't click, ah, he'll bring Palladino back. Outstanding use of Matoussi.

All in all though not a great edition, wrote way too much about it, but once I start...
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Sun Mar 24, 2019 10:58 am

FL failed too. Looking at the group, I have never believed in a chance for Kopinski and in the end he had a chance whrn he managed to join the main groupbagsin after the Cipressa. Just blocking or hangig right would secured the chance. Eventually, the big classics hung on each other at the decisive Fraegg attack without any FL rider to be seen, leaving young Karl as the best of the rest 12 secs behind the group with the winner. Grmpf. But still, besides that, it was a pretty entertaining race.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Gipfelstuermer » Sun Mar 24, 2019 7:24 pm

Good analysis from the Donkey on MSR 2019. Madsen was the favo IMO, but Palladino proved he was the favo... anyways, weird to have both their teams in the escape. Probably should have not allowed them to go in escape or jump into escape as well. Could have been a good option. The following inactivity of Liquigas and Feiting just made it worse. Donkey riding for his little chances. I preferred to wait for the favo. Hoped for coop with Liquigas after a sieb on Turchino, but he stayed very inactive...

Final sprint, hoped 70-64 without someone in the wheel could work. 57-64-70 also needed nobody in the wheel. So Donkey in my wheel would have been the killer anyways. Why would you ever prefer to be in the 57-64-70 train vs. a 63-63-81 and ??-69-82 train? Maybe if you think Gipfel is inredibly impatient (or stupid) and goes from 250m or something like that... but no, not really. Especially, since that Gipfel is building a hill-sprint team recently, he probably gained some sprint experience finally.

Well, anyways MSR was not the main goal this month. THOMPSON winning Strade Bianche and then 5 Paris-Nimes Stages with different riders (I believe, nobody did that before!) was worth not having 100 form on MSR. Jefferson and Chimbo too young for that. They might even come back MSR 2020.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:18 am

Ha! Kopinski wins GP de Denain instead. Next race is De Panne, another great duell Baltasar Banzer against Daan Groenewegen it looks like… :D
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by CircleCycle » Mon Mar 25, 2019 2:08 pm

I feel somehow obliged to share my thoughts about the MSR 3pm edition. But since it is not only about MSR lets comment on the other Spring Classics as well.

Thanks to Turkish Airlines the triple win at Strade Bianchi was not possible. Without settings for 50+km, then helpersettings but no following, on for the finish but no chance whatsoever.
Next Industria: Almost forgot it (not the race, but that I won). Not favo, early attack, some action in peloton. If I remember correctly a few siebs, then at km 163 the decisive attack. In-form Pavé-Pavel and Sandalikis followed by a rider from Team Atlas attacked, never be caught again with Sandalakis winning his first important race. Atlas' rider not fresh, which made it easy in the end.
After that, Tirreno, doesn't count, but Palladino showing off there already.

MSR: Palladino and Olsen with topform, early escape, got lots of time - as Big Donkey mentioned already, probably too much - and then some clever energy management in front (which somehow nobody praised up to now - just 4 riders, going all the way, reaching the finish line with virtually no power left). I didn't think it would be that close, arrived with that lucky 1" at the finish line. 60something energy left for Olsen on last km, just enough to start the sprint and not to be overtaken anymore.
I had the idea with Palladino some months ago, when I accidentally noticed that he (or most likely back then it was still Mbongeni Chipanga) doesn't get dropped to far behind at a 6. So started to train Palladino in mountain, gave him topform and hoped for the best. Constellation here was of course perfect. Houssem on the 5, bringing Palladino in the group with 2 better sprinters + the very good chances in front. Therefor no need to ride, keep the train fresh (Lautaro Casademont was always the back-up plan for a shot at the podium) and wait for the Matsubara attack. In the end, the 55-69-82 with no one following lead to an undeserved 3rd place by Palladino. Winning of course is always great, somehow it would have been better to get it with Palladino, but I won't complain about it.

Next day, Palladino again big favo in a rather small peloton for GP de Denain. Not much pressure but exactly the moment where internet connection was needed (A Gipfel sieb), internet was gone. Too bad, but happens if you play while going by train through the mountains (luckily it didn't happen at MSR :mrgreen: ). So Palladino back, still good chances with Out of form-Pavé-Pavel and Sandalakis. Tried really hard to come back with Palladino, even dropped Sandalakis later. With the two guys 3" behind the first group I had the fantastic idea to triple-attack, hoping nobody would expect that crazy thing. Well, everybody expected it and followed + somehow Romanishin didn't attack. WTF. All 3 had the "180" shown at the attack-tab, strange. So, Romanishin rides back, and 2 riders attack immediately. Easy to get them back with Sandalakis, but Romanishin then already too weak to get far away at the last pavé-km. Strade Bianchi form didn't help there as well. Palladino of course still in the main group but can't follow everybody. Decided to follow Gipfel, a Semper rider attacked and no chance to get him back. Place 2 for Palladino, relatively easy in the sprint but could and should have been his compensation win for p3 at MSR.

CC now going to have fun at Catalunya and preparing some devilish tactics for the April-classics :)

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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Tue Mar 26, 2019 8:38 am

Gipfelstuermer wrote:
Sun Mar 24, 2019 7:24 pm


Final sprint, hoped 70-64 without someone in the wheel could work. 57-64-70 also needed nobody in the wheel. So Donkey in my wheel would have been the killer anyways. Why would you ever prefer to be in the 57-64-70 train vs. a 63-63-81 and ??-69-82 train? Maybe if you think Gipfel is inredibly impatient (or stupid) and goes from 250m or something like that... but no, not really. Especially, since that Gipfel is building a hill-sprint team recently, he probably gained some sprint experience finally.

Had to think about why I was in your wheel, just seemed to make sense. Now think I remember!
Wauthier: not an option. 86, no train. Expect him to be on Palladino.
Palladino: Best sprint-train. Second strongest sprinter, energy wise most likely no 1. So hard to overtake. And expected Wauthier there.
Madsen: Good train, 63-63, even if Timmermans was weakish, at a sieb dropped behind where he should be. Still train no 2. And most likely free. But didn't trust him. It's Liquigas. There's a reason my slightly weaker sprinters win as much if not more than his stronger ones. Compare Kaniuk to Madsen... The reasons are:
1 luck. always underestimated.
2 Liquigas doesn't take risks. Rather not ride like at MSR than 'risk' riding and not winning. Somehow probably then doesn't feel like he lost? Ride, don't win=lost. Don't try=I had no chance. So simply didn't trust him. Don't actually remember his sprints much, he just seems the type that in a sprint will try to avoid the guy in his wheel more than going for the win. Plus that day he seemed not really there anyway. The king is the king and fantastic, but on Saturday a bit less fantastic than usual. Maybe got a new concubine? The whole race seemed... weird. Even for kingly standards. Dropping of Morricone when that group seemed through? Then at around km 200 an unkingly question: What should I do followed by tempo? Not his usual whiny self!
So that's 2 reasons I said no to Madsen. Lack of trust in his sprints, plus seemed unconcentrated.
Of course didn't think he would sprint as badly as he did...
In retrospect yeah, Madsen a good option, Wauthier on Palladino, his train slower, he can go earlier with only 72 on the wheel. 200 definitely, 250 maybe. Didn't think that far at the time, but even if I would have, see above. Trust+concentration.
Own train: Option gone with my ill advised attack with Matsubara. I actually seriously thought it would be a sort of surprise attack...not completely, but kind of. Timmermans there, with Son, not much else. Moja and Ansach with 89-88 more followed. Clearly wrong... should erode trust in my attacking abilities. Otherwise, 59-59-72, goooood form+energy. Ok vs you I thought not against a free Liquigas or the Palladino-Wauthier train.
So you. And Matsukaze-Son. Not Son Matsukaze. Plan was... 57, early change to 64 by you. The CC 69 can go at 200, not earlier really. 250 already a risk. So depending on where we are, not you, but I go at 250-300 with Matsukaze. For Son. You then can probably take Sons wheel with Chimbo, maybe need 100 meters to come back, not just 50 but then you have your chances too.
Or if the Liquitrain is nearby instead of going I can take the risk and change to him somewhere around 350-250.
Somehow seemed a good plan, but nothing turned out as expected really.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Thu Mar 28, 2019 12:00 pm

And there it is: The first classic win for Team FL in 2019, the first since San Sebastian 2017. Luca Spirito won De Panne as part of an early escape, with a succesful late attack that led to a solo victory in front of co-escapee Patrick Byrne (Michelangeloo) and sprint favourite Daan Groenewegen (Trekken Racing) who won the buch sprint in the peloton. Funny Thing is, first the team management decided to start salary neutral without Luca Spirito but with Max Funk. As Funk was not entirely fit in the morning, Spirito got the spot anyway and was instructed especially for the situation which led to his result eventually. So, it was a lucky hand from Hugo Marxer too, but for now, Luca Spirito has a huge claim for Team FL rider of the year already.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:33 am

After the party, the great Hangover. E3 4th while Pankratov won with the lucky punch in the end, but GW totally fucked up due to absence of the team management during the first 80 something km. In the end, Kopinski couldn't Keep up with Jung and the likes while the team tried to bring back Banzer against an Armada of teams riding to Keep Erik Zabel from free team and Banzer away from the front group. Jung won it eventually. Anyway, both races were fun, good action, nice chats. Maybe in April, the results will be okay again too :).
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Gipfelstuermer » Mon Apr 01, 2019 10:55 am

Summary for March:

Thompson wins Monte Paschi, one of the biggest Gipfelstuermer wins ever.

Echevarria 3rd in Harelbeke, but disappointing in MSR and Wevelgem.

Chimbo and Jefferson too young for these classics.

Overall, the team focused too much on PN it seems. 5 stages there is insane. No other team did that before. Legendary performance. But then couldn't keep the form for the classics.

Same strategy for Gipfelstuermer in April? Or more focus on classics? Pais Vasco not as prestigious as PN (not even talking about sicilia, turkey or alps). So DDV, Vlaanderen, L Enfer d'Nord and LBL probably more important. Then again, the team doesn't have anybody for Roubaix. But Vlaanderen and LBL, at least some chances there. Difficult to set form for both though...
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Thu Apr 04, 2019 8:45 am

Dwars door Vlaanderen surprises us with interesting (but maybe not surprising) findings. There were lot of different race developments and winners: 11 it was an early escaper (Jatulevicius) that won, then 16 (Timmermans) and 18 (Ferreyros) the 60-80 with some sprint (and in Timmermans' case also some pavé), at 21 it was a sprinter (Zayn) and at 24 a classic rider (Hoyer).

So what about Team FL? Well... Kopinski was pretty chanceless in a group with two strong teams (SV Furpach and Jockelsteam) who rode against him, but not for the victory. So far, he still strikes fear in his opponents' hearts, but if he doesn't back it up soon, I think this will fade... Anyway, rumour has it that Pankratov f.e. esp. chose the 16 edition to avoid him… Let's see what happends at the Ronde :).
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:02 pm

Ronde van Vlaanderen

9 Donkeys,

21 L. Innocenti
22 S. Kolbeinsson
23 H. Matsubara
24 H. Matsuishi
25 H. Matsushita
26 H. Matsuzaka
27 S. Quttiboyev
28 J. Valdelomar
29 S. Wiedmer

The first problem is huge, who's leader? With 9 stars like this it's hard to chose, everybody seems equally capable of winning. After the team meeting though it has become clearer. Innocenti said he thinks he is more useful as helper. And Quttiboyev said he wants to concentrate on the double for 2020, that means at times he might want to slow down to check the state of the cobblestones this year.
So it's 7 guys now.
Even though RVV really is the management's least favorite monument at c4f, both the old and the new route, somehow was always rather predictable, he is confident that in a few hours we will have a monument win more in our palmares.
Bookmakers seem to see it differently. Seems Pankratov has the lowest odds. Followed by Kalenchuk and Camenisch, Dallhaus and Igny Pff. Ignorants.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Robyklebt » Sun Apr 07, 2019 5:53 pm

Finally a more fun race than usually somehow. Maybe because it was even clearer than usually that my peloton leaders weren't going to be fighting for the win?
My great plan was Wiedmer-Kolbeinsson either right after somebody else attacks, or after +/-50 km... so loaded those to until then. Went, a bit later Fdgames came, ok, then after we had 4' Lünen. I would never have waited, what for, a 73 puller that would be almost useless by the time he came to the front, saving us a bit of energy, but slowing down, a 59 sprint leader....and most importantly 4 minutes back. So no waiting until Fdgames decided it was a good idea to wait. 10' after the first pavé... .without the waiting... depends on when Tukh starts, we already had 12' when we started waiting for Lünen, don't know if Tukh had a plan, like start at 15' or was just going to be that pavé thing in both cases it's over 14' Possibly over 15'
But still don't understand why we waited really.
So was even easier for Tukh to catch us like that. In the back, suprising that nobody tried to sieb his used rider after a while. Sieb, ride 5 km, stop. Either he comes back with him, or he has a helper less, why let him have the full team forever?
Donkey was sort of looking for a point to attack with Matsuishi and Matsubara, since they were going to get dropped anyway, might as well try.. but as feared, once we got to where they wanted to try, the tempo was too high for my stars to have the confidence to try.
Good win by Tukh in the end, sieb at the Oude Kwaremont, had everything under control before and after, but there was not too much action anyway, some sieb attempt, some chasing for helpers, not more. Then Pankratov went, Kalenchuk followed, Camenisch too. Damn bookmakers were right. Kalenchuk an easy winner in the sprint.
Next PR, there I hope to be a bit more dangerous, Wiedmer won't wait for Fdgames or Lünens, the first ones have bad escape waiting tactics, the second ones come too late.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Tukhtahuaev » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:16 am

A bit disappointed that Pankratov couldn't win, but I couldn't risk losing the race for that.
Whole race felt similar to Donkey at Fleche Wallone. Luckily no one put any real pressure on me so I could sieb exactly how I wanted and always had enough helpers.

Next week is going to be a lot more difficult. Kalenchuk may not be strong enough in a sprint and Pankratov can't simply eliminate the opposition on his own

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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by team fl » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:28 am

Kopinski! What a race from him and his team mates. Spirito and Rossard managed to get him in front again after the Paterberg when he was already siebed at the Taaienberg, where Coolman was the one to get him back. So that was a nice suprise, contrary to the sprint where the tactical possibilities were used to it's excess by Fraegg who suddenly stopped sprinting when Kopinski tried to get on that train. So, eventually, it was an easy sprint win for Alvin Jones from Lorient, the wheel Kopinski chose initially. At least, the British champion still managed to get on the podium right behind Simon Degand, the MSR winner from team auredid. So now the focus is on the Scheldeprijs, as a little training session right before PR.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by Gipfelstuermer » Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:46 am

First RVV for Gipfel... Still a lot to be learned, it seems. Esteban behind before Paterberg, back in first group after it... Should have cooperated with free team, who took the win even without my coop, mh... Will come back next year.

Now focus on PR. But this is really impossible to win for Team GIP. Any rider with less than 80 cobble ever won it? If yes, tell me how. And then, not even sure if everybody will be fit after that fantastic but exhausting win at Pais Vasco yesterday. Seems Esteban likes Tours much more than those Classics...

But PR will be a good learning for Edvin. The future cobble star of the team. PR winner 2020.
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Re: Spring Classics 2019

Post by schappy » Sun Apr 14, 2019 10:16 am

Gipfelstuermer wrote:
Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:46 am
First RVV for Gipfel... Still a lot to be learned, it seems. Esteban behind before Paterberg, back in first group after it... Should have cooperated with free team, who took the win even without my coop, mh... Will come back next year.

Now focus on PR. But this is really impossible to win for Team GIP. Any rider with less than 80 cobble ever won it? If yes, tell me how. And then, not even sure if everybody will be fit after that fantastic but exhausting win at Pais Vasco yesterday. Seems Esteban likes Tours much more than those Classics...

But PR will be a good learning for Edvin. The future cobble star of the team. PR winner 2020.
Hugo Scheichelbauer 2008 with 77 cobble :) one week After he Win RVV
I´ve got the magic in me

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