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2015 » 35th Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian (1.UWT) 219km
Tour de France withdrawal symptoms? Well on Saturday afternoon we have a beauty and we'll see lots of familiar faces from last week! Live on Eurosport at 2.30 the Clasica San Sebastian in the Basque Country is a very popular race in an area of Northern Spain well known for the passion of its cycling fans. The scenery for this race is stunning; gorgeous climbs, City streets of San Sebastian and amazing ocean views. The 2014 route for Clasica San Sebastian, won by Valverde in a late attack, was considered such a success by the organisers that they have decided to repeat it. Donostia-Donostia is one of the so-called summer classics and has been run since 1981. It is known as a climbers classic due to the typically difficult nature of the course, and has been won by several stage race specialists.
The new and decisive climb introduced in 2014 is the Bordako Tontorra, and is only 7km from the end. This is an extraordinarily difficult and must-see climb and will make sure that only the best climbers can triumph, it has several sections at upto 20% and is on very narrow, slippy, crowd-lined streets. In parts, this climb is only a car's width wide. Have a look at the footage from 2014 to get a feel for this late climb. The twice-taken Jaizkibel and Arkale climbs will already have weakened the legs of the peloton, but it is the 15km circuit that takes the riders high above the city, the awful Borkado Tontorra climb and the descent from it that will decide the winner.
The lineup looks very strong. Movistar bring both their Tour podiums in defending champion Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana. Last year's third place Purito Rodriguez is back again after his two Tour stage wins. Both these teams look very strong. Sky's challenge looks spearheaded by Roche and Henao. Astana bring Landa and Fuglsang. Tinkoff have Contador and Majka. Uran, Rui Costa, Gilbert, Bardet, Pinot, Mollema and Barguil make up a strong posse of climbers. Chris Froome could ride if he recoveres from the Tour well. Euskatel Euskadi may be no more, but the local fans will get behind the Caja Rural team and hope that their main man David Arroyo can pull off a famous result.
Map
Profile
Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian Winners
2014 | VALVERDE Alejandro
2013 | GALLOPIN Tony
2012 | SANCHEZ Luis Leon
2011 | GILBERT Philippe
2010 | SANCHEZ Luis Leon
2009 | KREUZIGER Roman
2008 | VALVERDE Alejandro
2007 | GARATE Juan Manuel
2006 | FLORENCIO Xavier
2005 | ZABALLA Constantino
2014 Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian Top 10
1.VALVERDE Alejandro 5:31:11
2.MOLLEMA Bauke 0:14
3.RODRíGUEZ Joaquim ,,
4.NIEVE Mikel ,,
5.GALLOPIN Tony 0:26
6.VANENDERT Jelle ,,
7.ZUBELDIA Haimar ,,
8.VAN AVERMAET Greg 0:40
9.VISCONTI Giovanni ,,
10.STYBAR Zdenek 0:43
2014 Clasica San Sebastian last 10kms video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLYdXFDWCaw
Startlist
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Clasica_Ciclista_San_Sebastian_2015-startlist
Coverage UK = Eurosport from 2.30pm
You'd think that with the late climb and descent Alejandro Valverde will take all the beating. Purito could be the main danger if he is still in the same form he showed in the Tour. This route should suit Dan Martin down to the ground but if the Tour has left its mark on those three then maybe the Giro d'Italia runner-up Mikel Landa can take the win in his native Basque Country and gain the famous winner's Txapela headwear.
Tour de France withdrawal symptoms? Well on Saturday afternoon we have a beauty and we'll see lots of familiar faces from last week! Live on Eurosport at 2.30 the Clasica San Sebastian in the Basque Country is a very popular race in an area of Northern Spain well known for the passion of its cycling fans. The scenery for this race is stunning; gorgeous climbs, City streets of San Sebastian and amazing ocean views. The 2014 route for Clasica San Sebastian, won by Valverde in a late attack, was considered such a success by the organisers that they have decided to repeat it. Donostia-Donostia is one of the so-called summer classics and has been run since 1981. It is known as a climbers classic due to the typically difficult nature of the course, and has been won by several stage race specialists.
The new and decisive climb introduced in 2014 is the Bordako Tontorra, and is only 7km from the end. This is an extraordinarily difficult and must-see climb and will make sure that only the best climbers can triumph, it has several sections at upto 20% and is on very narrow, slippy, crowd-lined streets. In parts, this climb is only a car's width wide. Have a look at the footage from 2014 to get a feel for this late climb. The twice-taken Jaizkibel and Arkale climbs will already have weakened the legs of the peloton, but it is the 15km circuit that takes the riders high above the city, the awful Borkado Tontorra climb and the descent from it that will decide the winner.
The lineup looks very strong. Movistar bring both their Tour podiums in defending champion Alejandro Valverde and Nairo Quintana. Last year's third place Purito Rodriguez is back again after his two Tour stage wins. Both these teams look very strong. Sky's challenge looks spearheaded by Roche and Henao. Astana bring Landa and Fuglsang. Tinkoff have Contador and Majka. Uran, Rui Costa, Gilbert, Bardet, Pinot, Mollema and Barguil make up a strong posse of climbers. Chris Froome could ride if he recoveres from the Tour well. Euskatel Euskadi may be no more, but the local fans will get behind the Caja Rural team and hope that their main man David Arroyo can pull off a famous result.
Map
Profile
Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian Winners
2014 | VALVERDE Alejandro
2013 | GALLOPIN Tony
2012 | SANCHEZ Luis Leon
2011 | GILBERT Philippe
2010 | SANCHEZ Luis Leon
2009 | KREUZIGER Roman
2008 | VALVERDE Alejandro
2007 | GARATE Juan Manuel
2006 | FLORENCIO Xavier
2005 | ZABALLA Constantino
2014 Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian Top 10
1.VALVERDE Alejandro 5:31:11
2.MOLLEMA Bauke 0:14
3.RODRíGUEZ Joaquim ,,
4.NIEVE Mikel ,,
5.GALLOPIN Tony 0:26
6.VANENDERT Jelle ,,
7.ZUBELDIA Haimar ,,
8.VAN AVERMAET Greg 0:40
9.VISCONTI Giovanni ,,
10.STYBAR Zdenek 0:43
2014 Clasica San Sebastian last 10kms video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLYdXFDWCaw
Startlist
http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Clasica_Ciclista_San_Sebastian_2015-startlist
Coverage UK = Eurosport from 2.30pm
You'd think that with the late climb and descent Alejandro Valverde will take all the beating. Purito could be the main danger if he is still in the same form he showed in the Tour. This route should suit Dan Martin down to the ground but if the Tour has left its mark on those three then maybe the Giro d'Italia runner-up Mikel Landa can take the win in his native Basque Country and gain the famous winner's Txapela headwear.
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*Giro 3rd Majka
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Having seen the prices Padds have put up I think they are massively overestimating the chances of the puncheurs. This will be a climbers race again. This is the second year they have had the final climb. The punchy riders like Gallopin, Stybar, Van Avaermaet etc were well back. This will only go to climbers again, and at the prices I love Landa at 50/1 and am quite keen on Dan Martin at 25/1.
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Quintana not riding, Contador & Majka out too.
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Disappointed Quintana withdrew, lightly raced this year and was hitting form in the 3rd week of the tour. 100's was to good to be true for by far and away the best climber in the race. I've taken a stab at the in-form Jungels at 100's. Might take a Yates as well but would want a more realistic price than 20 or 30/1. Agree that D.Martin's has a good chance here. Would also expect a good showing from Vuillermoz.
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Vuillermoz is my third play in the race.
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Majka 50/1
Martin 25/1 Vuillermoz 50/1 4 places |
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Majka? I dont think he's on the start list mc, I think you mean Landa anyway.
Others I've spec'd at +150/1 odds are Uran, Slagter, Wellens Any word on Rui Costa's fitness? You would think it would be determined to do something here after leaving the tour early. |
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*he
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Good spot
 Landa 50/1 Martin 25/1 Vuillermoz 50/1 4 places |
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Cannot disagree with much of what MC has stated here. I think the race is definitely most suited to climbers.
** Romain Bardet He has made steady improvement in this race over the years, going 33/20/18, and his 18th-place finish last year could have been much better if he didn't allow his youthful exuberance resulting in impatience when he came to the front of the peloton at the bottom of the final climb -- to scuttle his chances. Toward the end of the Tour, after his impressive win of stage 18, he backed up well with a strong 5th-place finish on the next stage, and was still kicking on, on the Alpe. That to me suggested that he appeared like he could sustain his condition for at least another week of hilly if not mountainous racing, however the short spell can only freshen such a young rider on a parcours which will suit his characteristics. He opened at 33/1 best, and drifted out to 40/1, however I only got the SP on an E/W basis. Will take beating. Roman Kreuziger was 80/1 prior to Contador's withdrawal and shortened to 33/1, since he is the team leader for TCS. They've just gone off the start line, no pics yet -- good luck to all, SP |
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Break's gap is down to 3 minutes as they hit the Jaizkibel for the first time.
Climbs: 118km Jaizkibel (Cat 1) = 7.8km @ 5.8% 146km Arkale (Cat 2) = 2.7km @ 6.3% 166km Jaizkibel (Cat 1) = 7.8km @ 5.8% 191km Arkale (Cat 2) = 2.7km @ 6.3% 211km Borkado (Cat 2) = 2.5km @ 9% |
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Valverde was ill with a fever after the Tour -- surprised he is so short. MOV controlling on the front suggests he has recovered well, but this looks like the period of the race where we will get some activity.
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Action here with pics down: http://t.co/xnozBmIE4U
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Serry, Arredondo, Gilbert, Barguil, Rossetto, Hesjedal, Silin, Caruso & Landa have 18 seconds with 12km to go, so just coming up to the final climb. Lots of climbing power in that break but that's a pretty small gap.
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Serry, Arredondo, Gilbert, Barguil, Rossetto, Hesjedal, Silin, Caruso & Landa have 18 seconds with 12km to go, so just coming up to the final climb. Lots of climbing power in that break but that's a pretty small gap.
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Finally get live pics just after the final climb
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Yates has a chance here 14 secs with less than 4km
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Valverde won't chase
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Just got Kreuziger at 50s
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Dan Martin chasing solo
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Yates takes it
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Didn't know he'd won!
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Yes Adam you won!
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Looked like he had a bet on a horse and was trying to listen to the race on his radio while riding across the finishing line.
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Argh... what a frustrating night! Internet went down to compound the loss of pics, just as I was teeing up a lay of Valverde.
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Valverde wouldn't help with the chase but was immediately on the wheel of any rider who tried to bridge across to Yates. He played it safe, essentially protecting his podium position.
Really nice win from A.Yates, knew exactly what he needed to do to win the race and was able to deliver the goods. Surely a big morale boost for OGE after their TdF. |
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Be really interesting to see what type of riders both Yates turn into.
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Landa had a nice forward showing, MC. I am not sure there was much liquidity, especially with the pics affecting things, but if that was to have been a recent Tour stage, it would've been a nice move from ante-post.
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Apparently Greg Van Avermaet was knocked off his bike by a motorcyclist when he was in front. I can see why Yates wasn't celebrating his victory, bit of a hollow one for him.
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Yates wasn't celebrating because he wasn't sure if he'd won. I saw BMC's statement that GVA had been robbed of victory but as it was still 10km out and Yates was right in his wheel I'm not sure the outcome would have been any different.
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