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Worth a thread for this sprinters classic round Hamburg. All the sprinters are here so should be a cracking race. This race has thrown up a few surprises in previous years. The finish is flat but there is a 15% climb on the finishing circuit. It may be that this finishing circuit takes something out of the topline sprinters, or that the leadouts are disturbed but it may pay to look beyond the first rank of sprinters to some of those who are Classics specialists and/or bang in form.
My shortlist would include Boonen, Demare & Hofland.
My shortlist would include Boonen, Demare & Hofland.
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From what I can tell the Waseberg climb is not that difficult, coming as it does at about 38 kms and 16 kms to go from the finish. It is the same one in last year's edition, and I don't see how it is possible to look past the top two sprinters in The Gorilla and last year's winner Kristoff, especially since the sprinters teams always work hard to bring back the breakaway in what is very-much considered a sprinters' classic.
Both riders have been active in races in the last week, with Kristoff riding in the Leader's Jersey for the opening two stages after winning the first sprint stage and finishing 2nd on the second stage when he went too early, in the Arctic Race of Norway. The Gorilla rode in the Eneco Tour and whilst he jagged a win in stage two, what was most impressive was (his Flanders repeat) when he showed amazing strength to make the selection on the final climb of stage 5 and then proceeded to take long pulls for passenger Wilco Kelderman, and teammate and eventual GC winner Wellens. The Gorilla's best finish here was in 2013 and 2012, when he finished in 2nd place on both occasions. Last year, in 2014, he didn't finish the race after suffering from the ill-effects of a chest infection, I believe. LTS are going very nicely on the back of Wellens' victory at the Eneco Tour, and they look to have assembled a crack outfit to bring the breakaway back -- after they go over the Waseberg for the first time and the breakaway establishes -- and set-up the victory for The Gorilla in front of his home crowd, which will have friends and family in attendance. 3/1 with PP looks good enough for me for a Gorilla win in a bunch sprint. Good luck to all, SP |
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He's certainly the fastest in this field but I would question whether Gorilla's sprint is as in this race as elsewhere? Certainly it is surprising that he has never won this event with finishes of 30, 3, 82, 2, 2, DNF getting beaten in the sprint by slower riders like Farrar, Boassen-Hagen, Demare and Degenkolb on the occasions when he has contested the final sprint here. Maybe we can put that down to the distance, the fact that his team has to work bringing back the break or that the climb has taken away some of his power. Kristoff would be my pick of the shorter priced riders but I'm happy to chance some bigger priced riders like Demare 33/1, Boonen 66/1 & Hofland 40/1.
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Link
http://www.cyclinghub.tv/livestream |
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Greipel gets his win.
Kristoff 2nd. Nizzolo. Smart by Greipel there, his leadout had done too much and he was short of men but he backed off and got on the back of the Katusha train. |
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Looked like Van Avermaet 4th, Boonen 5th, Demare 6th
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Well done SP
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3/1 -- what a dream price -- 4.2 on here available for bags -- couldn't have gone better for The Gorilla!
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Cheers MC -- thanks for getting us started with the thread mate!
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