Will it be one for the sprinters this year? Or will we see the weather gods conspire to wreak havoc on the peleton and leave only a select few to contest the finish?
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The cobbles season is here! Fans worldwide are breaking out their frittes, mayonnaise and craft beer and giving voice to Flemish nationalism sentiments. We'll be seeing all the famed hellingen and pave of the Flanders region over the next month or so, many of the sectors a lot more than once, but the first look will be at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
Chris Froome meets Alberto Contador in the clash of the titans! THERE WILL BE BLOOD! THE SPEED! THE POWER! It really has been billed in the media as the clash of two, at least since the withdrawal of Nairo Quintana. As much fun as the Battle Royal between Froomedog and El Pistelero will be, there is also further narrative to be explored outside these two.
This stage promises to be one for the sprinters, with warm conditions, gentle breezes, flat terrain and nice wide roads all pointing to the first bunch sprint of the Tour of Oman. There should be a few others as well, but this stage doesn't have the potential for cross-winds, or any nasty climbing to prevent the sprinters from winning this.
The UN tells me that Oman has improved the most of any society in the last 20 years, which sounds a bit like winning the 'Most Improved' award in Under 6 soccer. If a society's success can be measured by the quality of its bike races (it definitely can!) then I would say that the UN are spot on. Oman does what it does very well, it caters to all types of riders, so there is a bit of something-for-everyone feel to the race.
The Vuelta a Murcia is a once proud race that was the early season tune-up of choice for the grand tour contenders, but these days it isn't even a stage race, having shrunk from 3 stages to 2 stages to 1 stage, which has been the case for the past three years. The grand tour contenders are elsewhere as well, and the biggest names are in fact sprinters, in Cavendish and Degenkolb.
Races on the Arabian peninsula continue with the oldest race on the schedule, the Tour of Qatar which began in 2002. The race could reasonably be renamed the Tommeke Tour, Boonen has raced it 10 times, for 4 GC wins, 8 GC podiums and 22 stage wins. Also the two times he came 2nd, a teammate won the race. It was also Boonen who popularised this race as being a traditional lead-up for the cobbles season, and indeed we see most of the riders that are looking to be competitive in Flanders at the startline here.
The oldest race in Australia is in for its 62nd edition, and it should be a good one. Kicking off with a prologue TT, the sprinters will then get their chance and the finale will come on the final day to Arthur's Seat.
The start of what many have unimaginatively dubbed "The Middle-Eastern season", the Dubai Tour will give the sprinters a chance to... sprint. Good for them. Last year's TT has been scrapped so this edition is all about whether a sprinter can gain enough bonus seconds and then hang on in the one uphill finish.
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AuthorI'm Jamie Finch-Penninger, better known as Fishy, the best DS to ever sit a couch. Anything which I don't cover for a bigger site will be up here. Archives
October 2015
CategoriesCome here for the previews of all the World Tour races this season, plus any Pro Continental/NRS/tricycle races that take my fancy. Along as it's pro cycling I'll have some sort of opinion on it. I'm Australian, so be prepared for a healthy Orica-Greenedge bias. Please feel free to request any changes or previews, and stay up to date on Twitter and Facebook.
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