How the GP Montreal will be won*...and VDS smack
by Hons on Sep 8, 2010 2:29 PM EDT
Email
Print*maybe not
When Chris demands, I must obey. So, here are my thoughts on how the GP Montreal will be won based on my intimate knowledge of the area and thorough riding of the course over the last few weeks.
First of all, this race has been referred to by many as being an Ardennes kind of race. However, the different hilly classics play out in different ways. Compare la Fleche Wallonne (ending on the Mur de Huy) to Liege or San Sebastien. The later two don't have uber selective finishes, so the race is won from a combination of attrition and tactical attacking near the finish. My impression is that the Quebec race, with it's challenging uphill finish will resemble FW, with a larger group battling it out on the final climb (this is based entirely on my inspection of the profile not on any actual knowledge). The Montreal race however, will resemble LBL or SS.
Here is the map/profile of the race on the flip:
The first climb on the circuit ("the Houde") is not easy, but will not be where the race is decided. ~2km at 7-8% average (depending on your source). Its last ~500m are pretty brutal at ~10-12%. However, as you come over the top, and down the other side, there is a head wind. Also the decent is a fast, straight road, but only moderately steep. Between the two climbs it is a false flat downhill on wide open roads. The second climb is short and steep, and is followed by a twisty technical decent ending with a 90 degree right hand turn. If this race is decided by an attack, I think that it will happen on this second climb. It's on small enough roads that if the attackers are willing to take risks on the decent, they could open up a decent gap. After the sharp right, they are on fairly wide open roads all the way to the start/finish, but based on my extensive experience living on Chemin Cote Ste Catherine, if there is any wind at all, it will get funneled into a wind tunnel travelling in the same direction as the race will be travelling, perfect conditions for a small break staying away to the finish.
Now for the really important issues...how my VDS team will crush all of yours.
Starting with the home town advantage, both Ryder Hesjdal and Dom Rollin are incredibly motivated to do well at these races. Dom has won the Canadian championships on the Quebec course (and is hunting for a contract) and the Motnreal course is perfectly suited for Ryder.
But incase a foreign type feels like showing up, I also have
- Sylvain Chavanel
- Ivan Basso
- Matti Breschel
- Chris Anker Sörensen
- Dries Devenyns and
- Mauro Santambrogio
Basically, I'm expecting at least 3 of the top 5 (ie all the placings we care about) to come from the above list.
Here's the start list...who do you have to fill out the last 2 places that we care about?
57 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
TV coverage
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal will be broadcast live in Québec on specialty channel Évasion, the only network to cover the event in its entirety (5 hours of racing).
Nationally
The Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal will air on Télévision de Radio-Canada, Sunday, September 12, from 4:30 pm to 6 pm.
Sportsnet One
Three hours coverage – september 12
USA
VERSUS
Three hours special coverage – september 19
Internationally
Eurosport 2 "South and West": Delayed coverage from 11:00 p.m. to midnight CET (Central European Time)
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Israel, Lebanon, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Byelorussia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine
Eurosport 2 "North and East": Delayed coverage from 11:00 p.m. to midnight CET
Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia
British Eurosport: Delayed coverage on September 16 from 5:45 to 6:45 p.m. CET
Eurosport Asia Pacific: Delayed next-day coverage
Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam
Eurosport France
Sunday evening, special report: Live broadcast of last two hours, from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m., local time
too bad Sportsnet One isn't actually available in most of Canada :-(
(no, I’m not bitter with Rogers, not at all). silly channel distribution dispute going on, for all the non-Canadians, probably in some ways similar to whatever was happening with Versus at one point (don’t remember the details – someone wasn’t carrying it I recall).
yes, did get Evasion
so I could tape it all while at work, just annoying that there’s actually English coverage that hardly anyone can see!
I am totally psyched for these races.
I just can’t wait!
I am wondering how certain riders might be taking these races with Worlds coming up. I expect some guys like Samu, Voeckler, and Bobo to contest.
For the Americans (especially Levi, Horner, Pate, Lewis, Louder, Bookwalter, especially) these races also lead up to the National championships which are the weekend following, so I think they’ll be motivated and closer to their peak. Hincapie I am expecting to just try to get back into race shape.
As for my VDS team, I mainly just have Ryder:
Ryder Hesjedal
Martyn Maaskant
Jiggy Gutierrez
Gerald Ciolek
Lead up races
In addition to WC and US champs, a number of riders have mentioned using these races as preparations for Lomardia and the other Italian 1-day races
Team for the Canadian races:
Dominique Rollin
Sylvain Chavanel
Eddy!
Gerald Ciolek
Linus Gerdemann (sigh.)
I've nothing against Zabriskie, but to be honest, I think I'm a little bit better looking--Filippo Pozzato
Dom FTW!
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
I thought they had already engraved both these trophies with Ryders name since they are essentially
the Ryder Hesjedal Invitational aren’t they?
anywho I’ve got
Ryder
Maaskant
Gesink
Seeldrayers
Possoni
Santambrogio
Rollin
So this could be one of my best one day events of the year!
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Sep 8, 2010 1:45 PM EDT reply actions
Oh and getting ready to leave the house tommorow to drop of kids at Grandmas then drive to QC.
Yay going to live pro-tour races. oh and they are in Canukia, well Quebec anyway.
I know that phillie is closer than QC is to me but I haven’t renewed my passport since I got married and now that I need one of those to cross that big line in the sand, well, lets just say, even though they speak french they are still family.
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Sep 8, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I don’t see him really being the kind to attack that far from the line. And he hasn’t raced since San Sebastian.
Actually, he is the kind to attack from far out. He basically has to.
And lack of race rhythm doesn’t bother him that much.
by blackswangreen on Sep 9, 2010 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Jens! is racing in North America again. I think he likes us.
He’s figured out he has a big fan base here.
cloning Jens!...
…that’s a scary thought. i don’t think the world could handle that. look at what happened when they cloned boba fett.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Love it
Just like every true American, I’m a Jens! fan and get a huge kick out of hearing how big a welcome he gets here. I’ve secretly hoped for years that he would come here to coach a domestic team upon retirement. Of course, these days, our domestic teams include Columbia, Radio Shack, etc.
we need a Jens! live chat
just sayin’
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
I asked him at the Chasing Legends Premiere and he seemed opened to the idea.
He didn’t say yes but he was intrigued. I told him Tejay had done it. Tejay was standing about 4 feet away. Someone “official” would need to get in touch with him.
The internets would explode if that were to happen due to excessive exclamation point usage
"Thanks again, Floyd Landis, Yellow Jersey Wearer: Nuisance Category"
Two days left!
Riders from EITSWD:
Hesjedal, Gesink, Basso, Devenyns, EBH, Sulzberger, Rabon, Rollin
What is the startlist for PdC?
As far as I know:
Quebec: bought with blood, MathieuG
Montreal: Hons, MathieuG
Who else?
I'm for Montreal as well. Me the Wife and our two month old will be making the round trip this weekend.
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Sep 8, 2010 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions
great
If you want to say hi (and that goes for anybody) I’ll be on the Camilien Houde climb a little before the top (near the belvedere). Look for a Rollin flag (the one from my profile picture) and a bright orange PdC flag (thanks celerity!)
We'll likely be at the rue de montange in QC.
Though we may move around a bit during the race. Although looking at the forecast I hope it doesn’t rain too much.
'When playing a game, the goal is to win, but it is the goal that is important, not the winning' - Dr. Reiner Knizia
by bought with blood on Sep 8, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
i was planning to go to montreal, until...
i was really hoping to come up from vermont to the montreal race, but my girlfriend just had her appendix out tonight, so weekend travel plans have to be scuttled. she is fine, but sunday is not enough time (especially since she’s the one who can drive…)
Bummer... perhaps it's time to get your license? ;)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
Team Tx, currently storming the Vuelta, will field:
Maaskant
Gesink
Posthuma
Sagan
Santambrogio
Not bad considering the number I have tied up in Spain.
Gora Euskaltel! Sorte on azenarioak!
He's an excellent shoulder to cry on if nothing else...
He better have a bloody good autumn though (for which he was selected) else the order of the boot will be coming his way from my team too.
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
He was incredibly cheap which was nice, but...
so were Peter Sagan, Kris Boeckmans and Jens Keukeleire, and at least they did something. Danilo Wyss also got his marching orders, as did Kurt Asle (not really his fault) and Seeldraeyers amongst others (that last one hurt).
a storming Lombardia may rescue him yet
alas I doubt it
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
Sheesh, Albertina.
Stop tying the boys up—you’ll get a reputation.
I've seen more and more riders shaving their arms these days. I don't know why, really, I'm not tempted--the legs are already too much. It seems to come from Australia. All the Australians have shaved arms.--Matti Breschel, Oct. Cycle Sport
Can I talk smack even if I'm playing a different game? It is a year-long squad I have though.
Ryder Hesjedal
Peter Sagan
Dries Devenyns
Jussi Veikkanen
My reign ended in May, if we're being honest.
I absolutely ruled the classics. And then the Giro came, and my four GC men were Pelizotti, Valjavec, Sastre and Pozzovivo… that hurt.
Sagan sucks? Where have you been girl?
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
I am too tired to even read properly! I was speaking to Triki... my very bad.
Sagan has earned me many points too :)
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
unlikely to get me into that magic top 300
Maaskant
Gesink
Pauwels
Rabon
Santambrogio
er, that’s it
"I was just trying to keep warm" - Ian Stannard on finishing third in KBK
I'm thinking Quebec more like Amstel. Montreal, hard to say.
Sagan, Breschel, Machado, Duque, Gutierrez. Rabon riding in secret time trial competition in Ottawa, which I understand is worth monument points in VDS.
Hilly classics!
I’ve got:
Chris Horner
Tiago Machado
Mauro Santambrogio
Mathieu Perget
Not expecting great things, but some of these guys can climb a little.
Cazzo, it's going to be a bloodbath! The Mortirolo is a horror, absolutely interminable. -- Michele Scarponi
No, it's not just you
But I didn’t think about until you mentioned it. I guess the race logo is supposed to be chainrings.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Sep 9, 2010 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions
More info
Great write ups by Lyne at Podiuminsight:
Course summaries (including where the winning moves have come from on these two courses)
Press conference
TV & online coverage
Thanks Lyne!!
not sure yet, waiting to hear about media car but
probably in the final 3km and definitely at the finish line.
You?
Absolutely!
I’ll be checking out the team presentations before heading up the houde for a bit. Then will wander down to the start finish for the end. I’ll be in the super sweet McGill cycling wool jersey. If it’s not me, it will be someone that knows me. And yes…they will know me as Hons (aka Mike).
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Featured Stories
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
