OK, Fine: Your Weekend FSA DS Humblebrag Open Post

It’s a big weekend for cycling, with two signature events getting going or running in their entirety, plus a host of smaller races one might care about. Like, say, if they invested an unhealthy amount of emotion into creating what they still think (for now) is the best FSA Directeur Sportif squad in fantasy cycling history.

Rather than telling you who is going to win the Strade Bianche (rhymes with Money Mobrelli), I will simply put this post here so you can tell us who you think/pray will win. But first, some information!

The Most Important Link I Will Ever Give You

Is here. This is the Where Is My FSA DS Team site run by... remind me? One of our esteemed community members. It is up and running, so that when you type in your team name, it will tell you which of your riders are scheduled to race where. It culls them from the amazing Cyclingfever.com website. Many thanks all around!

Another One to Keep Handy

Earlier today some former friends were asking me, where can I find a list of races happening this weekend on the internet? They aren’t the most skilled people, though they were before whatever they drank the night before, but anyway the FSA DS site has the calendar you need.

Men’s Calendar

Women’s Calendar

Strade Bianche

This is obviously the headliner and people have been talking about it all week. Not much to say that you don’t already know. So...

Men’s startlist

Women’s startlist

Weather: an issue. Kind of a shitshow really. They are calling for occasional showers, after a week of snow and rain. On a course defined by unpaved roads. Are we sure cyclocross season is over?

Paris-Nice

Stage 1 starts Sunday. You can read Conor’s preview for the whole thing. As for whether your sprinter is doing anything, here’s your startlist. Weather there sucks too.

Omloop Van Westhoek

Cat 6 women’s race, pretty small potatoes, but racing in Belgium is always a good thing. Startlist.

GP Industria & Artigianato

Slightly underrated Cat 5 race in Larciano, Italy, about which I can find very little information but I can promise you from the honor roll that there are some climbs. Here is the best description I can find:

The race takes place around the town of Larciano, on two very distinct road rings. The first of 22.3 km to be repeated four times without significant bumps. The second one, to be repeated also for four rounds, winds on the distance of 27.5 km and foresees the four ascents of the Fornello, to continue up to the slope on the San Baronto and the subsequent descent towards Lamporecchio. To finally reach the final straight where the banner of arrival is placed.

In the US I believe it will be shown on Flobikes.com, a new (?) service that has some important independent races on its schedule (like E3). Startlist here.

The West-Vlaanderen Thingy

Then there’s Dwars door West Vlaanderen, a/k/a Driedaagse West Vlaanderen (only now it’s a one-day race), a/k/a GP Johan Museeuw. Belgian race, very flat, startlist here.

That’s it. Who ya got?