Live Blogs Pro Cycling Manager 2014, 29 flags challenge (starts in 2017 season)

KrisDK2017-11-10 05:35:56

Stage 1: Barzan Towers - Doha Golf Club (135.8 km)

As usual on these flat stages, especially first stages, attacks came left right and centre from the first kilometer. Trek-Segafredo and QuickStep worked hard at shutting down attacks. Sebastien Delfosse of WB Veranclassic was particularly insistent at getting away, and was rewarded with a solo ride after 19 km. 44 km in, with 91 km to go, Delfosse took the first intermediate sprint. In the pack, Michael Kolar (Bora-Hansgrohe) put himself in front of the pack to take second in the intermediate sprint ahead of Daniel Teklehaimanot (Dimension Data)

Delfosse stayed ahead through the second intermediate sprint with 39 km to go. This time, we did see a sprint in the pack. Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) took second, ahead of Maximilliano Richeze (QuickStep) who was setting pace in the pack.

Delfosse never stood a chance, and was caught with around 10 km to go. In the bunch sprint, John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) won after an exceptional leadout. Marcel Kittel (QuickStep) finished second and Vyacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha-Alpecin) took a surprise third.

Post race comment by RBH manager Kris Jensen: "I'm not sure what to say about Ahmet's performance today. Aliaksandr did what he was told, and did it well. As did the rest of the team. Amir was a late addition to the team for this race, and isn't at his best, but that was expected. To get back to Ahmet, he finished fifth, a result I'm very satisfied with. Considering the level of competition, I would expect him to take home low top tens if he positions himself well. By the end if it, he did place himself well. I don't know if he was being smart by deferring places when leading up to the sprint, or whether he was starstruck, but he ended up on one of the best wheels possible and took home a better result than expected. We'll get an answer to that on stages three through six, I suppose, but I'm happy about today. He put in a top performance, beating Viviani and Bennett."

Stage 2: Al Rufaa Street (14 km), flat team time trial^TTT's I'm making this race report up completely. It does correspond with the result, but I simulated the race

Pre race comment by RBH manager Kris Jensen: "If there's anythink I don't know how to manage, it's team time trials. Viktor [Klimov, DS of Red Bull - Huawei] is the boss today."

First team on the starting ramp was the German-African team Bike Aid, who didn't have the largest expectations going into the race. They were followed by WB Veranclassic-Aqua Project. Both teams set a time of 18.36. Bora-Hansgrohe became the first team under 18 minutes, setting a time of 17.57, marking the half-way point of the race. The next team, Wanty Groupe-Gobert, set the slowest time of the day with 18.41.

The winner was likely to be found among the final seven teams, and BMC who were among the favourites took the lead in a time of 17.37, which held until Red Bull-Huawei powered home in 17.18, which would end up being the winning time. No team came within ten seconds of Red Bull-Huawei, as Sky finished 14 seconds down, same for Quick Step, while Katusha-Alpecin took second 12 seconds down to the hundredth of a second. Trek-Segafredo ended up 29 seconds behind as the final team to cross the finish line.

Red Bull-Huawei carry on their good form, putting Ahmet Örken in the lead, and taking their most surprising victory this season.

Post race comment by RBH manager Kris Jensen: "I feared for this time trial, as we are a completely new team. I did try to bring a bunch of capable time trialists in Tobias, Jan and Jurgen. Barnabas and Ahmet were expected to take hard relays as well. Viktor did an amazing job setting up the guys for this, and training the team in team time trials. We got more than what we came here for."

Stage 3: Al Wakra - Mesaieed (139.8 km), flat stage

Pre race comment by RBH manager Kris Jensen: "I did not expect to lead this race at the moment, but here we are. The tactics are the usual ones for a leading team, without a sprint favourite, on a flat day: Keep the break on a leash"

The usual flyers came early on, with Katusha-Alpecin, QuickStep and Red Bull-Huawei shutting down attacks. This happened until 17km, where Kenneth Vanbilsen (Cofidis), Lawrence Naeson (WB Veranclassic) and Eugert Zhupa (Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia) managed to get away from the pack. 22 km later, Florian Vachon succeded at getting away and working his way up to the leading trio.

Not much happened until the intermediate sprint, which was 49 km in or with 91 km to go, which Vanbilsen won ahead of Vachon and Naesen. Katusha-Alpecin slowly increased the pace in the pack, and caught the breakaway with 7 km to go.

In the sprint, John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) proved to be the strongest again, beating Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) and Marcel Kittel (QuickStep) in a close sprint, which allowed him to regain the race lead.

Post race comment by RBH manager Kris Jensen: "I wonder if this is going to be a thing. Ahmet does weird looking stuff leading into the sprint, ends up the right place anyway, gets a good result. He did all of that today, though the result could have been better, as he tried going the wrong way around Marko Kump. It was a mistake, and I'm sure he'll learn from it. He's doing a lot more right than wrong after all. As for Aliaksandr, what a sprint. Dominique [Arnould - DS at Red Bull - Huawei], our sprinter specialist, has said that Aliaksandr can become an exceptional sprinter with the right training. He shows some of that potential today. Amazing timing from him today."

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