Tour of Beijing Oct 11th - SPOILERS

[rich p]

Last stage race of the year. Is it normally rubbish - I can't remember!!
JTL was hoping to do well in it but that plan may be scuppered now. It might be a good race for another Sky rider to perform. Is Knnaugh injured, ill. does anyone know?
AG2R are sending a strong team with Peraud, Riblon, Bardet and Betancur.

 

[thom]

Last stage race of the year. Is it normally rubbish - I can't remember!!
JTL was hoping to do well in it but that plan may be scuppered now. It might be a good race for another Sky rider to perform. Is Knnaugh injured, ill. does anyone know?
AG2R are sending a strong team with Peraud, Riblon, Bardet and Betancur.

Kennaugh did get waylaid before the Worlds - injury according to Will Fotheringham : http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/sep/30/great-britain-cycling-world-championships-flop

 

[The Couch]

Last stage race of the year. Is it normally rubbish - I can't remember!!

When quickly checking it, Tony Martin won it the last 2 years, so I would assume that it's going to be for a good "Timetrialer" who can climb a tiny bit.
(Wihtout bothering to check if this year is a harder route vs. previous years)

So maybe something for Hagen, Talansky or Tejay if any of them is starting there (and if der Panzerwagen doesn't want to make it a threepeat).

 

[rich p]

I think I read that the course is TT-less this year which is why AG2R have stacked the team with climbers.
<edit> which it is..
http://www.tourofbeijing.net/route/

 

[montage]

I read somewhere this race runs at a 700,000 euro loss each time round, which is subsidized by the teams fees towards the UCI?
Do we know who China's delegates voted for in the election?

 

[smutchin]

As per the Lombardia thread, there may possibly be some added impetus for Froome, Sagan or Valverde to do well in this one with the possibility of finishing the season top of the UCI WorldTour rankings, and for Rodriguez to do well to defend his position as current leader in the rankings. Having said that, I don't know which of the contenders is racing, nor how many points are available for the race, nor indeed whether any of them care enough about the WT rankings to go for it, so this might be entirely irrelevant.

I have a hunch Froome will sit this one out anyway.

Edit: And Katusha have said they'll use the race to give young riders a chance, so no Purito either.

 

[thom]

I have a hunch Froome will sit this one out anyway.

Yes, he recently said his season is over.

 

[rich p]

As per the Lombardia thread, there may possibly be some added impetus for Froome, Sagan or Valverde to do well in this one with the possibility of finishing the season top of the UCI WorldTour rankings, and for Rodriguez to do well to defend his position as current leader in the rankings. Having said that, I don't know which of the contenders is racing, nor how many points are available for the race, nor indeed whether any of them care enough about the WT rankings to go for it, so this might be entirely irrelevant.

I have a hunch Froome will sit this one out anyway.

Edit: And Katusha have said they'll use the race to give young riders a chance, so no Purito either.

I've been working Smutch and cba to do the necessary but it was widely reported that Purito only had to finish 1st or 2nd to win top th rankings for the year. I stand to be corrected by a diligent researcher though!

 

[laurence]

Euskadi to go out on a high?

 

[rich p]

@smutchin is correct re the world ranking points but I presume that ValvPiti and Froome had already ruled themselves out of the ToBeijing.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/rodriguez-set-for-worldtour-title-as-froome-ends-season

 

[Noodley]

Stage 1 to FDJ's Nacer Bouhanni

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Stage 1 to FDJ's Nacer Bouhanni

You're confusing me now. Stage 2

 

[Noodley]

Ok stage 2. I'm a nobber.

 

[Noodley]

OK, I have now had time to look at stage 1 results properly - good to see "The God of Thunder" is back.

 

[Strathlubnaig]

OK, I have now had time to look at stage 1 results properly - good to see "The God of Thunder" is back.

I dont think he started today, he was pulled from the Road CC fantasy rosters. That is a belter of a road they are riding on today though.