Amstel Gold Race

Gkam84 wrote:

... Where does Mauricio come into it? I see no mention of it on Wiki or Sky's site...

It's probably someone who found former Colombia - Selle Italia rider Maurico Henao when they were looking for an Henao...

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/oct03/oct17news

Never rule him out. He's in decent form and performed well in AGR last year. His 2nd in Brabantse Pilj bodes well, but the big guns are coming back and it's hard to ignore the likes of Gerrans, Rodriguez etc. think it's only a matter if time before Chavanel shows his capabilities this season, too.

Florencio instead?

frankiejay wrote:

Curious if you guys like to pick a DS from the top couple teams that are likely to have a winner for the 5 bonus points, or is that chasing after the wind?

Vandenburgh was a good little earner for me when Boonen was the fav. For these next three races not so obvious who's going to win as Gilbert's off-form. Can be a good idea to put in riders from teams whose stars you don't have as a 'cover bet' or go for team leaders from smaller teams and take a risk. I'm going to do a bit of both.

drheaton wrote:

It's hit and miss, I don't tend to bother usually as I have an awful track record at picking winners but its nice to be able to cover teams whose star I haven't picked. For this race I haven't picked Gilbert or Evans from BMC but might cover myself with a cheap BMC DS.

Which BMC rider do you think is worth a punt? Santambrogio is cheap and has some form but I wouldn't expect him to do much by himself.

TERatcliffe26 wrote:

I very rarely put 2 riders in from the same team, so dont play the teammate scoring bonus tactic at all

I have two stars who are not racing in the week, and a DS too, but I have my transfers and team planned based around that

Better hope there aren't too many crashes then! I'm playing safe and just got one star not riding midweek.

TERatcliffe26 wrote:

Its been really hard to pick for this race! I think my team will have two riders that most others wont, which will either work for me, or drastically against me

Totally agree with that. All the previous Spring Classics races have gone very much according to plan. Everybody picked Boonen and the runner ups were fairly easy to guess as well. This race is very different. I'm expecting to score low.

Joaquin Rodriguez (KAT)
Simon Gerrans (GRE)
Alejandro Valverde (MOV)
Damiano Cunego (LAM)

Gianni Meersman (LOT)
Lieuwe Westra (VCD)
Michel Kreder (GRM)
Xavier Florencio (KAT)
Niki Terpstra (OPQ)

lucas wrote:

It's probably someone who found former Colombia - Selle Italia rider Maurico Henao when they were looking for an Henao...

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/oct03/oct17news

Hmmm, even then, he was Oscar Mauricio Henao

Alan Tullett wrote:

Which BMC rider do you think is worth a punt? Santambrogio is cheap and has some form but I wouldn't expect him to do much by himself.

It depends, I usually only use that tactic when picking a throwaway DS with my last 3 or 4 credits. If Santambrogio is cheap I might get him as 5 points from him may be more likely than a top 15 finish (to get 5 points) from most sub 3 credit DSs. Him, Norhaug or some of the cheap Euskatel, Liquigas or Katusha riders will be very popular this week if Sanchez, Nibali and Rodriguez are in form.

Alan Tullett wrote:

TERatcliffe26 wrote:

I very rarely put 2 riders in from the same team, so dont play the teammate scoring bonus tactic at all

I have two stars who are not racing in the week, and a DS too, but I have my transfers and team planned based around that

Better hope there aren't too many crashes then! I'm playing safe and just got one star not riding midweek.

Well seems ive messed up, Nordhaug crashing out (didnt look like he will race wednesday) has now messed up my planned transfers!! argh back to the drawing board. and now dont have enough transfers to axe all those that were pants!

londonplayer wrote:

what do you reckon to oscar freire? or do you think the hills will be too big for him?

He's a definite possibility as he has form in this race (6th last year) but he's not in the next one so he's a one-race star and I already have one star like that and don't want any more as it's too risky.

frankiejay wrote:

Curious if you guys like to pick a DS from the top couple teams that are likely to have a winner for the 5 bonus points, or is that chasing after the wind?

When there was a clear favourite (Boonen) and I was choosing between DS's, the fact that one was in OPQ would be an influence, but then in the last two races that one was Terpstra who was a good bet for points anyway. With no big favourite I'm not picking DS's on the strength of who their teammates are. Maybe in the Giro if there are 3 or 4 similar stages consecutive (flat or mountainous) and a clear favourite for them, it might be worth making sure you have a DS from their team. But as a fantasy cycling virgin I'm basically speculating, so may be way off the mark!

enrique wrote:

stumps wrote:

... found Spilak out plus one of my other ds...

Who's the other DS that's out?...

It was Gaetan Bille, he was just there to make up the numbers so no great loss unlike Spilak.

Gkam84 wrote:

I've gone for a balanced not top heavy team

Chris Horner
Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa
Dries Devenyns
Oscar Freire
Vincent Jerome
Koen de Kort
Vasil Kiryienka
Jerome Pineau
Steven Cummings

If you team looks like that on sunday I will eat my hat

TERatcliffe26 wrote:

If you team looks like that on sunday I will eat my hat

Hat? Surely you should eat your helmet

Alan Tullett wrote:

Sagan's crash has made me changes things a bit until I know more.

Don't think Voeckler will do anything on Sunday but I fancy a Dutch star who did well against a Spanish one last year!?

Kroon?????

I have 4 Dutch 3 Spanish 1 italian and a n other

obutterwick wrote:

Boonen's out.

Aye, he's got a poisoned foot...