Talossan Cycling Association Tour

[Glüc]

The Talossan Cycling Association Tour is about to start.

Over the next three weeks four teams of 9 riders will compete for points, which they can gather over 3328 km, starting in Copenhagen and ending in Paris. (The orginal finish was planned to be on Cézembre of course, until the organisation realised there isn't a bridge going there from the mainland).

Whichever team has scored the most points when the riders arrive at the legendary Champs-Élysées will be declared the winner of the first Talossan Cycling Association Tour and receive eternal glory. Points are scored individually by the riders, for example by stage results, intermediate sprints and difficult climbs, but also by classification standings and also importantly by ensuring their teammates do well.

Registered teams:
-Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT (Cézembre)
-Naziun Cjovani (Benito)
-Gordon Hiatus Support Team (Benito)
-Kinetic Racing (Fiôvâ)

Your commentator will try to provide frequent updates in this topics. Perhaps not daily, but as frequently as doable.

[Glüc]

Meanwhile the first riders are off for the first stage, a 13 km individual time trial in Copenhagen. It's far too early (and too short) to be decisive yet, but we might get a first impression of where everyone stands.

[Glüc]

Meanwhile all teams have presented themselves

Gordon Hiatus Support Team (GHS)
1. C. Froome
2. P. Roglič
3. N. Quintana
4. A. Yates
5. A. Kristoff
6. F. Ganna
7. M. van der Poel
8. A. Bettiol
9. R. Bardet

Naziun Cjovani (CJO)
11. T. Pogačar
12. C. Froome
13. N. Quintana
14. W. Barguil
15. A. Capiot
16. J. Castroviejo
17. F. Felline
18. M. Cort
19. J. Vingegaard

Kinetic Racing (KIN)
21. C. Froome
22. J. Fuglsang
23. N. Quintana
24. W. Barguil
25. W. van Aert
26. M. van der Poel
27. T. Pidcock
28. F. Ganna
29. G. Thomas

Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT (BDC)
31. T. Pogačar
32. R. Urán
33. B. Mollema
34. T. Pinot
35. W. van Aert
36. N. van Hooydonck
37. M. van der Poel
38. T. Gallopin
39. P. Sagan

[Glüc]

And we're off.

Van Aert (KIN/BDC), Pogacar (CJO/BDC), Ganna (GHS/KIN) and Van der Poel (GHS/KIN/BDC) all did very well in the time trial, resulting in a strong start for Banqeu Cézembre and Kinetic Racing in particular.

Of course Paris is still very far. In particular today's result is unlikely to affect the gc very much because of the very small differences. (Also most upcoming stage will have more points to distribute as there were no team points given out and also no intermediate sprint and no mountains yet). That said, I can say the morale at Cézembre HQ is quite high at the moment.  8)

Standing after stage 1.

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 622
2. Kinetic Racing - 560
3. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 436
4. Naziun Cjovani - 357

Tomorrow: Roskilde - Nyborg, which should be good for the sprinters presumably.

[Iason Taiwos]

Morale for Naziun Cjovani is quite low. Showed my friend (the Tour aficionado) my picks for my fantasy team. "Eh, well, that's not the guys I would have picked." !!!

[Audrada Roibeardet]

Kinetic Racing is quite pleased with the results. Still a lot of racing to go.

[Glüc]

Magnus Cort (CJO) is in the breakaway. Obviously it would be great for Naziun Cjovani if he won, but even if that is unlikely, there are points to be gained during the stage as well.

[Glüc]

So Cort did score some points halfway and will also be wearing the polkadot jersey tomorrow, but in the end its the finishline that matters most. As expected it was a day for the sprinters and among those in the selected teams van Aert (KIN/BDC) was the strongest (and also will be wearing yellow tomorrow). Sagan (BDC) and Kristoff (GHS) scored some points as well. There were several accidents today. At least Uran (BDC) and Ganna (GHS/KIN) were involved in crashes I think. Thankfully the damage in the end was limited.

Standings after stage 2:

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 1065 (+443)
2. Kinetic Racing - 860 (+300)
3. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 580 (+144)
4. Naziun Cjovani - 476 (+119)

I will say though, Cézembre was the only team to include a sprinter at the wildcard position and also spent relatively few points on climbers, so perhaps that means we need to have a strong start as things may change very much when we get to the mountains. It will take a while until we get there and before then we can't really tell where things will go in the end. Still hard to not be pleased with how the scores are looking right now...

Tomorrow another flat Danish stage, without long windy bridges this time: Vejle - Sonderborg
Don't think I will be able to catch any of it, but hopefully I will still be able to give an update on the points later.

[Audrada Roibeardet]

If anyone is interested in seeing TdF highlights, I highly recommend GCN Racing on YouTube. I generally watch GCN Tech because I personally like bicycles more than racing.  ;D

[Glüc]

Based on the results it looks like today was nearly identical to yesterday. Van Aert will be annoyed at getting his third second place in three stages, but he's definitely bringing in the points for Kinetic Racing and BdC.

Standings after stage 3:

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 1525 (+460)
2. Kinetic Racing - 1158 (+298)
3. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 704 (+124)
4. Naziun Cjovani - 589 (+113)

Tomorrow will be a transfer/rest day, after that the Talossan Cycling Association Tour will finally arrive in France. Sadly, that doesn't mean we're getting to the mountains soon, but at least the terrain should be a little bit more challenging and more likely to bring surprises. That said, for stage 4 (Dunkerque-Calais) a sprint finish still seems quite plausible.

[Iason Taiwos]

This is BS. Hoping my dudes do better once in France.

[Sir Lüc]

GHST is aghast at our ghastly performance.

[Glüc]

Information for the teams on the stagehunter competition.

[Glüc]

No sprint today, but Van Aert, who has dominated the first week so far, continues to carry his team and showed he can also win by attacking, winning the stage in impressive fashion.

Standings after stage 4:

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 2016 (+491)
2. Kinetic Racing - 1498 (+340)
3. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 925 (+221)
4. Naziun Cjovani - 704 (+115)

Tomorrow should be one of the most interesting stages of the tour: the dreaded cobblestage between Lille and Arenberg. This is not a stage for any gc contender to win the tour, but a good opportunity for one of the favourites to lose. That said, the stage itself may again favour the teams already in the lead. There is room for surprises of course but also a good chance BdC will keep increasing its lead until we get to the first real mountain stage on friday.

[Audrada Roibeardet]

Wish UCI would have saved the cobbles for Paris Roubaix. Too risky for the TdF.

[Glüc]

Lots of things happening at the moment. Most of BdC is falling behind or literally fell or both. Meanwhile Cort Nielsen is trying again for Cjovani. Fortunes may be shifting.

Edit:
Barguil, Quintana, Pogacar all still there with so many others getting dropped. This could be a very good day for Naziun Cjovani (and very bad for GHST, because Roglic is far behind.)

Edit:
Well that was something. Pogacar the big winner as far as the GC is concerned. Roglic the big loser. No idea what this will do for the standings.

[Glüc]

So Audrada's concerns proved correct as there were many incidents today. While everyone managed to finish, many did so battered and bruised. (Although to be honest, I also thought it was by far the most interesting stage to watch so far.)

So for the first time the daily ordering is different. How the turntables for Naziun Cjovani, who not only scored the most points today, but also greatly improved their GC prospects, with Pogacar solidifying his role as the favourite and Vingegaard overcoming some bad luck, managing to hang on and, importantly, improving his position vis-a-vis Roglic. The only thing that could have made the day better would have been if Cort Nielsen actually managing to win the stage, but that proved too much of a challenge after having been in the breakaway every single day so far. On the other hand, it was a disastrous day for the Gordon Hiatus Support Team, scoring very few points, dropping to 4th in the standings, but worst of all, losing Roglic, who sadly was caught by a displaced haystack, as a genuine GC contender.

Standings after stage 5:

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 2235 (+219)
2. Kinetic Racing - 1678 (+180)
3. Naziun Cjovani - 1075 (+371)
4. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 1017 (+92)

Tomorrow is the last stage before we get to the mountains (Binche - Longwy). Should be a lot less chaotic then today, but the finish should be exciting as they will have to climb a bit, so it won't come down to a mass sprint.

[Audrada Roibeardet]

I knew that stage was going to be risky, didn't think it would be that bonkers.

[Glüc]

Hard not to be impressed by Van Aert. After dominating the first week of the tour and having to do lots of work yesterday, he bravely choose the attack today, first with some others, eventually on his own, spending more than 100 km ahead of the peloton. Seeing the yellow jersey on the attack on a flat stage, without any teammates is not something you see very often. It would have been an insane achievement had he succeeded on his mission. Sadly, he didn't and lost his first place in the standings. Instead, it was mostly the gc favourites that fought for the stage win in the end, with Pogacar showing why he is the favourite, taking the stage and the Maillot Jaune.

This means another good day for Naziun Cjovani with Pogacar and Vingegaard delivering the second day in a row where they scored the most points.

Meanwhile, BdC should be getting worried that they really don't have that many riders who are competing in the group of favourites, resulting for the first time in the last place of the day. We are still ahead, but I fear there may be more similar results coming, and Kinetic Racing is gaining ground due to Pidcock, Thomas and Quintana.

Standings after stage 6:

1. Banqeu da Cézembre KLüP TMT - 2575 (+340)
2. Kinetic Racing - 2136 (+458)
3. Naziun Cjovani - 1604 (+529)
4. Gordon Hiatus Support Team - 1373 (+356)

Tomorrow, the Talossan Cycling Association Tour starts in Tomblaine and then finally makes it to the mountains. Well, one mountain really, the somewhat ridiculously named "Super Planche des Belles Filles", where the finish lies. This is the first big test for the climbers and may tell us a lot about the results to come...

(from letour.fr)

[Glüc]

Another good Cjovani score incoming