slcbob

Surprise. Now there's a multi-race tally for the early season stage races. https://www.velogames.com/index_warm...nship_2023.php

Next stop, Oman on Saturday. Create your team by Friday or REAL early Saturday.

Despite being unceremoniously thrown off the GC podium in Valencia, GrainBrain has a top 2% standing in the GenPop and a commanding presence as the cream of the crap in our little league. Big thanks to his stellar attendance and consistently mediocre-or-better performance.

For those of who spotted him that lead by not showing up, rather than by showing up and picking poorly like me, feel free to join on in at league:
bike forums
league code: 877037911

There are only a couple of races in this warmup series. It's nowhere near the hellish commitment of the upcoming Superclasico that ooga-booga is looking forward to, giddy with

GrainBrain

In it to win it PCS has Meintjes as the second highest class rider at Oman? Hmm, I went with Formolo for the best a top that yonder green mountain. Hoping Jorgensen does well, him and Simmons are kind of hard to classify some days.

diphthong

there is a really weirdo patchwork of riders for tour of oman. can't wait.

GrainBrain

I've read too much into the results from the Muscat classic swapped some riders around - hope my Cavendish snub means he gets a good result.

slcbob

I'm going to regret not picking Ulissi. Again.

Oh well. Picks are in. We're on to Cleveland.




Though it may look more like this when it goes down.

GrainBrain

I'll be the later, swapping Merlier for Taaramäe

slcbob

Van Gils is well represented in our little league, compared to <20% overall.

Team Poetovi/SLO by Keka 76 is looking formidable today with the Herrada / Van Gils two-fer, plus a Jorgenson kicker, though may suffer if Lutsenko comes to life.

More desert ahead.

GrainBrain

Some sweet terrain in Oman! Great pick with Herrada, Cofidis is looking strong at the start of the season. Though there is a tufted one that lurks ...

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CokVZ..._web_copy_link

slcbob

Keka 76 is handily on top of our group and remains in the top 2% of the GenPop. Again, who is that guy, Sundance?

Our little island of misfit cycling prognosticators has a tremendous quality spread this session, from the 2nd to the 87th percentile as of today's stage 3.

Two more contests begin Wednesday (Algarve and Ruta del Sol) then the warm up champtionship ends in the UAE desert starting Monday.

GrainBrain

So good to see Jorgensen finally connect! Too bad I can't find coverage, Oman's terrain seems far, far more interesting then the Emirates. Whoever Keka is they have good taste. I'm hoping to see Jorgensen prevail tomorrow morning.

Adriā keeps getting my vote then floppin, meh.

I got Tufts for Ruta.

slcbob

28 V$ for Pog was too steep for me. I'm hoping to trip over the victory bar via a bevy of minor placings.

I found extended highlights for Oman on GCN. No full race replay but they were decent coverage, about 25 min each. As of late yesterday, stages 1 and 2 available but no stage 3 although it had been finished for ~8 hours.

slcbob

Oman is done and oh, man. A crushing BG leaguelette victory from Keka 76 and he's flying high in the top 1/2% (i.e. 0.5%) of the warm up championship overall. No wonder he doesn't have time to engage here, with all those post-race obligations that come along with that sort of performance.

Will Pogacar win all 5 stages in Algarve?

GrainBrain

A well deserved podium in Oman Bob with that inspired Herrada-Zingle pick plus that Langellotti pick!

I'm going to do better in Ruta I think. Tim Wellens is in peak form right now, I'll be sure to keep him in mind for the classics.

Mās can't catch a break can he!? Seems they caught him instead.

I think I flubbed Algarve. Kristoff is my hero.

slcbob

I swapped out Kristoff for Jakobsen last night before going to bed. Rock on!

GrainBrain

Magnus Cort! Wow!

slcbob

I wonder if he'll start spouting off about helicopter rides like he did last year. He's a character.

I've got a lot of time in the autobus del sol to ponder these things. I'm going full Lawson Craddock on this sucker.

GrainBrain

As much as I love to see Craddock out there, the cunning rider knows how to pluck out that win. Dani Martinez that was a statement! Wonderful, along with Fraile being led out by UAE. Good weekend for Ineos.

ooga-booga that was a wonderful result, 77 out of 2800! Great Fraile pick, we both had Narváez which turned out well. Caruso is looking great!

Seems like all the teams (professional cycling) are pretty equal this year.

GrainBrain

For UAE Tour I got spicy and put Soler down as my pick for GC. That TTT could give Soler a rare opportunity, and his climbing is good right now. Are we going to see UAE have a solid plan or just four guys trying to out climb each other?

GrainBrain

Turned on to the final KMs to see that Australian national champs jersey in the front echelon and my regrets for swapping him out. Didn't think Plapp could play with the other climbers but now he's got himself a minute lead! Bahrain certainly played stage one correctly!

GrainBrain

Oh my Soler down five minutes good thing I swapped out McNulty - ya owe me Brandon!