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Autumn Classics

About to go live with this soon. First race is San Sebastian this weekend followed by a long break. Including a few Pro level races, but won't be including any teams below Pro level. Details like profiles and distances will be updated when races draw nearer and routes are decided.

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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46 comments

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Dr Winston | 2 years ago
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Just to add to the previous post. I Just looked at the seasons ending next year.... oh dear... it looks even thinner than I thought as races return to their previous slots. 

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11waterloo replied to Dr Winston | 2 years ago
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They need us to sort it out!

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Dr Winston | 2 years ago
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To quote the current UK PM. 

Does anybody else like where Paris Roubaix was placed in this years calander?... I really like it as it seems to have offered a "levelling up" of the season. The cycling season has been quite heavily front loaded for the past few years... I just think it's added a lot of balance without being detrimental to the race itself. 

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11waterloo replied to Dr Winston | 2 years ago
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I agree, it does add a bit of balance to the season. Elevating more of the current series of Italian semi- classics to World Tour level, effectively creating a week of WT races starting with the Giro dell'Emilio and finishing with Lombardia, might also improve the season end without disrupting the calendar (possibly having an overall team prize?) The argument against moving P-R is that the current calendar allows the specialists to train for a specific few weeks before handing the baton over to the lightweight Ardennes riders but I believe the current trend is for riders to be less pigeonholed and I've not heard any riders saying lack of preparation was a problem. All good food for thought! 

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Sniffer replied to 11waterloo | 2 years ago
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I like the idea of making more of the Italian races.  Really good field for Milan - Turin yesterday.

Northern Europe 1 days dominate the spring (MSR and Strade Bianche excepted) and Italy dominating October in 1 day WT events makes sense.

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11waterloo replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
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The TV coverage of the Italian autumn races always tends to be a bit patchy as well (Tre Valli Varesine missed out this year in the UK). World Tour status for all the races would rectify this and make for an excellent season end in Europe - especially as the week would culminate in a monument. 

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Dr Winston replied to Sniffer | 2 years ago
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The Italian races are really good... and improved with some fabulous, and deep, line ups this year. 

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11waterloo replied to Dr Winston | 2 years ago
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Yes - picking a team for M-T & Lombardia is a nighttime with so many big names!

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Dr Winston replied to 11waterloo | 2 years ago
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Maybe beefing up the end of the season has contributed to teams, In general, keeping riders in top form for the latter part of the season. I think this final few races have been really strong line ups with far less riders opting for an early finish to their programmes. Far less of an "after the Lord Mayor's show" feel to things. 

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Aragonite | 2 years ago
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Missed another of the Autumn Classics, Still lying 25th after missing a couple of the races. Must of been in with a chance of winning this if I'd only made all the deadlines. What a numpty I am.  1

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Aragonite | 2 years ago
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This years Paris-Roubaix was the most extreme cycling conditions since Paolini's win in the 2015 Gent-Wevelgem, in my opinion. Anyone think of worse?

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mdavidford replied to Aragonite | 2 years ago
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Tour Down Under being ridden in 45+C seems pretty extreme to me. And that's probably going to become the rule rather than the exception.

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Aragonite replied to mdavidford | 2 years ago
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Won't happen with the extreme weather protocols now in place.

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mdavidford replied to Aragonite | 2 years ago
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It already has happened - stages were shortened, but still went ahead. The EWP seems to be a bit of a moveable feast.

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11waterloo replied to Aragonite | 2 years ago
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I remember terrible weather for Kuurne Brussels Kuurne a few years back ( looked it up & it was 2010) Only 26 finishers and my abiding memory is Stijn Devolder being taken down by a large plastic bin blowing across the road! 

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Dr Winston replied to Aragonite | 2 years ago
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It was a great race. Despite all the views of it becoming a lottery it was telling that the final three included MVDP and the European champion who has been on fantastic form. The cream really does rise to the top quite often. 

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mrpt5 | 2 years ago
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Tad pissed off about the wholesale roster changes a couple of hours after I did my team.

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Condor Andy replied to mrpt5 | 2 years ago
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I'm a tad pissed off that the final roster wasn't confirmed until 5pm this evening, but it is what it is. I updated the start list when I knew who was riding.

Some of these races don't confirm the start list until quite late so always a good idea to keep an eye on First Cycling or PCS to see when they finalise it. 

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11waterloo replied to Condor Andy | 2 years ago
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I really don't envy your job. Whatever the frustrations as a player, they are insignificant compared to getting a start list out when so many teams leave it so late (looking at you EFE!) Keep up the good work! 

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Condor Andy replied to 11waterloo | 2 years ago
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Cheers man  1

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Dr Winston replied to mrpt5 | 2 years ago
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Mmmm... that's a bit strong. It's a tough call for Andy to keep on top of it. Just looking at Milan-Torino and  they still haven't fully completed the roster and the race starts in the morning. 

It's hard but we have to factor in just how slack some of the teams are in announcing their teams and how slow some of the organisers are. It's not like FPL where the teams are announced exactly and strictly one hour before kick off.

Best thing to do is look on PCS>Race>Start list.... if it has a tick against a team then that's confirmed... if not then it's still a tentative line up. 

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Daniel Norton | 2 years ago
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Does anyone have a definitive list of which remaining Classics are actually taking place?  Is it the Belgian/Italian ones and the monuments?

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Daniel Norton replied to Daniel Norton | 2 years ago
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Scrap that question.  I'll just assume if they are cancelled, they won't be on upcoming events on procyclingstats

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Condor Andy replied to Daniel Norton | 2 years ago
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Haven't heard of anymore cancellations yet, but I'll keep my eyes peeled.

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Daniel Norton | 2 years ago
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Andy,

Are you aware of why so few of us entered the Autumn Classics race?  If I'd been closer to the top in the overall, I would have been crying.  We didn't get the email telling us there was a new competition (at least I didn't).  Obviously missed the first stage as a result.

Not sure why but thought I'd let you know.

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Condor Andy replied to Daniel Norton | 2 years ago
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Yes, Dave said there was an unfortunate glitch that pinged everyone with a load of emails so they had to turn off email updates and it just happened to coincide with Autumn Classics going live. Dave got it fixed before Pologne and the Vuelta, but there were quite a few who missed the classics. I did suggest cancelling and starting another one, but it didn't go anywhere. It was in another thread on the forum.

There's not much I can do, I just volunteer to admin the game, I don't have any control over the background stuff.

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Daniel Norton replied to Condor Andy | 2 years ago
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Fair enough.  As long as the top 2 didn't get caught out, then it will be a fair result in the end.

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tony kappler | 2 years ago
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Now 7am Down Under. I'll get onto scoring and start lists. And for Vuelta.

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Condor Andy | 2 years ago
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I'm going to look at updating the start list for tomorrow now, but I have patchy Internet and only a phone. I'm away and back on Monday so scoring might be delayed.

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Condor Andy replied to Condor Andy | 2 years ago
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Actually scratch that, if I update the start list now without today's stage being checked out then it'll change the start list for that race too. Just select "show all riders" and look up the teams yourself is my suggestion. I wish I could do more, but it's not possible for me right now.

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