2011 Copenhagen World Championships: Elite Men Road Race

[Michielveedeebee]

Why with all these people complaing about sprinters never getting a chance, what about climbers and cobbled specialists?

That's what I said.

 

[hatcher]

Why with all these people complaing about sprinters never getting a chance, what about climbers and cobbled specialists?

Er nobody is complaining sprinters never get a chance, people are complaining that sprinters do occasionally get a chance.

I bet all those in favour of the occasional sprinter course would be delighted with cobbled and mountain races to.

 

[William H]

Why with all these people complaing about sprinters never getting a chance, what about climbers and cobbled specialists?

The world road race courses tend to suit the cobbled specialists pretty well even if they lack cobbles. After all Boonen, Ballan and Hushovd have all won, and Cancellara is usually thereabouts even if he's never got a medal.

A course for the true climbers would be nice, but it's tough when the format is usually an urban circuit

 

[El Pistolero]

The world road race courses tend to suit the cobbled specialists pretty well even if they lack cobbles. After all Boonen, Ballan and Hushovd have all won, and Cancellara is usually thereabouts even if he's never got a medal.

A course for the true climbers would be nice, but it's tough when the format is usually an urban circuit

But that's because these guys aren't one trick ponies. Even Van Petegem(which you could call a one trick pony) got bronze and silver at the WC in his career.

Boonen can time trial a fair bit(won Flanders 2006 solo and Roubaix 2009 solo after Hushovd's crash), good sprinter(always handy in one day races) and can get over hills(2005 WC was a hilly course).

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Why with all these people complaing about sprinters never getting a chance, what about climbers and cobbled specialists?

Agreed. I'm not the one arguing for some mythical 'fair' course where everyone has a chance but really Thor, Fab, Phil, Cadel or Piti will win. Spread the love a little more.

 

[GroupDK]

I just bothered watching the last 5K.......................
no splits, no attacks, no selection , no nothing
and I thought the women's race was boring

come on..the last 5k.

If anything should happen on todays course, it wouldnt be in the last 5k.

thats pretty obvius..

 

[El Pistolero]

Er nobody is complaining sprinters never get a chance, people are complaining that sprinters do occasionally get a chance.

I bet all those in favour of the occasional sprinter course would be delighted with cobbled and mountain races to.

They get plenty of chances. More than any other type of cyclist.

There's 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011!

Not all sprinters are one trick ponies like Cavendish.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Sprinters already get their reward in the form of FAR, FAR more chances to win than anybody else, even before they start modifying points jersey systems to give them more achievements.

Climbers have become a huge part of modern cycling, so the discipline needs to be rewarded by giving them a chance of winning the WCs, so let's put them going up and down a cat.1 climb so Contador can win and the UCI can have a self-congratulatory circle jerk for getting a great rider into the rainbow stripes, I mean after all it's not like he wins that much anyway.

I don't think that there'd be anything wrong with having a WC with a big climb, and I certainly don't think there'd be the same chorus of whining you see here any time there's a sprinter's race.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't think that there'd be anything wrong with having a WC with a big climb, and I certainly don't think there'd be the same chorus of whining you see here any time there's a sprinter's race.

That's because people like that kind of racing more. It's evidenced in the viewing rates of flat Tour stages compared to mountain stages.

 

[hatcher]

They get plenty of chances. More than any other type of cyclist.

There's 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011!

Not all sprinters are one trick ponies like Cavendish.

Oh my god. In what world was that the point being made? Show me people complaining that sprinters never get a chance?

Nevermind. I give up.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't think that there'd be anything wrong with having a WC with a big climb, and I certainly don't think there'd be the same chorus of whining you see here any time there's a sprinter's race.

If we did see the occasional cobbled WC, or WC with a big climb, I'd moan less about them having pure sprinters' courses in the WC. As it is, though, it varies between "fairly hilly" and "if you're not a sprinter you might as well not show up".

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh my god. In what world was that the point being made? Show me people complaining that sprinters never get a chance?

Nevermind. I give up.

9 sprinter WC in the last 12 years or so isn't what I call occasionally, but most of the time. One lap was enough for this WC. Why did they make it 270km? I ask you, why?

 

[palmerq]

I like the way the world championship goes round a ciity circuit it's cool, this one wasn't so good but the finish was slightly interesting... I dont think they should go around making world championships for specific riders, it's stupid to make it for a pure sprinter or climber, I think it should always be a tough and demanding route which means it will probably have a lot of hills for me it strikes the best balance, although maybe that would get boring after and while and I am sure if my favourite rider was a sprinter I would want flat courses all the time... so who knows.

 

[GroupDK]

CAV also stated the first time he saw the course that its was almost perfect suited for him and it was GB best chance for a WC in 48 years or something like that.

so can really come as any supprise that its the best sprinter, who takes it.

It was in the card, and also the signals from the last few days races..

anyway, fully deserve win for CAV...

and big congrats to GB for a perfectly and tight edited race, and clearly got the best national team on flat at the writing moment.....

 

[Maxiton]

Hey Australia, good job leaving home the best lead-out man in the business. If ****ing stupid decisions won the WC's, you would be wearing the rings for the next year. As it stands, Goss got a silver. Ridiculous.

yup. ****ing stupid is right.

They ought to give serious thought to *firing* the idiot who made that decision. Doesn't bode well.

 

[Barca1]

I can't believe how many bitter people are on this forum...

So it was a sprint finish, so what? So the best sprinter won in the world, so what? I would hope the best sprinter in the world would win the world championships if the course suited a sprint finish. Just as much as I would expect the best climber to win, should it be a hilly course.

Going by the posts here, the UCI should just do away with flat courses as by the sounds of it, flat terrain doesn't really exist in the real world. The Grand Tours should only have hilly/mountain stages. Either that or should we expect a route to suit only a riders like Gilbert, Contador or Evans? Cycling consists of many disciplines, climbers, sprinters, puncheurs etc, this years suited a sprinter and the best man won.

The British team did a tremendous effort in trying to control the race and it showed that it was a team effort.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The UCI should indeed do away with flat courses. Either that or they insist on cobbling places or installing wind turbines.

If they're going to just have a flat parade ahead of the bunch sprint, why make it so long? Why not just have the sprint straight away, and then be done in time for lunch and a beer?

 

[simonk]

Great race actually imo. I didnt thought Cavendish could win, but he proved me wrong. Very deserved. Now it ended in a large group sprinting for the victory, it is the best Cav wins, cause he is just the best. The worlds best sprinter is now the World Champ. I dont complain about we have a World Championship once in a while where the sprinters also have there chance.

I think its been a really good World Championship in every way. And wow there was a lot of people out there today.. 100.000 more than last year in the elite RR in Australia! Amazing.

This week have been amazing for me. Having the World Championship in Denmark have been.. Cant describe it. A week full of FANTASTIC moments.

 

[El Pistolero]

Why not make the Worlds 12km long? Still waiting for the first good answer.

 

[simonk]

I can't believe how many bitter people are on this forum...

So it was a sprint finish, so what? So the best sprinter won in the world, so what? I would hope the best sprinter in the world would win the world championships if the course suited a sprint finish. Just as much as I would expect the best climber to win, should it be a hilly course.

Going by the posts here, the UCI should just do away with flat courses as by the sounds of it, flat terrain doesn't really exist in the real world. The Grand Tours should only have hilly/mountain stages. Either that or should we expect a route to suit only a riders like Gilbert, Contador or Evans? Cycling consists of many disciplines, climbers, sprinters, puncheurs etc, this years suited a sprinter and the best man won.

The British team did a tremendous effort in trying to control the race and it showed that it was a team effort.

INDEED!! Great post.

 

[El Pistolero]

In 6 months time we again get a flat championship! Can't wait

 

[BillytheKid]

My apologies to Farrar. He was caught in that crash and still managed a 10th.
Yes, a return to course with nice climb would be alright with me.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It probably translates better from the roadside, but on the TV that race was weak.

The finish was fairly interesting, but it was your typical flat stage - dull for a while then an interesting finish. Certainly didn't have the sense of occasion that said "World championships" - at least not from the riders.

The sprint was OK, and the right man for the situation won, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a really boring race up until that point, and shouldn't be called out on it.

 

[MajorTom]

It was a solid race but nothing more Great Britain totally deserved to win.

 

[woodenswan]

ain't nothing wrong with a race like this. nice win for Cav.
only one thing on my mind though: the annual post Lombardia depression. its coming. I'm already craving ice cream