2015 Richmond WCRR features cobbles!

[Arredondo]

Gilbert, GvA, Degenkolb, Kristoff, Matthews, Gerrans, Valverde, Bouhanni, Kwiat, Terpstra, Sagan....

So many possible winners. And i haven't mentioned guys like Stybar.

 

[barmaher]

Boonen, Vanmarcke, Terpstra, Gallopin, Boom, Thomas, Ulissi, EBH, Roelandts, Phinney, Swift.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Boonen, Vanmarcke, Terpstra, Gallopin, Boom, Thomas, Ulissi, EBH, Roelandts, Phinney, Swift.

Can't see it. I think the hills will end up making the selection more than the cobbles. Valverde will finish ahead of nearly all those guys. Sagan and Matthews should be in the mix as well.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I live in richmond and ima tell yall now this is gone one HARD WCRR!! its not gone be a bunch sprint.

Of course no, it is quite hard but not for climbers not siilar to Horner, no way.
People as Valverde has his options, but not the big favourite. People as uran has ittle opcion, but has, he was in fac second in Londo, but Purito has any chance.

There are lot of cobble section, climbing, little downhill and in flat. The flat cobble section is really long, but it is soft, and the hard part, in little downhill, is short.

But all together, the climbs and the coblles will be a hard parcours.

 

[Brullnux]

I think the course will be for the people who do well at Ronde and the people who do well at Amstel. The hills are steep but not long, and the cobbles aren't that hard but decently difficult. 2011 Gilbert would be all over this.

Edit: worth mentioning there is 1648m of climbing over 259 km. Ronde has 1693m of climbing over 259km. Very similar figures. Only difference is that Ronde cobbles are harder and this finish in Richmond is more similar to a shortened Amstel.

 

[Velolover2]

Can we get a detailed profile of the road with gradients and the cobbled sections?

 

[Velolover2]

Heard something about a cobbled descent. Has that even been tried before?

 

[Billie]

the so called cobbles make espace crupelandt look like Arenberg so doubt they'll have any role. Maybe cause some crashes if it rains. Nothing more

 

[rghysens]

Re:

I think the course will be for the people who do well at Ronde and the people who do well at Amstel. The hills are steep but not long, and the cobbles aren't that hard but decently difficult. 2011 Gilbert would be all over this.

Edit: worth mentioning there is 1648m of climbing over 259 km. Ronde has 1693m of climbing over 259km. Very similar figures. Only difference is that Ronde cobbles are harder and this finish in Richmond is more similar to a shortened Amstel.

The most difficult about the hills in the Ronde is the fight for a good position on narrow, sinuous roads towards those hills.
If the roads in Richmond are relatively wide and straightforward it will be a reduced bunch sprint

 

[Enrico Gimondi]

Team USA was announced today:

Brent Bookwalter (Asheville, N.C./BMC Racing Team)
Tyler Farrar (Seattle, Wash./MTN-Qhubeka)
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Ben King (North Garden, Va./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./BMC Racing Team)
(Final spot to be named by Sept. 11)

 

[TMP402]

Re: Re:

Boonen, Vanmarcke, Terpstra, Gallopin, Boom, Thomas, Ulissi, EBH, Roelandts, Phinney, Swift.

Can't see it. I think the hills will end up making the selection more than the cobbles. Valverde will finish ahead of nearly all those guys. Sagan and Matthews should be in the mix as well.

I wouldn't dismiss Swift. His wins in the last few years usually seem to come when 2nd goes to Valverde or Kwiatkowski and at least one other GT winner makes the top 10. See how he goes in the Tour of Britain.

 

[robin440]

I really hope for an exiting race. Hopefully not copenhagen again.

 

[Gigs_98]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

 

[robin440]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I think the course will be for the people who do well at Ronde and the people who do well at Amstel. The hills are steep but not long, and the cobbles aren't that hard but decently difficult. 2011 Gilbert would be all over this.

Edit: worth mentioning there is 1648m of climbing over 259 km. Ronde has 1693m of climbing over 259km. Very similar figures. Only difference is that Ronde cobbles are harder and this finish in Richmond is more similar to a shortened Amstel.

Yes, is like that, even San Remo, it is the dreamed world for people as: Degenkolb, Kristoff, Sagan, Van Avermaet, Boonen (Cancellara, but he wont be),...

 

[Gigs_98]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

He isnt able to win agains extremely weak sprinters in the vuelta and he wont be as rested as riders like Sagan because he might do the whole Vuelta. Ofc still possible but he definitely is not in my top 5

 

[Bushman]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

He isnt able to win agains extremely weak sprinters in the vuelta and he wont be as rested as riders like Sagan because he might do the whole Vuelta. Ofc still possible but he definitely is not in my top 5

He hasn't been sprinting well for the entire year. In the spring he was beaten by Lobato twice in mano-a-mano but beat Valverde on an uphill sprint and then he went on to win MSR and Roubaix.

He has definitely been focusing on his endurance this year so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on his poor sprint results in the Vuelta.

 

[BigMac]

Re:

Team USA was announced today:

Brent Bookwalter (Asheville, N.C./BMC Racing Team)
Tyler Farrar (Seattle, Wash./MTN-Qhubeka)
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Ben King (North Garden, Va./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./BMC Racing Team)
(Final spot to be named by Sept. 11)

Craddock deserves that spot. He's got back on form and right now is killing himself working for Dumoulin in Spain. Good rider on the flat and even better uphill, he would be US's best all-round domestique. Bt oh well, there's not much justice in this world, so I don't get my hopes up.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Re:

Team USA was announced today:

Brent Bookwalter (Asheville, N.C./BMC Racing Team)
Tyler Farrar (Seattle, Wash./MTN-Qhubeka)
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Ben King (North Garden, Va./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./BMC Racing Team)
(Final spot to be named by Sept. 11)

I hope to hell Taylor (no not the one with the glasses) can take this.... It would be fantastic.

 

[Taxus4a]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

He isnt able to win agains extremely weak sprinters in the vuelta and he wont be as rested as riders like Sagan because he might do the whole Vuelta. Ofc still possible but he definitely is not in my top 5

He hasn't been sprinting well for the entire year. In the spring he was beaten by Lobato twice in mano-a-mano but beat Valverde on an uphill sprint and then he went on to win MSR and Roubaix.

He has definitely been focusing on his endurance this year so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on his poor sprint results in the Vuelta.

That Lobato was really strong.

Degenkolb won a hard final I think it was in Oman or over there, it was impressive.

This Degenkob cant win in Richmond, but maybe we will see another rider.

 

[robin440]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

He isnt able to win agains extremely weak sprinters in the vuelta and he wont be as rested as riders like Sagan because he might do the whole Vuelta. Ofc still possible but he definitely is not in my top 5

He hasn't been sprinting well for the entire year. In the spring he was beaten by Lobato twice in mano-a-mano but beat Valverde on an uphill sprint and then he went on to win MSR and Roubaix.

He has definitely been focusing on his endurance this year so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on his poor sprint results in the Vuelta.

That Lobato was really strong.

Degenkolb won a hard final I think it was in Oman or over there, it was impressive.

This Degenkob cant win in Richmond, but maybe we will see another rider.

Another Degenkolb or what?

 

[LPP68!]

Degenkolb won a hard final I think it was in Oman or over there, it was impressive.

That was the Hatta-dam stage in Dubai. That was impressive indeed! He had to work for it though

source: http://pedalitout.com/post/110965545235/john-degenkolb-johndegenkolb-gave-it-everything

 

[WildspokeJoe]

Re:

Team USA was announced today:

Brent Bookwalter (Asheville, N.C./BMC Racing Team)
Tyler Farrar (Seattle, Wash./MTN-Qhubeka)
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Ben King (North Garden, Va./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./BMC Racing Team)
(Final spot to be named by Sept. 11)

Team USA will be invisible.

 

[Sciatic]

Re:

Team USA was announced today:

Brent Bookwalter (Asheville, N.C./BMC Racing Team)
Tyler Farrar (Seattle, Wash./MTN-Qhubeka)
Alex Howes (Boulder, Colo./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Ben King (North Garden, Va./Cannondale-Garmin Pro Cycling)
Taylor Phinney (Boulder, Colo./BMC Racing Team)
(Final spot to be named by Sept. 11)

Ian Boswell?

 

[Bushman]

When I looked on the route my first thought was "Sagan" because this looks so perfect for him. However Sagan is very talented to get 2nd so maybe Matthews or GvA are more likely.

Degenkolb?

He isnt able to win agains extremely weak sprinters in the vuelta and he wont be as rested as riders like Sagan because he might do the whole Vuelta. Ofc still possible but he definitely is not in my top 5

He hasn't been sprinting well for the entire year. In the spring he was beaten by Lobato twice in mano-a-mano but beat Valverde on an uphill sprint and then he went on to win MSR and Roubaix.

He has definitely been focusing on his endurance this year so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on his poor sprint results in the Vuelta.

That Lobato was really strong.

Degenkolb won a hard final I think it was in Oman or over there, it was impressive.

This Degenkob cant win in Richmond, but maybe we will see another rider.

Did you even read my post?
That was my exact point