2017 Worlds BERGEN, NORWAY, RR ELITE, SUN 24th 277KM!

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I really don't understand why Viviani is considered a favorite. Maybe somebody can make a case for him.

I just saw the cyclingnews.com 10 favorites for the WC win.

He did win the Plouay classic by winning the sprint from a group of 46 riders. That's not an entirely unlikely scenario tomorrow. And he's been lethal the last few months. Might be showing a few signs of fading lately, though.

Last year he got cramps in the last kilometres even though the race hadn't been particularly difficult. Of course it was in a much hotter environment but I doubt he is suited to a race of such a length as the Worlds.

And anyway, it will be much too hard for him in any event.

In the unlikely scenario that he is in the group sprinting for the win, he will be the man to beat, obviously.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

but Colombia needs to make a hard race

Colombia is riding for Gaviria, so no, they don't need to make the race hard. Quite the contrary.

Gaviria is an amazing rider who has showed he can climb very well, he could be some kind of Sagan, and today Sagan doesnt look at his best, but if Colombia bet just for Gaviria some countries as France for Allaphillipe or Poland for Kiato will make the race hard to him and maybe not too hard for Uran, Henao, Pantano...(I think for Quintana is not a good race, and more if he is not at his best) but of course they are the strongest country

 

[Oude Geuze]

I have a feeling Dumoulin might actually win this solo. He's been preparing and peaking for the worlds like no one else, and I think the race will be very hard. I remember him climbing very well on multiple punchy climbs in the hammer series, and who could chase him on the flats in a severely reduced field? Only problem will be getting away on the incline without anyone staying with him. Someone will probably manage to do it. Or maybe I'm just too much of a fan boy.

 

[Taxus4a]

Looking at the women results, it is very similar to Ponferrada.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re:

I have a feeling Dumoulin might actually win this solo. He's been preparing and peaking for the worlds like no one else, and I think the race will be very hard. I remember him climbing very well on multiple punchy climbs in the hammer series, and who could chase him on the flats in a severely reduced field? Only problem will be getting away on the incline without anyone staying with him. Someone will probably manage to do it. Or maybe I'm just too much of a fan boy.

Of curse he is one of the favourites It would be a tactical finish IMO..he is very well now but it is difficult to think he can attacks on Salmon hill and drop everybody. The same for the rest, but he is maybe the most dangerous man now.

 

[Squire]

Major Tom needs to find his inner Lulu if he wants to win.

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

Really interested to see what Germany does without Degenkolb

The route is really hard, I cant imaging spriters fighten for this race...It is not bad for Sagan, Van Avermaet, Mathews,... but if someone makes the race hard it will be more for people of the Lieje

It's not THAT hard, certainly not like liege. More like msr. If the weather is nice, i can imagine gaviria, kristoff, etc in a reduced sprint. By the way, I live in Bergen and am currently going nuts trying to decide where to watch it. Where would you stand?

MSR if it would be flat with 2 laps...but there are 11 laps and 267 Km, of course there are not the % gradient of Lieje, but there are 22 climbs, 11 of them of 4 Km.
It is the kind of circuit that could be hard if someone make the race hard. Sturgart want hard, everybody expected Freire and Cancellara, but Italy decided to make it hard the sacrified Rebellin for Bettini and it was a Liege result. And here it is at least as hard as Sturgart.
Under 23 are people in some cases who rode The Vuelta a España, and they make 100 Km less, and the race was even quite selective... yes, Elite is another level and stronger teams, but for those guys as Cortina who almost win a stage at the Vuelta, 191 Km it is not a very long race to make it very selective.


Anyway looking at the races on TV, I thought it would be a little bit selective, the clibs are quite fast and the final part more flat than I thought, but anyway it would be hard at the end

And where did you get that everybody expected Freire and especially Cancellara win in Stuttgart?!!! It was a course for the puncheurs, for guys like Bettini, Valverde, Rebellin, Di Luca, Schumacher, Cunego... Freire had an outside chance, but Cancellara had none! And Stuttgart was harder than Bergen.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

I really don't understand why Viviani is considered a favorite. Maybe somebody can make a case for him.

I just saw the cyclingnews.com 10 favorites for the WC win.

He did win the Plouay classic by winning the sprint from a group of 46 riders. That's not an entirely unlikely scenario tomorrow. And he's been lethal the last few months. Might be showing a few signs of fading lately, though.

Plouay is not flat, and quite difficult for pure sprinters with that short but hard climb at just 4 Km to the finish, but the race has half the total slope of Bergen. But of course if they do a soft race Viviani has his chances...not in normal condition IMO, just with 4000 m he has to drop at the end even with a soft race as Halvorsen did in U23.
I think he will not finish.

 

[Taxus4a]

Re: Re:

[quote="

And where did you get that everybody expected Freire and especially Cancellara win in Stuttgart?!!! It was a course for the puncheurs, for guys like Bettini, Valverde, Rebellin, Di Luca, Schumacher, Cunego... Freire had an outside chance, but Cancellara had none! And Stuttgart was harder than Bergen.[/quote]

Cancellara had just destroyed the clock on the ITT and he was a rider who was the previous year 5th in Zurich, a quite hard clasic. He was maybe consider as a possibility, more that a favourite, but I remerber well how it was a surprise the race was so selective.

Harder??

 

[Frankschleck]

my last wildcard is gonna be lutsenko

 

[Blanco]

Re: Re:

[quote="

And where did you get that everybody expected Freire and especially Cancellara win in Stuttgart?!!! It was a course for the puncheurs, for guys like Bettini, Valverde, Rebellin, Di Luca, Schumacher, Cunego... Freire had an outside chance, but Cancellara had none! And Stuttgart was harder than Bergen.

Cancellara had just destroyed the clock on the ITT and he was a rider who was the previous year 5th in Zurich, a quite hard clasic. He was maybe consider as a possibility, more that a favourite, but I remerber well how it was a surprise the race was so selective.

Harder??

[/quote]

Yes, harder! Similar amount of climbing, with steeper climbs in Stuttgart, and with major difference, an uphill finish. So definitely harder for me.

 

[classicomano]

I definitely remember Freire being talked about as the dead on favorite in Stuttgart, especially after the U23 race ended in a bunch sprint.

 

[sir fly]

Not sure whether Freire was considered for a favourite due to his Worlds pedigree and fans' wish to see record breaking victory, or was it an objective estimate.
I remember him showing that season nice climbing abilities during the spring (Tirreno reference).

 

[Durden93]

My prediction which will undoubtedly flop:

1. Sagan
2. Kwiatko
3. GVA (original, I know).

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Stybar ftw

 

[rick james]

Stuck in work al day and will miss this race

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Race starts 10:05 local. Hoping for nasty wet and windy conditions, the type which suits Bergen.

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Re:

Terrible forecast; sunny, dry, little wind and temperatures between 15-20 °C.
https://www.yr.no/place/Norway/Hordaland/Bergen/Bergen/hour_by_hour.html

Or https://www.storm.no/134651168/2017-09-24...

 

[frisenfruitig]

Curious to see what the Belgian team is going to do. We need a hard race but I'm not sure if they'll be willing to sacrifice their chances for GVA or Gilbert. We need to make the race hard as early as possible but who is going to be willing to do it?

 

[HelloDolly]

Re:

Curious to see what the Belgian team is going to do. We need a hard race but I'm not sure if they'll be willing to sacrifice their chances for GVA or Gilbert. We need to make the race hard as early as possible but who is going to be willing to do it?

Hopefully all of them...its what being in a team is all about
Their DSs must surely have all scenarios covered...they are afterall professionals

 

[Jagartrott]

Just FYI, this is GVA 11th consecutive WCC with the pro's (and he finished all 11).

 

[Pirazziattacks]

Re:

I don't understand that French team at all. Gallopin could be a small chance, maybe Alapaphilippe from the right move. Apart from that I'm not really sure why half the other guys are even there. Surely they would've been better off bringing a sprinter.

Curious to see what the Belgian team is going to do. We need a hard race but I'm not sure if they'll be willing to sacrifice their chances for GVA or Gilbert. We need to make the race hard as early as possible but who is going to be willing to do it?

You'd assume Vermote/Naesen/Keukeleire will be the guys doing the early work, but I can see a bit of confusion ensuing when it comes to working out who does what with the rest of the team. GVA, Gilbert, Wellens, Teuns, Benoot and Stuyven are all accustomed to being the protected rider, it's not going to be easy to get them all on the same page.

 

[Tarnum]

They passed km 0 but are still neutralized because a Finnish rider crashed.

 

[Singer01]

The peloton looks bizarre with all the different jerseys. i like it.

 

[Popchu]

Re: Re:

I don't understand that French team at all. Gallopin could be a small chance, maybe Alapaphilippe from the right move. Apart from that I'm not really sure why half the other guys are even there. Surely they would've been better off bringing a sprinter.

Curious to see what the Belgian team is going to do. We need a hard race but I'm not sure if they'll be willing to sacrifice their chances for GVA or Gilbert. We need to make the race hard as early as possible but who is going to be willing to do it?

You'd assume Vermote/Naesen/Keukeleire will be the guys doing the early work, but I can see a bit of confusion ensuing when it comes to working out who does what with the rest of the team. GVA, Gilbert, Wellens, Teuns, Benoot and Stuyven are all accustomed to being the protected rider, it's not going to be easy to get them all on the same page.

Naesen is more protected than Wellens, Teuns, Benoot and Stuyven.