2018 Innsbruck World Championship Men's Road Race - 259km

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Cycling continues being the biggest joke in professional sports.

Don't cry when cyclists drop dead at a young age.

A bit rich coming from a Contador, Boonen and Gilbert fanbois LOL

 

[franic]

Re:

I'm pretty indifferent about Valverde, but based on his incredible career, he earned it the most out of those 4 to become world champion. So I'm happy about the outcome.

Overall this was a more than enjoyable race.

It could have been better without the Murito, IMHO. Anyway best WC since Florence

 

[RedheadDane]

Nice one Valverde!

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Re:

He was deserving it the most. The guy was on the pdium with Astarloa and PvP in 2003!!!

Speaking of Astarloa, Valverde looks more and more like him with his hair loss

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

And the most stunning thing was that Valverde played it really well.

stunning

'do nothing till sprint'

Obviously

Absolute bs. He was part of the most dangerous move on the climb. Worked hard on the descent and the flat to make sure Alaphilippe had no chance of getting back on. Allowing him to lead the final 2km, confident that he could lead the sprint out and still win.

It was tactically perfect.

99.9% agree. Maybe Bardet could have gone harder if he knew Alaphilippe wasn’t in shape

So heroic to do 2 half arsed pulls to keep back a rider you recked so badly he wouldn't win a sprint in a million years.

Woods and Bardet didn't ride to win. They rode to medal.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

****.

****. ****. ****.

Miserable old man, shatterer of dreams.

Might have been in doubt if Bardet hadn't dropped Alaphilippe. Or at least tried something before the sprint.

Tactical fail by France.

The Quick-Step guy, the so-called pre-race favorite doomed us.

Not really. If Alaphilippe would have been in the final group for the last 3km then he or Bardet would probably have won.

Bardet was left with no cards to play once he'd dropped Alaphilippe but not Valverde on the last climb.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

I'm pretty indifferent about Valverde, but based on his incredible career, he earned it the most out of those 4 to become world champion. So I'm happy about the outcome.

Overall this was a more than enjoyable race.

It could have been better without the Murito, IMHO. Anyway best WC since Florence

Oh yeah, that was too much indeed.

 

[burning]

Re: Re:

Cycling continues being the biggest joke in professional sports.

Don't cry when cyclists drop dead at a young age.

A bit rich coming from a Contador, Boonen and Gilbert fanbois LOL

Two of which never tested positive.

Again, don't cry when cyclists drop dead at a young age. I sure won't.

When did Valverde tested positive?

 

[meat puppet]

Almost as good as Vino winning at the britt biased olympics, new cleans era, so piti gets 4/5 troll factor.

Also rode well, did what needed doing.

 

[movingtarget]

A little surprised but not too much. Towards the end of the race it was starting to look inevitable that it was going to end in a sprint. Best sprinter/climber wins on the day. Great rides by Bardet and Woods. Not sure what happened to Dumoulin on the descent but he would not have won anyway.

 

[armchairclimber]

Re: Re:

Fantastic race to watch. Pleased for the old fella .... perfectly raced. Even though he beat my boy Bardet, I was very happy for him. Some nice CQ points too.

 

[Durden93]

Very happy for Rusty. He gave his best. Congrats to Bala. Would’ve liked to have seen more aggression in this race overall, but it was a great finale.

 

[Escarabajo]

I am happy for Valverde. Finally.

This is not the time to start discussing clinic stuff. Everyone knew the players and the favorites.

Valverde played it very well. So tactics was very good. Spanish team played as a team very well.

This was too much for Ala as expected TBH. Same for Kwiat.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Re:

Yeah, Valverde should thanks to stupid french fans to take out Nibali from this race

Since when has Nibali been as strong as Valverde on such a steep final climb?

 

[Der Effe]

Bala Bala Bala Bala

What a legend.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Wonder if Valverde will treat himself to some new hairplugs after this win.

 

[movingtarget]

Re: Re:

And the most stunning thing was that Valverde played it really well.

stunning

'do nothing till sprint'

Obviously

Absolute bs. He was part of the most dangerous move on the climb. Worked hard on the descent and the flat to make sure Alaphilippe had no chance of getting back on. Allowing him to lead the final 2km, confident that he could lead the sprint out and still win.

It was tactically perfect.

99.9% agree. Maybe Bardet could have gone harder if he knew Alaphilippe wasn’t in shape

So heroic to do 2 half arsed pulls to keep back a rider you recked so badly he wouldn't win a sprint in a million years.

Woods and Bardet didn't ride to win. They rode to medal.

The were never going to win a sprint against Valverde or drop him after the climb so what more could they do ?

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Very happy for Rusty. He gave his best. Congrats to Bala. Would’ve liked to have seen more aggression in this race overall, but it was a great finale.

I really hope Rusty wins a monument or a Tour stage or something big next year.

 

[Velolover2]

It's odd how it's always the same riders who get the hate in here: Froome, Valverde, Matthews, Gerrans, Porte..

While Nibali, Sagan, GVA, Yates bros, Gilbert, Contador are praised as saints.

It's getting tiresome, guys

 

[Poursuivant]

Race was over as soon as they couldn’t drop Valverde over the climb.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Man, I can't wait to see Bala bossin' the Ardennes classics in the stripes ☺

 

[Pharazon]

well there 6 hours of my life *** wasted..

why can't that old *** retire already?

 

[LaFlorecita]

Bit disappointed Bardet and Woods were happy to ride to the finish with Valverde

 

[krakenKE]

Great race with very deserved winner. Hell climb was brutal. Impresive performance by Valgren.

 

[franic]

Re: Re:

Yeah, Valverde should thanks to stupid french fans to take out Nibali from this race

Since when has Nibali been as strong as Valverde on such a steep final climb?

The race would have been different with Nibali in shape. Italy was riding for Moscon and he could not sustain an attack in the penultimate climb. Nibali could have seriously broken the race like in Rio