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

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Was anyone else listening to the uci commentary? I found it somewhat annoying that they kept talking about Dumoulin. Why would Valverde have been afraid of letting Tom, who was riding full gas and doesn’t have a great sprint, into the finale?

If Dumoulin was fresh (and smart) enough to attack on the opposite barrier full gas, Valverde would have had to respond. Even if the attack didn't stick it could have been enough of a launchpad for Woods or Bardet to get around and beat him.

That’s fair. My thinking was that it would have been unwise for Valverde to ride hard at the front to prevent Dumoulin from joining. His best move imo was to slow down somewhat and rest for the sprint. Even if a bunch of other riders came back he’d still have the best sprint.

He wouldn't have known what the gap was to Alaphillipe, the one guy with a realistic chance of beating him in a sprint.

 

[Stella0596]

Haha why are they playing the anthem for the team classification

 

[DanielSong39]

What else is there to say, Valverde is one of the great riders of his generation.

It's about time people recognized that cycling is more than just the Tour de France or the three Grand Tours.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

I sometimes wonder if commentators on here have ever pushed themselves to the limit physically. Accusing pro riders of throwing in the towel and settling for 2nd and 3rd is amusing. Sometimes you have nothing left and whatever you do/try is doomed.

As others said, once the gap was established and Valverde was in the leaders group, he held all the cards. With the riders coming up from behind, bardet and woods had no chance to win if they were caught. At least with such a small group they had a glimmer of hope.

 

[Sestriere]

There you make it all the way to Innsbruck to see Nibali win and in the end you get Valverde...

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

What else is there to say, Valverde is one of the great riders of his generation.

It's about time people recognized that cycling is more than just the Tour de France or the three Grand Tours.

Before this race Valverde had won two out of nine of the biggest races. This win really does elevate him, it's what he needed in terms of palmares.

 

[Brullnux]

Glorified hill climb championships. Like one of those Vuelta stages, just a bit longer. Disappointed but not surprised

 

[dacooley]

Great race and well-deserved winner. All who thinks differently - just love cycling in yourself instead of loving yourself in cycling - and life will get easier.

Valverde clearly got considered the legend even with no wc gold medal, but this win obviously solidifies his legacy

 

[LaFlorecita]

Re:

What else is there to say, Valverde is one of the great riders of his generation.

It's about time people recognized that cycling is more than just the Tour de France or the three Grand Tours.

are there people who don't consider for example Boonen and Cancellara legends of the sport

 

[Frankschleck]

Dumb France tactics. Who was the belgian rider who blew just after Kreueziger? Ben Hermans?

 

[luckyboy]

Did the Dutch women go home already or something? 6/7 medals were won by them but only the men were on the stage to take the 'best nation' award lol...

 

[greenedge]

Congrats to Valverde, he seemed so assured and it's great to see him finally win. Yes his form at the Vuelta declined, but he rode a long season and his form was superb for much of the race and his experience allowed him to prepare for this race the best. I think people should have been more worried by Fleche, but compared to Alaphilippe he has more endurance in a race with so much climbing and it was a longer race, and all the other favourites had lesser sprints.

Quite surprised by Simon Yates failing to be up there, but he's never really ridden well after one GT straight after it.

Congrats to Bardet and Woods, both of whom outperformed expectations- not the obvious leader/ or I didn't think their Vuelta win against a breakaway was sufficient to label him one of the more obvious favourites. I wonder what would have happened if Bardet was on Valverde's wheel, instead of Woods'?

Lastly, a great end of the season for Dumoulin, the rider of the year in my books. Hopefully next year he can get a big win again.

 

[KyoGrey]

Re: 2018 Innsbruck World Championship Men's Road Race - 259k

 

[DanielSong39]

There are people who didn't consider Valverde as one of the legends and I think that's just wrong. He's won a ton of big one-day races and 1-week stage races to go along with his 4 monuments (and now 1 world championship), and also topped the UCI year-end rankings 4 times.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

Did the Dutch women go home already or something? 6/7 medals were won by them but only the men were on the stage to take the 'best nation' award lol...

Did they all fight each other to try to get to the front of the podium?

 

[topcat]

Nibali can still win though, can't he?
Bravo Valverde. My second favourite rider won and he played it brilliantly.
Some amusing sour grapes here from but hurt posters.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Would have liked to see this race without the Höll climb. We only saw about a handful of half-hearted attempts before. Think it could have been a selective parcours even racing only the Igls circuit.

 

[DFA123]

I guess this race was confirmation again that one day specialists > GT specialists, even in one day races with the profile of a tough GT mountain stage. 7 of the top 10 are undoubtedly more one day racers - and you could make an argument that Pinot and Bardet are better one day riders than they are stage racers these days.

Dumoulin the only real GT specialist who troubled the top 10.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

Would have liked to see this race without the Höll climb. We only saw about a handful of half-hearted attempts before. Think it could have been a selective parcours even racing only the Igls circuit.

Anyone would have liked to see that

Apart from the media who havr been jerking off on that climb for weeks

 

[Carols]

Re: 2018 Innsbruck World Championship Men's Road Race - 259k

I just got to finish watching the race.....OMG Bala, my Bala!!! 38 years old, simply amazing! Wow Just Wow!!!!

 

[42x16ss]

Re:

Would have liked to see this race without the Höll climb. We only saw about a handful of half-hearted attempts before. Think it could have been a selective parcours even racing only the Igls circuit.

I thought the climb was fine, there just needed to be another 2-3kms more flat afterwards to force anyone attacking to go all out.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

deleted

...just ceded the rainbow jersey to Alejandro Valverde

Just saying, from somebody who's been there and done that, you might be best served if you just cool your heels a bit before you fly off the handle and get personal with the results at a World Championships.

 

[the asian]

Justice for Valverde finally.

 

[franic]

Re:

I guess this race was confirmation again that one day specialists > GT specialists, even in one day races with the profile of a tough GT mountain stage. 7 of the top 10 are undoubtedly more one day racers - and you could make an argument that Pinot and Bardet are better one day riders than they are stage racers these days.

Dumoulin the only real GT specialist who troubled the top 10.

I don’t know when the guy who has clearly dominated 1 day races was not racing and the other one was riding after a serious injury. How would have your statement changed if there was a final sprint with Bardet, Woods, Pity, Nibali, Froome and Dumoulin?

 

[franic]

Re:

Would have liked to see this race without the Höll climb. We only saw about a handful of half-hearted attempts before. Think it could have been a selective parcours even racing only the Igls circuit.

Totally agree. Without the Murito and with 1 or 2 laps more at the beginning we could have had another Duitama/Chambery/Sallanches etc... like this it was a little bit meh...