2020 World Championships - now confirmed for Imola, Italy.

[Red Rick]

Honestly, I'm still a fairly young cycling fan, but this might be the best WC route I can remember. Any news on the number of laps? This could be really, really hard.

I can't remember a better one. It does remind me of 2009 a little bit, but I could never find profiles of the twoclimbs in that one, and that one had a far shorter circuit with 2 slightly shorter climbs, thought it was overall harder I think?

Another similarity is the lack of clear descents in this route, though that route had 2 climbs and one descent.

 

[Eshnar]

I would expect something similar to last year's Tirreno stage 5 (?), the one Fuglsang won by a countrymile.

 

[Gigs_98]

I would expect something similar to last year's Tirreno stage 5 (?), the one Fuglsang won by a countrymile.

Yeah and the route is kinda similar as well

 

[Gigs_98]

On another note, it's really annoying the F1 fan in me that if they decide to finish at the finish line of the F1 circuit they'll have to ride it clockwise although Imola is actually an anticlockwise circuit. Now I know that's incredibly indifferent, but it's still bugging me.

 

[Eshnar]

I would expect something similar to last year's Tirreno stage 5 (?), the one Fuglsang won by a countrymile.

just for reference this was the result.

1	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team	4:39:32
2	Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott	0:00:40
3	Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma	0:00:56
4	Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb	0:01:39
5	Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ	0:01:53
6	Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky	0:01:57
7	Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo	0:02:09
8	Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:02:12
9	Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
10	Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
11	Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates
12	Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
13	Davide Gabburo (Ita) Neri Sottoli–Selle Italia–KTM	0:02:27
14	Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Sunweb	0:02:36
15	Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates	0:02:43
16	Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team	0:03:08
17	Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo	0:03:12
18	Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Neri Sottoli–Selle Italia–KTM	0:03:14
19	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida	0:03:16
20	Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First

 

[Red Rick]

On another note, it's really annoying the F1 fan in me that if they decide to finish at the finish line of the F1 circuit they'll have to ride it clockwise although Imola is actually an anticlockwise circuit. Now I know that's incredibly indifferent, but it's still bugging me.

I think the simple solution to this is to stop being an F1 fan?

 

[Red Rick]

259.2km , 9 (nine) laps. almost 5000 m of climbing.

That sounds a lot harder than the Martigny route with jsut the 7 climbs I reckon.

 

[BlueRoads]

So... Mads to keep his jersey?

 

[RedheadDane]

So... Mads to keep his jersey?

No!

 

[Red Rick]

just for reference this was the result.

1	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team	4:39:32
2	Adam Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott	0:00:40
3	Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma	0:00:56
4	Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Sunweb	0:01:39
5	Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ	0:01:53
6	Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky	0:01:57
7	Mads Pedersen (Den) Trek-Segafredo	0:02:09
8	Alexis Vuillermoz (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:02:12
9	Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto Soudal
10	Simon Clarke (Aus) EF Education First
11	Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team Emirates
12	Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Deceuninck-QuickStep
13	Davide Gabburo (Ita) Neri Sottoli–Selle Italia–KTM	0:02:27
14	Sam Oomen (Ned) Team Sunweb	0:02:36
15	Jan Polanc (Slo) UAE Team Emirates	0:02:43
16	Alexey Lutsenko (Kaz) Astana Pro Team	0:03:08
17	Toms Skujins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo	0:03:12
18	Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Neri Sottoli–Selle Italia–KTM	0:03:14
19	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-Merida	0:03:16
20	Alberto Bettiol (Ita) EF Education First

IIRC Fuglsang was allwoed to attack and lost like 20s once Yates dropped Roglic?

 

[shalgo]

A climbing route one week after the Tour? If he doesn't get hurt, surely Mollema is one of the top favourites for the win. His results in San Sebastian after having completed the Tour:

2019: 5th
2018: 2nd
2017: 3rd
2016: 1st
2015: 6th
2014: 2nd
2013: 9th

 

[Gigs_98]

I think the simple solution to this is to stop being an F1 fan?

Yeah, one would think obsessing with one sport where nothing happens for hours should be enough.

 

[roundabout]

Mendrisio was approximately 250 meters per lap on lap about 1/2 the length.

 

[Netserk]

19 laps^^

 

[Bertram Wooster]

Is this too hard for Van Der Poel, Van Avermaet, Van Aert, Matthews, Ulissi, ... ?

 

[Rollthedice]

Is this too hard for Van Der Poel, Van Avermaet, Van Aert, Matthews, Ulissi, ... ?

Van Aert not so sure but the others I'd say yes. Same length as Liege with Redoute and Roche aux Faucons done nine times in succesion.

 

[hayneplane]

Adam Yates could be a decent shot if he doesn’t end up going too deep in the Tour trying to get a top 5 GC.

Formolo has form for going well on repetitive short climbs such as the Montjuic circuit in Volta Catalunya.

Slovenia won’t have the depth to control the race and will need to have a bit of luck at picking which moves to jump on but there won’t be a more formidable 1-2 punch than Roglic and Pogacar for a course like this.

 

[Gigs_98]

Van Aert not so sure but the others I'd say yes. Same length as Liege with Redoute and Roche aux Faucons done nine times in succesion.

Even though Van Aert has climbed extremely well this Tour I'm pretty sure it's too hard for him. He is really strong at grinding up low gradient climbs at a consistent pace, but that's not really what's required on those climbs and just as importantly, even though his climbing has improved massively, he has to be more than just a decent climber to win this. He has to be among the very best of the race and that I don't see happening.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

On another note, it's really annoying the F1 fan in me that if they decide to finish at the finish line of the F1 circuit they'll have to ride it clockwise although Imola is actually an anticlockwise circuit. Now I know that's incredibly indifferent, but it's still bugging me.

Why would they have to ride the circuit clockwise? I haven't seen any route map yet.
The only thing that maybe could speak for it is the order of the passing of the two steep hills mentioned in this thread.
It went well in Giro 2015 Forlì - Imola stage to leave at Variante Alta passing Tre Monti and entering the track again at Rivazza some 800m before the (racing) finish line.
If they should do Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari a bit exciting for a finish, ofcourse they could deside an uphill sprint between Tosa and Piratella or from Acque Minerale to Variante Alta, since it's very possible that a small selected group of climbers will enter the finish. But I think it's quite unlikely, and the organizers have decided for the common autodrome finish.

 

[Climbing]

Ok it's properly hard, planimetry wise too, which is really tiring if you're not in front.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Ok it's properly hard, planimetry wise too, which is really tiring if you're not in front.

For sure. And roads are very twisty, too.
Making it a plus for riders like Nibali, Alaphillipe, Fuglsang and so on. All with excellent technical skills and the desire for making the race at the front.

 

[BlueRoads]

Formolo should be a very decent candidate.
In the end I see this as more of an endurance test than anything else. You should be able to deal with climbs, but I don't think you have to be a top climber.

 

[Red Rick]

Van Aert didn't suddenly turn into a FW or LBL winner and this is gonna be so much harder than that.

 

[rghysens]

I would expect something similar to last year's Tirreno stage 5 (?), the one Fuglsang won by a countrymile.

The climbs that day were harder, iirc. And the lap was a bit shorter.

 

[BlueRoads]

How would you expect the weather? 25°, no rain?