2020 World Championships - now confirmed for Imola, Italy.

[hayneplane]

I question whether contenders for the world championships will do the Vuelta next year, except maybe solely as preparation for worlds.

I think Roglic proved the other day, that you cannot do the Vuelta full gas, and still be at your peak at worlds (we'll know more Sunday ).

Add to that, that next year a lot of these riders, will already have hit the 2nd (Ardennes being 1st) form peak mid season, because of the Olympics.

Though you may be right in the specific case of Valverde..... he's won worlds, and because of the mentioned dynamics, next year may be his best chance ever, to win a Vuelta, so he may prioritise differently.

I would question whether, given the unique circumstances of a year where being both Olympic and World Champion on the road is a realistic goal for the punchy GC guys and hilly classics specialists, a lot of the leading contenders may choose not to specifically taper and peak for the Ardennes as they get over 10 years to race for the win there and instead just ride them as form builders and training exercises.

 

[Climbing]

Nibali will get the quadriple next year, with LbL, OG, Worlds and Lombardia.
You heard it here first.
Mostly the Worlds really suits him, with another 3-4 riders, only problem for many guys is combing GTs with the rest of the season...

 

[Koronin]

I would question whether, given the unique circumstances of a year where being both Olympic and World Champion on the road is a realistic goal for the punchy GC guys and hilly classics specialists, a lot of the leading contenders may choose not to specifically taper and peak for the Ardennes as they get over 10 years to race for the win there and instead just ride them as form builders and training exercises.

That would be interesting and actually give Valverde an even better chance to tie Merckx's LBL win record.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Pinot has to be a co-leader on this route, if he's in shape. You can't just be on Ala on such a hard route when you have a Lombardia winner, who dominated the race.

 

[Valv.Piti]

I have mixed feeling about this route. On paper I like hard World Championships routes, however considering that the Olympics next year will already have a climbers route I think that there wasn't necessity to have such a hard course particularly one that resembles Innsbruck. At least the time trial is flat to balance the super hard Tokyo route.
I am curious to see how will GT riders balance their season. Perhaps many GC riders including the favourites Valverde and Nibali will only do one GT.

Why? It makes for better racing and classics guys have had their fair chances in 7 out of the 10 worlds in the 10's.

 

[Red Rick]

Why? It makes for better racing and classics guys have had their fair chances in 7 out of the 10 worlds in the 10's.

Pretty much.

My main issue with worlds is the <20km circuits. It ensures any race is either really easy to control and if it isn't there's still no point in attacking early for those who are the best.

The Igls climb was actually interesting cause the length of the climb made it a climbers race while the gradient made it still tactical, but then the organisers went out and put that piece of trash right at the end.

 

[Red Rick]

Nibali will get the quadriple next year, with LbL, OG, Worlds and Lombardia.
You heard it here first.
Mostly the Worlds really suits him, with another 3-4 riders, only problem for many guys is combing GTs with the rest of the season...

Then 2021, Giro finishes final mountain stage on etna going all the way to the top, the last they see of Nibali is a man in a pink jersey and rainbow bands riding away into the mixture of mist and ashes before he ascends to godhood

 

[fauniera]

Excellent route.

 

[Blanco]

Though you may be right in the specific case of Valverde..... he's won worlds, and because of the mentioned dynamics, next year may be his best chance ever, to win a Vuelta, so he may prioritise differently.

Valverde already won Vuelta.

 

[Blanco]

Pinot has to be a co-leader on this route, if he's in shape. You can't just be on Ala on such a hard route when you have a Lombardia winner, who dominated the race.

Co-leader at least...

 

[Blanco]

I would question whether, given the unique circumstances of a year where being both Olympic and World Champion on the road is a realistic goal for the punchy GC guys and hilly classics specialists, a lot of the leading contenders may choose not to specifically taper and peak for the Ardennes as they get over 10 years to race for the win there and instead just ride them as form builders and training exercises.

Yeah, it's maybe a year for Sam Bennett or Ewan to target them

 

[Breezy1985]

Pinot has to be a co-leader on this route, if he's in shape. You can't just be on Ala on such a hard route when you have a Lombardia winner, who dominated the race.

Could also have Bardet as an option
The French worked it pretty well last year

 

[Red Rick]

Could also have Bardet as an option
The French worked it pretty well last year

Wasting Pinot trying to set up Alaphilippe who was never gonna frigging win?

Right up there with Belgium in 2016

 

[Velolover2]

Colombia team will be brutally strong for these kind of parcours.

Bernal, Lopéz, Uran, Quintana, Sosa, Higuita and perhaps Chaves if he finds his 2016-shape again. With Martínez as the engine of the team.

 

[ice&fire]

Wasting Pinot trying to set up Alaphilippe who was never gonna frigging win?

Right up there with Belgium in 2016

That was before Alaphilippe became a TdF contender

 

[Red Rick]

That was before Alaphilippe became a TdF contender

I'm curious to see how much of a disaster that will be for future Tour routes.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Valverde already won Vuelta.

Man, I forgot - because it's so long ago

 

[Koronin]

Man, I forgot - because it's so long ago

It was 10 years ago and he's won a lot of races since then. Plus it seems there are many who may have forgotten that he did win one.

 

[rghysens]

Excellent route.

… to postpone any meaningful action to the last lap.
We'll have a race of attrition before that, though.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Valverde already won Vuelta.

For some reason lots of people dont realize that.

 

[Red Rick]

Can't wait to learn who is the official winner in 2023

 

[Anderis]

Higuita FTW.

 

[Gigs_98]

Pinot has to be a co-leader on this route, if he's in shape. You can't just be on Ala on such a hard route when you have a Lombardia winner, who dominated the race.

Honestly I think he should be the leader not the co-leader. He is a really good one day racer (hell, he is the most recent Lombardia winner) and this absolutely looks like a climbers race to me. Remember when RaF was too long for alaphilippe in LBL? A climb twice as long surely won't suit him better.
Sure there was a miraculous tdf in between but just because of one race I won't suddenly back alaphilippe on this route against elite climbers.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Honestly I think he should be the leader not the co-leader. He is a really good one day racer (hell, he is the most recent Lombardia winner) and this absolutely looks like a climbers race to me. Remember when RaF was too long for alaphilippe in LBL? A climb twice as long surely won't suit him better.
Sure there was a miraculous tdf in between but just because of one race I won't suddenly back alaphilippe on this route against elite climbers.

I agree, but I don't know if the coach will be willing to have him as the leader and Ala as the 2nd option.
That would be the best option and they could do the opposite in the Olympic RR, Ala as the leader and Pinot as the 2nd option.
It looks like a perfect route for Nibali, the lenght of the race, the climb is like the Civiglio and they'll climb it multiple times, just like San Luca in Emilia. Italy just needs a bit of luck with the shape of their best riders, if Nibali, Formolo, Moscon and Rosa are all in great shape Cassani will have to decide who will be a protected rider.

 

[Red Rick]

Honestly I think he should be the leader not the co-leader. He is a really good one day racer (hell, he is the most recent Lombardia winner) and this absolutely looks like a climbers race to me. Remember when RaF was too long for alaphilippe in LBL? A climb twice as long surely won't suit him better.
Sure there was a miraculous tdf in between but just because of one race I won't suddenly back alaphilippe on this route against elite climbers.

And even in the miracle Tour Pinot crested every mountain that mattered ahead of Alaphilippe, even while already injured.

Alaphilippe had his chance on a route like this in 2018, and he got destroyed. Alaphilippe is perhaps an underrated rouleur but the climbing hype is out of control now.