2020 World Championships - now confirmed for Imola, Italy.

[BlueRoads]

wow, congratulations

 

[Vino's Mum]

The Tour riders spanked the Giro riders then.

 

[Bolder]

That was a masterclass in timing your attack perfectly. Given the strength of the chase group it fails 80 percent of the time but no one was going to take time from him on the descent and everyone else was counting on WvA to pull...so chapeau bas!

 

[titan31]

Might not have been the worst idea for him to have put in a terrible sprint today. Then spend the next few weeks in the press saying how he struggles to put out power at the end of a hard race.

Ya. Might not have been bad. He's going to have the same issue as today in any of the classics. No one wants him at the end with them. If you're a Sagan, VDP or Matthews, you'd probably work a bit with him, but that's about it.

 

[Red Rick]

That was a masterclass in timing your attack perfectly. Given the strength of the chase group it fails 80 percent of the time but no one was going to take time from him on the descent and everyone else was counting on WvA to pull...so chapeau bas!

Disorganized chase + having moto 30m in front of you > being most explosive rider in peloton makes it really the easiest decision ever.

 

[Carols]

Didn't see Roglic at the front once.

I did! But he obviously wasn't as strong as needed.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That sprint is why it was pointless for the others to ride with Wout. Even being on the front, he was just way too powerful for them

You'd make a great DS. No use riding for 5% chance to win, when we can chose not to ride and be 100% sure we won't win.

 

[Eclipse]

That sprint is why it was pointless for the others to ride with Wout. Even being on the front, he was just way too powerful for them

If you bring it back Wout probably wins and maybe Ala takes second if he's not shattered.
If you don't bring it back Ala definitely wins and Wout takes second .

At least if you do bring it back there's a chance of getting the jump on people while WVA and Ala look at each other or something.

 

[richwallone]

Man, grandpa Valverde 8th!!! He really doesn't want to retire... Mad props!!!

 

[Boes]

Might be biased here as a Belgian. But shouldn't Roglic have pulled for WVA after everything WVA has done for him during the tour? WVA could have won 1 or 2 more stages if he wasn't super domestique and Roglic had nothing left to win.

 

[BlueRoads]

incredibly strong, helped by the fact that van Aert was the favourite for the sprint this time, not him

 

[OldCranky]

MVDP with tons of regrets watching at home...

I would have loved to see what he would have done today.

Having said that, a tactically perfect race from Alaphilippe and a deserved win.

 

[DFA123]

Would have been interesting to see if Pogacar could have gone with Ala, if he had saved his attack until a lap later. With hindsight, Slovenia probably sacrificed the wrong guy.

 

[Forever The Best]

Congrats to Alaphilippe. Deserving WC.

 

[Volderke]

Calm down, fanboy. It just seems a bit pointless saving all that power, only to sprint for second.

He couldn't follow on the climb. No tactic would have helped, Alaphilippe was the best and is a worthy WC.
WvA is never ever a better climber than Alaphilippe, as shown on the Poggio and here on the Gallisterna.

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Congratulations Julian! (and thanks for the odds while betting )

 

[Big Doopie]

The Tour riders spanked the Giro riders then.

y they should put the WC a week or two after TDF like they used to have it -- last time the best in the world fought it out in top shape. since they moved it to after vuelta, it has become diminished.

 

[movingtarget]

I did! But he obviously wasn't as strong as needed.

He couldn't even sprint at the finish.

 

[sir fly]

Chapeau Alaphilippe!
Brilliant delivery.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Wow, what a race! When Pogacar attacked I felt it was a work for Roglic (to tire out other teams) but it didn't go as planned. Congrats to Allaphilippe, he was the strongest on the last climb. Van Aert was by far the fastest on the last sprint so no surprise there (great championships for him) but it's a pity that Kwiato missed the bronze by a few centimeters!

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Chapeau Ala! And Kudos to Pogacar for opening the race.
Looking at results lists it seems like the Tour riders went to the race with still some shape in the bag.

 

[F_Cance]

belgians and jumbo fanboys should calm down

 

[movingtarget]

Fine win. Attacked at the right time. Pogacar's attack was ambitious.

 

[bob.a.feet]

The truth is once Alaphilippe dropped them on the climb it was game over.

If Van Aert worked, the others would counter constantly.

If the others worked, Van Aert would jump them at the sprint.

That's the benefit of dropping everyone on the climb...

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

That was a bit meh... no real suspense. At least no medal for Fuglsang.

 

[Red Rick]

He couldn't follow on the climb. No tactic would have helped, Alaphilippe was the best and is a worthy WC.
WvA is never ever a better climber than Alaphilippe, as shown on the Poggio and here on the Gallisterna.

=========================
Congratulations Julian! (and thanks for the odds while betting )

Still back van Aert on >10min climbs tbh.