Copenhagen 2011: Junior Women RR 70km & Men U23 RR 168km

[Mellow Velo]

On the wheel of the rider who got third.

Yes, my mistake.
Absolutely no legs.
Doubt he would have beaten Demare, though.

 

[3wheeler]

Nicole Cooke outdragged Vos in a Worlds RR Sprint a Few years Back .. Armitage is an even better sprinter than Cooke .. So its down to Poker probably for the Women in the last few Kms

 

[Escarabajo]

Betancour should have waited for the sprint.

Démare and Petit impressive, Selig as well. Berhane got 28th in the end.

Don't worry, Uran and Duarte took note of the finish.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Nicole Cooke outdragged Vos in a Worlds RR Sprint a Few years Back .. Armitage is an even better sprinter than Cooke .. So its down to Poker probably for the Women in the last few Kms

on this sort of finish, the form vos has shown this year she is the hot favorite if it comes to that. Generally when vos loses it is because a lot of teams try and ride against her.

A reason why Annemiek van Vleuten has done so well this year, because no one wants to help bring her back just for vos to win.

 

[Ragerod]

Basically, what we learned today was that:

1. It's virtually impossible to get away. Even if the entire field are watching each other and not one single team takes responsibility, you're still going to get caught.

2. It's almost impossible to get dropped...Unless you fall or puncture, both of which will occur to several of the big favorites on sunday.

3. The sprint is too tough for Cavendish and he won't win even if he's in a good position in the final 500 meters.

Agree with the first two but I'd replace the third with "not tough enough for Gilbert". It doesn't look steep enough to write off Cavendish completely.

 

[simo1733]

Nicole Cooke outdragged Vos in a Worlds RR Sprint a Few years Back .. Armitage is an even better sprinter than Cooke .. So its down to Poker probably for the Women in the last few Kms

There may be better sprinters than Cooke but none as hard as Cooke at the end of a long race.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I agree with that. I wouldn't completely rule out Cav just yet though even through my gut feeling is he'll not win. If he's up there at the end he needs to leave his sprint to the last possible moment. The climb seems to flatten out in the last 100m or so. He needs to be either lead to 100 to 150m go by Thomas or hold the wheel of someone like Hushovd and then get round him.

The course looks dead easy for a pro. The climbs are insignificant. Even the drag to the line isn't as hard as it looks on the TV.

Think a big issue for the mens road race is gilbert, when he goes some of the sprinters might panic and ruin their chance. Even if he doesn't win, phil is gonna have a huge impact on the outcome.

 

[Escarabajo]

Think a big issue for the mens road race is gilbert, when he goes some of the sprinters might panic and ruin their chance. Even if he doesn't win, phil is gonna have a huge impact on the outcome.

+1.

After watching today I think the chances for Gilbert and Thor just increased a bit more.

 

[Tuarts]

Think a big issue for the mens road race is gilbert, when he goes some of the sprinters might panic and ruin their chance. Even if he doesn't win, phil is gonna have a huge impact on the outcome.

Even is he goes, the chain reaction may force the whole "lead out train" idea some teams have out the window.

The sprinters, if it is a bunch finish, need to have their team-mates going full-bore up that straight and just hope that Phil can't get any significant gap when it goes upwards and that anyone from behind their protected rider can't come up and latch onto his wheel.

 

[simo1733]

erm...we beat you in every facet of cycling atm. open your eyes buddy.


Is it really necessary to start on this? A little bit nasty if you ask me.

YOU don't beat GB at anything.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Even is he goes, the chain reaction may force the whole "lead out train" idea some teams have out the window.

The sprinters, if it is a bunch finish, need to have their team-mates going full-bore up that straight and just hope that Phil can't get any significant gap when it goes upwards and that anyone from behind their protected rider can't come up and latch onto his wheel.

I think gilbert's tactics will be pretty fascinating. Does he wait for the final 500m?

 

[HL2037]

Is the finish a false flat (up hill)? It looked like a lot of riders popped at the end. Maybe it was the hard last laps.

The finish line is on top of Geels Hill, which is the closest we will get to a mountain top finish in Denmark

 

[Tuarts]

I think gilbert's tactics will be pretty fascinating. Does he wait for the final 500m?

Hard to say. If he was going for the sprint then he needs to open it up early and then another burst near the end.

Interestingly, there's a 90 degree corner at around the 10km mark, which on the last 2 laps, those in front were able to get a sizable gap from the peloton. Now, 4km out from a roaring may be a bit of an ask, especially as afterwards it pretty much a 3km straight but if 2-3 riders get away on that, where the peloton have to slow going around the corner, then can't build up speed as quick as on a flat, then they could get up to 15-20, which should be plenty for an opportunistic rider like Gilbert to do something with.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think gilbert's tactics will be pretty fascinating. Does he wait for the final 500m?

I think he will do the same as in the Belgian national championships.

Win.

(Yes, wait for the sprint and *try* to power away for gold)

Those hills he accelerated away at in the Clasica San Sebastian and Belgian road race weren't steep or long. 90% sure he'll get a medal if he waits for the sprint. Not sure which color it will be though.

 

[Eyeballs Out]

If / when Cancellara makes his move I think Gilbert will find it hard to resist getting on that train

 

[Tank Engine]

I think he will do the same as in the Belgian national championships.

Win.

(Yes, wait for the sprint and *try* to power away for gold)

Those hills he accelerated away at in the Clasica San Sebastian and Belgian road race weren't steep or long. 90% sure he'll get a medal if he waits for the sprint. Not sure which color it will be though.

I think it will come down to a sprint. The finish is probably the best thing about the course, the pure sprinters would want it a bit easier, the punchy guys would want it a bit harder, which means it's a bit unpredictable. If it does come down to a reasonably big sprint, Phil will go all out from the bottom of the hill and try to hold off the sprinters.

Good day for the Brits

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

28 Natnael Berhane (Eritrea)

 

[Fus087]

Why haven't they removed all the traffic islands for the week ?

They actually removed quite a number of traffic islands. Some of them would have made a race impossible, so they had to go.
But I think that those left are OK, they're part of a course in these modern days.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think it will come down to a sprint. The finish is probably the best thing about the course, the pure sprinters would want it a bit easier, the punchy guys would want it a bit harder, which means it's a bit unpredictable. If it does come down to a reasonably big sprint, Phil will go all out from the bottom of the hill and try to hold off the sprinters.

Good day for the Brits

The hill in which Gilbert destroyed Boonen on in the Belgian road race had an average of 1.9%.

 

[hrotha]

The hill in which Gilbert destroyed Boonen on in the Belgian road race had an average of 1.9%.

Oh, it was uphill? At the time I thought he had destroyed Boonen on the flat, like Cancellara at Flanders.

 

[spalco]

28 Natnael Berhane (Eritrea)

Excellent performance by him, especially to still be so far up the front (if I saw correctly he was actually in fifth position or so when the sprint started) after probably spending much more energy during the race than the 27 guys who finished before him.

 

[momomomo]

Excellent performance by him, especially to still be so far up the front (if I saw correctly he was actually in fifth position or so when the sprint started) after probably spending much more energy during the race than the 27 guys who finished before him.

IMO not true. Just look at the Norwegians. And as they say: If you are stronger than the guys who beat you, you are Dumbstrong...

 

[King Of The Wolds]

The hill in which Gilbert destroyed Boonen on in the Belgian road race had an average of 1.9%.

No, he said sprinters, not Tom Boonen.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

I think it will come down to a sprint. The finish is probably the best thing about the course, the pure sprinters would want it a bit easier, the punchy guys would want it a bit harder, which means it's a bit unpredictable.

I'd liken it to the finish at Cap Frehel in the Tour. You had different types of riders like Gilbert, Cav, Hushovd and Rojas right together at the end.

Lots of riders will fancy their chances on this finish. I'd include Cav in that, but only if he's in his very best form, which you should have to be to win a WC.

I'm really struggling to pick a favourite. Tough for Cav, Farrar, etc. Not tough enough for Gilbert. EBH and Hushovd haven't shown much in the last month. Italy and Spain don't look like they have the firepower. Sagan maybe doesn't have the team around him.

 

[Winterfold]

As above.

The finish is very well chosen - you can't rule anyone out and there is no clear favourite.

I think we will see an awesome race between the countries with obvious sprinters and the more all round one day countries. That GB have a decent team this year makes it much more exciting from any point of view because Cav will have much more protection and will be much harder to shake off.

Are Oz protecting a sprinter or riding a classics style of race - very hard to call and good for them?

Will Thor be invisible then sneak it at the end?

With my neutral hat on I know what I would bet on.

With my jingoistic GB head on Cav gets best lead out ever from Geraint and takes it in the last 50m