Geelong World Championships 2010: U23 Men's Road Race 159.km

[Galic Ho]

Well, I was at work. Lucky to be able to check CN live on my phone as it was. Oh and even if I wasn't I don't have the channel its broadcast on. Its a metropolitan digital channel. Would have sworn until I was red if I was watching with the ad breaks. Typical commercialised ****. You can bet if SBS had the right the last lap would be break free.

No they wouldn't. Stage 15, Verbier TdF 2009, they cut to an add break that went for over 3 minutes just as the action started. SBS make mistakes.

Channel Ten's ONE HD Sport channel made a mistake. They didn't cut out last year. They showed the entire last lap of the mens road race. Luckily for them, when they did an add break with 5km to go this arvo, nothing actually happened other than Gallopin trying fruitlessly to make a break stick. Probably because it is only the U23 mens race and not the full mens road race, they allowed the programmer discretion. I doubt they'll make the allowance in a days time. We should see an uninterrupted full last lap. 20 or so odd minutes add free.

 

[Moondance]

matthews is a great signing for rabo!

hardly fat

Big biceps for a cyclist!

....

Do I sense that you have a new love, ACF?

 

[Andy99]

matthews is a great signing for rabo!

hardly fat

Big biceps for a cyclist!

ok then - stocky.

Impressive finish that. Obviously a raw talent.

 

[Jamsque]

A sprint from a group of fifty, you say? And this in the 'super-aggressive' U23 race? My hopes for Cav are starting to rise...

Very impressive sprint from Matthews, Rabo have to be pleased with their scout work.

 

[davis_123]

A sprint from a group of fifty, you say? And this in the 'super-aggressive' U23 race? My hopes for Cav are starting to rise...

Very impressive sprint from Matthews, Rabo have to be pleased with their scout work.

You think Cav is in the top 33% of climbers? Delusional statement at best.

The seasoned pro's will not be hoping for a bunch sprint to the finish line, they will attack with more then one lap to go and not let the group catch back up like they did today.

 

[Andy99]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/worlds-dont-count-out-cavendish

 

[craig1985]

Just a shame in that he won't get to do a race whilst wearing the rainbow jersey.

 

[Jamsque]

You think Cav is in the top 33% of climbers? Delusional statement at best.

The seasoned pro's will not be hoping for a bunch sprint to the finish line, they will attack with more then one lap to go and not let the group catch back up like they did today.

Cav being in the top X% of climbers has nothing to do with whether or not he contests the finish, but thanks for insulting me. He won M-SR in a sprint from a group of 50 riders, does that mean he was in the top 33% of climbers at that race?

I'm not saying he should be favourite now, but a week ago when the riders started seeing the course many (including myself) were writing Cav off as an incredibly long shot, I think the U23 result demonstrates that a bunch sprint from a large group is not that unlikely at all.

Matthews did have a stronger team than Cav will, though.

 

[craig1985]

I think they made the right choice for the dead heat on 3rd spot myself.

 

[roundabout]

Who knows what will happen. Stuttgart also had a big sprint in the U23 race but things were different for the elites. But the result today certainly gives Cavendish hope.

 

[Parrulo]

for the usual super agressive u23 race the only agressiveness i have seen in the last lap was from galloupin and oliveira

 

[Barrus]

I think they made the right choice for the dead heat on 3rd spot myself.

I think so, but I believe Boivin was just a fraction sooner, just a miniscule fraction. But this the official decision is probably the best conclusion.

 

[craig1985]

If watching it on TV I would say Phinney, but that would be like splitting hairs.

 

[Kwibus]

Originally Posted by The Hitch
Francois is the incarcarated Don.
DekkerT is the acting boss.
Youngest is the consolgieri
Barrus is the crooked cop.

Kwibus and the rest are just pawns..

Offtopic, but my name specially being mentioned makes me the leader of the pawns
Missed the thread this was said though. Can't read every damn thing here

 

[Barrus]

Offtopic, but my name specially being mentioned makes me the leader of the pawns
Missed the thread this was said though. Can't read every damn thing here

the dutch mafia

But anyway looking at the sprint again, Matthews clearly was the best, but a good, and very strong sprint by Degenkolb, this together with his appearance will make him a perfect replacement for Greipel at HTC

 

[Epicycle]

The biggest climb isn't very long and the fast downhill sections may allow peloton regroupings. If there's strong wind during the section along the water that could play a big factor but overall I think it's the downhills that are going to keep the sprinters in it.

 

[theyoungest]

So, a tubby looking aussie wins the U23 in a largeish bunch gallop....

Looking promising for Cav. Bring. It. on.

I don't know if Cav ever finished 6th in a mountain time trial In fact, Taylor Phinney should be happy Matthews didn't participate in the TT at the Worlds... the double would certainly have been within Matthews' reach.

 

[davis_123]

Cav being in the top X% of climbers has nothing to do with whether or not he contests the finish, but thanks for insulting me. He won M-SR in a sprint from a group of 50 riders, does that mean he was in the top 33% of climbers at that race?

I'm not saying he should be favourite now, but a week ago when the riders started seeing the course many (including myself) were writing Cav off as an incredibly long shot, I think the U23 result demonstrates that a bunch sprint from a large group is not that unlikely at all.

Matthews did have a stronger team than Cav will, though.

Your exactly right with your last statement, australia used 5 riders to keep it all together for matthews, Cav will have to do it himself if he wants to win.

Who is going to chase it down if cadel, L L sanchez, gilbert & Canc get away on the 1st climb? It would probably only take 2 of these guys to get away and that will be it race over.

 

[Winterfold]

It is in GB and Norways interests to keep it together

Those 6 together are strong enough

PS great sprint by that skinny little grimpeur

 

[Ferminal]

Great win by Matthews... all the expectations and he managed to do the job. I was a little bit worried for a moment as he was boxed in next to Phinney with 200m to go. He timed it perfectly though, knowing that it was uphill. A big relief to get the win, I thought we may have burnt all our matches a little bit too early. Respect to Gallopin too for his efforts.

The Men's road race will be significantly different - there is 80km or whatever at the start for "settling in" (or not if it's windy) rather than just cruising for the first five laps, devaluing the climbs. But I will make a thread for the RR soon so people can tell us that Cav or Farrar will win.

 

[Kwibus]

the dutch mafia

But anyway looking at the sprint again, Matthews clearly was the best, but a good, and very strong sprint by Degenkolb, this together with his appearance will make him a perfect replacement for Greipel at HTC

For his first year as pro that would actually be a good thing, but let's hope that he finds a different team quickly after that.

 

[davis_123]

It is in GB and Norways interests to keep it together

Those 6 together are strong enough

Australia with 5 guys working for 1 rider still needed help and you think 4 riders can keep real pro's from breaking away?

Do you really think once 20 riders break away like they did today they are going to slow down and wait for their lead out trains? And no cav will not be in that bunch.

 

[Winterfold]

It is also in Garmin-Cervelo and HTC's interests to keep it together.

There are a lot of people with an interest in keeping it together, and now they know it is a real possibility, very experienced and tough riders respected in the peloton

It seems just as plausible to me as the idea of the Spaniards collaborating - or Quickstep/Omega LOL

Also Cav with a sniff of the finish line for a big victory is a very different climber to the one in the laughing bus.

We will see, my mind is open to alternative outcomes - is your's?

 

[battery89]

It is in GB and Norways interests to keep it together

Those 6 together are strong enough

PS great sprint by that skinny little grimpeur

You're forgetting that the Italians (a stronger team that both GB and Norway) will be making it super tough to ensure Cav doesn't get to the end. I think it's way more likely that Cav won't make the finale than he will.

Also in the u23 race, the 2 strongest teams imo (USA and Aus) had a collective interest to bring the race to a big group sprint. The strongest teams in the elite men's race have leaders that don't have the sprint of Cav/Farrar/a few others. I think the course is brutal enough to eliminate these guys, if the riders make it tough enough, which I think (and hope) they will.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Kind of dissapointing to see a big group going to the finish line in the end.
So not tough enough in the end is it!
Belgium will have a very hard time making the race hard enough for Gilbert.

Nice sprint by Matthews. Rabobank will be glad they bought him in time.