General News Thread

[Valv.Piti]

How can you possibly make such an uninspiring route like Tour de Wallonie? I don't really have a problem with such a long ITT - its fine that stage races sometimes heavily favours time trialists, because why not? - but that the rest of the stages are this uninteresting is beyond me in that area.

In other news, also on race routes, I remember Castilla y León used to be quite a nice race. I already really like this small block of spanish races, but this race needs to be longer than 2 days and hopefully attract better teams in the future as well - hopefully something like Burgos. Then you have the Basque one day races, Burgos and Castilla y Leon. Hopefully they will also make a bit more attractive designs.

 

[Red Rick]

Maybe a weird time to ask this, but what's the rumor/when will the Lombardia route be out?

 

[search]

Maybe a weird time to ask this, but what's the rumor/when will the Lombardia route be out?

the last two years the official presentation took place at the end of September (21st and 27th).

 

[Samamba]

Do we even have profiles for that one yet? I need to see what they do with the Riemst stage before passing judgment.

So the profiles are out. Like I expected, it's bad, really really fcking bad. 3 sprint stages, the Geraardsbergen stage that really isn't hard enough at all (bunch sprint on the Vesten) and a short 13km TT. You'll get a really good TTer winning this with maybe some sprinters in the top 10.

 

[tobydawq]

So the profiles are out. Like I expected, it's bad, really really fcking bad. 3 sprint stages, the Geraardsbergen stage that really isn't hard enough at all (bunch sprint on the Vesten) and a short 13km TT. You'll get a really good TTer winning this with maybe some sprinters in the top 10.

Why would they do that?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I regret to report that the 2028 Worlds will be in Abu Dhabi.

 

[Netserk]

I regret to report that the 2028 Worlds will be in Abu Dhabi.

Glorious Globalisation of Sport.

 

[Sciatic]

I regret to report that the 2028 Worlds will be in Abu Dhabi.

Oh no, are you serious?

 

[Izzyeviel]

Congrats to Jasper for winning his first world championship!

 

[Izzyeviel]

American Samoa has joined the UCI & can we appreciate how busy the UCI PR Intern has been lately?

 

[fmk_RoI]

I regret to report that the 2028 Worlds will be in Abu Dhabi.

The return of the Abu Dhabi do! Yes!

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I regret to report that the 2028 Worlds will be in Abu Dhabi.

Hey, since they first brought the Worlds to the Middle East in 2016, support for the sport is going from strength to strength in the UAE.

I've already had word that $1 billion will be spent on an artificial 400m climb to the top of a luxury hotel to host UCI dignitaries, like that ski slope building in Copenhagen, and even better news, both fans intend to attend.

 

[Kaptain Kool]

An Abu Dhabi Worlds will likely be boring but it's worth it. It's 5 years away and there's probably a 10% change that I won't even be alive by then. Even better, right away I'll get to see all of the whiners whine like they always do about everything every single time.

 

[KZD]

I actually don't mind to see the 2028 World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

In the next 4 years, we likely won't have a course for sprinters, Haute Savoie 2027 could actually be one for the climbers, the others should be for classics riders or at best versatile sprinters, so riders like Pogacar, Van der Poel or Van Aert should still have several opportunities to get the rainbow jersey. The last time we had a pan flat course was Doha 2016 and the racing was actually interesting because of the wind.

 

[RedheadDane]

I actually don't mind to see the 2028 World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

In the next 4 years, we likely won't have a course for sprinters, Haute Savoie 2027 could actually be one for the climbers, the others should be for classics riders or at best versatile sprinters, so riders like Pogacar, Van der Poel or Van Aert should still have several opportunities to get the rainbow jersey. The last time we had a pan flat course was Doha 2016 and the racing was actually interesting because of the wind.

Do we even know for a fact it'll be flat? Unlike Qatar, Abu Dhabi does have some hills.

 

[search]

in five years they could probably rebuild Oude Kwaremont & Kapelmuur, if they'd like to.

 

[RedheadDane]

in five years they could probably rebuild Oude Kwaremont & Kapelmuur, if they'd like to.

I think the Belgians might protest at the thought of losing those hills.

 

[nightowl]

Do we even know for a fact it'll be flat? Unlike Qatar, Abu Dhabi does have some hills.

The hills and mountains are pretty much all in the eastern part of the UAE, far away from Abu Dhabi. It will most certainly be flat

Edit: Jebel Hafeet is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi about 150km from the city itself so maybe we’ll have an unipuerto showdown for the world championships

 

[Kaptain Kool]

The hills and mountains are pretty much all in the eastern part of the UAE, far away from Abu Dhabi. It will most certainly be flat

Edit: Jebel Hafeet is in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi about 150km from the city itself so maybe we’ll have an unipuerto showdown for the world championships

Looking at Google Maps, that would be perfect. Men Elite 150km total, straight from Abu Dhabi down highway E30 and up Jebel Hafeet for the finish. Maybe just make the other categories ride up 500m of the climb or so.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I actually don't mind to see the 2028 World Championships in Abu Dhabi.

In the next 4 years, we likely won't have a course for sprinters, Haute Savoie 2027 could actually be one for the climbers, the others should be for classics riders or at best versatile sprinters, so riders like Pogacar, Van der Poel or Van Aert should still have several opportunities to get the rainbow jersey. The last time we had a pan flat course was Doha 2016 and the racing was actually interesting because of the wind.

Yea, but you could have a sprinters' worlds like Geelong, Madrid or Lisbon, rather than a sprinters' worlds like Zolder or Copenhagen.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Spain went with two rather easy routes. Especially 2014 still boggles my mind when you literally had prime Valverde, Rodriguez and Contador and then came up with climbs better suited to Michael Valgren.

 

[roundabout]

A much tougher circuit was suggested for 2014, but I think the UCI said no.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yeah, who wants to watch a most likely much better race?

 

[yaco]

Would be better if they switched Abu Dhabi and Saudi - Lots more interesting terrain in the Alula region of Saudi and give Abu Dhabi the Gravel World's.

 

[Rob5091]

Abu Dhabi WC - so will it be in November when it's not so hot or February? Either way it'll be an odd time of year. Then again, if the climate change predictions come true, it could be 50C all year round.