Harrogate to host 2019 Worlds

[DNP-Old]

Egan is out, Betancur is in.

 

[42x16ss]

Egan is out, Betancur is in.

Everyone else can go home now then

 

[Blanco]

Egan is out, Betancur is in.

Good news. He's the only Colombian who can make a decent result

 

[dick the quick]

Kwiatkowski says on Twitter that he has too much respect for the Polish jersey to take the start in his current shape.

Yup, he’s not on the official Polish team roster:

RR:
Rafał Majka, Paweł Poljański, Maciej Bodnar (Bora-Hansgrohe), Michał Gołaś (Ineos Team), Łukasz Wiśniowski and Łukasz Owsian (CCC Team).

TT:
Kamil Gradek (CCC Team) and Maciej Bodnar (Bora-Hansgrohe)

 

[RedheadDane]

You could also look at it from a different angle:

Belgium: Evenepoel, Lampaert, Declercq
France: Alaphilippe, Cavagna, Senechal
Czech Republic: Stybar, Vakoc
Denmark: Asgreen, Morkov
Luxemburg: Jungels
Colombia: Hodeg
Ireland: Bennett (if transfer falls through)
Italy: Ballerini (if selected)

From a team perspective, what counts most is the jersey next year From a riders perspective friendships and respect between riders definitely play a role too.

But to answer your question: hard to say. Can’t say it’s often played a determining role in previous WCs. But in a small group it can definitely be a factor.

Something I do feel rather confident about saying is that if a DQ rider wins, his teammates-turned-rivals-for-the-day will be genuinely happy for him, even if each of them - hopefully - were doing their very best to beat him, and are also quite disappointed.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Don't understand how they can leave out Vanmarcke after Plouay. Also Stuyven finally found is form, but they rather selected Lampaert who will be every other teams best domestique. At least no Benoot.

I can understand that they include four riders from D-QSt, because after all they know how to win as a team. However on that course and with his current shape Vanmarcke would have been a better option than Teuns. In the RvV he proved that he can be a good teammate by launching Bettiol towards the Kwaremont.

 

[SafeBet]

Italian team should be something like: Trentin (captain), Colbrelli, Ulissi, Moscon, Cimolai, Puccio.
Cassani will decide the last two spots after Memorial Pantani. Bettiol should be in unless he's not recovered.

 

[Brullnux]

I'm guessing quite an aggressive race then? Because there aren't many domestiques there, I can't really imagine Ulissi in good form not trying to do something himself

 

[Noddy97]

Kwiatkowski says on Twitter that he has too much respect for the Polish jersey to take the start in his current shape.

Awful season for him. I think he sould change team, a rider like him cannot be so bad during 2 seasons

 

[Breezy1985]

Egan is out, Betancur is in.

Assuming he actually starts a race he has been signed up for

 

[SafeBet]

I'm guessing quite an aggressive race then? Because there aren't many domestiques there, I can't really imagine Ulissi in good form not trying to do something himself

Cimolai and Puccio will be domestiques. One of the other 2 spots should go to someone like Cataldo.
Anyway, yes, I think an aggressive race should be top priority for the italian team.

 

[shalgo]

Assuming he actually starts a race he has been signed up for

You are behind the times, the new Betancur is very reliable. He has been racing steadily all season, but his results have been mediocre. Not bad exactly, but not great either: as I posted in another thread last week, he has finished between 11th and 50th in pretty much every race and stage he has ridden since mid-April this year.

I predict he finishes 15th at the World's (just as he did at LBL and in Montreal).

 

[Broccolidwarf]

I'm guessing quite an aggressive race then? Because there aren't many domestiques there, I can't really imagine Ulissi in good form not trying to do something himself

If there is one thing I have learned, watching italian teams at worlds through the years, it is that no matter how much infighting they have going on in the press, no matter how much organisational chaos they may (or may not have), on race day, they always show up and ride as a team.

 

[Koronin]

Spanish team for the Worlds:
Alejandro Valverde, Imanol Erviti, Marc Soler, José Joaquín Rojas, Ion Izagirre, Gorka Izagirre, Luis León Sánchez, Jonathan Castroviejo, Iván García Cortina

Yes they get 9 riders.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Spanish team for the Worlds:
Alejandro Valverde, Imanol Erviti, Marc Soler, José Joaquín Rojas, Ion Izagirre, Gorka Izagirre, Luis León Sánchez, Jonathan Castroviejo, Iván García Cortina

Yes they get 9 riders.

A super strong team for a GT, but it’s hard to see what their strategy to win this WC is.

 

[Koronin]

A super strong team for a GT, but it’s hard to see what their strategy to win this WC is.

I agree, I'd take that team to a Grand Tour.

For a one day race like this Valverde is team leader with Cortina as plan B. Most of those riders have a lot of experience as classics domestiques for the Ardennes.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

From the CN article:

“Roglič was confirmed in the eight-rider elite men’s team on Tuesday, with Tadej Pogačar and Matej Mohorič also leaders in a strong squad. Completing the team are Jan Tratnik, Luka Pibernik, Grega Bole, Jan Polanc and David Per. Luka Mezgec is absent after crashing out of the Vuelta and fracturing his hip.”

I know that it’s very unusual for such a small country from outside the historic heartland of the sport to have three riders of the quality of Roglic, Pogacar and Mohoric simultaneously. But when you look more closely, their roster gets even more bizarrely deep. Spilak too. Just an incredibly good current crop for a state with 2 million people.

 

[Leinster]

Yeah, but Mezgec was probably their best chance on this course, and he won’t be there. Rotten luck really.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Yeah, but Mezgec was probably their best chance on this course, and he won’t be there. Rotten luck really.

I suspect that their best but still small chance has always been a Mohoric attack. But yeah, Mezgec is a big loss.

 

[Nirvana]

If there is one thing I have learned, watching italian teams at worlds through the years, it is that no matter how much infighting they have going on in the press, no matter how much organisational chaos they may (or may not have), on race day, they always show up and ride as a team.

Only starting from 2002, before was the polar opposite.

 

[Blanco]

A super strong team for a GT, but it’s hard to see what their strategy to win this WC is.

To put Luisle or Cortina in the late move, or to wait last lap and go with Valverde. It's a good team.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Dont understand why Mas isn't there after his performance in Canada. I think this is a perfect route for Cortina, he could be dangerous, although Valverde still is the captain, obviously.

 

[Pantani_lives]

**** *Alaphilippe, Gilbert
****Sagan, Van der Poel
***Evenepoel, Matthews, Trentin
**Stybar, Asgreen, Van Avermaet, Fuglsang
*Roglic, Pogacar, Valverde, Politt, Bettiol, Jungels

EDIT: When I type 5 stars it's automatically changed into one star, so I had to put in a space.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

The slovak team is interesting.

Outside of Sagan, they have nobody..... 2 terrible doms from Bora and the rest are CT riders.

He is going to have a hell of a time staying up there all race, if the quality teams drop the hammer early, to get rid of all the cannon fodder.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

**** *Alaphilippe, Gilbert
****Sagan, Van der Poel
***Evenepoel, Matthews, Trentin
**Stybar, Asgreen, Van Avermaet, Fuglsang
*Roglic, Pogacar, Valverde, Politt, Bettiol, Jungels

EDIT: When I type 5 stars it's automatically changed into one star, so I had to put in a space.

I think you are missing some nationalities on that list, because of how the world championships teams are set up (both in terms of size and quality).

I'd also be shocked, if there was no brit in top 10, on home soil.

Germany, GB and Norway should certainly be in the mix, as would Woods representing Canada.