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Everyone else can go home now thenEgan is out, Betancur is in.
Good news. He's the only Colombian who can make a decent resultEgan is out, Betancur is in.
Yup, he’s not on the official Polish team roster:Kwiatkowski says on Twitter that he has too much respect for the Polish jersey to take the start in his current shape.
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.
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.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.
Awful season for him. I think he sould change team, a rider like him cannot be so bad during 2 seasonsKwiatkowski says on Twitter that he has too much respect for the Polish jersey to take the start in his current shape.
Assuming he actually starts a race he has been signed up forEgan is out, Betancur is in.
Cimolai and Puccio will be domestiques. One of the other 2 spots should go to someone like Cataldo.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
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.Assuming he actually starts a race he has been signed up for
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
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.
Yeah, but Mezgec was probably their best chance on this course, and he won’t be there. Rotten luck really.
Only starting from 2002, before was the polar opposite.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.
To put Luisle or Cortina in the late move, or to wait last lap and go with Valverde. It's a good team.A super strong team for a GT, but it’s hard to see what their strategy to win this WC is.
**** *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.