Harrogate to host 2019 Worlds

[hayneplane]

The weather has been pretty warm and sunny this week where I am in Leeds just over 20 miles away from the circuit round Harrogate.

In two minds about the weather because as a spectator I would like nice weather to enjoy the day out but on the other hand bad weather makes for a more selective race and much greater chance of it being an epic edition of the worlds.

 

[Leinster]

Exactly. And as they should. Trick is to isolate them and then attack them to make them work.

The problem with that is there’s always going to be another Belgian in the group in front of you, or the group behind.

Sample conversation with 20km to go; “C’mon, Lampaert, take a turn.” “I’ve got Naessen in the group ahead of us and Gilbert and vanAvermaet behind. You just keep riding, I’m happy where I am.”

 

[postmanhat]

I think too much is being made of the uphill finish. There's a small ramp just out of the corner and then it's false flat. As the traffic islands are removable, thanks @MartinGT , any bunch coming into that corner together will be hitting it at 50-odd kph and they'll hardy even notice the ramp.

Yes. Without the traffic Island it will be quite a wide bend so no need for the change of speed which might have favoured MVDP/Sagan.

Is this the same finish that Kittel won on in 2014?

 

[AQETUYIOI]

They went straight ahead in 2014, i.e. no turn.

View: https://youtu.be/Gs0bxDEDkf8?t=2255

 

[Breezy1985]

bunch sprint?

I more meant as the attacks happen. Alot of riders with small teams will be looking to piggyback on the likes of the Belgium or France train when they try to close attacks. Someone like Sagan gets caught in an echelon hes done

 

[42x16ss]

sagan, MVP and Trentin are the only "sprinters" capable of winning this race. Don't forget that Belgium will break the race in pieces.

Matthews as well, if you classify him as a sprinter.

 

[postmanhat]

They went straight ahead in 2014, i.e. no turn.

View: https://youtu.be/Gs0bxDEDkf8?t=2255

Thanks

Am not sure how much difference that turn will make now, except for a bit of thinning out. And if Kittel can get up that ramp to win then anyone can.

 

[Red Rick]

The final ramp doesn't matter too much for the sprint simply because it won't create more selection than the main climb of the route will.

I honestly would hate if this route would result into a simple reduced sprint.

 

[postmanhat]

Well there are about 1700 metres of climbing in the final 100k (the seven loops), which should be enough to force a selection, and there's plenty of natural opportunities for a break to form and stay away. Belguim could have a field day on a course like this?

 

[Brullnux]

Thanks

Am not sure how much difference that turn will make now, except for a bit of thinning out. And if Kittel can get up that ramp to win then anyone can.

Kittel was able to win on 10% ramps (or steeper) if it was just a short effort though, he was pretty good at these sorts of sprints.

The race will be hard though. The thing with English country roads is that there's so little actual flat, over 280km it will be extremely energy sapping

 

[Velolover2]

Yeah. Other factors such as length, endurance and aggression will determine the race. Not the final.

The 10% ramp is less than 100 m on a broad road. Literally every sprinter can do these without feeling the elevation. These are Kittel or Groenewegen sprints.

200 m of 10%: A Sagan type can beat a pure sprinter on those but it's more of a 50/50 lottery. I wouldn't be surprised if Viviani or Gaviria could win these type of sprints.

It's first at 300 meters, that the puncheurs start to have a great advantage.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175701098969096192

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1175701098969096192


I don't know chief, it looks like Sagan and Van Avermaet couldn't exactly hold the wheel on the climb itself saturday. How are they going to do that a week later?

 

[Velolover2]

Currently, the only who can hold MVDP's wheel on a 1 km climb is Alaphilippe.

 

[Red Rick]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1175701098969096192

View: https://twitter.com/laflammerouge16/status/1175701098969096192


I don't know chief, it looks like Sagan and Van Avermaet couldn't exactly hold the wheel on the climb itself saturday. How are they going to do that a week later?

GvA decided which wheel he wants to suck all day come Sunday

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Yay Tony Martin
Yay Viviani

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Brava
Elena Longoborghini

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[Rollthedice]

Brava
Elena Longoborghini

Elena Lamborghini.

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Well there are about 1700 metres of climbing in the final 100k (the seven loops), which should be enough to force a selection, and there's plenty of natural opportunities for a break to form and stay away. Belguim could have a field day on a course like this?

Bergen had about 3400 metres, with 40km along the coast to start with, and 267km total.

 

[Breezy1985]

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).

14th so close

 

[hammerthaim]

Moscon is the strongest Italian rider on this course. He is a world beater in the making. Trentin is faster in a sprint than him obviously, and I don't see anyone other than those 2 getting a win or podium.

Shameless bump.