Lauf Gravel Worlds

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Some observations:
1. That's the way you broadcast a gravel race. Motos with the front group and followers, overhead shots. Hey Lifetime, the level has been raised.
2. Gravel Earth Series should have the money to broadcast well...their entry fees are absurd.
3. Adam Roberge never deseerves to win anything. He wheelsucks enough to be Cadel Evans' son. Jones took his cookies, and it was sweet to watch.
4. Great to see Beers win. He and Kegan were the class of the field, and rode a fair race together.
5. Still watching the women's, but Rose and Gee are riding a fair race (Gee slowed at an aid station so Rose could refill). Whoever wins deserves this, as they've traded pulls the entire time...though I would have loved to see Migon there in the mix for the win. EDIT: Rose won, and it was deserved. Cool thing is that Gee gave Rose a bottle early on, because Rose lost both of her's. The Holy Spirit of Gravel baby!
6. The US gravel scene is great sport to watch, and I hope more races are covered live.
7. Super cool to see Carter Lemberg winning the 300. 17 years old, and a super talent

 

[stonerider]

Good to see Beers finally get a win. I was afraid he was just working as Keegan's secret domestique in all his races since they are good training buddies.

 

[jono]

Some observations:

3. Adam Roberge never deseerves to win anything. He wheelsucks enough to be Cadel Evans' son. Jones took his cookies, and it was sweet to watch.

Adam has explained himself on podcast many times. In gravel races, unlike road races, the lead group is nearly always a collection of the strongest riders, not a breakaway of second-tier riders like in a tour stage or some one day races that needs to cooperate to stay away. The riders in groups behind are not coming back - they've been dropped by many minutes because they are weaker. There is no one in front to chase.

What is the point of "pulling"? Sure, someone has to be on the front, but if you as a fellow rider have a problem with Roberge sitting on, take him off the back or attack the front. If anyone follows gravel racing from the POV of a road racing fan, you'd wonder why the strongest riders often ride so stupidly, especially the pissing contest about pulls. In this particular instance, Roberge was essentially riding against two teammates, another scenario where it would make sense to avoid work. This isn't Zwift racing - you are allowed to use your brain as well as your legs. An argument for equal pulling is really an argument against tactical and attacking racing.

In the end, he got himself into the lead group with three other riders with World Tour level watts that he decidedly doesn't have. The other three should have been able to get rid of him anytime they want, and the top 2 eventually did. I give him credit for racing his own race to get a result (and to be fair, before the race was whittled down to four he took his share of pulls in the larger group).

If a random rider like Bram Welten or Henok Mulubhran or someone like that was somehow in the lead group with MVDP, Wout and Pedersen in some classic I wouldn't expect him to pull much either, nor would anyone else.



Agreed about your point about the broadcast. The usual excuse from other races is poor wireless coverage in remote parts of the course, but there appeared to be Starlink setups mounted to the motos, which is a clever workaround.

Drones used in coverage of key sections also seems a more affordable and scalable solution than the helicopters that Lifetime seems to favor for their non-coverage.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Adam has explained himself on podcast many times. In gravel races, unlike road races, the lead group is nearly always a collection of the strongest riders, not a breakaway of second-tier riders like in a tour stage or some one day races that needs to cooperate to stay away. The riders in groups behind are not coming back - they've been dropped by many minutes because they are weaker. There is no one in front to chase.

What is the point of "pulling"? Sure, someone has to be on the front, but if you as a fellow rider have a problem with Roberge sitting on, take him off the back or attack the front. If anyone follows gravel racing from the POV of a road racing fan, you'd wonder why the strongest riders often ride so stupidly, especially the pissing contest about pulls. In this particular instance, Roberge was essentially riding against two teammates, another scenario where it would make sense to avoid work. This isn't Zwift racing - you are allowed to use your brain as well as your legs. An argument for equal pulling is really an argument against tactical and attacking racing.

In the end, he got himself into the lead group with three other riders with World Tour level watts that he decidedly doesn't have. The other three should have been able to get rid of him anytime they want, and the top 2 eventually did. I give him credit for racing his own race to get a result (and to be fair, before the race was whittled down to four he took his share of pulls in the larger group).

If a random rider like Bram Welten or Henok Mulubhran or someone like that was somehow in the lead group with MVDP, Wout and Pedersen in some classic I wouldn't expect him to pull much either, nor would anyone else.



Agreed about your point about the broadcast. The usual excuse from other races is poor wireless coverage in remote parts of the course, but there appeared to be Starlink setups mounted to the motos, which is a clever workaround.

Drones used in coverage of key sections also seems a more affordable and scalable solution than the helicopters that Lifetime seems to favor for their non-coverage.

Disagree completely with the Roberge point. He's a guy who has stolen wins, so the Welten or Mulubhran comparison is not relevant. Also, he failed to pull with other riders of his calibre, who were pulling, and did get dropped earlier. He deserved to be with them. If pulling made no difference then why the attrition? Beers and Kegan both made clear their annoyance with his wheel sucking, and this is one in a long line of him doing this exact thing. What I can say is that he is at least consistent. Anyone in a group with him can count on him not putting his nose in the wind, ever.

I like listening to him when he's on podcasts, and he seems like an honest guy...but I never want to see him win anything, because he doesn't earn it.