Poll: 2023 Men’s Elite World Championship Road Race - who will win?

[Nick2413]

Listed in order of odds by Oddschecker.

 

[Cookster15]

Remco is the favorite but I'l like to see MVDP win. Hence why I voted for MVDP.

The reason why is I'd love to see his reaction. His reaction after winning 2019 Amstel was priceless.

 

[RedheadDane]

His reaction after winning 2019 Amstel was priceless.

2019 Amstel was priceless.

 

[Red Rick]

I had a dream last night.

Olav Kooij

 

[Devil's Elbow]

As I said several weeks ago, either Evenepoel wins with a move with >50k to go or Van der Poel wins with a move with <50k to go. Everything else would be a surprise on this route, IMO. So the name of the game for the Dutch team is to a) not let Evenepoel break away in a big group like last year (and you'd think everyone else has learned not to let him go unless you have your leaders in that move after last year), and b) to prevent Van der Poel from being isolated in a group where Belgium has the numbers, because that's the scenario where Evenepoel has the perfect situation to break away. If they can pull that off, a good Van der Poel really should finish this one off in the final laps.

IMO, being the defending champion is going to count against Evenepoel here because every single team will want to avoid a repeat of last year and adjust their tactics accordingly. That makes it harder for him to make the move he needs to make, and thereby increases the odds of the race unfolding the way Van der Poel wants it to. So my vote goes to him completing what would be the greatest season of one-day racing since at least Boonen 2005.

 

[Red Rick]

As I said several weeks ago, either Evenepoel wins with a move with >50k to go or Van der Poel wins with a move with <50k to go. Everything else would be a surprise on this route, IMO. So the name of the game for the Dutch team is to a) not let Evenepoel break away in a big group like last year (and you'd think everyone else has learned not to let him go unless you have your leaders in that move after last year), and b) to prevent Van der Poel from being isolated in a group where Belgium has the numbers, because that's the scenario where Evenepoel has the perfect situation to break away. If they can pull that off, a good Van der Poel really should finish this one off in the final laps.

IMO, being the defending champion is going to count against Evenepoel here because every single team will want to avoid a repeat of last year and adjust their tactics accordingly. That makes it harder for him to make the move he needs to make, and thereby increases the odds of the race unfolding the way Van der Poel wants it to. So my vote goes to him completing what would be the greatest season of one-day racing since at least Boonen 2005.

I'm pretty surprised you have such a high cutoff point for an Evenepoel attack.

I do think this route may be easy enough for Kooij to fully cover the Evenepol suckwheeling job if you need it. He held on to MvdP on the hills at the nationals after all

 

[Tim Cahill]

Other: I'll go with Michal Kwiatkowski

He's got the form, the endurance, the brains and the mad skills to negotiate such a course.

Unfortunately he's got no team, and by that I literally mean it's just him on his own.

Algeria got 2 for *** sake, Morocco FOUR.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I'm pretty surprised you have such a high cutoff point for an Evenepoel attack.

I do think this route may be easy enough for Kooij to fully cover the Evenepol suckwheeling job if you need it. He held on to MvdP on the hills at the nationals after all

I think we are going to be down to a favourites group of <20 riders, possibly <10 riders, by 50k to go. Of course Evenepoel can still break away in a situation like that, but the smaller the group gets, the less complicated the tactics become and therefore the easier it becomes to focus on an impending Evenepoel move. I'm not saying Evenepoel can't win if he's still with (most of) the other favourites at 50k to go but unless Belgium have greatly superior numbers I definitely wouldn't back him in such a situation.

 

[Nick2413]

I’m going with Van der Poel because of the corners. His acceleration is his best asset and that’s what this parcours will reward the most. The main necessity for him will be having other strong riders in the front group that aren’t Belgian, to help cover attacks. Would love to see a Matteo Trentin dark horse win.

 

[Cookster15]

I’m going with Van der Poel because of the corners. His acceleration is his best asset and that’s what this parcours will reward the most. The main necessity for him will be having other strong riders in the front group that aren’t Belgian, to help cover attacks. Would love to see a Matteo Trentin dark horse win.

The wins I remember MVDP most for were not due to his acceleration. When on form MVDP has untouchable Anaerobic Lactic power. That can also win uphill finishes. His 2019 Amstel win was scarcely believable. I hope he can be at a similar level for these worlds.

 

[Nick2413]

The wins I remember MVDP most for were not due to his acceleration. When on form MVDP has untouchable Anaerobic Lactic power. That can also win uphill finishes. His 2019 Amstel win was scarcely believable. I hope he can be at a similar level for these worlds.

Even better for his chances with the punchy hills here, I think they will cause more separation than many seem to expect.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Van Aert needs it the most, to prolong his membership of the Big Six.

 

[Savant12]

Remco will win if the other favorites look at each other to close his move down.

 

[Netserk]

I'm doubtful of Van der Poel and Van Aert reaching peak shape.

The course is great for Mads Pedersen, so if he can survive the attacks, I think he'll win. But I still favour a lone attacker before the last lap, and that could be Van Baarle.

 

[tobydawq]

I had a dream last night.

Olav Kooij

Did you really dream about the snowman, Olaf, from Frozen, and then project onto this race?

 

[tobydawq]

It must have been a long time since we had a race where the bookmakers' biggest favourite was at 5.5!

 

[IndianCyclist]

All of them are either not in commanding form or tired from the TDF and therefore how they recover is the question. Remco, the only one not in the TDF, was not able to drop Bilbao. So it will completely come down to tactics. Belgium has the greatest number of options but is also prone to internal strife as in will any of the leaders work for each other potentially destroying their chances or will they work against each other preventing the other from winning.