Ponferrada 2014 World Championships, Sep. 21st-28th

[Libertine Seguros]

Front group has names like Johansson, PFP, Brennauer, Longo Borghini, Armitstead, Cromwell, Olds. Don't expect this is going to be decisive, but some of the bigger names who were caught behind like Vos may have to make her domestiques work more than they would have liked in the early going in the race which could impact late on.

 

[SafeBet]

Not sure I've seen Ratto in the first group.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Vos coming back with teammates but Bronzini is alone, but she is making up ground.

 

[Pharazon]

Bronzini back too, Peloton clearly eased off

 

[burning]

Not sure I've seen Ratto in the first group.

She's in the first group

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Not sure I've seen Ratto in the first group.

Ratto is in the main field.


http://static.sportresult.com/federations/uci/CR2014/ has updates

 

[SafeBet]

She's in the first group

Ratto is in the main field.


http://static.sportresult.com/federations/uci/CR2014/ has updates

Ok cheers.

 

[Arredondo]

So climber Mara Abbott was likely to be the American woman who lay there in the ditch.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Blaak, Amialiusik, Abbot also among those out/behind

 

[burning]

This has to be the most passive race I have ever seen.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Blaak is back.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

This has to be the most passive race I have ever seen.

The crash certainly has not helped but there was not much going on before that either.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This has to be the most passive race I have ever seen.

København.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

It appears Blaak, Brand, Slappendel, Stevens and Garfoot are racing without transponders but are in the group.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Attack!!!!

 

[greenedge]

Johanssen
Vos
Lizzie A.

I was hoping Cromwell could maybe get a medal, but i doubt she has the sprint against the above.
Maybe an Italian to try solo away, that or the Americans.

 

[Elegant Degenerate]

Why are they giving coverage to the group ride before the race?

Crikey - hope the 2nd half is more interesting.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

It seems Powers is also in the main group but not being picked up at the intermediate time checks.

 

[theyoungest]

It's also the kind of parcours where Annemiek van Vleuten has made her name by attacking and nobody daring to chase as it will be dragging Vos to the finish.

Annemiek van Vleuten can't attack from a hospital bed.

If the likes of Johansson, Stevens, Armitstead ever have a chance of beating Vos it will be today. She crashed, her team is severely weakened, and she doesn't have the form.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Annemiek van Vleuten can't attack from a hospital bed.

If the likes of Johansson, Stevens, Armitstead ever have a chance of beating Vos it will be today. She crashed, her team is severely weakened, and she doesn't have the form.

Point taken. I was looking at the provisional startlists from the squads and got ahead of myself, I remembered Anna VDB was out injured but not Annemiek, which is pretty stupid of me since it was her that caused the crash!

 

[Elegant Degenerate]

Annemiek van Vleuten can't attack from a hospital bed.

I dunno... In this 'race' that could just work.

Can cycling finish in a stalemate?

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

It is hard to know who has been effected by the crash.

Stevens for instance had to chase back and has been right at the back of the peloton since she got back. She might not be feeling that great.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I dunno... In this 'race' that could just work.

Can cycling finish in a stalemate?

This is basically the same as any men's race in the middle phase, where the break just sits at a catchable distance. It's just that the big crash meant there was seemingly a truce called, and so we didn't really get any break.

Bridie O'Donnell's take on this is that it will be a final lap shootout between the puncheurs trying to drop the likes of Olds and Bronzini, then they will need to descend well.

I'm thinking the final lap will be where any reasonable moves are made. The big fear is that it looks like Italy have gone all-in for Bronzini because you would have expected Ratto and Scandolara to be active by now if not. If Vos isn't at 100% they will probably think her best chance of winning will be from the sprint, and if that means both Netherlands and Italy policing the bunch it could really neutralize it.

 

[TheGreenMonkey]

Looks like the pace is picking up.

 

[Elegant Degenerate]

This is basically the same as any men's race in the middle phase, where the break just sits at a catchable distance. It's just that the big crash meant there was seemingly a truce called, and so we didn't really get any break.

Yeah - that's a fair point. I wasn't suggesting gender had much/ anything to do with it. I guess 'the doomed breakaway' just creates more of an illusion that something is happening than it sometimes seems.