Rio 2016 Olympic Road Race and Time Trial courses

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

GVA is gonna get dropped like a stone, the importance is maybe a bit bigger than that stupid race in spain, don't you think mate?

Piti, nibali, froome, quintana, contador,...No way in hell GVA can ever follow these guys.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

last year GVA was leading the field to the top of Jaizkibel until that infamous motor incident
what is his chance in Rio given that San Sebastian is steeper than the Rio route?

I think he has an outside chance. The key for him and Belgium (Gilbert as well), perhaps counter-intuitively, will be to make the race really hard from the start. They need all those relatively small bumps in the first 170km to be ridden really hard, as tough anaerobic efforts. Anaerobic efforts like that will take way less out of the legs of someone like GVA or Gilbert than they will out of climbers who specialize in riding much more aerobically.

He's shown in San Sebastian and Strade Bianche that he climb well enough - he just needs to make sure that by the time the big climb comes, the pure climbers are already feeling the effects of a hard race. Otherwise they'll drop him like a stone. And the puncheur climbers, who will be able to handle hard anaerobic efforts, like Valverde and Martin aren't going to attack from the foot of the climb - they'll just look to gain a smallish gap near the top - a gap that a rider like GVA could close on the run into the line.

Recovering from an anaerobic effort happens aerobically. GvA isn't gonna be near the front on a climb which has 4km at over 8% if its ridden properly. And it will

Not sure of the relevance of this. The point is that GVA trains extensively to do anaerobic intervals and to ride hard aerobically between them - that is the key aspect of the races which he most focuses on. Climbers don't do this at all. They sit in a peloton saving energy and then launch into a tempo or threshold effort on climbs. They would really struggle if a team like Belgium makes the race hard in the first 170km (which has a kind of spring classics profile to it). A rider like GVA is well conditioned for that so would come into the final climb relatively fresher than the climbers in that situation - if, indeed, the climbers have not already been dropped.

If everyone's legs are on the limit by the time they start the last climb, then a rider like GVA certainly has an outside chance. He probably has the best endurance in the race, and so could limit his losses enough to get back on towards the end of the race.

As I said, he's an outside shot at best, but if it is ridden really hard from the start - I think the peloton could disintegrate pretty quickly and that a few of the climbers will already be out the back before they hit the big climb.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

GVA is gonna get dropped like a stone, the importance is maybe a bit bigger than that stupid race in spain, don't you think mate?

Piti, nibali, froome, quintana, contador,...No way in hell GVA can ever follow these guys.

How are Contador and Quintana going to follow GVA though if Belgium treat those 12 or so bumps earlier in the race as hard 3 minute anaerobic intervals. It's not like a GT or a classic with 8 or 9 man teams, where you can get back on in the flat. They could easily split the peloton on a route like this - you could get a group of classic specialists like Cancellara, GVA, Valverde and Gilbert all in a front group, with most of the climbers struggling to get back on.

The race isn't just about the last 50km.

 

[Miburo]

Re: Re:

GVA is gonna get dropped like a stone, the importance is maybe a bit bigger than that stupid race in spain, don't you think mate?

Piti, nibali, froome, quintana, contador,...No way in hell GVA can ever follow these guys.

How are Contador and Quintana going to follow GVA though if Belgium treat those 12 or so bumps earlier in the race as hard 3 minute anaerobic intervals. It's not like a GT or a classic with 8 or 9 man teams, where you can get back on in the flat. They could easily split the peloton on a route like this - you could get a group of classic specialists like Cancellara, GVA, Valverde and Gilbert all in a front group, with most of the climbers struggling to get back on.

The race isn't just about the last 50km.

LMAO if you think GVA can do that to Contador and Quintana. You're insane.

 

[DFA123]

Re: Re:

GVA is gonna get dropped like a stone, the importance is maybe a bit bigger than that stupid race in spain, don't you think mate?

Piti, nibali, froome, quintana, contador,...No way in hell GVA can ever follow these guys.

How are Contador and Quintana going to follow GVA though if Belgium treat those 12 or so bumps earlier in the race as hard 3 minute anaerobic intervals. It's not like a GT or a classic with 8 or 9 man teams, where you can get back on in the flat. They could easily split the peloton on a route like this - you could get a group of classic specialists like Cancellara, GVA, Valverde and Gilbert all in a front group, with most of the climbers struggling to get back on.

The race isn't just about the last 50km.

LMAO if you think GVA can do that to Contador and Quintana. You're insane.

No, you're right. Strong teams like Belgium, Australia, Switzerland and Poland will just let the race drift along with no urgency, waiting until they inevitably get dropped on the last climb.

 

[Miburo]

You forget how dumb many cyclists and their DS's are besides there are many teams with an interest to pull them back even if it's 5 man teams.

But hey if you can give me examples in modern cycling where they attacked from 200-150 km orso in a big race like this and managed to survive, then go for it? And not being complete fodder names thus teams don't give them 20min

Your best bet is PR race.

Besides the climbs starts at 80km from the finish

 

[DFA123]

Re:

You forget how dumb many cyclists and their DS's are besides there are many teams with an interest to pull them back even if it's 5 man teams.

But hey if you can give me examples in modern cycling where they attacked from 200-150 km orso in a big race like this and managed to survive, then go for it? And not being complete fodder names thus teams don't give them 20min

Your best bet is PR race.

Besides the climbs starts at 80km from the finish

It's a bit pointless looking at historical precedents, because there has never been a race like this in elite modern cycling. A race of near monument distance - the first part of which has a profile like a spring classic, and the last part of which has a profile like Lombardia. All ridden with maximum five man teams (mostly fewer) and a race which around 40% of riders in it will be entering to win, not to work for anyone else. It has the potential to be extremely unpredictable. If a group like Cancellara, GVA, Valverde, Thomas, Kwiatkowski, Matthews etc.. get an advantage on one of those anaeobic climbs - who exactly is willing and capable of bringing them back?

As said, I certainly don't think GVA is a favourite, but it has the potential to be a very unpredictable race - and he has several strengths (excellent endurance, sprint finish, explosive climbing) which make him a threat. Bookies agree by the way, GVA shorter odds than Contador and Quintana.

 

[Gigs_98]

Because of the discussion which riders the route suits I wondered how the cobbles are like. Does anyone have pictures of them because I didnt find anything in the internet.

 

[Asero831]

Because of the discussion which riders the route suits I wondered how the cobbles are like. Does anyone have pictures of them because I didnt find anything in the internet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykkp5CUVUTM

 

[barmaher]

I think the most similar course to this is Duitama in 1995. Different era, but that race was dominated by GT riders, with Olano, Indurain and Pantani on the podium (I think).

I think that climb was probably easier than the one in Rio, but I may be wrong.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I think the most similar course to this is Duitama in 1995. Different era, but that race was dominated by GT riders, with Olano, Indurain and Pantani on the podium (I think).

I think that climb was probably easier than the one in Rio, but I may be wrong.

Not sure there are too many similarities. Wasn't the race in Duitama nearly all above 2500m altitude? And they did about 15 laps of a 300m climb averaging about 7%. IIRC it was way harder than this year, and also much more one-dimensional. It doesn't have any of the spring classics style course that the first 160km has this year.

 

[barmaher]

I didn't realise that they did 16 laps of that circuit. Just googled, and you are right. Sorry.

 

[DFA123]

Re:

I didn't realise that they did 16 laps of that circuit. Just googled, and you are right. Sorry.

It was an absolutely brutal course; I think I read that they even scaled it down quite a bit, removing tougher climbs, because it was seen as too hard for Europeans and too much in favour of the local riders. It's scary to think what the initial proposal was like!

 

[barmaher]

I remember the race reasonably well. Or certainly the last few laps. I was a massive Virenque fan at the time, and really wanted him to win.

 

[May0maniac]

Italy will probably bring Ulissi (Cassani likes him and he rides for the only Italian WT team), but IMO they should go with the Astana trio (Nibali, Aru and Rosa) and a few workhorses like Brambilla and De Marchi, Gasparotto would be another good option or even Moreno Moser (because of the ITT). If Felline was in shape he'd be another candidate, but you can expect much from him after such a hard crash, that's why I'm a bit surprised by the fact that the Brits picked Kennaugh, the guy hasn't raced since crashing out of the 4th gt.

 

[liamito]

Re:

Italy will probably bring Ulissi (Cassani likes him and he rides for the only Italian WT team), but IMO they should go with the Astana trio (Nibali, Aru and Rosa) and a few workhorses like Brambilla and De Marchi, Gasparotto would be another good option or even Moreno Moser (because of the ITT). If Felline was in shape he'd be another candidate, but you can expect much from him after such a hard crash, that's why I'm a bit surprised by the fact that the Brits picked Kennaugh, the guy hasn't raced since crashing out of the 4th gt.

They should and they will. Ulissi blew his chances big time last sunday.

 

[Anderis]

Re:

I'm a bit surprised by the fact that the Brits picked Kennaugh, the guy hasn't raced since crashing out of the 4th gt.

This man disagrees:

(too bad most of you will not understand what I mean )

Michael Woods selected for Canada, according to Cannondale's twitter.

 

[CTQ]

Michael Woods selected for Canada, according to Cannondale's twitter.

Yes, with Antoine Duchesne( Direct Energie) and Hugo Houle ( AG2R )

 

[happytramp]

Martin, Alaphillipe, Kiwi, Gerrans will lose minutes. Just look at the gaps in Mende in last year.

You think Martin is going to lose minutes?... oh brother

You haven't been following cycling this season much have you?

 

[Jungle Cycle]

Re:

Italy will probably bring Ulissi (Cassani likes him and he rides for the only Italian WT team), but IMO they should go with the Astana trio (Nibali, Aru and Rosa) and a few workhorses like Brambilla and De Marchi, Gasparotto would be another good option or even Moreno Moser (because of the ITT). If Felline was in shape he'd be another candidate, but you can expect much from him after such a hard crash, that's why I'm a bit surprised by the fact that the Brits picked Kennaugh, the guy hasn't raced since crashing out of the 4th gt.

The "team" that came down with Cassani+Slongo to try the course in january was Nibali, Aru, Malori and Agnoli...

 

[Anderis]

I find it weird that Canada has 3 spots but USA just 2. Were Canada's results really better recently?

 

[GP Blanco]

Re: Re:

I'm a bit surprised by the fact that the Brits picked Kennaugh, the guy hasn't raced since crashing out of the 4th gt.

This man disagrees:

(too bad most of you will not understand what I mean )

Michael Woods selected for Canada, according to Cannondale's twitter.

Peace race I suppose?

 

[Anderis]

Re: Re:

Peace race I suppose?

No, no...

The man in this picture is Czesław Lang, former cyclist and current organiser of Tour de Pologne.

Each year during Tour de Pologne in Polish media he says about how important this race is, comparing it with Giro and the Tour. To someone, who has no clue about cycling, it sounds like Tour de Pologne is 3rd most important stage race in the whole cycling calendar. He doesn't even menton Vuelta. :lol:

The promoters of Tour de Pologne are also known from some funny slogans about the race like "Cycling Champions League" etc.

 

[GP Blanco]

Switzerland:
Cancellara (TT as well)
Albasini
Morabito
Reichenbach

 

[Ricco']

Re:

Switzerland:
Cancellara (TT as well)
Albasini
Morabito
Reichenbach

Without having to slave himself to Pinot, Reichenbach could well win the whole race.

Btw, Russia will go with:

Zakawin
Chernetskiy
Kochetkov

Not sure who will go to TT, probably Zakarin and Chernetskiy if it's two.