• The Cycling News forum is still looking to add volunteer moderators with. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

The Grand 2022 Wollongong UCI Road World Championships Thread, September 18th-25th

Page 33 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
There are children out there playing far more dangerous sports than having too big a gear in fairness.
Personally, I don't think it is a protection anyway. Instead of riding with an appropriate gear, you have riders in top-level junior TT's wobbling violently constantly trying to push a gear that is massively too small. Much more likely to cause issues. Junior gearing is just a massively more stupid version of the kids lifting weights stunts growth myth, especially as even inexperienced riders with limited time on the bike will self select the most efficient cadence during extended maximal efforts and the gear that produces that.
 
Do these kids train with normal gearing or stay limited to the ones they need to race with?
That is what I was wondering.

I don't really have a problem with it as my knees definitely don't like pushing a big gear anymore. I think kids or their coaches would be tempted to over do it in the pursuit of speed. Any kid who's great on restricted gears should also be good when the restrictions are lifted, and it gives them a chance to develop their TT position/pacing/breathing without just mashing until they blow up.

American baseball has the same limits, or at least it used to, on young kids throwing "curve" balls, the theory being it would hurt their shoulders. Don't know if it's true.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Do these kids train with normal gearing or stay limited to the ones they need to race with?
I would think they are free to train with whatever gear they see fit, UCI can't dictate what you do in your free time. I think it could make sense to do specific training using a larger gear depending on the exercise.

EDIT: Apparently the blade that was mounted on the bike was the one that he had been using during his internship at Groupama FDJ.
 
Last edited:
That is what I was wondering.

I don't really have a problem with it as my knees definitely don't like pushing a big gear anymore. I think kids or their coaches would be tempted to over do it in the pursuit of speed. Any kid who's great on restricted gears should also be good when the restrictions are lifted, and it gives them a chance to develop their TT position/pacing/breathing without just mashing until they blow up.

American baseball has the same limits, or at least it used to, on young kids throwing "curve" balls, the theory being it would hurt their shoulders. Don't know if it's true.
That was much younger kids though—high school kids (14-17) throw curve balls, etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
That is what I was wondering.

I don't really have a problem with it as my knees definitely don't like pushing a big gear anymore. I think kids or their coaches would be tempted to over do it in the pursuit of speed. Any kid who's great on restricted gears should also be good when the restrictions are lifted, and it gives them a chance to develop their TT position/pacing/breathing without just mashing until they blow up.

American baseball has the same limits, or at least it used to, on young kids throwing "curve" balls, the theory being it would hurt their shoulders. Don't know if it's true.

I was wondering specially relative to their adaptation to the U23 and Elite ranks when they leave juniors and if the use in training of unrestricted gearing could explain how many more riders seem to develop quickly when making the transition.

We have juniors who seem so developed physically (for instance Herzog) in which restricted gearing in training could delay their overall development as they don't have much to improve with the restrictions in place.

I watched little of today's time trial but could catch Herzog's finish and in the final stretch he seemed like he was pedalling on a too high cadence.
 
  • Wow
Reactions: Sandisfan
Don't know if it got talked about but Cosnefroy seems to ride the road race and France has 10 riders on PCS now... not that I don't like that... but what's the matter there? Is Alaphilippe doubtful? Is any of the other riders? Did Cosnefroy just change his mind and someone else has to leave, that would be weird... any knowledge?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Don't know if it got talked about but Cosnefroy seems to ride the road race and France has 10 riders on PCS now... not that I don't like that... but what's the matter there? Is Alaphilippe doubtful? Is any of the other riders? Did Cosnefroy just change his mind and someone else has to leave, that would be weird... any knowledge?


It seems that he will replace Armirail.

My guess is that they are not confident in Alaphilippe and considering Cosnefroy's Québec victory, he must have been promised near captaincy status.
 
Yeah really fenomenal ride, reminded me of Remco's Junior TT in Innsbruck.
Great performance from Febe Jooris also, to be so far behind on the climb and still finish 3rd.

Statistically it was much more impressive, being a bigger winning margin, over nearly half the distance. But of course, there are always other factors such as Evenepoel being relatively new to cycling at the time.
 
Being part of the French team pursuit squad (watch out for them in Paris '24, they're coming!) on the track, Eddy Le Huitouze is quite familiar with suffering in the wheels of Benjamin Thomas. That's only 4ks, however. Tomorrow on the other hand he has to try to stick in the wheels of Cavagna and Armirail for thrice that length. I wish the kid best of luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
the current forecast for the TTT still says rain on from ~4pm local time. Australia will have finished their ride by then, while most other favourites for the medals start later on.
At this stage the forecast is for a few days of showers clearing on the weekend. Might be some heavy rain today or tomorrow. That's typical of the Wollongong weather this year. Also pretty windy at the moment.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: search