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

[CHGJ2000]

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.

 

[KZD]

Zoe Backstedt is a huge talent. She is now junior World champion in the track, cyclocross, road race and ITT.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Ah, he didn't have to switch bikes during the actual race. His own bike was denied per UCI regulations and thus had to ride on a Ridley from the national association.

Just pealing off the Ridley sticker would have made the bike gone 2kmh faster.

 

[RedheadDane]

Zoe Backstedt is a huge talent. She is now junior World champion in the track, cyclocross, road race and ITT.

Would it be too early to make a "Zoe is the new Bäckstedt" thread? Or should that be "Zoe is the newest Bäckstedt"? (With Elynor of course being "the new".)

 

[Izzyeviel]

Would it be too early to make a "Zoe is the new Bäckstedt" thread? Or should that be "Zoe is the newest Bäckstedt"? (With Elynor of course being "the new".)

'The Backstedt's back alright!'

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

'The Backstedt's back alright!'

Mods should delete any Backstedt thread that doesn't use this title. Would personally drop the "the" but i'll allow it.

 

[will-10]

Does it just get scrapped? In my opinion that's not a good idea, there's a reason for the gear restriction which is that those bodies are still developing and should be protected.

Gear restrictions have been a red herring for years, good riddance.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Next Year the limitation on the gearing is scrapped from the rulebook. That's good in my opinion, some riders have higher leg speed than others. On some courses a higher gear is needed.

Maybe they should just restrict ridiculously large gears. Now the juniors are spinning like crazy as soon as the road goes downhill more than 2%.

 

[Ricco']

Do these kids train with normal gearing or stay limited to the ones they need to race with?

 

[Bolder]

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.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

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.

7,93 meter per omwenteling? 52-tandwiel of 53 kroontjes? José De Cauwer legt uit | sporza

De prachtige prestatie van Febe Jooris, brons bij de junioren (v), werd vanochtend (een beetje) overschaduwd door het debacle rond Jens Verbrugghe bij de junioren (m). De 17-jarige zoon van ex-bondscoach Rik Verbrugghe droomde van een medaille, maar belandde in een Australische nachtmerrie. José...

sporza.be

 

[Sciatic]

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.

 

[Ricco']

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.

 

[BR2]

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?

 

[tobydawq]

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?

Cyclisme. Pourquoi et comment Benoît Cosnefroy va-t-il finalement participer aux Mondiaux ?

Le cycliste originaire de Rauville-la-Bigot (Cotentin) Benoît Cosnefroy s'est laissé convaincre par le sélectionneur de l'équipe de France, Thomas Voeckler, pour intégrer l'équipe.

actu.fr

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.

 

[Berniece]

Maybe they should just restrict ridiculously large gears. Now the juniors are spinning like crazy as soon as the road goes downhill more than 2%.

They're already dropping the rule for 53 gears next year. This was the last year they were enforcing it. It's just a shame for him, you put in all the work, and then this... Just sucks.

 

[42x16ss]

Yeah, an ITT Worlds in Australia < brother getting married. Understandable prios right there............

Holy

For those with a balanced family life, yes it is. He covered it on Sam Bewleys podcast recently and sounded disappointed, but he put family first. Good on him I say, work isn't life.

 

[postmanhat]

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.

 

[DNP-Old]

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.

 

[Valv.Piti]

For those with a balanced family life, yes it is. He covered it on Sam Bewleys podcast recently and sounded disappointed, but he put family first. Good on him I say, work isn't life.

I personally wouldn't even have considered it if all I was good for was time trialing and when the Worlds was held in my backyard.

 

[search]

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.

 

[movingtarget]

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.

 

[sir fly]

Gauguin in motion...

 

[RedheadDane]

Amazing interview with two of the Samoans. They only had a few weeks to prepare, but are hoping that - in time - Samoa can become the new Eritrea.

 

[RedheadDane]

Danish ladies exploded.