UCI Gravel World Championships 2023, October 7-8, Italy

[Samamba]

There's still time for a silver medal.

He needs to believe.

All jokes aside, he could actually make the top 10 (like 3min ahead). Pretty sick performance if he gets that.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

With proper prep they would still win Unbound. Keegan is the only one who would stand a chance against WT pros. As for the course it is not bike paths course, so stop talkin ***. It is not unbound, more a BWR. Still extremely hard according to all that finished. My friend who was 14th at woman 40-44 told me it was the hardest ride of her life.

Fair points, though I would say that a couple of the BWR's are much more difficult than this, in terms of terrain. He one in Utah is a beast.

Glad to hear the result of your friend. Has she done Unbound or SBT or Leadville? I would think those races are much more difficult than this one.

Edit: And so far, I've seen nothing in the coverage that is anywhere near as difficult, in terms of riding surface, as rides like Unbound or Leadville. That short section where they crossed a couple of streams and had some loose gravel....yeah, try 100 more miles of that. Right now, they're cliimbing on concrete.

 

[Red Rick]

Again, let them come to Unbound (this is the real Gravel World Championship in reality), and see. So far, some WT pros have come and left with no wins. Unbound is not a road ride with some gravel paths used by people to commute to work. It is a completely different monster. Many of the other races are at altitude, and again are held on courses that are much more rugged than what we are seeing today. Leadville and SBT woud humble any of these guys. Sure, they might do well, but to think they would show up and mail it in, is just stupid. (not saying you said that...aimed at others who seem to think they know what they're talking about)

Nobody who does Unbound is gonna talk it down, that's now how sports PR works.

I don't find it a ridiculous opinion at all that when Laurens Ten Dam at the age of 42 finishes in the lead group of Unbound in most years that it doesn't require the biggest physiological outliers on 2 wheels to do that, and that it's likely there's many active WT pro's in the prime of their career who would do better with a solid preparation.

 

[meat puppet]

Wva was actually about 1min faster between piece de soligo checkpoint (10+ min behind) and colbertaldo (9+ min) checkpoint. Too bad the second place is out of reach it seems.

 

[Samamba]

Vermeersch struggling in the descents but he's doing an impressive ride. He's made a big step this year. These kind of races where the engine is the most important thing are really his thing. Following a world class rider like Mohoric for such a long time says something.

Looks like he's really on the limit now tho.

 

[Didinho]

Vermeersch holding on for now.

Edit: it’s happening.

 

[saunaking]

Cool Swenson is somewhere. Where is literally everyone else?

I dont think you get it. This is not a real gravel race and nobody is expecting gravel experts to beat the best road racers
in a course that suits the roadies better than the gravel guys.
Nobody thinks the gravel racers can go and win flanders, roubaix, strade either.

I'm sure we will see some pros filtering into Unbound eventually, be interesting to see what happens.

Hopefully with full on road team tactics for maximum polemics haha

 

[Samamba]

He's gone.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Oh well ggs

Can we get some shots of Alejandro please?

 

[Red Rick]

Mohoric climbing on the hoods just looks wrong to me.

 

[meat puppet]

Mohoric just imperious. That's that.

 

[Red Rick]

It's not over yet.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

But yes, if someone like Mohoric decided to concentrate on gravel, he'd likely win most any race. Certainly not saying that god like physiology can be overcome by courses, just that the type of rides in the US are far different, and would require more than just showing up.

 

[Kubackjeee]

Fair points, though I would say that a couple of the BWR's are much more difficult than this, in terms of terrain. He one in Utah is a beast.

Glad to hear the result of your friend. Has she done Unbound or SBT or Leadville? I would think those races are much more difficult than this one.

Edit: And so far, I've seen nothing in the coverage that is anywhere near as difficult, in terms of riding surface, as rides like Unbound or Leadville. That short section where they crossed a couple of streams and had some loose gravel....yeah, try 100 more miles of that. Right now, they're cliimbing on concrete.

Bro I love US gravel and wish them the best. But let's face the truth. Last year unbound was one by Ivar Slik. We did not even know who is this this guy before that race. He is not even a washed up WT pro. He was a conti level rider and still to weak to keep the job.

In cycling it is all about the engine. In gravel you also need a little luck and stay away from troubles. Top WT pros would annihilate the whole unbound superstars except Keegan.

 

[saunaking]

With proper prep they would still win Unbound.

So you are saying MVDP or Pog could win Unbound if they targeted it?
Yeah, no ***
Nobody is denying that.

But as it stands, they can't just show up in Kansas and ride away from everyone

 

[Red Rick]

I missed Mohoric on the Ganda descent yesterday

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Nobody who does Unbound is gonna talk it down, that's now how sports PR works.

I don't find it a ridiculous opinion at all that when Laurens Ten Dam at the age of 42 finishes in the lead group of Unbound in most years that it doesn't require the biggest physiological outliers on 2 wheels to do that, and that it's likely there's many active WT pro's in the prime of their career who would do better with a solid preparation.

Anybody who does Unbound is going to get their a$$ kicked by the course. That course isn't paved with PR. It's got factors like the rocks being flint, and keeping air in your tires, can be challenging. It's just a different type of thing. Then with races like SBT and Leadville, you're racing at nearly 4000 meters on very rugged surfaces.

 

[Samamba]

Well now it's completely over if Mohoric doesn't get a mechanical.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Is it worth watching guys? Or should I play my guitaR?

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Is it worth watching guys? Or should I play my guitaR?

Depends on your guitar skills

 

[memyselfandI]

Again, let them come to Unbound (this is the real Gravel World Championship in reality), and see. So far, some WT pros have come and left with no wins. Unbound is not a road ride with some gravel paths used by people to commute to work. It is a completely different monster. Many of the other races are at altitude, and again are held on courses that are much more rugged than what we are seeing today. Leadville and SBT woud humble any of these guys. Sure, they might do well, but to think they would show up and mail it in, is just stupid. (not saying you said that...aimed at others who seem to think they know what they're talking about)

You just need to connect LTGP to the wada/adams testing ring, then all cool..

 

[ice&fire]

Is it worth watching guys? Or should I play my guitaR?

Can't you play guitar with the TV on? You should practice that!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Bro I love US gravel and wish them the best. But let's face the truth. Last year unbound was one by Ivar Slik. We did not even know who is this this guy before that race. He is not even a washed up WT pro. He was a conti level rider and still to weak to keep the job.

In cycling it is all about the engine. In gravel you also need a little luck and stay away from troubles. Top WT pros would annihilate the whole unbound superstars except Keegan.

Slik came in this year, talking a lot of sh!t, and got shelled. He snuck up the first year.

But as I said, certainly no course will overcome god like physiology every time, just that races like this are not comparable to the US gravel races, and I don't think you can calculate the results the same as you can today. This is a road ride with some gravel, not a gravel race IMO.

 

[QueenStagiaire]

Italian broadcasting at it again

 

[AmRacer]

Anybody who does Unbound is going to get their a$$ kicked by the course. That course isn't paved with PR. It's got factors like the rocks being flint, and keeping air in your tires, can be challenging. It's just a different type of thing. Then with races like SBT and Leadville, you're racing at nearly 4000 meters on very rugged surfaces.

Pidcock and MvdP have some experience, I'd would say.