UCI Road World Championships 21st-29th September 2019 - Yorkshire - Race Thread.

[DNP-Old]

Terrible, terrible weather conditions. It's quite technical as well. We might get a surprise winner/contender.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Beautiful British weather, is it too much to ask for the same on Sunday?

 

[Sestriere]

Presumably the reason that there is a men's U23 but not a women's is that women are considered to be physically capable of competing with anyone at, or soon after, the age of 20.

Given results in some major races, especially over the last few months, how much justification is there in the existence of a men's U23 category?

I think it's important to have a category for young riders to develop and compete at a high level that is generally watched by the pro teams to find new talent. Many riders, particularly those that get into cycling at an older age, don't show their full potential until they're 18. Without U23, many riders that would show potential later on might never be recognised by pro teams before they retire at a young age as they have no perspective to turn pro.
I've also heard opinions that U23 is even too restrictive and the classic amateur category is to be preferred as it provides opportunities even for riders in their late twenties to show themselves at a high level. It's rare these days that riders older than 23 turn pro for the first time, although there are of course some notable exceptions.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

I think it's important to have a category for young riders to develop and compete at a high level that is generally watched by the pro teams to find new talent. Many riders, particularly those that get into cycling at an older age, don't show their full potential until they're 18. Without U23, many riders that would show potential later on might never be recognised by pro teams before they retire at a young age as they have no perspective to turn pro.
I've also heard opinions that U23 is even too restrictive and the classic amateur category is to be preferred as it provides opportunities even for riders in their late twenties to show themselves at a high level. It's rare these days that riders older than 23 turn pro for the first time, although there are of course some notable exceptions.

As a racing category thought the season, as a kind of apprenticeship for those who are not yet, but will eventually, be able to compete with the best, of course it has a place.

But as a championship event, what meaning can a World U23 title have when the best U23s in the world are in the senior race, and (as is largely tipped in the ITT) can win medals?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Prediction time once more?

**** *: Mikkel Bjerg
****: Brent Van Moer, Johan Price-Pejtersen
***: Tobias Foss, Stefan Bissegger, Marc Hirschi
**: Mathias Norsgaard, Ilan Van Wilder, Brandon McNulty, Ian Garrison
*: Kevin Geniets, Daan Hoole, Matteo Sobrero, Iver Knotten, João Almeida

I don't know the guy that well, but judging by the EC, Price-Pejtersen looks like a guy that will ride like a tank on the flat, but the gear he likes to push, makes me wonder how he'll fare on this course. Van Moer indeed very inconsistent.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Eekhoff 2nd at the intermediate.

 

[RedheadDane]

Terrible, terrible weather conditions. It's quite technical as well. We might get a surprise winner/contender.

Beautiful British weather, is it too much to ask for the same on Sunday?

You seem to be… disagreeing slightly.

 

[DNP-Old]

I don't know the guy that well, but judging by the EC, Price-Pejtersen looks like a guy that will ride like a tank on the flat, but the gear he likes to push, makes me wonder how he'll fare on this course. Van Moer indeed very inconsistent.

Fully agreed. However, this is of course based on who I think has the biggest chance to win, rather than who I think will finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd. I think Foss will finish higher than Price-Pejtersen for instance, but Foss has a problem that he never, ever wins, thus less stars. João Almeida is another case. Essentially, there are few who can call themselves better time trialists, but he is someone who hasn't fared all that well in these stand-alone time trials, like you often see with GC-riders.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Wilder crashed apparently

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Mads Würtz (Katusha) is part of the danish commentating team today, and is saying it's a target for him, to be the first to take the TT rainbow both as a junior, U23 and senior.

He says he is starting the process (of training towards the goal) this winter, and expect to be at medals level in 3 years.

Talk about long time goals

 

[Broccolidwarf]

Hulgaard appear to have killed the 2nd part of the course, he was 14 seconds behind Healy at the intermediate, and is a minute ahead on the line.

 

[Sestriere]

Hulgaard appear to have killed the 2nd part of the course, he was 14 seconds behind Healy at the intermediate, and is a minute ahead on the line.

Healy was on a 1x setup. Looked to me like he was out of gears on the steeper ramps on the second part of the course.

 

[DNP-Old]

João Almeida is flying, and his part is yet to come.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Valter... he lives up to his name translated into Dutch.... What a crash!

 

[RedheadDane]

That was some slide from Valter!

 

[DNP-Old]

Holy hell, the roads are under water.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Has a time trial ever been cancelled due to bad weather?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Damn, this race needs to be cancelled. Price-Pejtersen crashed into a lake... in the middle of the road.

 

[DNP-Old]

Never mind, he just took a very bad line. They are still rideable on the left side.

 

[Pantani_lives]

That was some slide from Valter!

I give him a 9 for artistic merit.

 

[Dingo]

This means Price-Pejtersen will win right ? ... According to yesterdays results.

 

[RedheadDane]

Price-Pejtersen is not going to get a medal!

 

[glassmoon]

good times, bad lines.
some duathlon stuff going on today

 

[Pantani_lives]

Welcome to the world championships water biking!

 

[Pricey_sky]

Some of these roads are becoming quite bad now, need to get some marshals in front of the larger parts of standing water to advise riders to go around.

Rain expected all day so it’ll only get worse for the women later on.