WC Ponferrada 2014. Altimetry

[Kvinto]

The sprinters are sprinters and it is not necessary for them to wear a rainbow jersey in respected one day races.

There's still a whole lot of flat before the climb in the time trial, pretty balanced. I don't see the difference with with the time trial and road race. Are you saying someone like Contador wouldn't honor the rainbow jersey in all time trials he'd start? Contador is also a time trial specialist. Ever heard of Wiggins by the way? Heard he'll be favorite for this as well and came second this year on a flat boring time trial course. It really was an uninspired route, though still an exciting race because of Cancellara's downfall.

It's not the same. Could you please describe how would the RR for time trialers look like?
95% of tts are flat or slightly hilly, so it's obvious that the best tter is powerful one (like Cancellara or T.Martin) whereas designing a mountainous tt course you determine the best tter among the GT riders imo it doesn't mean the best tter. The RR is made for classic riders, climbers or sprinters and the bigger competition it produces the more interesting race we get, but they all (sprinters, climbers, classic riders) get a RR that suit them time after time, while pure time trialers have only their TT, which tbh is not half as prestigious as the RR.

 

[theyoungest]

But you can't deny the possibility of that happening. Cause you kinda did do just that...

No, just like I can't deny the Second Coming happening in the next few years. But I'm not counting on it.

 

[JRanton]

Froome FTW

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yeah. And do you really think we'll see another Contador within, say, 10 years?

edit: sorry, I asked the wrong person, of course we will. Sergio Henao, Carlos Betancourt, Nairo Quintana...

same happened with lance armstrong in 99 or indurain in 1990/1991. yes it happens all the time so in few years we will see a new monster and yes it will probably be a colombian

 

[Greenflame]

Interesting change from the usual TT parcours. A descend and some more kilometer's added would improve the course, but interesting nontheless.

Contador is obviously top favourite, Evans and Menchov will be too old unfortunately, otherwise they would have been good competition for Alberto. Wiggins has a change maybe. I think Nibali might have a shot at podium as well, he should be at his prime in 3 years, same with Kreuziger and Brajkovic perhaps. Perhaps with some Bruyneel magic even Schleck.. Though I doubt it. Cancellara and Martin - not favourites but they do have a chance. Then there's riders that could improve over the years: Boasson Hagen, Thomas, De Gendt.. Just getting some names out there, who knows what these people will be able to do in 3 years time.
By no means a definite victory for Contador, even though he is the favourite by heaps.

A descend would improve it lots though. Extra chances for my man Nibali, but also for Cancellara and perhaps Martin. Though Contador is a good descender, Cancellara and Nibali could take back some time there.

 

[El Pistolero]

It's not the same. Could you please describe how would the RR for time trialers look like?
95% of tts are flat or slightly hilly, so it's obvious that the best tter is powerful one (like Cancellara or T.Martin) whereas designing a mountainous tt course you determine the best tter among the GT riders imo it doesn't mean the best tter. The RR is made for classic riders, climbers or sprinters and the bigger competition it produces the more interesting race we get, but they all (sprinters, climbers, classic riders) get a RR that suit them time after time, while pure time trialers have only their TT, which tbh is not half as prestigious as the RR.

No one likes a one trick pony

People who are good at time trials are usually capable of winning more races then just time trials. Some of the best tters today are GT riders, but they don't bother to show up at the Worlds because every single time the race is made to favor Martin or Cancellara and they don't care for silver or bronze.

 

[theyoungest]

same happened with lance armstrong in 99 or indurain in 1990/1991. yes it happens all the time so in few years we will see a new monster and yes it will probably be a colombian

These guys already rode their bikes for quite a while before they broke through... which currently active cyclist could suddenly make a huge leap and challenge Contador in two years? I don't see it.

 

[El Pistolero]

These guys already rode their bikes for quite a while before they broke through... which currently active cyclist could suddenly make a huge leap and challenge Contador in two years? I don't see it.

Gilbert

I speak in jest, but Pinot could make a magical leap for example

 

[Kvinto]

No one likes a one trick pony

People who are good at time trials are usually capable of winning more races then just time trials. Some of the best tters today are GT riders, but they don't bother to show up at the Worlds because every single time the race is made to favor Martin or Cancellara and they don't care for silver or bronze.

and still, we just had the Worlds' RR designed for sprinters

Cancellara and T.Martin are just two best time trialers, it's a fact. You can design the Worlds' TT for GT riders but a winner won't be the best tter and the most important: there's no guarantee that having both TT and RR made for them, climbers/GT riders won't consider the TT as the warmup before the RR.

 

[El Pistolero]

and still, we just had the Worlds' RR designed for sprinters

Cancellara and T.Martin are just two best time trialers, it's a fact. You can design the Worlds' TT for GT riders but a winner won't be the best tter and the most important: there's no guarantee that having both TT and RR made for them, climbers/GT riders won't consider the TT as the warmup before the RR.

And now we have a time trial for climbers

 

[theyoungest]

And now we have a time trial for climbers

Great. I hope that in 2015 the Worlds TT will be 2 km long, so we'll have a time trial for sprinters.

 

[Kvinto]

And now we have a time trial for climbers

yep, we do, i hope it'll be named this way: The World Road Championship Climbing Time Trial Elite Men

 

[Ferminal]

It's not the same. Could you please describe how would the RR for time trialers look like?
95% of tts are flat or slightly hilly, so it's obvious that the best tter is powerful one (like Cancellara or T.Martin) whereas designing a mountainous tt course you determine the best tter among the GT riders imo it doesn't mean the best tter. The RR is made for classic riders, climbers or sprinters and the bigger competition it produces the more interesting race we get, but they all (sprinters, climbers, classic riders) get a RR that suit them time after time, while pure time trialers have only their TT, which tbh is not half as prestigious as the RR.

I assume you mean the "best tter on a course without a climb of more than 500m".

 

[karlboss]

8km at a little over 6% after 32km flat. Unless Contador is in 2009 form this by no means is a given.

Quick analysis to me suggests in Contador's best TT form of the year he was on a par with David Millar on a pan flat TT Giro, was on target realised he couldn't win and enjoyed the ride, and I'll go out on a limb and say if he rode the worlds he'd have been 2 minutes down. that's 2 min over 48, so over 32 its 1:20. 1.20 in 3km because of the rest of those 8km I don't give Contador too much over Martin at 4.8,3,3.5,6.8, and 2.7% grades.

 

[rantanplan]

Next week route´s climbs and profile in http://www.gpcanaldecastilla.com

 

[Havetts]

Great. I hope that in 2015 the Worlds TT will be 2 km long, so we'll have a time trial for sprinters.

Preferred on the Isle of Man too..

The TT and Road Race are so biased its unbelievable lol...

 

[Kvinto]

I assume you mean the "best tter on a course without a climb of more than 500m".

i guess that climb is just a little bit longer than 500m, isn't it? i would have never said this if the climb wasn't so long but in fact look at the profile at least 5km of the climb are really serious, the rest may be considered as a slightly uphill and a false flat but it's still too hard for a normal tt i guess

 

[theyoungest]

8km at a little over 6% after 32km flat. Unless Contador is in 2009 form this by no means is a given.

Quick analysis to me suggests in Contador's best TT form of the year he was on a par with David Millar on a pan flat TT Giro, was on target realised he couldn't win and enjoyed the ride, and I'll go out on a limb and say if he rode the worlds he'd have been 2 minutes down. that's 2 min over 48, so over 32 its 1:20. 1.20 in 3km because of the rest of those 8km I don't give Contador too much over Martin at 4.8,3,3.5,6.8, and 2.7% grades.

Maybe it's easier to compare Martin and Contador when they were actually racing against each other, in the Tour? Contador's form was far from optimal there, yet he was only 1 minute down on a relatively fresh Tony M. in the closing 42 km hilly TT (and that was one day after the Alpe d'Huez stage, where he'd been on the attack all day)

Preferred on the Isle of Man too..

The TT and Road Race are so biased its unbelievable lol...

The road race is not insanely hard, no? I'd say it's actually too easy for Contador, maybe even for Valverde.

 

[Ferminal]

i guess that climb is just a little bit longer than 500m, isn't it? i would have never said this if the climb wasn't so long but in fact look at the profile at least 5km of the climb are really serious, the rest may be considered as a slightly uphill and a false flat but it's still too hard for a normal tt i guess

Well "normal" is relative isn't it? Just because the majority of TTs are more or less flat doesn't make them the only valid time trials. Just like having road races to suit sprinters or climbers or cobbled specialists, I don't see a problem with having some different TTs occasionally.

 

[Kvinto]

Well "normal" is relative isn't it? Just because the majority of TTs are more or less flat doesn't make them the only valid time trials. Just like having road races to suit sprinters or climbers or cobbled specialists, I don't see a problem with having some different TTs occasionally.

true, but my main point was that the RR for pure time trialers doesn't exist (unlike pure sprinters who just had their RR this year) so they (time trialers) should have something instead (maybe not as prestigious as the RR but it's at least something) and they have WC TT but it won't suit them in 2014

 

[Ruudz0r]

Course suits Samoilau!

 

[King Of The Wolds]

I don't see a problem with having some different TTs occasionally.

Me neither. And if this was held now, I couldn't say who would be the favourite out of Martin, Cancellara, Wiggins, Evans, Contador or Froome. That's a good thing.

 

[The Hitch]

J Rodriguez top 10 world tt lol.

Would probably have been better if they did the descent as well, though this will be interesting.

Contador obvious favourite, hell be really kicking himself if he gets an injury or mechanical for this.

Still, if he were to win this people would probably remember that it was a different tt worlds.

I mean who in his right mind will peak for the tour and then go onto vacation when the worlds suit them so well?

Contador did in 2009.

Me neither. And if this was held now, I couldn't say who would be the favourite out of Martin, Cancellara, Wiggins, Evans, Contador or Froome. That's a good thing.

Well Evans will be 37 so it would be difficult.

But even if it was held today, Contador would be clear favourite.

The Annency tt the climb was only 3km not a mountain like this and he scraped past Canc. The Nvegal tt, he took the flat bit easy and obliterated all on the climb.

You might get some of the young guns from now improving.

Froome is of course a good shout.

 

[Task_Force]

Wilco Kelderman FTW !!!

 

[Zam_Olyas]

I think Andrew will win the RR