World Championships 2023: Men's Road Race (August 6)

[dobrien]

I like the route. Gives som variety compared to the more common worlds courses. And of course much more interesting than for example Copenhagen, Doha, etc.

I agree. At first glance I was not that pleased, just doesn't have the 'feel' (however subjective that may be) of a Worlds road course. But that said, I think it's nice to mix it up once in awhile and I do believe it's going to make for very exciting and aggressive racing; the battle to be in front coming into the circuit should be vicious. Another factor is it will also not take long for attackers to get out of sight of chasers, which changes the dynamic somewhat imho. How much I don't know.. Luck will play a big part today too; as someone said earlier a mechanical in the first or second circuit and you might never see the front again. Very attritional type of racing I think.

Very unpredictable; if someone forced me to pick a winner I go with Mads solo. The distance and attritional nature of the race play to his strengths, he has the nose to be in the right move , and the team to chase if/when Remco goes up the road. Looking forward to the battle.

 

[King Boonen]

Kinda funny how every WC seems to have new asphalt.

Then there's Glasgow and Edinburgh.

They were literally patching at midnight last night. Absolute joke.

 

[Red Rick]

They were literally patching at midnight last night. Absolute joke.

Ditch the pitchforks. Let's get a pickaxe and uuh... let's call it restoring the road to its original condition

 

[Devil's Elbow]

They were literally patching at midnight last night. Absolute joke.

The UK is a second-world country after all, you can't expect the roads to be as good as in host countries with famously good infrastructure like (checks notes) Belgium and Italy.

 

[DNP-Old]

UK, US, Aus, NZ all in that 2nd group.

 

[MartinGT]

That's the best thing about having the Tour de Yorkshire. We get the horrid roads repaired.

 

[Samamba]

Break is gone and it's definitely not a weak one.

 

[MartinGT]

When do we see the first car on the route? Or with this being the worlds will the shocking organisation and safety controls we have in the UK be beefed up?

 

[Aimar16]

UK, US, Aus, NZ all in that 2nd group.

Only Canada is missing from the old colonies

 

[MartinGT]

The UK is a third-world country after all, you can't expect the roads to be as good as in host countries with famously good infrastructure like (checks notes) Belgium and Italy.

FYP

 

[Red Rick]

Vatican City reperesent.

 

[Faserr]

Nearly all the riders in the front can really ride fast for a long time. They have to ride a bit faster then usual in the bunch.

 

[Aimar16]

The vatican guy dropped, the Pope is about to launch a crusade

edit: he is the chaser

 

[OlavEH]

Copenhagen was a predicted failure (as for knowing beforehand it would be a sprint, and no rider would be able to go up the road and finish it off).
Doha was awesome, at least this part: https://www.strava.com/activities/751229180/analysis/7337/8251
That was one of the most amazing 15 minutes of bike racing I ever saw. A shame the Belgians didn't race more inventive on the local circuit, so the inevitable sprint had an inevitable Cavendish or Sagan as a winner. Belgians seemed to be OK just to race for bronze, something I will never understand.

What 15 minutes was that? The section with all the crosswinds?

 

[Netserk]

There were so many mechanicals in the Junior races - Unfortunately, think this will have a negative impact on the men's race.

But surprisingly few punctures, unlike the 2018 ECRR.

 

[Netserk]

Crazy to think that it's only two years ago that the pattern of the first few hours of the Worlds being slow changed.

2019 was fast early, no?

 

[RedheadDane]

This might be the last time we see Schuurhuis at the front of the race.

I was (partially) wrong.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

2019 was fast early, no?

Not to the extent of 2021-22, and then the actual finale, while long by the standards of the 2010s, also started much later than in either of those editions.

 

[MartinGT]

Hatch said there is only one car per team. Surely the larger teams have two?

 

[Red Rick]

Not to the extent of 2021-22, and then the actual finale, while long by the standards of the 2010s, also started much later than in either of those editions.

There was a finale last year?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

There was a finale last year?

I mean, the finale last year effectively was that fast start, so the point still stands.

 

[DaveJones2]

I think there is a decent chance of a non-favourite winning here in what is going to be a very unpredictable race.

I thought Bettiol was under valued at 119-1; protected rider for a major nation, healthy throught the TDF, nice warmup in css. Very much an outsider but I thought it was worth a small punt.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Hatch said there is only one car per team. Surely the larger teams have two?

With 58 countries, the convoy with one car each is already far larger than in a normal race with two cars each. It just isn't workable otherwise.

 

[Red Rick]

I mean, the finale last year effectively was that fast start, so the point still stands.

Makes sense I guess.

I think there's been quite a number of WC now where the preselection has happened early but then it turns into a waiting game for the final 2 laps. I don't think that's that unlikely once a the right group takes off.

 

[Panda Claws]

I literally dreamt that Bettiol of all people won this bike race. I was livid!