World Championships 2024: Men's Road Race (September 29)

[mlescanojr]

Amazing race.
Still trying to digest.

And sometimes I don't understand a word of the negative vibes on this forum.

IMO so many details of pure enjoyment.
To say I was entertained is an underestimation.

Same thing here.

 

[Heston]

Amazing race.
Still trying to digest.

And sometimes I don't understand a word of the negative vibes on this forum.

IMO so many details of pure enjoyment.
To say I was entertained is an underestimation.

Some of us just prefer to not know the winner in advance when we are watching a bike race. I guess we are different in that regard.

 

[Sciatic]

What a boring, boring cycling year.

Not if you watched the women’s races too.

 

[Wvv]

With respect (and not aimed specifically at this comment so much as the whole "Pog is too strong - resistance is futile" narrative), Pog cracked on two consecutive TdFs. I'm not sure what more evidence of humanity skeptics want.

Becoming second after just one elite GC-rider but still way better than all the others, with 5 (?) stage wins under the belt, is not 'cracking' in my book.

 

[AmRacer]

Some of us just prefer to not know the winner in advance when we are watching a bike race. I guess we are different in that regard.

TT's are predictable

 

[Netserk]

Some of us just prefer to not know the winner in advance when we are watching a bike race. I guess we are different in that regard.

Yep.

 

[James M]

Sure there are some that may not like but no one can deny that we are witnessing history.

Its exactly whats happening and were so lucky to witness it. Its like something noone ever seen before, 100km solo vs the best in the world. Amazing

 

[James M]

Amazing race.
Still trying to digest.

And sometimes I don't understand a word of the negative vibes on this forum.

IMO so many details of pure enjoyment.
To say I was entertained is an underestimation.

Same thing here. What a amazing race, true amount of display of strenght which never been seen in modern cycling, 100km vs the best in the world basically bending the entire Belgian and Holland team on their knees then their captain. A race that simply will be remember for decades to come.

 

[kingjr]

Skuijnş, Healy, Mathieu and Hirschi weren't at their best either.

huh?

 

[Cookster15]

Not sure what can be said that hasn't already been said. Kudos to Tadej, just amazing. Hard to digest what we are witnessing. Great result for Ben O'Conner - everyone was racing for 2nd today so it must almost seem like a win.

 

[SHAD0W93]

When I saw on PCS that Pog attacked I couldn’t believe it, when the kilometers kept ticking off the ride looked crazier and crazier, then I thought it was over when the gap started decreasing.

 

[topcat]

Probably the same people that thought Vlaanderen, Liege or Roubaix were exciting races. Cycling is in a terrible state right now, and not a singular big time race this year was worth watching. We peaked at frigging Omloop...

WorldTour races won by the same five riders, ProTour races won by 20 different UAE riders.

We'll always have Milan San-Remo unless Pac-Man finds a way to win that too.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1840454383458463944

View: https://x.com/medicinexthings/status/1840454383458463944

 

[Invicituz]

An absolutely incredible performance from Pogačar, crushing his rivals in devastating fashion once again to win his first world title; this guy is in a different league. Chapeau sir!

 

[Lequack]

Lanterne rouge podcast

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UZD2V9aejc

 

[Danskebjerge]

in terms of talent which are epic.

The problem is that "talent" is relative in cycling. If you can push more watts than your opponents, you probably win. It's not like Pogacar has the technical skills of Roger Federer, Lionel Messi or Simone Biles. Cycling is about suspense and nice landscapes - not much more than that.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

Some of us just prefer to not know the winner in advance when we are watching a bike race. I guess we are different in that regard.

OK my POV of the race when Pogi decided party time:

Though his display of brutal form this season I was never sure he would not crack. Also the fact that he never had +1:30min on his main competitors for an entire 100k, and showing teeths on the last lap, his advantage down to 36secs at a point (maybe even less, but at a crucial point where I was counting the secs), besides in a 278k race you don't fully know whether Remco, MvDP, Hirshi, O'Connor or a surprise suddenly turns to be the one with a bit extra in the tank for the closing stages.

But yes. To me WC RR is a medal race, so even for the editions decided for gold, I'm as much enjoying the other race for remaining podium spots. The race for silver - and maybe even the gold, if e.g. Pogi had a puncture on dying kms - was indeed a very watchable race from long way out, at least seen though my eyes.

But to me it's not just a race about the favourites, the counter attacks and so on, but quite more details into it.

But I know I'm biased since it's the worlds and, maybe apart from Doha (ok saved by a dust storm with 80k to go I think), my mind have difficult times to get bored in the men's WC RR

 

[Invicituz]

Pog joins Roche and Merckx in the triple crown club.

And not forgetting that as of 2022, Annemiek van Vleuten is the only woman to attain the female equivalent of cycling's triple crown.

 

[AmRacer]

The problem is that "talent" is relative in cycling. If you can push more watts than your opponents, you probably win. It's not like Pogacar has the technical skills of Roger Federer, Lionel Messi or Simone Biles. Cycling is about suspense and nice landscapes - not much more than that.

At least he doesn't crash as much as some other riders do.

 

[Danskebjerge]

At least he doesn't crash as much as some other riders do.

True. Same with Lance Armstrong btw.

Pogacar did cause a crash in the Tour though.

 

[pmcg76]

I agree with those who say that whilst Pogacar winning was very predictable, attacking with 100km to go and taking it to the line was simply amazing, perhaps the most impressive feat that I have witnessed in my time watching cycling. As others have said, the gap was never above 1.30 and if the others had got it together earlier, they may have closed it down.

This was far from the Worst aworlds ever, Zolder in 02 and Copenhagen in 11 had super-favourites in Cipo/Cav and both races played out exactly as predicted with their teams shutting everything down and the super favourite winning. Effectively Scheldeprijs or any other run of the mill sprint stage disguised as a Worlds. Give me what Pogacar did today over 90 riders finishing in the same time as the World Champion any day of the week.

Edit: Bravo to Healy and Skuijns on their rides today, they really deserved a medal each.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Jambaljamts DNF in the end, should've been doing his home race with Burgos instead of this ciciban bollocks, not sure why Aaron Gate isn't there either? Loads of stages for him.

 

[Danskebjerge]

This was far from the Worst aworlds ever, Zolder in 02 and Copenhagen in 11 had super-favourites in Cipo/Cav and both races played out exactly as predicted with their teams shutting everything down and the super favourite winning. Effectively Scheldeprijs or any other run of the mill sprint stage disguised as a Worlds. Give me what Pogacar did today over 90 riders finishing in the same time as the World Champion any day of the week.

While I'm not a fan of flat world championship courses, I like the fact that the suspense is intact till the end, and the last few kilometers in Copenhagen were brilliant, including the last few meters. Copenhagen was definitely better than the horrible women's world championship in Harrogate where the winner went solo with 100 k to the finish - the low point of women's cycling. Today's race was slightly better, but since it was the top favourite who attacked with 100 k to go, and we've seen him do long range attacks and win on several occasions before, the race became predictable and thus boring in my opinion.

It surprises me that so many cycling fans view it differently and find this scenario interesting (I don't see it much in other sports - most people like suspense), but in the end I guess it's a matter of taste.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

The problem is that "talent" is relative in cycling. If you can push more watts than your opponents, you probably win. It's not like Pogacar has the technical skills of Roger Federer, Lionel Messi or Simone Biles. Cycling is about suspense and nice landscapes - not much more than that.

Er, some cycling disciplines do have technical skills.......and having the most watts isn't always enough.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Hirschi, Jorgenson, Pogi near the front. Belgium staying back, letting Slovenia cook.

It was a very well done roast.