Worlds Copenhagen 2011

[Kender]

the commonwealth games road race was supposed to be a flat snore fest as well but it was anything but boring.

you can't have classics races every year the to worlds, that's unfair to half or more of the pro's

it'd be a shame if the worlds fastest sprinter never got a chance to win the worlds. he still has to be there at the end, and that's not always a given (as what happened in the commonwealth games)

 

[For The World]

Cancellara will take the TT again, and come second in the road race. Gilbert will win with a Giro di Lombardia type attack 2km from the finish.

That is of course, if Cancellara has been neutralised. Otherwise, he'll just ride away from everyone on the last lap a la PR and take it. That way, he'll have LBL, Worlds TT and RR. That would be a ridiculously good year if he could pull that off.

My outside tip: Cipollini comes out of retirement (again) and wins the RR (again).

 

[DAOTEC]

Alessandro Petacchi favoured for next year's Worlds, says Paolo Bettini


Paolo Bettini made the announcement yesterday after he previewed the course yesterday.

"In Italy," Bettini told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "there is only one rider who after 250 kilometres knows how to win a finish like this: Alessandro Petacchi."

Read more: [http://velonation.com/2011]

If Ale-Jet isn't forced to retire before ...

 

[Bike Boy]

Alessandro Petacchi favoured for next year's Worlds, says Paolo Bettini


Paolo Bettini made the announcement yesterday after he previewed the course yesterday.

"In Italy," Bettini told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "there is only one rider who after 250 kilometres knows how to win a finish like this: Alessandro Petacchi."

Read more: [http://velonation.com/2011]

If Ale-Jet isn't forced to retire before ...

I don't mind optimism, and especially from a national coach, but I think a certain guy from Isle of mann would beg to differ.

 

[sublimit]

Bettini reckons Cav doesnt have a chance because of the expected non existent British team with probably a maximum of 3 riders again.. Venezuela will have 7 , Iraq 6 probably again Bettini is right but i dont see a pettachi win.

I have a feeling Haussler at the moment for the win but this could change.

 

[theyoungest]

I don't mind optimism, and especially from a national coach, but I think a certain guy from Isle of mann would beg to differ.

Cavendish is Italian now?

 

[ingsve]

Bettini reckons Cav doesnt have a chance because of the expected non existent British team with probably a maximum of 3 riders again.. Venezuela will have 7 , Iraq 6 probably again Bettini is right but i dont see a pettachi win.

I have a feeling Haussler at the moment for the win but this could change.

I would guess that Australia would probably be riding for Matthew Goss in the worlds.

I don't know who would hbe better at an uphill sprint though.

 

[Mambo95]

Bettini reckons Cav doesnt have a chance because of the expected non existent British team with probably a maximum of 3 riders again.. Venezuela will have 7 , Iraq 6 probably again Bettini is right but i dont see a pettachi win.

Britain had 10 riders in 2009 and they can again in 2011. Cav, himself, underperformed a bit in 2010 (The Vuelta doesn't count for WC qualification), as did Wiggins. Hammond overperformed, but Millar can do better. And then there's the youngsters who should improve.

Cav, I think recognises this, which is why he's going to Australia. He'll probably turn up for races like Vatenfalls, too.

In the end of year rankings GB finished 16, but there's a lot of teams ahead of them who rely on one or two riders*, so it's all up for grabs.


*One man countries (top 16, based on end of season rankings) - % of points scored by top rider:

Canada 85% (top 2: 100%)
Kazakhstan 70% (top 2: 99%)
Switzerland 60%
Great Britain 60%
Netherlands 57%
Luxembourg 52% (top 2: 100%)
Norway 52% (top 2: 91%)
Russia 49%
Slovenia 45%
USA 40%
Germany 39%
France 31%

Italy, Spain, Australia and Belgium are in the top ten and have a good spread - so not included.


Of course, the UCI may change the rules on a whim (especially if there's an election coming up).

 

[Bike Boy]

Cavendish is Italian now?

In all seriousness I think you missed the point.

I truly believe Cavendish can win on topform. don't forget he won MSR, although with a lot of help from big george.

I think you could throw Haussler, Breschel, Farrar and Hushovd in the mix aswell. and there is always the possibility of a break away, let's say Gilbert or Cancellara (if he is motivated).

It soon becomes clear that Petacchi isn't the only rider who can win.
Hate to get in the way of Bettini's motivational techniques, just saying it's out of proportion to say that nobody else can do it.

 

[theyoungest]

In all seriousness I think you missed the point.

I truly believe Cavendish can win on topform. don't forget he won MSR, although with a lot of help from big george.

I think you could throw Haussler, Breschel, Farrar and Hushovd in the mix aswell. and there is always the possibility of a break away, let's say Gilbert or Cancellara (if he is motivated).

It soon becomes clear that Petacchi isn't the only rider who can win.
Hate to get in the way of Bettini's motivational techniques, just saying it's out of proportion to say that nobody else can do it.

*cough* This is what Bettini says:

"In Italy," Bettini told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "there is only one rider who after 250 kilometres knows how to win a finish like this: Alessandro Petacchi."

 

[BroDeal]

you can't have classics races every year the to worlds, that's unfair to half or more of the pro's

Since when did the sport get dumbed down enough so that everyone (including one trick pony like Cav) should be able to win the world championship?

Cannot handle a long race of attrition? No problem. You too can be world champ. I cannot wait to get my shot. Of course the route will have to be shortened, and there will have to be speed limit for most of the race; but, hey, why shouldn't a plodder like me be able to win the rainbow stripes. We need more fairness.

 

[Winterfold]

Cav will be entering a lot of **** small races this year to make sure we have a decent number of riders.

6 might be enough,if it were the best 6.

Or Cav can just wheelsuck Alejet, he is good for the kms and the speedbumps

 

[Mambo95]

Since when did the sported get dumbed down enough so that everyone (including one trick pony like Cav) should be able to win the world championship?

Cannot handle a long race of attrition? No problem. You too can be world champ. I cannot wait to get my shot. Of course the route will have to be shortened, and there will have to be speed limit for most of the race; but, hey, why shouldn't a plodder like me be able to win the rainbow stripes. We need more fairness.

It's the World Championships and by its nature it changes year on year. Every top notch rider, whether they be a pure sprinter or pure climber or somewhere in between, should have at least a couple of chances to win it, otherwise it gets devalued - it becomes the World Championship of riders who are good at Ardennes classics, or something like that. Otherwise where's the fairness you claim to need?

 

[Bike Boy]

this is how I read it

In Italy, Bettini told La Gazzetta dello Sport, "there is only one rider who after 250 kilometres knows how to win a finish like this: Alessandro Petacchi."

I stand corrected

 

[Ferminal]

It's the World Championships and by its nature it changes year on year. Every top notch rider, whether they be a pure sprinter or pure climber or somewhere in between, should have at least a couple of chances to win it, otherwise it gets devalued - it becomes the World Championship of riders who are good at Ardennes classics, or something like that. Otherwise where's the fairness you claim to need?

I don't see a problem once in a while having an almost-flat worlds.

The Olympics though..!

 

[Mambo95]

The Olympics though..!

Surely, that's the hosts prerogative. So nothing more than a speed bump for 2012.

Seriously though, the IOC (and the organisers), like to take in the sights as it's one of the few times to see them, and make it accessible to the residents (not that Beijing did).

London, around the sights at least, is pancake flat. So while there maybe some hills, it's likely to be a sprinters race which ever way you do it.

 

[El Pistolero]

World champs should never be flat without any difficulties.

At least make a flat race along a coast or something then to make it extra windy. Or try to include small twisty roads in the race.

Flat races without any difficulties are useless. And people who can only win on courses like that don't deserve to be a world champion.

 

[The Hitch]

World champs should never be flat without any difficulties.

At least make a flat race along a coast or something then to make it extra windy. Or try to include small twisty roads in the race.

Flat races without any difficulties are useless. And people who can only win on courses like that don't deserve to be a world champion.

I agree that pure flat races shouldnt exit outside stage races. THis is because weve seen that even the flatest of the flat riders - Cav, can win a race which has the Cipressa and Poggio close to the finish.

Things like that at least make it interesting. As Libertine Seguros never tiers of saying, make the sprinters EARN their victory, like all other riders do.

Im thinking, this race is so flat, Chris Hoy ought to try it. He is afterall the only cyclist with name recognition in Britain, it would give the race a boost.

Surely, that's the hosts prerogative. So nothing more than a speed bump for 2012.

Seriously though, the IOC (and the organisers), like to take in the sights as it's one of the few times to see them, and make it accessible to the residents (not that Beijing did).

London, around the sights at least, is pancake flat. So while there maybe some hills, it's likely to be a sprinters race which ever way you do it.

I dont see why they need to do 20 or so laps of a short circuit. Its a 200km + race. Surely its better to go way out, into the hills, into the wind and the tricky terrain, have a race, and then come back for a finish. Make it interesting.

Hell as far as im concerned, all they need is to finish in London. You can start in Manchester for all i care. That would be better actually. Include some hills on the way.

Also the p****s kept it in Central and East London. The olympics are entirely in East London, the marathon will be there too. Give us in the west something ffs. all we get is the tourists flying into heathrow and crowding my tube journey to get into london.

So i have no idea how i will be able to see it. I think the tt will be better. Fewer people, and you can come out with a sign saying "Fabian Spartacus fan club" and hell give you a nod like in the Ronde.

Actually in the Ronde you get real cycling fans. In the olympic tt, if Cancellara sees a "Fabian Cancellara GOAT" message, he might just stop to give an autograph out of surprise. It would give others a chance, he would still win, underlying his dominance, and the nice gesture would get him onto the news, as the guy who can stop to give autographs midrace and still win.

Even Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, the only non football foreign athletes with name recoginition here, cant do that.

 

[BroDeal]

Flat races without any difficulties are useless. And people who can only win on courses like that don't deserve to be a world champion.

+1 million

The Worlds should always be a long and difficult race of attrition. As world champion we do not need some loudmouthed sad sack who got hauled to the line by his teammates and then sprinted for a couple of hundred meters. Formula 1 has already gone down the road of letting medicore (at best) drivers like Button be WDC, we don't need to go down the same road.

 

[The Hitch]

+1 million

The Worlds should always be a long and difficult race of attrition. As world champion we do not need some loudmouthed sad sack who got hauled to the line by his teammates and then sprinted for a couple of hundred meters. Formula 1 has already gone down the road of letting medicore (at best) drivers like Button be WDC, we don't need to go down the same road.

The beauty of cycling compared to any other race, is that you have to change your pace to win. Riders go 60 on flat, 15 up hill and 100 down. They measure their efforts differently. Save energy in the pack, Waste energy on their own and lose energy in small groups. To win, its not about distributing your energy equaly. You need to waste more on hills, more when you are attacking, creating a gap, taking riders by surprise. Use less when your slipstreaming, more when your on the front.

Every other race, f1, swimming, running, skating etc involves going at the same pace the whole time. Distributing your effort as best as you can. Watch any of these races and they will be going the same speed at the begining, mas they are in the middl, and as they are near the end, and speading their energy equally throughout.

A total flat race destroys this advantage. Everyone goes 60km the whole way round, the favourites are wasting the same ammount of energy the whole way round.

Not what cycling is about imo.

 

[Jamsque]

+1 million

The Worlds should always be a long and difficult race of attrition. As world champion we do not need some loudmouthed sad sack who got hauled to the line by his teammates and then sprinted for a couple of hundred meters. Formula 1 has already gone down the road of letting medicore (at best) drivers like Button be WDC, we don't need to go down the same road.

Did British sport kill your grandmother, BroDeal?

 

[Matthijs]

The beauty of cycling compared to any other race, is that you have to change your pace to win. Riders go 60 on flat, 15 up hill and 100 down. They measure their efforts differently. Save energy in the pack, Waste energy on their own and lose energy in small groups. To win, its not about distributing your energy equaly. You need to waste more on hills, more when you are attacking, creating a gap, taking riders by surprise. Use less when your slipstreaming, more when your on the front.

Every other race, f1, swimming, running, skating etc involves going at the same pace the whole time. Distributing your effort as best as you can. Watch any of these races and they will be going the same speed at the begining, mas they are in the middl, and as they are near the end, and speading their energy equally throughout.

A total flat race destroys this advantage. Everyone goes 60km the whole way round, the favourites are wasting the same ammount of energy the whole way round.

Not what cycling is about imo.

Skating on nature ice is actually allmost the same as cycling. With breaks, chasing pelotons, lead-outs and so on...

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I agree that pure flat races shouldnt exit outside stage races. THis is because weve seen that even the flatest of the flat riders - Cav, can win a race which has the Cipressa and Poggio close to the finish.

Things like that at least make it interesting. As Libertine Seguros never tiers of saying, make the sprinters EARN their victory, like all other riders do.

Im thinking, this race is so flat, Chris Hoy ought to try it. He is afterall the only cyclist with name recognition in Britain, it would give the race a boost.


I dont see why they need to do 20 or so laps of a short circuit. Its a 200km + race. Surely its better to go way out, into the hills, into the wind and the tricky terrain, have a race, and then come back for a finish. Make it interesting.

Hell as far as im concerned, all they need is to finish in London. You can start in Manchester for all i care. That would be better actually. Include some hills on the way.

Also the p****s kept it in Central and East London. The olympics are entirely in East London, the marathon will be there too. Give us in the west something ffs. all we get is the tourists flying into heathrow and crowding my tube journey to get into london.

So i have no idea how i will be able to see it. I think the tt will be better. Fewer people, and you can come out with a sign saying "Fabian Spartacus fan club" and hell give you a nod like in the Ronde.

Actually in the Ronde you get real cycling fans. In the olympic tt, if Cancellara sees a "Fabian Cancellara GOAT" message, he might just stop to give an autograph out of surprise. It would give others a chance, he would still win, underlying his dominance, and the nice gesture would get him onto the news, as the guy who can stop to give autographs midrace and still win.

Even Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps, the only non football foreign athletes with name recoginition here, cant do that.

Get real, if the olympic course isn't designed specifically for Cav, someone isn't doing their job.

 

[c&cfan]

obviously that cav is by far the best sprinter out there, only someone really blind cant see that.

however, i think that you are wrong about flat stages. first, the best sprinter doesnt has a team to help him there, second, you are talking like if any rider can win a flat race and cav doesnt does anything special (forgetting the fact that he is the only one that can make it look easy). however, only a few, even fewer than in montains, are able to do that. obviously some WC deserves to be flat and the wind conditions and roads doesnt matter at all. at the end of the day, only the best and the strongest will win (if the peloton comes all together). some riders are against flat simply because they cant win there, they are WEAK in those conditions, just like cav is weak in mountains. he doesnt need to climb something to deserve his win. if no one can beat him or is strong enough to face him in a flat stage, he deserves his win in a flate stage\classic.
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my nick is c&c because of cancellara and cav. remenber this, one of them will win in the WC RR and in london 2012.

 

[Eric8-A]

Lance Armstrong will win the Worlds in 2011 in a bunch sprint