Worlds: your favourite.

[rghysens]

Velits can't bring back Boonen every time the latter has been dropped on the Cauberg.

Boonen will be dropped only once on the cauberg, maximum. And Velits won't be around then.

 

[CasperVg]

I don't see how anyone can even consider Belgium a favourite for this.. okay, Gilbert is getting back into shape, but he's still nowhere close to the shape the Spanish have shown, and with their combined strength, Boonen will probably be dropped during the final.

 

[El Pistolero]

I don't see how anyone can even consider Belgium a favourite for this.. okay, Gilbert is getting back into shape, but he's still nowhere close to the shape the Spanish have shown, and with their combined strength, Boonen will probably be dropped during the final.

What were you expecting of Gilbert at the Vuelta this year? A top ten spot?

He won on the only 2 stages he could have won without going into a breakaway and he did so with style. The Belgian squad has 2 leaders and 7 domestiques.

Spain has 5 leaders and the rest of the team is simply not good enough or not in shape(Samuel Sanchez, Pablo Lastras and Castroviejo). Does anyone really believe Rodriguez, Valverde, Contador and Moreno(remember, he's leaving Katusha to not work for Jrod anymore) will work together?

Gilbert was the strongest at the WC in 2010 and had the finish been 3km closer he would've won. He won 2 stages in the Vuelta that year, very reminiscent of this year.

Of course Spain will be very dangerous, but it's obvious why people consider the Belgian squad to also be the favorites.

 

[DominicDecoco]

Interesting odds for JTL

http://www.skybet.com/cycling/world-championships

Interesting low, yes. We all cheer for JTL and hope him the best but no, he is not going to win WC - nor is he winning LBL as suggested somehere else in here.

 

[Afrank]

What were you expecting of Gilbert at the Vuelta this year? A top ten spot?

He won on the only 2 stages he could have won without going into a breakaway and he did so with style. The Belgian squad has 2 leaders and 7 domestiques.

Spain has 5 leaders and the rest of the team is simply not good enough or not in shape(Samuel Sanchez, Pablo Lastras and Castroviejo). Does anyone really believe Rodriguez, Valverde, Contador and Moreno(remember, he's leaving Katusha to not work for Jrod anymore) will work together?

Gilbert was the strongest at the WC in 2010 and had the finish been 3km closer he would've won. He won 2 stages in the Vuelta that year, very reminiscent of this year.

Of course Spain will be very dangerous, but it's obvious why people consider the Belgian squad to also be the favorites.

This, Belgians going to be a strong squad, both Boonen and Gilbert are looking in good form. Plus they have a strong squad built around them. Spain on paper obviously looks like it will be the top team but having so many guys that could win it could be a big disadvantage. It wouldn't surprise me if Someone gets away because Spain can't work together.

 

[DenisMenchov]

What were you expecting of Gilbert at the Vuelta this year? A top ten spot?

He won on the only 2 stages he could have won without going into a breakaway and he did so with style. The Belgian squad has 2 leaders and 7 domestiques.

Spain has 5 leaders and the rest of the team is simply not good enough or not in shape(Samuel Sanchez, Pablo Lastras and Castroviejo). Does anyone really believe Rodriguez, Valverde, Contador and Moreno(remember, he's leaving Katusha to not work for Jrod anymore) will work together?

Gilbert was the strongest at the WC in 2010 and had the finish been 3km closer he would've won. He won 2 stages in the Vuelta that year, very reminiscent of this year.

Of course Spain will be very dangerous, but it's obvious why people consider the Belgian squad to also be the favorites.

What kind of argument is that??? Had Galibier been 3km shorter Andy would have won the Tour.
Well, I believe everyone know the distance from the start. Hushovd was the deserving winner.

 

[The Hitch]

Gilbert was the strongest at the WC in 2010 and had the finish been 3km closer he would've won. He won 2 stages in the Vuelta that year, very reminiscent of this year.

.

Uh no. Gilbert was surprisingly weak in Geelong. He was the only 1 that tried on the last hill, even got a leadout for it, and then held on for a pathetically short distance once the top had been crested.

 

[Pippo_San]

Interesting low, yes. We all cheer for JTL and hope him the best but no, he is not going to win WC - nor is he winning LBL as suggested somehere else in here.

 

[The Hitch]

What kind of argument is that??? Had Galibier been 3km shorter Andy would have won the Tour.
Well, I believe everyone know the distance from the start. Hushovd was the deserving winner.

If worlds last year was 3k shorter, cj sutton would have won.

Either him or Gerrans, cant see the face too well.

 

[Ferminal]

If CJ was selected in 2010, he would have won...

 

[The Hitch]

If CJ was selected in 2010, he would have won...

The actual race or pistrolleros 3 k rule ?

 

[Ferminal]

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=5364

 

[the asian]

Uh no. Gilbert was surprisingly weak in Geelong. He was the only 1 that tried on the last hill, even got a leadout for it, and then held on for a pathetically short distance once the top had been crested.

To be fair, he rode in to a headwind.

 

[Wilba60]

I like the look of the Australian team here, they have plenty of different options. I am hoping that they will send Clarke or Tanner away in any break that goes. Clarke comes off a OGE mountain jersey, mainly due to his strength in the breakaways at the Vuelta and Tanner can be a back up if needed.

The sprinting group of Hayman, Mathews, Davis and Haussler looks strong. All 3 of the sprinting group get over hills pretty well, especially Mathews and Haussler and Hayman is the all round tough guy, coming off doing all 3 GT's this year.

The "one day" group of Porte and Rogers can make believe that Gerrans is Brad Wiggins and probably drag him up the hills much better than he has had with the OGE boys this year. Gerrans has usually relied on Albasini or Clarke in the hillier classics and Clarke could well be with him again if not in a break.

If the Aussie sprinters do stay with the pace, then Rogers and Clarke can easily switch across to a lead out for them. For me the winner will be Gerrans, he won't get this type of top quality assistance very often and my dark horse is Mathews.

 

[El Pistolero]

Uh no. Gilbert was surprisingly weak in Geelong. He was the only 1 that tried on the last hill, even got a leadout for it, and then held on for a pathetically short distance once the top had been crested.

Yeah, that's why he rode everyone off his wheel every time the road went uphill and the group behind couldn't catch him. Only the peloton managed to catch him.

You want to know why the 3km thing matters? The finish is only 1.5km after the Cauberg this year. The final hill was 6km from the finish in Geelong and Gilbert attacked on the hill before that. Evans reacted, but couldn't. Clearly all to see on a video. He was solo on the final hill, so obviously no one tried to follow him, they weren't there to do so in the first place lol. Had Gilbert waited for the final hill like he was supposed to do, he would've come much closer to the win. Or hadn't Pippo wheelsucked in the break before...

Who really was surprisingly weak that day was Fabian Cancellara. A signal that he was past it maybe. Haven't seen much of him since then.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

where is colombia? Lol @ this poll. betancurt is a podium candidate as much as gilbert and sagan are. we will see. nor would I rule out henao, duarte(preparing for this since colombia) and uran.

 

[Falken]

Uh no. Gilbert was surprisingly weak in Geelong. He was the only 1 that tried on the last hill, even got a leadout for it, and then held on for a pathetically short distance once the top had been crested.

A bit harsh, seemed quiet strong to me, but he made an tactical error trying to go solo in a headwind with a chasing bunch of 20-25 riders.

 

[Panda Claws]

Uh no. Gilbert was surprisingly weak in Geelong. He was the only 1 that tried on the last hill, even got a leadout for it, and then held on for a pathetically short distance once the top had been crested.

To be fair, Gilbert did waste a lot of energy prior to that last climb, and was actually the strongest of the bunch, but of course that should not always equal victory.

 

[Tragic]

I like the look of the Australian team here, they have plenty of different options. I am hoping that they will send Clarke or Tanner away in any break that goes. Clarke comes off a OGE mountain jersey, mainly due to his strength in the breakaways at the Vuelta and Tanner can be a back up if needed.

The sprinting group of Hayman, Mathews, Davis and Haussler looks strong. All 3 of the sprinting group get over hills pretty well, especially Mathews and Haussler and Hayman is the all round tough guy, coming off doing all 3 GT's this year.

The "one day" group of Porte and Rogers can make believe that Gerrans is Brad Wiggins and probably drag him up the hills much better than he has had with the OGE boys this year. Gerrans has usually relied on Albasini or Clarke in the hillier classics and Clarke could well be with him again if not in a break.

If the Aussie sprinters do stay with the pace, then Rogers and Clarke can easily switch across to a lead out for them. For me the winner will be Gerrans, he won't get this type of top quality assistance very often and my dark horse is Mathews.

Hayman's not in it. Heres the list http://www.cycling.org.au/?Page=47721 Oh, you mean Hansen

 

[Tragic]

To me it will all come down to who is still there at the top of the Cauburg the last time. If Sagan is there, fuhgettaboutit. Boonen, without Sagan, ditto. A finale with Gilbert, Valverde, Gerrans and Albasini would be wonderful to watch and impossible to predict (although I would tip Gerrans, he's smart) Don't know why the bookies have Goss up there, don't think he will be.

 

[The Hitch]

You want to know why the 3km thing matters? The finish is only 1.5km after the Cauberg this year. The final hill was 6km from the finish in Geelong and Gilbert attacked on the hill before that. Evans reacted, but couldn't. Clearly all to see on a video. He was solo on the final hill, so obviously no one tried to follow him, they weren't there to do so in the first place lol. Had Gilbert waited for the final hill like he was supposed to do, he would've come much closer to the win. Or hadn't Pippo wheelsucked in the break before...

If the finish was 1.5km after the hill, everyone would have rode differently, and a bunch of riders who dismissed geelong as likely a sprinters worlds, would have tried to peak for it.

Who really was surprisingly weak that day was Fabian Cancellara. A signal that he was past it maybe. Haven't seen much of him since then. ;

Cancellara was very weak that worlds yes. Only won the tt by 1 minute. Dont see what this has to do with anything though

 

[taiwan]

Went Spain, but I just remembered that the difficulty of the Worlds course is talked up EVERY YEAR.

If Sagan hasn't been mentioned in 5 posts, he's underrated.

 

[rghysens]

Went Spain, but I just remembered that the difficulty of the Worlds course is overrated EVERY YEAR.

+1.

In 1998 I rode 5 laps of the race (I was 18 back then) and on the Bemelerberg I even didn't have to change my gear. On the last lap on the Cauberg I just didn't manage to sprint on my big gear (52x17). The most difficult part during my reconaissance were the crosswinds on the plateau after bemelerberg and cauberg. Actually, I found many hills in the "flemish ardennes" more difficult than the cauberg, and certainly more difficult than the bemelerberg, which is just a glorified piece of false flat. I can imagine the Dutch around here won't like to read this, but that is my own experience.
Some people compare this wc to the amstel gold race, but the latter has far more difficult climbs.
If the weather's nice, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a big group arrived at the foot of the last climb to contest the win.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

+1.

In 1998 I rode 5 laps of the race (I was 18 back then) and on the Bemelerberg I even didn't have to change my gear. On the last lap on the Cauberg I just didn't manage to sprint on my big gear (52x17). The most difficult part during my reconaissance were the crosswinds on the plateau after bemelerberg and cauberg. Actually, I found many hills in the "flemish ardennes" more difficult than the cauberg, and certainly more difficult than the bemelerberg, which is just a glorified piece of false flat. I can imagine the Dutch around here won't like to read this, but that is my own experience.
Some people compare this wc to the amstel gold race, but the latter has far more difficult climbs.
If the weather's nice, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a big group arrived at the foot of the last climb to contest the win.

I don't care about you or how hard you find it the wc 1998 was one of the best and hardest wc's in past 25 years. a fact. and they don't rider your cyclotourist tempo or do only 1 lap either

 

[Ferminal]

+1.

In 1998 I rode 5 laps of the race (I was 18 back then) and on the Bemelerberg I even didn't have to change my gear. On the last lap on the Cauberg I just didn't manage to sprint on my big gear (52x17). The most difficult part during my reconaissance were the crosswinds on the plateau after bemelerberg and cauberg. Actually, I found many hills in the "flemish ardennes" more difficult than the cauberg, and certainly more difficult than the bemelerberg, which is just a glorified piece of false flat. I can imagine the Dutch around here won't like to read this, but that is my own experience.
Some people compare this wc to the amstel gold race, but the latter has far more difficult climbs.
If the weather's nice, it wouldn't surprise me at all if a big group arrived at the foot of the last climb to contest the win.

Yes, AGR much harder, and we know how that always ends...

Problem with Sagan is he will probably solo across to Gilbert, and then be in the "Cancellara position" with 1km to go.