Who's going to win the Worlds?

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  • domhopson
    domhopson Posts: 259
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gilbert or Cancellara, probably. Maybe a record breaking swansong for Freire. Maybe Farrar if he has a good team behind him.

    Farrar? Are you having a laugh
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    it doesn't always play out that a strong team wins for a rider, classic example is last year the strongest team (italy) spent themselves making sure Spartacus didn't win and Cuddles got himself in the right group and made the kick at the right point.
    evans is a quality rider I don't disagree but sometimes being unfavoured helps you to fly under the radar
    "I get paid to make other people suffer on my wheel, how good is that"
    --Jens Voight
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    domhopson wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    Gilbert or Cancellara, probably. Maybe a record breaking swansong for Freire. Maybe Farrar if he has a good team behind him.

    Farrar? Are you having a laugh

    No, quite serious. The course seems, to me, suited to a sprinter who can get up short sharp climbs, one who could do OK in a race like RVV - where Farrar was 5th this year.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,223
    That first cat climb would appear to be just under a km in length and 100m high so 11 laps of the finish circuit would be similar topography to something like the Ronde I suppose. So possibly Canc or Gilbert unless Boonen makes a good recovery. There was a big fuss before that it would suit Cav but out of the Brits I'd have said maybe Thomas has the best chance?
  • Dgh
    Dgh Posts: 180
    Gilbert or Freire
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    iainf72 wrote:
    Pokerface wrote:
    I am. But it's not quite the Cycling Wolrd's you are talking about. Close though.... 8)

    If you get a rainbow jersey, it's the Worlds dude :wink:

    Yup - definitely 2 rainbow jerseys up for grabs for me in a few weeks!


    (I misread the title as who is GOING to the World's - not who is going to win :oops: )


    Anyway - I say Vino for the win. As much as many will hate to hear it. The guy has the ability to get over any climb and then still power away at the finish..
  • calvjones
    calvjones Posts: 3,850
    1700m of climbing? Less than RVV.

    Interesting because it overlaps flatter Classics riders with those like Vino and LL-Cool-J who can punch away on the hills.

    Wouldn't actually be too surprised if Evans was in the mix again, if that last bump is closeish to the finish.

    Because they rarely race together I have no idea whether Canc/Boonen would go up a 1km 10% faster or slower than Evans/Vino/Bert, although I suspect its a bit long for the former; double-ish the length of the proper bit of the Muur? Seems closer to Huy, which Freire has never hung on up.
    ___________________

    Strava is not Zen.
  • yourpaceormine
    yourpaceormine Posts: 1,245
    Can't decide....

    From a British point of view:

    cavendish, too hilly - most likely, who would nurse him up? Would HTC step up for their boy? He has clearly got his mojo back so I'm not writing him off just yet. The Sky train looked reasonably handy at times in the tour - Geraint Thomas in particular, has the British contingent got enough strength in depth to ride like that for Cav?

    Will Sky help out one of 'their' boys - EBH? (He's almost one of ours)

    Geraint Thomas - rode very well on a similar course for the British jersey. Admittedly the field was no where near as good but there will still some handy riders present.

    Will Vino go on his usual suicide mission? Probably. Will it succeed most likely.

    Italy and Spain if they work as teams will have the upperhand but too many egos in both teams to allow this to happen.

    So, most likely a rider who can ride by themselves - Vino, Cadel (is he recovered from his elbow injury though?). Is Flecha riding? If he is worth an outside bet perhaps.

    If there is trade team involvement my gut feeling would say HTC having a hand in helping Cav, or Sky helping EBH.

    Farrar - no way, but at least his lenses will help him in all light conditions.


    Tricky - but will have to plump for Vino.
  • Homer J
    Homer J Posts: 920
    The French seem to be on form, Chavanel?
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    calvjones wrote:
    Because they rarely race together I have no idea whether Canc/Boonen would go up a 1km 10% faster or slower than Evans/Vino/Bert, although I suspect its a bit long for the former; double-ish the length of the proper bit of the Muur? Seems closer to Huy, which Freire has never hung on up.
    Agree that it would mean an interesting meet between the Flemish and Ardennes classics specialists - like in Amstel Gold or Brabantse Pijl.
    Not sure about the climb comparisons though. It's double the length of the cobbled section of the Muur, but the half km through Geraardsbergen that comes before that is 10% too. And the Muur has cobbles, and is about 20% max. Huy is much much steeper, both in average and max.
    It's more like a longer version of the Cauberg I reckon.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,570
    vino
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • William H
    William H Posts: 61
    Who will be the italian's leader?

    Seens too tough for petacchi, too easy for Cunego
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    William H wrote:
    Who will be the italian's leader?

    Seens too tough for petacchi, too easy for Cunego

    Ballan
    _
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,473
    Pozzato. It's his turn apparently.
  • Birillo
    Birillo Posts: 417
    Pozzato. It's his turn apparently.
    :D
  • Grimone
    Grimone Posts: 95
    Samuel Sanchez.
    Don't rake up my mistakes, i know exactly what they are.

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