2020 UCI Road World Championships, Imola - Sept 24th - 27th *Spoilers*

rick_chasey

Also, not that anyone will be surprised, but hats off to the usual JA attack up a steep hill in the big ring - this time a hill that tops out at 15%...can't say I think I've ever been in the big ring going up anything over 8% let alone double that.

takethehighroad

m.r.m. said:

MvdP probably misjudged this parcours as too hard. At least in his usual form.

Given his form in Tirreno, I would imagine he would've been dropped quite early, and would have finished in the group behind Valverde

neonriver

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

rick_chasey said:

*eyeroll*

I get why you want to encourage innovation at the top end, and no alternative is necessarily better, but when riders are not winning because their kit isn't 'fast' enough - me no like.

That's inescapable in the TT game, where aerodynamics is king.

To be fair though most teams just buy whatever is the fastest and de-badge it (GCN had something about this with one of the Ineos TT bikes where they were using an Aerocoach disc wheel and a something else front wheel, despite having... Shimano?... wheel sponsors).

I thought below post from Dowsett was quite interesting:

here with a story. This pic was from a great stage 8 of the 2013 giro. I’m not going to sit here and say “back then it was better back then because of xy&z” I wanted to talk about how the TT game has changed. Then and now. For the record I enjoy now much more, it’s tougher to be competitive but I enjoy the process so much more.
•
I’d put money on a hunch that no current rider could win a top tier TT in 2020 with this setup, of course you could then, and many won races with worse setups and some teams even now have worse setups than this still, but to be competitive in 2020 this pictured wouldn’t cut the mustard. This bike was a pinarello graal with an 8cm handlebar stem flipped to point upwards, bolt on handlebars, cables everywhere. Very staple lycra overshoes with very standard socks hanging out the top because fashion. The helmet was a stab in the dark because Kiriyenka used the same, the skinsuit was simply the smallest I could fit into, not a trip, fancy fabric or intentionally placed/thickened seam in sight
•
Now everything is measureable and quantifiable, access to testing is much more abundant and data is accessible. The net result is speeds are much higher. Outside of the pro scene you can see this by the speeds of the domestic TT scene. This became highly apparent to me at a test run at the maldon 10 just recently. That course has been a testing ground over the years, refining pacing and technique mostly, gauging fitness and bike position by trial and error. I always take race kit, but that’s gone up a notch and I took all the top end race kit recently as a worlds practice run.
•
Every component being rigourously tested for speed in a tunnel or on track, my position being refined in the tunnel and being told what position to make comfortable and work instead of directing my position myself. An 18 round there eluded me for a long time until a warm still ‘float night’ last year. But last week, not ideal conditions, bit cold, taking zero risks in the turn, satisfactory but not mind blowing watts, 18.59 was a surprise. And shows how much the game has changed. And I love it.

Even to me, who knows hardly anything about it, he looks pretty amateur in that photo compared to today.

Say what! That must be some p1ss take.

Which bit?

The bit about taking aerodynamics seriously by Dowsett.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

He knows what he's doing when it comes to aero.

Ummm.....

Team sponsors he’d have to wear it

ocdupalais

Pidcock looking perky

elbowloh

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

rick_chasey said:

*eyeroll*

I get why you want to encourage innovation at the top end, and no alternative is necessarily better, but when riders are not winning because their kit isn't 'fast' enough - me no like.

That's inescapable in the TT game, where aerodynamics is king.

To be fair though most teams just buy whatever is the fastest and de-badge it (GCN had something about this with one of the Ineos TT bikes where they were using an Aerocoach disc wheel and a something else front wheel, despite having... Shimano?... wheel sponsors).

I thought below post from Dowsett was quite interesting:

here with a story. This pic was from a great stage 8 of the 2013 giro. I’m not going to sit here and say “back then it was better back then because of xy&z” I wanted to talk about how the TT game has changed. Then and now. For the record I enjoy now much more, it’s tougher to be competitive but I enjoy the process so much more.
•
I’d put money on a hunch that no current rider could win a top tier TT in 2020 with this setup, of course you could then, and many won races with worse setups and some teams even now have worse setups than this still, but to be competitive in 2020 this pictured wouldn’t cut the mustard. This bike was a pinarello graal with an 8cm handlebar stem flipped to point upwards, bolt on handlebars, cables everywhere. Very staple lycra overshoes with very standard socks hanging out the top because fashion. The helmet was a stab in the dark because Kiriyenka used the same, the skinsuit was simply the smallest I could fit into, not a trip, fancy fabric or intentionally placed/thickened seam in sight
•
Now everything is measureable and quantifiable, access to testing is much more abundant and data is accessible. The net result is speeds are much higher. Outside of the pro scene you can see this by the speeds of the domestic TT scene. This became highly apparent to me at a test run at the maldon 10 just recently. That course has been a testing ground over the years, refining pacing and technique mostly, gauging fitness and bike position by trial and error. I always take race kit, but that’s gone up a notch and I took all the top end race kit recently as a worlds practice run.
•
Every component being rigourously tested for speed in a tunnel or on track, my position being refined in the tunnel and being told what position to make comfortable and work instead of directing my position myself. An 18 round there eluded me for a long time until a warm still ‘float night’ last year. But last week, not ideal conditions, bit cold, taking zero risks in the turn, satisfactory but not mind blowing watts, 18.59 was a surprise. And shows how much the game has changed. And I love it.

Even to me, who knows hardly anything about it, he looks pretty amateur in that photo compared to today.

Say what! That must be some p1ss take.

Which bit?

The bit about taking aerodynamics seriously by Dowsett.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

He knows what he's doing when it comes to aero.

Especially these ones

takethehighroad

ocdupalais said:

Pidcock looking perky

Maybe he had a nice breakfast this morning

focuszing723

neonriver said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

focuszing723 said:

bobmcstuff said:

rick_chasey said:

*eyeroll*

I get why you want to encourage innovation at the top end, and no alternative is necessarily better, but when riders are not winning because their kit isn't 'fast' enough - me no like.

That's inescapable in the TT game, where aerodynamics is king.

To be fair though most teams just buy whatever is the fastest and de-badge it (GCN had something about this with one of the Ineos TT bikes where they were using an Aerocoach disc wheel and a something else front wheel, despite having... Shimano?... wheel sponsors).

I thought below post from Dowsett was quite interesting:

here with a story. This pic was from a great stage 8 of the 2013 giro. I’m not going to sit here and say “back then it was better back then because of xy&z” I wanted to talk about how the TT game has changed. Then and now. For the record I enjoy now much more, it’s tougher to be competitive but I enjoy the process so much more.
•
I’d put money on a hunch that no current rider could win a top tier TT in 2020 with this setup, of course you could then, and many won races with worse setups and some teams even now have worse setups than this still, but to be competitive in 2020 this pictured wouldn’t cut the mustard. This bike was a pinarello graal with an 8cm handlebar stem flipped to point upwards, bolt on handlebars, cables everywhere. Very staple lycra overshoes with very standard socks hanging out the top because fashion. The helmet was a stab in the dark because Kiriyenka used the same, the skinsuit was simply the smallest I could fit into, not a trip, fancy fabric or intentionally placed/thickened seam in sight
•
Now everything is measureable and quantifiable, access to testing is much more abundant and data is accessible. The net result is speeds are much higher. Outside of the pro scene you can see this by the speeds of the domestic TT scene. This became highly apparent to me at a test run at the maldon 10 just recently. That course has been a testing ground over the years, refining pacing and technique mostly, gauging fitness and bike position by trial and error. I always take race kit, but that’s gone up a notch and I took all the top end race kit recently as a worlds practice run.
•
Every component being rigourously tested for speed in a tunnel or on track, my position being refined in the tunnel and being told what position to make comfortable and work instead of directing my position myself. An 18 round there eluded me for a long time until a warm still ‘float night’ last year. But last week, not ideal conditions, bit cold, taking zero risks in the turn, satisfactory but not mind blowing watts, 18.59 was a surprise. And shows how much the game has changed. And I love it.

Even to me, who knows hardly anything about it, he looks pretty amateur in that photo compared to today.

Say what! That must be some p1ss take.

Which bit?

The bit about taking aerodynamics seriously by Dowsett.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

He knows what he's doing when it comes to aero.

Ummm.....

Team sponsors he’d have to wear it

This is a good shot showing it smooth air around the shoulders.

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

I was dealing with a rather large weedkiller spillage in the shed, but I caught the last 35km or so and I really enjoyed it.

For me it made a good case to return the worlds to the week following the Tour. It was really fun to see the main protagonists of the Tour smash it out over one day.

I agree wit Rick. Really like all the main players from the tour having a go including Pogacar. When did the last tour winner even try?

focuszing723

TheBigBean said:

rick_chasey said:

I was dealing with a rather large weedkiller spillage in the shed, but I caught the last 35km or so and I really enjoyed it.

For me it made a good case to return the worlds to the week following the Tour. It was really fun to see the main protagonists of the Tour smash it out over one day.

I agree wit Rick. Really like all the main players from the tour having a go including Pogacar. When did the last tour winner even try?

Yep that was good. I just wish Pogacar didn't try and do his mate Roglic a favour and kept his power dry for the last 15K, akin to JA. Although I'm really glad he won, he deserved it after lighting up last years TDF.

davidof

With Longo-Borghini taking third in the road race people may not have noticed but the other Longo - Jeannie that is, has become the Provence Alpes Cote d'Azure time trial champion at the age of 62 setting a time of 28’33 over a route of 22.8km.

As one wag commented "there's hope for Pinot yet in the Tour de France".

ddraver

Probably an overly detailed analysis of what happened to Chloe Dygart

https://www.velonews.com/gear/tech-wearables/technical-faq-chloe-dygerts-disastrous-front-end-wobble/?fbclid=IwAR2kbQSJBt8wmqYQPCPluXa6HPwApYvmUjxMnyJD6RfiA1sVKIAuMT0lzIk

(not in a grusome way)

ddraver

takethehighroad said:

ocdupalais said:

Pidcock looking perky

Maybe he had a nice breakfast this morning

Goes to Nove Mesto and wins the U23 World Cup from the back of the grid...

He might be a bit good this boy

andyp

His fastest lap was 7 seconds than anyone in the Elites managed too. Changing course conditions of course, so you can't draw any conclusions other than he's quick.

RichN95.

andyp said:

His fastest lap was 7 seconds than anyone in the Elites managed too. Changing course conditions of course, so you can't draw any conclusions other than he's quick.

Is he planning to do MTB in Tokyo next year?

focuszing723

focuszing723 said:

Boardman making a good point it's a bit ridiculous with a pair of ordinary glass without the integrated screen. I get it probably deflects air away from the shoulders, but still!

ddraver

https://twitter.com/chloedygert30/status/1316365587384340481?s=19

😲

salsiccia1

Saw that earlier. Looking at those scars I'd say she's lucky she didn't lose her leg.