World Champion

A different breed.

The Worlds are going to be played out on US roads, which is fantastic and the last time it happened we witnessed a great race with a worthy winner. But the Worlds has lost a lot of its prestige since moving from late August to its current position in late September. It’s only a month’s difference, but it means that the riders who started early and raced through the summer are dialing down for the season, and only the riders who either took the Summer easy or are started racing later will be interested in racing for the bands.

It used to be that the winner of the road race wore the Rainbow Stripes in the time trial events as well, because there wasn’t a separate time trial Champion. One World Champion instead of two has the sort of simplicity to it that my twisted OCD brain can really sink its teeth into, and every rider to ever swing a leg over a top tube had that event on their list – whether they were a sprinter, a Grand Tour rider, rouleur, or domestique. I would be willing to bet that a modern champion like like Chris Froome or Alberto Contador doesn’t even have the the Worlds on their radar as a career goal.

We won’t be seeing a defending Tour champion roll up to the prologue with the rainbow stripes on their back any time soon. I vote we bring back the Summertime Worlds.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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cognition says:

Aug 26 2015 at 10:39 pm

Let's go back to a single world championship race, but then resurrect the Grand Prix Des Nations.
The Grande Fondue says:

Aug 27 2015 at 4:50 am

It is only karma that keeps Valverde from disproving this post?
wiscot says:

Aug 27 2015 at 5:27 am

@cognition

Let’s go back to a single world championship race, but then resurrect the Grand Prix Des Nations.

Couldn't agree more. Bring back the GP des Nations! ALL the top TT boys did it - and get it back to Nice - not some flat, boring course up north.
chuckp says:

Aug 27 2015 at 6:53 am

Read my article that I posted previously. Lots of great viewing places. Not a bad seat in the house. I'll be down there with the family for the women's and men's elite races.

@LawnCzar

Really excited for the Worlds — living in DC, they’re not too far away. The family’s going to make a day of it.

Wondering where the best spots to hang out might be; it looks like to see the cobbled climb on 23rd Street you need to buy tickets to the “fan zone” there, which is disappointing, though maybe that’s just one side of the street. Looks like a proper leg / frame buster of a hill…
chuckp says:

Aug 27 2015 at 6:59 am

Frank - If you'd read my article, you'd know. :-) The climb on 23rd Street is short (just over 100 meters) but steep (average grade 14% but close to 30% at the bottom). I've ridden it and, at least for mere mortals, it's a killer. The cobbles on the left have been recently re-cobbled and are a bit smoother than the originals, but it will still be bumpy. And it's pretty narrow (basically a single lane), so it will likely be a fight for position. But not likely to decide the race (although could be where a split happens). More likely the race will be decided on the climb up Governor.

@frank

@LawnCzar

Really excited for the Worlds — living in DC, they’re not too far away. The family’s going to make a day of it.

Wondering where the best spots to hang out might be; it looks like to see the cobbled climb on 23rd Street you need to buy tickets to the “fan zone” there, which is disappointing, though maybe that’s just one side of the street. Looks like a proper leg / frame buster of a hill…

Wait. What? A cobbled climb at the Worlds? Now we’re talking. I mean, they’re AMERICAN cobbles but still, that is legit. How is it possible I didn’t know this?
frank says:

Aug 27 2015 at 9:54 am

@Philonius

That picture of LeMondster; that’s not a folded tubular in his seat tube bottle holder, is it?

Yes, it is! So that means it could very well be him getting ready to go for a training ride on the second rest day, which is where this photo is from (not from the flat when Chiappucci attacked, as is widely believed.)
Nate says:

Aug 27 2015 at 11:15 am

@frank

@Philonius

That picture of LeMondster; that’s not a folded tubular in his seat tube bottle holder, is it?

Yes, it is! So that means it could very well be him getting ready to go for a training ride on the second rest day, which is where this photo is from (not from the flat when Chiappucci attacked, as is widely believed.)

Didnt we once have a forensic discussion about the circumstances under which this photo was taken?
Teocalli says:

Aug 27 2015 at 2:45 pm

@Nate

I do remember that, but I've also just noticed that that appears to be a local twig he is using to lever off the tub.
Nate says:

Aug 27 2015 at 2:48 pm

@Teocalli

Hah, I think you are right. Even more awesomeness.
LawnCzar says:

Aug 27 2015 at 4:06 pm

@chuckp

I did -- that's how I knew it was only 100 meters!

Thanks for posting the article (and photos). We'll be down there with a four year old and a two year old, so that adds a certain dynamic... access to food, bathrooms, and amusement but not too crowded while being able to see the action. Hm.

Though very young, the girls crazy, crazy, crazy about bikes and love going to see races, so that helps. The youngest can't see a bike without excitedly announcing it (same if she sees someone in their kit) and the eldest is starting to get a sense of how the race works and use the right jargon. "Is he in the break?" she asked me, the other day. (heart explodes)