Anatomy of a Photos: This Is How It’s Done

Yes and yes @photos:Tim de Waele/Corbis and CyclingWeekly

Before we move on to the last Monument of the season, let’s reflect on what happened in Richmond. My deeply held fears of the American organizers making a mess of things were unrealized. The two cobbled climbs were spectacles and the resulting road races were pretty damn fine.

Personally, I don’t think the Worlds should ever end up in a bunch sprint. Sprinters should have their chance but the race should be so tough that even a flat course ends up in a fractured gasp for the line. The women’s finish was not a field sprint. Lizzy Armitstead led from the bottom of the last hill and made sure no one got past her for very long. Anna VDB was there but she was not going to win this one. Armitstead was probably the strongest/fastest in her field and kept it together to prove that.

Peter Sagan won from kilometers out, gaining time with each corner. He might not have been the strongest or fastest but he was most definitely the smartest. He sat in the field the whole race and then jumped everyone with a move that won the day.

Neither winner had a strong team for support. When it comes down to the final kilometers, it’s all legs, brains and heart.

It will be a pleasure seeing the rainbow stripes on these two for the next year.

Gianni

Gianni has left the building.

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View Comments

Teocalli says:

Oct 2 2015 at 10:35 am

@frank

I knew I liked this girl.

You don't suppose she reads in here does she?
Gianni says:

Oct 2 2015 at 11:44 am

@frank

I knew I liked this girl.

Lizzie! What a stud she is.
Gianni says:

Oct 2 2015 at 11:47 am

And this from Niki Terpstra about the Worlds course.

“It was hard. It was crowded. Do you want more? It was nice. For the spectators I think it was a great race. All the organisers want to put more hills. More and more and more. But actually the more hills you put in, the more predictable the race is. And this is more entertaining. I think it was a balanced parcours.”

And Tommeke

“It was a very proper race. It was a very hard race. I wasn’t expecting it to be this hard,” Belgian Tom Boonen said. “In the beginning the group went away, and everyone’s like ‘ah, It’ll be an easy day’ and then the Dutch guys started pulling and everybody was à bloc the first three, four laps. And everybody got a little bit scared I think, because they were suffering so much. In the beginning there was 50, 60 guys up there, a lot of good guys. After that everybody was on their toes all the time and nervous. It affected the entire race.” Boonen rode by Sagan at the finish and offered his hand to the winner, a sign of sure respect and happiness for the younger rider who has been carrying excessive pressure for years. “Pffff,” Boonen said. “If you ride away on 1.5 or 2km of the finish line of this group then of course you deserve to win.”
VbyV says:

Oct 2 2015 at 12:14 pm

I was there too. Sagan goes by, seemingly slowing down, at 0:56.

Tom

https://youtu.be/inlVLiN3NGQ
Timojhen says:

Oct 2 2015 at 12:31 pm

Such a good time, and couldn't be happier with the results. Agree with the comments that these are worthy winners, I'll be excited to see them show off the stripes for the next year.

Volunteered to help since I live in Virginia and getting there was easy. (Figured it was a once in a lifetime opportunity)

Ended up guarding a barrier on Main Street which was orange and had been clipped a few times by those who misjudged how much room they had. Certainly impressive to have the Women coming at me down the hill and somehow find a way to fit, warning each other in a multitude of languages throughout.
Harminator says:

Oct 2 2015 at 1:50 pm

@Teocalli

@frank

I knew I liked this girl.

You don’t suppose she reads in here does she?

She lurks here for sure. Hi Lizzie. Tag us when you post a pic in your black shorts will ya?
dyalander says:

Oct 2 2015 at 7:42 pm

I'd petition Tinkov not the UCI. Surely if anyone is going to say "rules are rules". It's not fortune that would have Sagan in stupid yellow and blue shorts and Armitstead in white, nor is it the UCI, kit your team up in black bibs. It's not just better for the stipes, it's better for the whole team.
Pali65 says:

Oct 3 2015 at 2:01 am

I've played with Photoshop a bit...
The Pressure says:

Oct 3 2015 at 5:59 am

Does anyone have a photo of Sagan coming home "casually deliberate" on fake aero bars as the pack is chasing him down??
RedRanger says:

Oct 3 2015 at 6:10 am

Important stuff.

https://www.change.org/p/union-cycliste-internationale-uci-rule-change-black-shorts-or-team-issue-shorts-with-championship-jerseys?tk=-4GZy7xj_0OqAkmoPudQtEhng-LptAIhzDY3RpBv1qc&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt&utm_campaign=new_signature