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.
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Guns of Navarone.
The thing with Sagan is that he's had the curse of the Rainbow Jersey for the last 2 years, without having the jersey.
Every move he's made in a race is being covered already - it can't be any harder with now.
Nice one G-man.
Richmond certainly did themselves proud, it was the most exciting Worlds since Geelong. And two deserving winners who raced with heart and soul. Hopefully no Rainbow Turds will be shat out next season.
@frank
That is awesome gunnage.
And no gloves! Lizzie = badass.
@RobSandy
Yes. Double yes. And the Boels Dolmans color way was one of the best for this past year
@frank
The juxtaposition of the guns agains the nails caught my eye.
Well done Lizzie, i'm sure you'll do the bands justice.
Sagan's immediate post-race interview (when he struggled to say in English that he hopes that people can change the world and that he hopes that he can be an example) was one of the coolest things I've heard an athlete say in a long time. The interviewer's follow-up was one of the dumbest.
@sthilzy
From cyclingnews: “Under UCI rules we can only have team issue shorts or white shorts. We haven’t decided which Peter will wear yet but the rules mean he can’t use black shorts.”
WTF!
@Gianni I could not agree more. I was screaming at the screen for Lizzie and Sagan and it wasn't because I had them both in the VSP. They both rode and won like Champions, with guts, panache and a big helping of race craft, the way that any of us would choose to win. Even the under 23 finale was epic, that course in Richmond was tailor made for the kind of racing we love to. See.
I was at the finish for the Women's elite and it was fantastic. I started on Libby Hill for the Men's elite and then moved to 21st and worked my way over to Governor's hill. It was a very spectator friendly course and the organizers were all very pleasant to deal with.