Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s World Championship Road Race 2016

Reaching down in the drops for the last drop of the V

Three riders stand out in this photo: Sagan, Van Avarcan’t*, and Deggencobble in the drops, crushing it up the stupid-steep cobbled final climb at the 2015 Worlds in Richmond, Virginia. I’ve never thought much of Virginia, if at all, and I certainly never thought of Virginia’s many cobbled climbs. Goes to show that not everything below the Mason-Dixon Line is rubbish.

The photo says it all: only 66% of the riders climbing in the drops lost the World Championships, while 100% of the riders climbing on the hoods lost them. The science is conclusive: something about climbing in the drops gives you extra Awesome Speed.

From a traditional standpoint, I can’t say the US is the best place to host World Cycling Events. That said, the old Coors Classic was badass as shit, and both the CX and Road World Championships hosted here were easily the best in recent times in both disciplines. Merca: crushing it. So long as we don’t include “winning” within the concept of “crushing it”. But as far as hosting a great race? Nailed it.

Even less traditional is the Qatar Worlds location. As Gianni said, flat and cross winds. Very Dutchish or Flemishish, on the surface of it. Have you ever been in a sauna and had someone blow on you because they are an asshole? If you have, you will realize that in that sort of heat, adding wind makes the wet parts of your skin burn, not cool. In other words, cross winds in the desert is like racing in Belgium while Beelzebub chases you about with a flamethrower.

At least doffing leg warmers and extra jerseys won’t slow anyone down.

Get your picks in by the time the countdown clock goes to nil, and good luck. Oh, and study the start list, as if it helps. Remember: a Don Walker frame is on offer for the winner of the VSP! A custom steel frame!

*Except he Van Avercould at the Olympics. Quite the time to pull out the “No More Second Places” card.

[vsp_results id=”75561″/]

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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View Comments

Steve Trice says:

Oct 21 2016 at 3:49 am

@RobSandy

In any sport, if you annoy your opponent that much by doing something completely fair within the rules, you’ve won

Absolutely, one of the great joys.
RobSandy says:

Oct 21 2016 at 3:52 am

@Buck Rogers

@Steve Trice

The most amazing thing, for me, about the Degenkolb squirting incident was just how calm Debusschere was about it. I suspect this may have infuriated JD even more. Wonder how things would have played out if you swapped the Belgian element for, say, the Italians?

Ha! Right! He’d probably have woken up the next morning with his bike’s severed cockpit lying next to him in bed surrounded with chain grease!

Also, in that heat, having water sprayed in your face would probably be quite pleasant...
Steve Trice says:

Oct 21 2016 at 4:27 am

Indeed. A sticky energy drink, on the other hand ..............
ChrisO says:

Oct 21 2016 at 4:59 am

@RobSandy

@Steve Trice

The most amazing thing, for me, about the Degenkolb squirting incident was just how calm Debusschere was about it. I suspect this may have infuriated JD even more. Wonder how things would have played out if you swapped the Belgian element for, say, the Italians?

If I were the domestique in Debusschere’s role (which I have been in the odd crit) I’d have been laughing behind my shades. In any sport, if you annoy your opponent that much by doing something completely fair within the rules, you’ve won.

I quite like getting in another team’s pace line when they are trying to chase (if I’ve got team mates in the break) then subtly soft pedalling when I get to the front. Often takes them quite a while to realise I’m not actually working.

I once had a bit of a bust up over something like that.

It was us doing the chasing but instead of going to the front and just soft-pedalling or pulling through this guy from another team (who I thought was a bit of a douche anyway) came to the front and actually braked. I got a bit pissed off with this so I came up and started leaning into him to push him out of the way.

Unfortunately I pushed him off, and I came off too. We nearly had a fight. His bike was unable to go on but I remounted and continued - it was a lap race so he stood by the side and spat on me as I went past next time.

I apologised at the end and I was genuinely sorry for escalating it, but I still maintain it was his dick move in the first place.
chris says:

Oct 21 2016 at 5:05 am

@1860

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@ChrisO

@ChrisO

Before we leave the Worlds behind, have they also produced a nominee for Anti-V Moment of the year in John Degenkolb for his bottle-squirting tantrum?

That guy in the Red Hook crit smashing his bike must also be in the judges’ consideration. Hard for a pro to take such a prestigious prize but it was a strong showing.

Just to make the moment a bit more Anti-V, that was his friends bike that he smashed. He had borrowed the steed for the race.

Ohhhhh, that’s even worse! I did not know that. I saw the vid but it was his buddy’s bike??? Ouch!

And to top off the anti-V on this video which I can’t bear to watch anymore, that idiot had put eye black under his eyes like a football player. Wish the Badger was around to give him what he deserved.

The Red Hook guy wins the Anti-v hands down. He's subsequently claimed that he wasn't entirely with it as a result of a crash in which the bike was broken. However, despite being a bit woozy he managed to position himself perfectly in front of a camera for his little tantrum. Not to mention that, presumably somewhere between crash and tantrum, he'd manage to unzip his skinsuit to an indecent point.

I'd say that he new exactly what he was doing and was looking to go "viral".
RobSandy says:

Oct 21 2016 at 5:07 am

@ChrisO

@RobSandy

@Steve Trice

I quite like getting in another team’s pace line when they are trying to chase (if I’ve got team mates in the break) then subtly soft pedalling when I get to the front. Often takes them quite a while to realise I’m not actually working.

I once had a bit of a bust up over something like that.

It was us doing the chasing but instead of going to the front and just soft-pedalling or pulling through this guy from another team (who I thought was a bit of a douche anyway) came to the front and actually braked. I got a bit pissed off with this so I came up and started leaning into him to push him out of the way.

Unfortunately I pushed him off, and I came off too. We nearly had a fight. His bike was unable to go on but I remounted and continued – it was a lap race so he stood by the side and spat on me as I went past next time.

I apologised at the end and I was genuinely sorry for escalating it, but I still maintain it was his dick move in the first place.

Yes, that's crossing the line. I tend to think ill of anyone who brakes in that sort of race, for any reason. It's always what causes crashing.

My aim in that scenario is to make the chasing team wonder if I'm helping or not - going at a speed just fast enough they might think I'm trying, but that it might take them a few seconds to register what team I'm in and give my buddies in the break a bit more distance. It worked though - the time I was thinking of there was a break of 4 away (2 Ajax) who managed to lap the field while everyone else was messing around.

Bad you both ended up on the deck, but going to the front and braking is just fucking stupid. I'd take your side on that one!
chris says:

Oct 21 2016 at 5:26 am

@RobSandy

@ChrisO

@RobSandy

@Steve Trice

I quite like getting in another team’s pace line when they are trying to chase (if I’ve got team mates in the break) then subtly soft pedalling when I get to the front. Often takes them quite a while to realise I’m not actually working.

I once had a bit of a bust up over something like that.

It was us doing the chasing but instead of going to the front and just soft-pedalling or pulling through this guy from another team (who I thought was a bit of a douche anyway) came to the front and actually braked. I got a bit pissed off with this so I came up and started leaning into him to push him out of the way.

Unfortunately I pushed him off, and I came off too. We nearly had a fight. His bike was unable to go on but I remounted and continued – it was a lap race so he stood by the side and spat on me as I went past next time.

I apologised at the end and I was genuinely sorry for escalating it, but I still maintain it was his dick move in the first place.

Yes, that’s crossing the line. I tend to think ill of anyone who brakes in that sort of race, for any reason. It’s always what causes crashing.

My aim in that scenario is to make the chasing team wonder if I’m helping or not – going at a speed just fast enough they might think I’m trying, but that it might take them a few seconds to register what team I’m in and give my buddies in the break a bit more distance. It worked though – the time I was thinking of there was a break of 4 away (2 Ajax) who managed to lap the field while everyone else was messing around.

Bad you both ended up on the deck, but going to the front and braking is just fucking stupid. I’d take your side on that one!

It's one thing getting accidentally spat on in a paceline or group ride but deliberately?

Chapeau, coz I'm not so sure I'd have been quire so calm about the situation.
Teocalli says:

Oct 21 2016 at 11:50 am

He did seem to put his back out doing it - which I guess is poetic justice
xyxax says:

Oct 23 2016 at 12:27 am

@chris

@1860

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@ChrisO

@ChrisO

Before we leave the Worlds behind, have they also produced a nominee for Anti-V Moment of the year in John Degenkolb for his bottle-squirting tantrum?

That guy in the Red Hook crit smashing his bike must also be in the judges’ consideration. Hard for a pro to take such a prestigious prize but it was a strong showing.

Just to make the moment a bit more Anti-V, that was his friends bike that he smashed. He had borrowed the steed for the race.

Ohhhhh, that’s even worse! I did not know that. I saw the vid but it was his buddy’s bike??? Ouch!

And to top off the anti-V on this video which I can’t bear to watch anymore, that idiot had put eye black under his eyes like a football player. Wish the Badger was around to give him what he deserved.

The Red Hook guy wins the Anti-v hands down. He’s subsequently claimed that he wasn’t entirely with it as a result of a crash in which the bike was broken. However, despite being a bit woozy he managed to position himself perfectly in front of a camera for his little tantrum. Not to mention that, presumably somewhere between crash and tantrum, he’d manage to unzip his skinsuit to an indecent point.

I’d say that he new exactly what he was doing and was looking to go “viral”.

Dude is a fashion model, to boot, so he knows where a camera is and what to do in front of one. Google the name and click on images; you have been warned.
Pali65 says:

Oct 23 2016 at 2:24 pm

Looking back with Sagan's beautiful wife and her blog:

http://katesagan.blogspot.sk/?m=1