Velominati Super Prestige: Men’s World Championship Road Race 2016
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.
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The French used to be good in the desert. May it be so again.
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One more tweak.
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Kittel having a temper tantrum at missing out on the break. Threw his water bottle at a passing team car !
I flipped open the laptop at 175km (what timing) and was thinking, dang, already it’s full gas in the peloton spread across the road in middle of desert??? And they made a right turn and KABOOM… I saw why… Belgians are classic. Can imagine the Germans I guess can still come together w/the front group in the circuit though.
Degenkolb not a happy bunny!
And I arrive home from a ride to see Degenkolb squirting Debusschere in the face for stalling the chase.
And Demare in the group over 6 minutes back. The French Foreign Legion weeps from the grave.
Germans used to speak about Stalingrad, but from now on they may use also Doha instead.
I saw the Prophet driving in a car during race with some sheikh on his side, I wonder if they talked about Rules as a proposed legislation for the Emirate…
Does anyone have a link to a fucking live feed that works? I’m in the U.S. and can’t goddamn find one. FUCK!!!!!!!
@Ron
Try this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g-PKcggpnk
In Slovakia we have it on state TV.
@Ron
Try NBC sports app
Where did Sagan come from?………again!
Holy Shit! What a bike race! Sagan is amazing. Wow!
The King is dead, long live the King!
My wife sent me out to get ice with 13K left. I made it back at 1.5K left. Great race!
Great race, credit to the Belgians for making it.
Sagan is amazing.
Boonen in 3rd was a surprise to me. A little surprised GvA didn’t try something, but it was a long race.
Boasson Hagen beat Kristoff for 6th/7th, after doing a lot of work for him during the race. Not a great year for Kristoff, who we all thought might be the person to challenge Sagan.
Thanks for the links, gents. I found it with 7 K to go on a French feed.
Damn, Sagan!!! My wife was a month pregnant last year, the little guy is 5 months old this year…I said he’s Sagan’s good luck charm!
I’d have been happy with anyone on the podium winning. Sagan seemed so happy he actually spoke in full sentences, not single words, post race. Jeez, what a savvy racer.
@Ron
As a matter of practice, I always check the NBC sports ap/website first for US feeds. The women’s and men’s elite races were shown live.
Here in Slovakia the whole country is celebrating. After second title we call him Sagain…
@Rick
Brilliant!
@xyxax
Fucking love it! That’s the way a teammate is supposed to do it. Degenkolb looked so fucking classless and Debusschere just wiped it off. Guess that was a Degenswab, eh???
Watched the whole thing live on BBC Red Button. Glued to it throughout, to be honest I expected it to be crap, but found it gripping. One wheel relinquished at a critical point blew the whole thing apart. Disappointed to see the likes of Stannard & Thomas distanced so early but it wasn’t bad compared with some countries’ efforts. Surprised that the Belgians didn’t try to break it up a bit more at the end, I personally didn’t think Boonen would beat Cav, Kristoff, Sagan or even Viviani in a bunch sprint, but he obviously thought he would. I so wanted Cav to win but he just got unlucky in the sprint. Credit to Sagan though, he’s done the jersey proud over the last year and no doubt will do the same again. Chapeau Sir.
@Pali65
This is great! Fucking Sagan truly is Sagain and he is still awesome!!! Best thing for road cycling in years!!!
@Buck Rogers
Totally agree, I’ve always liked Degenkolb but he went down in my estimation there. I could imagine Debuscherre saying “I’m just doing my job, better than you lot are doing yours, so suck it up fella”
@Buck Rogers
Absolutely. He should have squirted those behind who let a Belgian have that wheel (confidently pretending to know what I’m talking about). EVERYONE knew that a split was possible going in and the Germans and French got distracted by our respective recent arrivals. Shoulda known.
@Pali65
Just a guess here but I bet that Slovacks know how to celebrate properly :) Congrats to one of your own (Sagain).
@Buck Rogers
If you listen carefully, Degenkolb says: “He is your team mate.” Presumably referring to Greipel and Debusshere being trade team mates on Lotto Soudal. I always wonder how much trade team dynamics can influence World Championship and Olympic races.
for all the bullshit that got tossed around about the poor quality of the Qatar course, this race certainly produced a quality podium! Sagan, Cav, and Tommeke? that is some RARE company, a fucking Mount Rushmore of the 21st century peloton.
…and of COURSE the Belgians forced the split. Boonen said two days ago this wouldn’t come down to a bunch gallop, due to crosswinds. i suppose he would know!
Well… That was all right. Looking at the circuit course on a map it does look like a crit but at 10 miles it was stretched out. And I digged catching it right at the selection in the desert. Anywho, Sagain… so awesome that the, his best bud and his bro’ got to race and win the worlds together and man, talk about having the world right now in your hands. Those three are in for some good times, and not sure they could find a place to celebrate in Quatar? And Tommeke on the podium?!? That sunuvagun makes me think I’m fat. And I’m not but dang he just looks like he’s built to crush a bike. What a cool cat. Cav ? Oh he looked pissed at the end didn’t he? Was that Matthews he got hung up behind? Uhhh, the Germans? Cool for sure to see Haymen in the group at the end. And a sneaky little attack from Leezer at the end made it interesting. Ohhh to see Sagan at PR next year !!! And I’m sure I’ll not watch the tour of Quatar next year… again.
Cheers all
Great race, and a super win by Sagan. Chapeau!
@Rick
In the post race interview Sagain mentioned that he was disappointed last year because the Americans closed everything at midnight, but he was concerned it would be worse here…
@Mikael Liddy
@frank @brett @Gianni – one for the Lexicon right there I reckon !!
@Cary
To be fair, the actual course itself was only part of the issue with where the race was held.
When you consider the ethical concerns that surround the Qatari government, the fact that they appear to have paid way over the odds to host the event, and of course the riding conditions that resulted in things like this – https://twitter.com/TimvanDijk1991/status/786924033791107072 – perhaps some of the “bullshit” was justified.
christ. a flopper. looks like me after my first kilo TT. this was one of the best races of the year, regardless.
@Cary
Yes! The podium was composed of all formers winners of the WCRR (and the previous year’s winner).
I wonder of that has ever happened before??? (Oli???)
Just so perfetto!!!
I cannot wait to watch PR in person next year and see Sagain go by in the Rainbow jersey on the pave’!!!
Sagain!
when i get off work this morning, i’m going to watch this race again. not as cool as last year’s race, but damn the finish was KILLER.
I think Sagan and Cav must have been thrilled with the tactics of the Belgian, Italian and Norwegian teams. Keep the pace high so no-one can go off the front, and drag the two best sprinters to the line.
Sagan totally deserved that – spotted the best line and went through it like a freight train. Would have been closer if Cav hadn’t been boxed by Matthews- but that’s sprinting.
And we get to see Sags in the rainbows again for another whole year. Sweet.
@Teocalli
Hehe, hell no!
In all fairness, none were more worthy to take the rainbow bands than Sagan. He has been phenomenal this year, and such a joy to watch. We are/have been witnessing a legend in the making.
Roll on 2017
Wow. Glad that’s over. There are many many things that don’t sit well with me regarding this event. I applaud the riders for enduring a 6 hour crit, and hope the UCI folks each enjoy the payoff money they took for selling out cycling.
What the hell was Degenkolb doing?! You finish the race then you pop your front wheel out and smash him with it! Gosh, he should know better.
If I ever go bald, no shaved head for me. Only Mr. Clean looks good like that. All else should have the short fuzz/stubble.
I just wish Sagan was riding something like a Pegoretti for the upcoming season, not a Specialized.
Just saw this in a comments section NOT my own data bank memory.
The closest ever before this year was 1981, when the podium was the 76 and 81 champion Maertens, Saronni who would win the following year (82) and Hinault who had won the previous year (80).
@fignons barber
I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse and not just in cycling. Everybody wants a slice of Middle East money. Better get it before the oil runs out….
Great finish! Personally I would have been happier with a Boonen, Cav, Sagan podium, but hey, it was well-deserved by Pinchy and Cav coulda, shoulda, woulda won if he hadn’t bolloxed up his sprint and been interrupted by Bling. That’s the way the sprinting cookie crumbles I guess. I think both Cav and Boonen realized that this was their last realistic shot at wearing the bands.
@Ron
Excellent! Thanks, Mate!
I did not realize that a repeat champion had happened so many times in the past (five times prior to Sagain doing it) and that one of them was NOT The Prophet. Although the Rik Van Brothers (Steenbergen and Looy) were among them.
@paolo
And the water – all the surface water you saw was being pumped from underground aquifers which are running out.