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2021 World Championships
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 17-09-2021 09:27
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World Champion
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As someone who's frequantly visited the 4 host cities, I feel it is my duty to make this year's preview.
First off, the time trials. You can find the profiles here:
https://sporza.be...280070007/
For all categories we ride from Knokke-Heist (which you may know from the Tour of Belgium stage where they have the uphill sprint next to the sea) to Bruges (which you may know because you're not an ignorant moron). A few loops are added to increase the distance for the different categories.
There are no major hills on the route, we're even skipping the Tour of Belgium hill, so the major enemy will be the wind. The first 1,5K are next to the sea, but even after that there are a lot of parts through open land that could be tough on a windy day. Furthermore, the men's elite time trial will have a small cobbled section in Damme.
After all the 6 time trials are done, we get the 5 road races. Here are the profiles:
https://sporza.be...631889532/
As you can see, not all races start in Antwerp. The junior races will only do a few laps in Leuven to keep the distance low. The U23 and the elite races will do the full route, starting in Antwerp before going to the local laps.
Antwerp has a history of organising the starts of races (but almost never a finish). The Ronde van Vlaanderen has started there for a few years now and there was the Tour de France start a few years ago. I'll be there on friday for the U23 races!
Leuven is mostly known for the GP Jef Scherens, but this race will be much harder. They're borrowing a few climbs from the Druivenkoers and Brabantse Pijl, so the sprinters will likely be dropped in time.
The first 50K will be just getting from Antwerp to Leuven, giving the early breakaway some time to form on the flat and wide roads. After that, there's a few local laps but they're not all the same. Just look at the profiles cause there's no reasonable way to explain it here. But yeah, 42 climbs in total, that's gonna hurt at some point.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Shonak |
Posted on 17-09-2021 10:27
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Tour de France Champion
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Joined: 16-07-2013
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WVA. Ideally both. 
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
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| trekbmc |
Posted on 17-09-2021 11:00
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Team Leader
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You forgot Laporte on your poll.
"What done is, is one." - Benji Naesen
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| Ad Bot |
Posted on 21-11-2024 22:39
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Bot Agent
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 17-09-2021 11:55
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
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Lotte Kopecky. |
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 17-09-2021 12:16
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Tour de France Champion
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Definitely Belgium's best bet for the Women's Road Race.
And i think this could be a year where the Dutch are given a really tough challenge for the first time since 2016.
Van Dijk won the Euros quite easily, but on this course i'm expecting to see good strong competitoin.
Liane Lippert is coming in looking strong for Germany. Coryn Riveira is looking at her best in a few years. Longo Borghini for Italy seems like she's peaking perfectly. Also for Germany Lisa Brennauer should feature, and for Australia Grace Brown could be perfect dark horse.
Although we have to include Van Vleuten, Vollering & Vos for the Dutch.
Painful to not mention Deignan or any of the Brits but i don't see them doing well at this year. Ana Henderson maybe if she gets in a lucky move with 2nd-tier contenders.
And if the race doesn't split too much you also have to add Dideriksen, or d'Hoore to the contenders as fast finishers than can survive a few bergs and stones.
But really i think it's Germany vs Netherlands, with Belgium riding a wave of home support to challenge.
ITT is a very different equation and i really can't see the Dutch being beaten. However watch closely for Marlen Reusser who's having a career year, including the Euro ITT last week. And at the Worlds you always have to keep an eye on the Americans.
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 17-09-2021 12:37
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World Champion
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Definitely! He's one of the few sprinters that have a shot at surviving the hills. But I still think France will go all in for Alaphilippe.
Could be a great combo with D'hoore if the latter can find back her form from a few years ago, but it's all been a bit less this year. But yeah, who's going to beat the Dutch? They lost the Olympic race due to stupidity, they won't let it happen again.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 18-09-2021 21:29
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World Champion
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Joined: 08-08-2011
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Unfortunately some very sad news to start off. Chris Anker Sørensen, who was in Bruges to report the race for the Danish TV, was hit by a car and died today.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 18-09-2021 21:48
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Grand Tour Champion
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What terrible news to start the event. I remember his win up the Terminillo in 2010, but had lost track of him since he retired. Though from what I’ve read, Sorensen seemed to be cherished by the Danish TV cycling viewers. Really sad when the good ones go so young. RIP. :/ |
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| NTTHRASH |
Posted on 18-09-2021 22:12
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Classics Specialist
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"America. Show a nipple on television and the whole country goes ape-shit." -DubbelDekker
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| cio93 |
Posted on 18-09-2021 22:21
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World Champion
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That's so awful and really spoils Worlds right from the start.
He was a vital part of CSC when I started to get into cycling in the late 00's and found Andy and Jensie as THE guys to cheer for initially, so I always had somewhat of a personal connection to his name.
No matter how fulfilling his career and subsequent job might've been, that's way too early and way too cruel.
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| baseballlover312 |
Posted on 18-09-2021 22:49
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Tour de France Champion
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Holy crap, just tragic and terrible news. Loved watching CAS ride. Always going for it in the mountains whether as a domestique or attacker.
RIP Exxon Duke, David Veilleux, Double Feature, and Monster Energy |
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 19-09-2021 14:30
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World Champion
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Remco lost his bidon with 25k to go
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 19-09-2021 15:45
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Grand Tour Champion
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This is going to be so close between WVA and Ganna. Remco flew on the second part of the course. |
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 19-09-2021 15:54
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
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Can’t believe Wout was 2nd again. |
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| SSJ2Luigi |
Posted on 19-09-2021 15:56
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World Champion
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nice to see that Van Aert keeps his vice-champion run going
edit: also the poll makes me sad now
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 19-09-2021 15:57
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
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Ganna simply the best, even had the time to cheer at the finish.
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| Croatia14 |
Posted on 19-09-2021 16:09
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Directeur Sportif
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Well freakin deserved Pippo!
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| Ollfardh |
Posted on 20-09-2021 15:29
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World Champion
Posts: 14563
Joined: 08-08-2011
PCM$: 9100.00
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This is going to be closer than yesterday!
Changed my sig, this was getting absurd.
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| TheManxMissile |
Posted on 20-09-2021 15:39
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 18187
Joined: 12-05-2012
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TheManxMissile wrote:
ITT is a very different equation and i really can't see the Dutch being beaten. However watch closely for Marlen Reusser who's having a career year, including the Euro ITT last week. And at the Worlds you always have to keep an eye on the Americans.
I said the Dutch wouldn't be beaten & Reusser should be watched. And that the Americans must be treated with respect. Nailed it 
Sets up beautifully for the Road Race, the Dutch are going to have a massive fight to win that.
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| FreitasPCM |
Posted on 20-09-2021 15:43
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8389
Joined: 08-09-2009
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Was rooting for Reusser :/ ah well, van Dijk’s an incredible worthy winner too, what a wonderful couple of weeks she has had lately.
Should be a very fun road race on Saturday.  |
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![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
