I'll be very happy if Van Der Haar wins. If not, Nys, Albert or Vantornhout. Please not Pauwels. He can't even speak English so it'll be downright embarrassing
Also no Katerina Nash mentioned as the favourite for the Worlds?
I am pretty sure she is the clear favourite for one of the medals (for bronze behind Vos and cant most likely), especially in the US race...
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
Also no Katerina Nash mentioned as the favourite for the Worlds?
I am pretty sure she is the clear favourite for one of the medals (for bronze behind Vos and cant most likely), especially in the US race...
You're absolutely right, she is a big favourite for a medal.
No problem, you probably only forgot to list her.
She skipped the last World Cup race as she is preparing in USA for the Worlds. Vos will be unbeatable though...
Edited by Avin Wargunnson on 22-01-2013 06:30
Avin Wargunnson wrote:
No problem, you probably only forgot to list her.
She skipped the last World Cup race as she is preparing in USA for the Worlds. Vos will be unbeatable though...
Nash's chances for a medal have improved, because Harris is out with a knee injury. She can't race in Louisville.
Edited by Wilier on 22-01-2013 15:48
Wilier wrote:
So Hoogerheide is the last race before the World Championships in Louisville (). I'm really looking forward to it. The Juniors will race on Saturday, the 2nd of February at 11h00 o'clock (17h00 for viewers from the Netherlands and Belgium). On the same day the U23 race starts at 14h30 (20h30). The Women will race on the 3rd of February at 11h00 (17h00) and the Elite Men at 14h30 (20h30).
The track looks like this. The weather forecast is changing all the time (and it's still 2 weeks to go). It could be dry it could be snowy, who knows.
So who are the participants and favourites.
Participants Elite Men:
Spoiler
Lewis Rattray
Niels Albert
Bart Aernouts
Sven Nys
Kevin Pauwels
Rob Peeters
Klaas Vantornout
Bart Wellens
Geoff Kabush
Craig Richey
Mike Garrigan
Radomir Simunek
Martin Bina
Philipp Walsleben
Marcel Meisen
Francis Mourey
Romain Lejeune
Guillaume Perrot
Ian Field
Zoltan Tisza
Marco Aurelio Fontana
Enrico Franzoi
Yu Takenouchi
Hikaru Kosaka
Christian Helmig
Lars van der Haar
Thijs van Amerongen
Twan van den Brand
Alexander Revell
David Quist
Mariusz Gil
Vaclav Metlicka
Egoitz Murgoitio
Aitor Hernandez
Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga
Julien Taramarcaz
Lukas Flückiger
Arnaud Grand
Marcel Wildhaber
Simon Zahner
Maksym Shepitko
Jonathan Page
Jeremy Powers
Ryan Trebon
Tim Johnson
Jamey Driscoll
Daniel Summerhill
Elite Women
Spoiler
Sanne Cant
Ellen Van Loy
Mical Dyck
Wendy Simms
Emily Batty
Pepper Harlton
Julia Lefrenière
Katerina Nash
Pavla Havlikova
Martina Mikulaskova
Lucie Chainel-Lefevre
Christel Ferrier-Bruneau
Gabriella Day
Annie Last
Helen Wyman
Eva Lechner
Alica Maria Arzuffi
Francesca Cauz
Ayako Toyooka
Chika Fukumoto
Madara Furmane
Marianne Vos
Sanne van Paassen
Sabrina Stultiens
Genevieve Whitson
Jasmin Achermann
Katie Compton
Kaitlin Antonneau
Meredith Miller
Amy Dombroski
Jade Wilcoxson
Georgia Gould
xxx
Bosmans
xx
Teunissen, Vermeersch, Van Aert, Van der Heijden, van der Poel
x
Van Kessel, Sweeck, Alaphilippe, Adams, Vanthourenhout, McDonald
Women
Spoiler
Despite the fact that Compton won the World Cup, the big favourite for this race should be Marianne Vos . She started late in the season, thus missed a couple of races. Lately her form is improving so it'll be near impossible to beat her over 2 weeks. Other ladies to watch are Sanne Cant , Katerina Nash , Helen Wyman, Nikki Harris (both ), Sanne van Paassen , Eva Lechner , Jasmin Achermann Christel Ferrier-Bruneau and Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (both )
xxx
Vos, Compton
xx
van Paassen, Cant, Wyman, Harris
x
Lechner, Ferrier-Bruneau, Chainel-Lefevre, Achermann
Elite Men
Spoiler
After a long and hard season it should be clear that's there's only one country that could win this race: Belgium . Finishing 1-7th in last years World Championships was a performace that's seldom seen. This season hasnt been different during the World Cup, Bpost Bank Trofee and Superprestige races. With the exception of Hoogerheide, every race was won by a Belgian rider. The big 4 of this season were: Sven Nys, Niels Albert, Kevin Pauwels and Klaas Vantornout. That doesn't necessarily mean that a Belgian rider will win it. U23 Champion Lars van der Haar already showed that he can keep up with the Belgian superstars in some races. He should be their main threat. Julien Taramarcaz , Francis Mourey and Thijs van Amerongen have put down some good results. Jeremy Powers will be looking for a good result too on home soil. Bina and Simunek (both might surprise everyone too, especially if the conditions are snowy.
xxx
Nys, Albert, Pauwels, Vantornout
xx
Van der Haar, Mourey, Peeters
x
Taramarcaz, Aernouts, Wellens, Simunek, Bina, Powers, Van Amerongen
List of participants now completed. Predictions anyone?
Elite Men:
1. Sven Nys
2. Lars van der Haar
3. Niels Albert
Elite Women
1. Marianne Vos
2. Katie Compton
3. Katerina Nash
fcancellara wrote:
I predict (actually, I hope, because they're all Dutch )
Elite men:
vd Haar
Elite Women
Vos
U23
D. vd Poel
Junior
M. vd Poel
I'm Belgian, but I would love to see that happen. Though Witse Bosmans might be nice too. And of course, if Nys or Albert would win, I'd love it, too. Van Der Haar will have many chances.
Best case scenario: a sprint between Nys and Van Der Haar
fcancellara wrote:
I predict (actually, I hope, because they're all Dutch )
Elite men:
vd Haar
Elite Women
Vos
U23
D. vd Poel
Junior
M. vd Poel
That would be something. No Belgian winner in their own sport. It's like the Dutch not winning in speedskating.
Mathieu and Vos are almost 100% certain of winning, though. So that leaves two categories for the Belgians to try and win.
About the elite category. I've seen the parcours and it doesn't look too hard. They'll have difficulty shaking Van der Haar, but when the Belgians work together, they should be able to. But will they work together? They're from the same country, but they're big concurrents of each other in every race.
The u23 could be the most exciting category. A lot of potential winners. Belgium and the Netherlands have a strong team.
Edited by Wilier on 23-01-2013 18:03
I will predict only both elite categories and yes, Bina is only the wish, but if it is snowing, than he can surely make it. If not, he will be around 10th. Also i predict Nys fail/fall
Men:
1. Albert
2. van der Haar
3. Pauwels
4. Bina
5. Mourey
). I'm really looking forward to it. The Juniors will race on Saturday, the 2nd of February at 11h00 o'clock (17h00 for viewers from the Netherlands and Belgium). On the same day the U23 race starts at 14h30 (20h30). The Women will race on the 3rd of February at 11h00 (17h00) and the Elite Men at 14h30 (20h30).
