Thanks for compliments. It was a fun report, the mix of great teams vs single riders makes the Worlds quite unique in reporting for EPIC races.
I hope to race the men's elite race on sunday but if I don't make it till then, it will take at least till wednesday, probably longer. So press your thumbs I'm not too wasted on sunday (gosh, winter is tough on my hips w/o cycling and too much drinking). Edited by Shonak on 29-11-2014 02:43
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Great report, you're obviously the man for the Worlds shonak!
I'm a bit sad that Kakhi couldn't do more, especially as he looked really promising at first, but then just kinda lost it. As I had no team and no custom riders myself in the race it was pretty nice to be not so much stressed with cheering (except for Kakhi that is.. and for Kim who did just ok in 10th as well.. and for Alinejad who did better than expected in 19th considering he's more of a sprinter and well-balanced.. damn, I'm glad Feunard, Sinaga and still non-existent Grawunder were not in the race )
What a great race from Jorge there! This was one of the races I designed him for - a tough hilly classic with a flat finish where he can unleash his sprint. Thanks for a great report Shonak Edited by Stromeon on 29-11-2014 17:24
Shonak wrote:
Thanks for compliments. It was a fun report, the mix of great teams vs single riders makes the Worlds quite unique in reporting for EPIC races.
I hope to race the men's elite race on sunday but if I don't make it till then, it will take at least till wednesday, probably longer. So press your thumbs I'm not too wasted on sunday (gosh, winter is tough on my hips w/o cycling and too much drinking).
Many visitors have gathered in Lucca for the start of the highlight of this year’s World Championships. The riders look calm so far, some may be nervous because it’s their first WC but no worries, 260 kilometers are ahead of everybody so there’s plenty of time to trade any nervous feeling for tired legs.
Bole from Slovenia is the first to attack, the peloton hasn’t even woken up yet! He is soon followed by others, Meier from Canada and well-known Thor Hushovd from Norway.
After the first three attackers, we see quite a big name trying his luck: Andrew Talansky from Team Garmin-Sharp tries his luck. Spain took over control of the peloton, will they let him get away? Jan Barta and Gregory Rast are some quality names too.
The 6 riders up front found each other, and two more want to join the party whilst Poland and Spain have control over the peloton. Rohan Dennis and Marcus Burghardt try to bridge the gap. Other names follow too – again! This looks to end up as quite big, big group today.
Portugal’s Machado completes the 10 man strong group. 10 man! Wow. On a distance of 260 kilometers this presents some considerable firepower. And with newly additions of Nikki Sörensen and Machado, the group fields at least 8 well-known names. That the group is very strong shows already their lead: 4 minutes after 20 kilometers into the race. Various nations took over the pacing, amongst them Netherlands, Poland, Belgium, Italy and Spain, so it seems like everybody in the peloton knows: It will take a collective effort to limit the lead of the breakaway.
The toughest and longest climb on the initial course is the San Baronto. The group takes it well, around 50 kilometers into the race. 7 minutes lead is quite something but this is usual for so long races. Talansky and Machado show everybody that they are the best climbers in this group.
Despite the peloton’s efforts, the lead increases up to 10 minutes at around 70 kilometers in. Soon the peloton will hit the circuit course of Firenze and then the race will truly start.
The first time Fiesole is up for the breakaway. With a huge lead, they are miles ahead of the peloton, who are in turn have their first run into Firenze. Juraj Sagan leds the peloton right there, doing his brother proud. Spain, Colombia and Italy do most of the work though at this point. They are clearly the strongest teams when it comes to climbing prowess. Slowly, very slowly the lead decreases.
Yeah, Sagan’s brother has done his job, now it’s Peter Velits who has to do some helping. Spain has Contador, Intxausti and Izagirre there, Colombia Henao and Muriel. So thumbs up to Slovakia for providing help in the chasing effort.
In the U23 Road Race he narrowly missed Bronze, now he took a nasty fall to the ground. Adrien Hanzen is lately on some rollercoaster ride with lots of wins and quite some crashes. This is one more on the list. A similar thing can be seen upfront 20 kilometers later, where Gregroy Rast takes a tumble, however he can catch up with his group again.
A bit more than 100 kilometers left, and the gap has greatly reduced to just 6 minutes. Colombia and Spain really do a terrific job in the peloton and a far-stretched field shows how high the pace is and how much the course makes the riders suffer over time.
At the Via Bolognose, the group hits the 200 kilometer mark. Roughly 66 kilometers left from here on out. 4 minutes lead. Meanwhile, Christian Schröder, bronze medal winner of the U23 road race, crashes too! Well, if I had to bet the next one to crash was Hinault and then Riquelme?
It’s not Hinault who crashes, but someone from France, so I guess that should count too? It’s Tommy V who’s on the floor and insulting everybody around him. Well, there’s something going on, Riquelme better watch out!
Contador and his fellow Spaniards do quite some tremendous work for their two captains, Purito and Valverde. Will it pay off? Owniak is here on Contador’s wheel, riding for a hard pace for Kwiatkowski as well. Later even guys like Majka and Quintana join into the work!
The third last time climbing the Fiesole. Poland and Spain keep some tight leash on the peloton, hard pace prevents any attacks so far. However, 45 kilometers out, will we soon see some action? The break is still 2’30’’ ahead.
Ugh, not the day of Thor Hushovd. The Norwegian suffers a puncture in the downhill of Fiesole.
Still yet in the same downhill in that lap and we see how Sagan takes a quick sip from his bottle, just attack then in the downhill! Spain don’t seem to want to react however Daniel Martin places his move.
In another world, they’d ride together but here they ride for different nations: Czech Zdenek Stybar is up at the front of the peloton, working for Kreuziger and König to get back one-man army Sagan, and just as Sagan gets caught…
…Gilbert attacks! By this he catches the eye of Sagan who most willingly takes Gilbert’s wheel up the Via Bolognose. Majka, Contador and Intxausti now have the job of catching those two puncheurs extraordinaire.
We head into the second last lap of the race! Time for tactical games as Rohan Dennis makes the first move and attacks his once fellow companions. He doesn’t get far but his move forces a counter-attack by Nikki Sörensen, Jan Barta and Andrew Talansky who in turn quite get a solid gap on their rivals.
Great action for the people in Firenze. Gilbert and Sagan take over the group in one sweep and go right to the front. Well, mostly Gilbert looks incredibly strong as he does all of the leading ‘till now. It’s clear he wants to make the race as tough as possible for everybody involved, especially Sagan.
Talansky has now dropped his former companions and has to do it by himself. He knows that he can’t go any slower, he needs to give it all in order to even have a shot. Long time riding in the wind is behind him, a few more kilometers must be asked ofhim. Sagan and Gilbert meanwhile are soon to be caught by the peloton. The former breakaway hangs barely on their wheels but this rat’s tail might give some additional motivation to the peloton to close in. Sagan leading Gilbert right now.
Just as the peloton gets them, we get the news: PhilBear is off! Once again he goes, Sagan again on his wheel immedialtely responding.
They have caught a flat-out exhausted Dennis already, now it’s time to get Sörensen and Barta. Easy piece for them, Barta and Sörensen are exhausted as hell. Next target will be Talansky.
Spain has full control of the peloton and probably most riders wait for them to catch Sagan and Gilbert for good, but this is not good enough for Betancur: The Colombian attacks over the hill of Fiesole. Valverde AND Rodriguez take up the initiative and follow him! However no such luck as both fail to cooperate with the Colombia, the peloton gets them soon in the downhill.
All over the place. Kreuziger attacked in the descent and has a good lead on a scattered peloton. Some riders managed to follow him and now want to settle it in the last lap. Meanwhile Gilbert and Sagan have caught Talansky and let him stand on the Via Bolognose. Both try to intimidate and unsettle their rival by making little digs at each other.
Kreuziger caught, now a move by Kwiatkowski, Betancur, Valverde and Purito as immediate reaction: Again coming over the climb, going into the downhill. Will it work on the way into Firenze better than on the descent of Fiesole? The group counts roughly 20 riders at this point, including some former breakaway riders!
As the riders head into the last lap, this are the current standings: Sagan attacks in the run-in to the finish, trying to drop Gilbert on the flat. Talansky is a bit behind, looking to fight for Bronze just in some capacity. Then a strong group of 20 riders full of favourites will look to catch the two arch-rivals upfront, whilst also keeping something left in the tank for bronze medal. The Spaniards, Kwiatkowski, Betancur and Martin have looked especially strong at this point.
Talansky caught, race over the Pitbull? Daniel Martin launches an attack going into the last lap. Dingdingding! Italian hero and hope, Vincenzo Nibali, attacks! Shark of Messina to land his first bites? 36 seconds onto Sagan and Gilbert is quite something but some of those guys should be still relatively fresh.
Spain has just some amazing depth in this race and they can really take advantage of that now. Daniel Moreno has the job to reel in Gilbert and Sagan. They have around 18 seconds lead, Spain needs to get them on the climb up the Fiesole. They get support from none other than Quintana.
And there he goes: Purito, doing his thing! The gradient is steep and you know Purito will sooner or later try something. This time he really waited. Gilbert and Sagan can’t just let it go though and restlessly they follow Purito’s wheel here. With Valverde and Kwiatkowski and many others in the slipstream, the Fiesole is on a full-attack launch now.
11 seconds for Purito at the Fiesole. All attack, no regrets eh? Sagan couldn’t hold Purito, no surprise after the initial efforts of him. Otherworldy. Kwiatkowski and Valverde still look like they are eager to do something. But the group of 9 settles down then and look at each other. Who’s here, who’s left? Australia has two guys in there: Simon Gerrans and – CADEL EVANS! Rui Costa, Nibali and Uran complete the group then. Martin and Mollema lead a second group, 20 seconds behind to the first chasers.
He doesn’t look all too well, having his head to the ground already. He dug deep their at the Fiesole and risked it all apparently. Now he has to ride to get it over the line. 23 seconds is a solid lead, but there’s still the Via Bolognose. 9 kilometers from here on out to become a legend.
But no one ever said it’d be easy. Simon Gerrans attacks in the downhill, Uran on his wheel with Gilbert. In another turn, Kwiatkowski makes a great move and makes an counter-attack. But with all these attacks down the Fiesole, there’s one real winner: Purito. He increases his lead up to 40 seconds, going into the final 5 kilometers with an almost… certain gap?
As Purito heads up the Via Bolognose, it’s Uran and Evans who attack at the bottom of the all decisive climb of this race. However the favourites are in a tough situations here. Not sure if leading is the right decision. Look, if they lead: Sagan, Gerrans and Valverde will just outsprint them. So Uran, Nibali, Gilbert – they do what they gotta do. Attack, attack, attack. Purito is meanwhile with a 36 seconds lead over the Via. Now he has to hope Sagan or Gerrans don’t sky-rocket on the finish line.
It’s the run into Firenze now. He’s safe, this time around Purito has made it and he’s safe to enjoy the last kilometers. Sagan and Nibali attack though here in the descent from the Via, but this is too late to still catch Purito.
The sprint for the medals is on. Gerrans is the first to launch, behind him Sagan and Valverde and Kwiatkowski.
This time around it's safe and he can enjoy the moment! Joaquim Rodriguez takes World Championship gold medal as his attack on the Fiesole was enough to gain a solid lead for tactical games. Spain gets their long desired gold medal. This time he can cry, but for tears of joy.
Sagan has nothing left at the end but his general pace is still high enough to keep second ahead of Gilbert. Remarkable of both since they have invested a lot into this race, shows just how better than the rest both are. The two have been ever active in this race and reward both their performances. Valverde misses out on the podium with a 4th place ahead Kwiatkowski, Uran, Gerrans and Rui Costa. Nibali takes 9th whilst Evans highlights with a 10th place and completes the Top 10. Hesjedal leads the next group home, roughly a minute later with many favourites behind him.
It's Spain's second medal but it's probably the only one they cared about really. After Movistar's silver medal,Purito gets to ride the entire next year in the rainbow jersey, taking over from Philippe Gilbert. A little bit of compensation for Purito's weird season, which low-point was surely his abandoment on 20th stage of la Vuelta. Peter Sagan will have many shots coming in the future, for now Silver is a reward for a great performance here and an incredible season. Same goes to Gilbert who finally grabs a medal for Belgium who had hoped for a lot. With Valverde finishing fourth, Spain narrowly missed out on two guys on the podium, whilst Nibali is the best Italian, representing a probably disappointed Italy.
F*ck Hazen crashing again. Gotta be running Verboven for EPIC crashes now? But he did reach the finish which is always something to be proud of in such an event. He was also 3rd best Brit and it feels like he would have been up with Thomas or Froome if he could stay upright
Also f*ck Voeckler crashing caps the first poor race for France with Pinot best rider in 23rd. Still overall the Worlds were a huge success for the National Team and it's the next generation of riders like Le Bon, Hinault, Barguil etc. leading the charge rather than the ageing likes of Voeckler.
Nice end for the season with the nine-headed dragon from Spain dominating the road race. It would have been interesting to see if Schröder could have keepen up with them but the crash leaves us with question marks about his real strength.
Valverde had to play his role but I waited all race long for the attack of Costa which did not came
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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)
This was one of the races I designed him for - a tough hilly classic with a flat finish where he can unleash his sprint. Thanks for a great report Shonak 
