# World Championships



## Flying_Monkey (22 Sep 2009)

So who's going to win?

The easiest prediction is Cancellara for the Elite Men's TT (sorry, Bradley!). I hope Emma Pooley can take the Elite Women's TT again too... 

The press are saying that Cunego is favourite for the Elite Men's RR but I don't think he'll win any more than last year as he will be so marked - which of course might allow a different and unexpected Italian to win, like last year. Valverde is another clear prospect if he isn't knackered and can carry his form through (although he shouldn't be riding at all if he or the Spanish federation had any self-respect). You've also got a different mix this time with the US, Britain and Norway all having 9 riders.,, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Edvald Boasson Hagen up there.

Elite Women's RR? Vos. Simple.


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## I am Spartacus (22 Sep 2009)

Is it being streamed or on TV anyone know?


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## Skip Madness (22 Sep 2009)

British Eurosport will be showing everything live except (I think) the men's U23 road race. (Edit - the BBC red button will also have the men and women's elite road races and time trials, but not the men's U23 in either.)

For the time trials, I think Fabian Cancellara's distancing of Bert Grabsch in Valencia tips the balance in his favour in a race I was previously undecided on. The form of Amber Neben, Kristin Armstrong and Emma Pooley against the clock at this point is a bit uncertain, so I reckon the flying Christiane Soeder will be the one to beat there.

For the road races, I think the course is well suited to Andy Schleck but his condition isn't well-known. Much as I don't want to say it, Alejandro Valverde is the one I reckon will pull it off. I don't particularly have any strong inclinations for anyone, though. Among the women, although Marianne Vos starts as the favourite I don't think she will have it all her own way, and not just because I don't like her. Tatiana Guderzo's distancing of her at the end of Volterra makes me think she could have an extra gear on the others in Mendrisio, although I believe the Germans strength in numbers could be the key to unlocking all of the other nations. Judith Arndt and Trixi Worrack will be heavily marked, meaning Claudia Häusler may escape the leash. 

Men's Time Trial:
(1) Fabian Cancellara (2) Bert Grabsch (3) Bradley Wiggins

Women's Time Trial:
(1) Christiane Soeder (2) Karin Thürig (3) Amber Neben

Men's Road Race:
(1) Alejandro Valverde (2) Andy Schleck (3) Damiano Cunego

Women's Road Race:
(1) Tatiana Guderzo (2) Claudia Häusler (3) Marianne Vos


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## heliphil (22 Sep 2009)

when are they being shown???


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## Legs (22 Sep 2009)

*Women's TT* 
Pooley 
Soeder 
Neben 

*Men's TT* 
Cancellara 
Wiggins 
Grabsch 

*Women's RR* 
Vos 
Abbott 
Armitstead 

*Men's RR* 
Sanchez 
Cunego 
Boasson Hagen


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## maverick (22 Sep 2009)

heliphil said:


> when are they being shown???



On BBC red button.

*Wednesday 23* 
1300-1645 - Women's Time Trial 

*Thursday 24* 
1030-1600 - Men's Time Trial 

*Saturday 26* 
0800-1130 Live coverage .Womens Road race.

*Sunday 27* 
0930-1630 Live coverage Mens Road Race


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

Great ride from Alex Dowsett to come 7th.
Bobridge was flying - apparently he's signed with Garmin for next year.


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## BigSteev (23 Sep 2009)

Cheers RD. Why is it so difficult to find out what's going on there? The official site is shite - no live timing, still no results. Maybe I'm used to being spoilt with F1 coverage but it really sucks.


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

Watch this space - I'll put a couple of links up for you later on when the girls start.


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## Chuffy (23 Sep 2009)

Text commentary on Cycling News here.


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## BigSteev (23 Sep 2009)

Ahhh, streamed coverage on the BBC website - Happy BigSteev - though no work will be done this pm.


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

link?


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/8269507.stm


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

So, you fixed up then BigSteev? That beeb link won't work for me out of the UK. But I can usualy get some Eurosport streams to work. 
Happy viewing!


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## Legs (23 Sep 2009)

Hadn't counted on Tara Whitten!


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## gavintc (23 Sep 2009)

Outstanding - just turned the TV on, in my hotel room in Germany to find that the Women's TT is being shown live. Excellent - just working away at the desk, with the TT showing next to me.


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## Legs (23 Sep 2009)

Git! ;-) I'm stuck at work trying to decipher the jumble of comments on cyclingnews... can't even get the bbc pic to work... ;-(


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

Jenny Longo, wow!


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

Armstrong on a flyer!


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## gavintc (23 Sep 2009)

Armstrong looked very powerful as she crossed the line and Emma Pooley was doing well finishing in 5th (at present).


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

pooley, too far away?


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

Looks like it - unless she saving something for the finish


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

looks like a good shake up


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## gavintc (23 Sep 2009)

Pooley not finished - my German is not good enough to pick up the difference between a timecheck and the finish.


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

WOW! Longo!


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

Longo just finished - amazing. She's 51 ffs!


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## mr Mag00 (23 Sep 2009)

woooosssshhhhhhhhhh Armstrong!


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## raindog (23 Sep 2009)

So Pooley finished 11th just behind Longo. Great ride from Armstrong.
See you tomorrow guys......


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## Skip Madness (23 Sep 2009)

Besides the obviously excellent ride from Kristin Armstrong, Noemi Cantele really surprised me. I expected her to do all-right, but no-way top five, never mind second. Linda Villumsen also rode excellently, considering this time trial was longer than... 5km.

David Harmon describing Kristin Armstrong as probably the best all-round rider in the World was one of the more ridiculous statements we will hear at these championships, though.

Christiane Soeder was disappointing, I thought - losing to Armstrong isn't a surprise but coming behind Cantele, Villumsen and Arndt was unexpected, especially over this distance.


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## raindog (24 Sep 2009)

Can anyone see past Cancellera for the win? This course seems made for him. Maybe Wiggins will get closest.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

hi any ideas when wigins is on, later i assume?


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

wiggins off at 1440 bst!


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## rich p (24 Sep 2009)

Not looking too good for Wiggo


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

Been passed by Larsson and Cancellara - not looking good for him


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## BigSteev (24 Sep 2009)

Cancellara is looking awesome.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

stupid electric gears
ffs!


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

He has just climbed off his bike

Not sure why, but he threw it to the side and did not take a replacement one, just walked off toward the crowd - very pissed off.

He is back riding again.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

'climbed'


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## HonestMan1910 (24 Sep 2009)

Bike thrown away by Wiggo !

!


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## Pottsy (24 Sep 2009)

What happened? Was it broken?


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

i imagine the electric gears failed


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## Pottsy (24 Sep 2009)

mr Mag00 said:


> i imagine the electric gears failed



Great advert for them then!!!


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

On the climb, he kept looking down as was clearing having problems. I thought it was a back wheel puncture initially, but I think it was something to do with the gears. He loosened something off at his pedals, was possibly using track pedal, and then just got off. Bike was thrown to the right and he walked about 10 yds away to chat to someone in the crowd. The camera panned away and then a few mins later a picture of him riding again.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

quite, cables been good enough for decades


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

Cancellara show boated for the last 200m, he was so confident.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

it looked like he was attempting to get on big ring but no response

wow what a TT


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

well he was 2 and half minutes clear, could have walked last 200 m


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

Listening to this in German is testing my German language to the limit. There is quite a lot of talk about Wiggins, but my German does not stretch to the more technical words. 

Wiggins in 20th place - 5 mins down on Cancellara.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

Wiggins was catching martin and possible 3rd place was p for grabs they think


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

I feel sorry for him. I presume that we will get the post mortem details later.


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## mr Mag00 (24 Sep 2009)

batteries probably needed changing


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2009)

Oh bugger............


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## alecstilleyedye (24 Sep 2009)

was it campag? italians and electronics don't have a good mutual history…


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## Proto (24 Sep 2009)

alecstilleyedye said:


> was it campag? italians and electronics don't have a good mutual history…




You've owned a Ducati, haven't you!! 

(PS Wiggo was on Shimano)


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## alecstilleyedye (24 Sep 2009)

no, but i have a fiat…


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## gavintc (24 Sep 2009)

He reports that his chain popped off at the foot of the climb. But it interfered with the rear brake (on new TT bikes, they are above the chain stay) and he was riding up the hill with a rubbing block. He presumed his car was behind him, but the marshalls had held it back, presumably to allow Cancellara's team through first. He had some choice words about Larsson in his comments to CW. Worth a quick look. 
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/398479/wiggins-accepts-worlds-time-trial-defeat.html


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## girofan (24 Sep 2009)

gavintc said:


> Listening to this in German is testing my German language to the limit. There is quite a lot of talk about Wiggins, but my German does not stretch to the more technical words.
> 
> Wiggins in 20th place - 5 mins down on Cancellara.



Could it be the word in German you couldn't understand was plonker?
He admitted that he unshipped his chain at the bottom of the climb! Was this a technical fault by Sh**mano or operator error by the pilot?
The ultimate 'fault' must lay at the door of British Cycling in not using tried and tested equipment in a race of this magnitude!!!!!! New gear cable assemblies correctly installed do not fail.


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## mr-marty-martin (24 Sep 2009)

he uses a top end chain catcher on his road bike like, woner if he had it on the tt bike


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2009)

alecstilleyedye said:


> was it campag? italians and electronics don't have a good mutual history…




I've had an Alfa Selespeed.....argh...glitches


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2009)

mr-marty-martin said:


> he uses a top end chain catcher on his road bike like, woner if he had it on the tt bike



You shouldn't need any chain catchers - with a properly set up system no need - I haven't in 23 years, so what's going on...... 

or did he not know how to put the chain back on, or did the auto sensing go a bit awol..... once it shifted off.....


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## mr-marty-martin (24 Sep 2009)

nah it happens with the the best drilled in mechs, it just happens, changing with speed for expample, can catch a tooth wrong and bang its off


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## fossyant (24 Sep 2009)

If the chain moved the calliper over...hmm not tight enough.

Sounded like a cock up on all parts - the big hitters should have been spaced out more.

Crap happens......sometimes......


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## mr-marty-martin (24 Sep 2009)

yeah but if it ot lcoked up with the brake could of easily moved like, he said he was taking risks with equitment in that interveiw


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## Fab Foodie (24 Sep 2009)

Shades of Millar unshipping his chain close to the finish of a TDF TT.
It's a costly Fcuk-Up by somebody. KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid! Desperately sad for wiggo though.


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## claver58 (24 Sep 2009)

The comment that Cancellara is awesome is how I feel. We have seen the best ever TT in the world at his peak. The speed he maintained for an hour was fantastic and he looked so much faster than anyone else. I have it on Sky+ if anyone wants a copy. I have no idea how to transfer Sky+ to DVD but it should be possible. Afraid to delete it for now.


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## yenrod (24 Sep 2009)

I really feel for Wiggins..I can say Ive rode with him (on a chainy - i didnt last long  ) and just seeing him you can see the class..the effort, the hard work,..so I'm pissed for him and it was tragic reading cath wiggins tweets - she was in a hell of a state.

I also get this feeling in that i.view he doesnt see larsson as a worthy medalist...I feel this comes down to the UCI..they've messed up many times before and this lap circuit wasnt great due to the lap situation.

Maybe Wiggo should've tried for the TOB 

Still, what he's achieved this year ! is beyond words !!!


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## dellzeqq (25 Sep 2009)

This morning he's saying that the one minute intervals made a mockery of the TT, and that's quite right. Now if Gorblimeysanfairyann CC can work out that you should set TT riders off at 2 or 3 minute intervals, why can't the UCI? And, why we're about it...........
http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=916490#post916490


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## rich p (25 Sep 2009)

I'm trying to remember if there has ever been a whiff of scandal about FC?


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## Chuffy (25 Sep 2009)

rich p said:


> I'm trying to remember if there has ever been a whiff of scandal about FC?


Not that I've ever heard. He seems popular with the other riders too, which would (very tenuously) suggest that he's one of the good guys.

He is a complete monster though!


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## Skip Madness (25 Sep 2009)

rich p said:


> I'm trying to remember if there has ever been a whiff of scandal about FC?


He used to work with Luigi Cecchini, even after CSC dropped him, as recently as 2006 at least.

There was also this story reported after he won Paris-Roubaix.


Cycling News said:


> French newspaper _L'Equipe_ has published further doping allegations concerning the CSC squad, in its Friday, June 30 edition. A plastic bag filled with syringes was reportedly found by a cleaning person in a Parisian underground parking lot on the eve of Spring Classic Paris-Roubaix, on April 8.
> 
> The man accidentally pin-pricked himself with one of the needles and lodged a complaint with the police. A witness told investigators that he had seen several people step out of a car labeled with the name of the team's sponsor, that transported and deposited the bag in question.
> 
> There are thus about 100 syringes that are currently being analysed by judicial expert lab Toxlab, but the needles are reported to have been meticulously cleaned before being discharged. However, the Paris-based lab is said to have secured one particular molecule, but they haven't been able to identify it yet.


Does anyone remember how that case ended?

There's no hard evidence to nail him with by any means, but the usual modern advice of retaining a healthy skepticism applies.


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## Chuffy (25 Sep 2009)

Skip Madness said:


> Does anyone remember how that case ended?


I think your question answers that.



> There's no hard evidence to nail him with by any means, but the usual modern advice of retaining a healthy skepticism applies.


Absolutely. There are riders (and teams) that I have more faith in than others, but no-one has the right to expect my absolute, unconditional trust. Sadly.


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## Isla Valassi (25 Sep 2009)

Do you think there's any chance of the BBC pulling Rob Hayles off the commentating? I didn't think anyone could be duller than Sean Kelly.

Most memorable comment so far -

_"She's taking in a big gulp of air.....that will cost her time"_ WTF?


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## rich p (25 Sep 2009)

Isla Valassi said:


> Do you think there's any chance of the BBC pulling Rob Hayles off the commentating? I didn't think anyone could be duller than Sean Kelly.
> 
> Most memorable comment so far -
> 
> _"She's taking in a big gulp of air.....that will cost her time"_ WTF?



I have to disagrree vehemently; his most memorablee comment so far is that Cancellara would have won the TdF if it hadn't been for the mountains.


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## Skip Madness (26 Sep 2009)

Skip Madness said:


> Women's Road Race:
> (1) Tatiana Guderzo (2) Claudia Häusler (3) Marianne Vos


Well two out of three ain't bad. Better than my dismal time-trial predictions were, anyway.

Evelyn Stevens was astonishing, she might have just landed a contract with one of the biggest teams with a ride like that. Hard to believe she has only been riding seriously since a few months ago.

Nice to see Vos come second again. The minute that Noemi Cantele bridges to the front three, the race looked pretty much over as to which team would have the winner.


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## Flying_Monkey (26 Sep 2009)

Just saw the result - a bit like Ballan in the men's last year, where the 'wrong' Italian wins! Having two in the break was always going to favour not only that team, but also the lesser-favoured rider as the others would be marking the favourite (i.e.: Cantele). Mind you, it always takes a team to beat Vos, a bit like Cooke in the past.


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## resal1 (26 Sep 2009)

I thought the women's race was fascinating on a variety of levels. The way the race unfolded rendered the usefulness of teammates to a minor factor on the outcome. Sure, people rode on the front as if they were doing something for a team-mate e.g. the USA riders, but when it got to the business end. it was who went up the hills on the last two laps fastest. I felt Vos had it to win throughout the last lap. 

Armstrong was sat on Guderzo, as 4th rider as they approached Cantele. The perfect place to go with the counter and two complimentary riders working together. Vos would then be left with Cantele for company. Gold and siler in the bag. Race Radios and male managers ? 

Cantele did a superb job of holding Vos against the fence whilst Armstrong rode in the gutter up the hill, getting slower and slower. Masterful by Cantele.

As for Emma. I don't think I want to comment. She has worked very hard on her strength this year and is now one of the best, if not the best climber, at the current time.

Cooke was never in it. However that was entirely understandable. 

As to the last comment re needing a team to beat Vos. Vos allowed herself to be beaten by the two Italians today. 2 years ago it was the same. Last year it was a lone Cooke who beat Vos. They were clearly the two strongest at the end. The two German riders payed their cards superbly, last year. But in the last km, there was no gas left in the tank.

All in all, today waas fascinating. Not as dynamic "all action", "anyone of 5 can win in the last 4 km" as last year, but none-theless it came to the boil superbly.

A final comment. Sports commentators - "By men, for men and about men" . A damned nuisance these women's events "...tommorrow, when the real race is on. ..... not like when the pros race......" many times not even subliminal. How do they get away with it ?


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## Skip Madness (26 Sep 2009)

resal1 said:


> Sure, people rode on the front as if they were doing something for a team-mate e.g. the USA riders, but when it got to the business end. it was who went up the hills on the last two laps fastest. I felt Vos had it to win throughout the last lap.


It would have been interesting to see the USA team ride for Evelyn Stevens, because she had the afterburners on all day, even attacking on the penultimate lap. If she hadn't been working for two hours previously, I am convinced she could have been mixing it up come the end. I was surprised she was effectively chosen to be sacrificed from so early on because her form has been outstanding.


> Armstrong was sat on Guderzo, as 4th rider as they approached Cantele. The perfect place to go with the counter and two complimentary riders working together. Vos would then be left with Cantele for company. Gold and siler in the bag. Race Radios and male managers ?


She might have just not fancied it - knackered after a storming time trial on Wednesday and having to chase back after a puncture today, and knowing how Vos was so quick to waste energy on the final lap last year, it might have been a tactical thought which just didn't pay dividends. No way of us knowing, I guess.


> As for Emma. I don't think I want to comment. She has worked very hard on her strength this year and is now one of the best, if not the best climber, at the current time.


I don't really know what happened there. I spent about half of the race screaming "GET OFF THE FRONT" at the television. It never looked on for her regardless, though. It was too-well policed and she will have felt this season in her legs more than most (maybe any).


> A final comment. Sports commentators - "By men, for men and about men" . A damned nuisance these women's events "...tommorrow, when the real race is on. ..... not like when the pros race......" many times not even subliminal. How do they get away with it ?


Were you watching BBC or Eurosport? I watched on Eurosport but didn't stick around for the studio analysis before or after the race. David Harmon's refusal to learn how to say _Tatiana_ grated, though. "Tatanya Guderzo, Tatanya Antoshina..."


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## resal1 (26 Sep 2009)

Yes, Evelyn Stevens was very strong and was used to achieve something that I could not work out. I agree with you, if she had not been "used up" she would probably have made the 4, a 5 and changed the outcome as a consequence.

I just felt Armstrong had moved into exactly the right position to go with the counter and to do so, had predicted it and then woosh... threw away the option on a selection of either Gold or Silver. Might have had nothing left in the tank but at that moment it did not look like it. Pulled off the front nicely to ensure Vos closed up to Cantele. Looked behind. Moved back. As you say. We will never know. Her post race interview gives the saccharine impression she was delighted with 4th and the result for the USA. We are not going to find out more there.

For Emma, a World or Olympic road race is not a World Cup where she is not in contention for the overall. The front was too well policed for her, just as it was last year.

I was watching the BBC and listening to Hugh and Rob Hayles. I sympathise that one race a year is not enough exposure for Hugh and whoever is with him to get familiar with the riders, to enable them to do quality recognition on all apart from Emma, Cooke, Laws and Armistead. This immediately impacts on the quality of commentary possible. However, I really feel for the athletes and some of the comments made which ensure everyone knows they are 2nd class citizens compared with the "real riders".


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## Skip Madness (26 Sep 2009)

resal1 said:


> I really feel for the athletes and some of the comments made which ensure everyone knows they are 2nd class citizens compared with the "real riders".


The BBC can be a nuisance like that (especially for an institution that the press would have us believe is politically-correct loony-lefty-liberal etc.). I remember at the track worlds in Manchester in 2008 when some twat was interviewing Victoria Pendleton and telling her how great it was that she was so slender and feminine and not like all of those horrible ugly Eastern Europeans who are basically men because they possess the odd muscle. To them, someone like Pendleton is not a cyclist; she's a sex object who happens to ride her bike fast, with the emphasis firmly on the former.

For shame, although she has done good things like complained about the lack of parity on the track at the Olympics (which it sounds like the UCI is finally starting to address), I think Pendleton has validated these ideas in the odd interview I've heard, basically concurring with the above statements about "masculine" riders and saying that she likes to spend her free time doing "girly" stuff like wearing dresses and heels - the implication being that while cycling she's not being feminine, and that girls who don't like dresses and heels are less girly.


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## resal1 (26 Sep 2009)

Is it the UCI or is it the IOC pushing the UCI ? Didn't the UCI report back that they thought - "no chance, not enough sprinter girls in the World to justify 3 medals "? Not too sure where the bar is set but I would imagine that if many 1st World countries like Canada do not have a single indor track, the same argument would cull a raft of men's track events at the Olympics as well. (Imagine the screaming if the replacement Sir Chris Hoy had only a single medal as a target !) If they wanted to reduce competitor count in the village why not axe the team pursuit and team sprint ?

Yep. Hugh and Rob came out with some pearlers about the "big event on Sunday, the professional riders, the full distance, the main event" and too many other little but highly irritating things, that detracted, apart from their inability to spot Vos or Johansson unless given a clear and prolonged view of the number on their backs. And of course, whilst they consulted their list of competitor numbers, their eyes were not on the event. However, minor gripes. The BBC putting on full race long coverage - outstanding. Absolutely great. Much better than even 2002 or earlier.


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## Skip Madness (26 Sep 2009)

resal1 said:


> Is it the UCI or is it the IOC pushing the UCI ?


Not really sure - it seemed like nothing was set to change as recently as a couple of months ago, so I don't know what's instigated the volte-face.


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## Flying_Monkey (27 Sep 2009)

Great race by Peter Kennaugh today to finish 4th in the U23 race (at 20 years old). He'll be a star sooner or later...


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## Skip Madness (27 Sep 2009)

For anyone who wasn't able to watch the women's road race (or wants to watch it again), I have stuck the final lap (approximately 15km) on YouTube in three parts: part one, part two and part three.


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## Skip Madness (27 Sep 2009)

Edit: linked to YouTube vid on next page


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## Flying_Monkey (27 Sep 2009)

Bloody hell, Cadel Evans. He's finally got something then.


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## yello (27 Sep 2009)

Can't believe it myself. Just whose wheel did cuddles see ahead of him?!


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## Crackle (27 Sep 2009)

And he still looked like his world had just collapsed at the end, even though he'd won.

Have we already had a vote on shooting the commentator?


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## mad al (27 Sep 2009)

Well I for one am so pleased that Cadel Evans won today After all the slating he has had of late and just to think of the hard miles his body has endured over the last couple of months and then show his ass to everyone else in the race today, the man deserves praise

Al


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## rich p (27 Sep 2009)

I normally can't stand the miserable, wheelsucking tw*t but for some reason I wanted him to win it once he'd attacked.


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## Dayvo (27 Sep 2009)

mad al said:


> Well I for one am so pleased that Cadel Evans won today After all the slating he has had of late and just to think of the hard miles his body has endured over the last couple of months and then show his ass to everyone else in the race today, the man deserves praise
> 
> Al



I fully echo your sentiments!


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## Chuffy (27 Sep 2009)

Dayvo said:


> I fully echo your sentiments!


Bloody hell! Me too...

I feel really pleased for him. 

...and the BBC commentary was 'king awful. Please, get rid of the pair of them and don't let Hayles in a commentary box ever again.


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## Noodley (27 Sep 2009)

There's one of the Spaniards. And an Italian. No it's a Russian. And a Spanish rider. And an Italian, or is that the Russian? The Spanish rider is with a Russian. I think it's Sanchez, yes it's Sanchez. And Rodriguez. No it's another of the Spaniards. <Go on have a guess who it is, there were 4 of them in the lead group on the last lap...> It's a Spaniard, was it Sanchez? And the Italians are back in the lead.....no it's a Russian. And somebody else, it it Kirchen?, has just taken the lead....no it was Vinokourov! Just how effing hard is it to identify riders? 

And Cancellara has blown them away!...Err no he hasn't cos one of the Spaniards <I could have told you it was Sanchez!> was on his wheel...

Very annoying commentary from the bbc.


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## Crackle (27 Sep 2009)

He completely misread the race and missed the move that Evans made and Cancellera never looked like blowing anyone away, in fact he looked a bit desperate.


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## Noodley (27 Sep 2009)

I appreciate it must be difficult finding something to speak about for such a long time when not much is happening, but surely it's not beyond the means of a commentator to actually find out some interesting facts or history or 'anything' in fact to fill in....then make sure you also have a note of the rider numbers so you can identify them when needed. And watch the race to see what's going on rather than gawping out the window at the podium girls...


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## Keith Oates (27 Sep 2009)

To see Cadel Evans bring home the big prize is great for him and cycling. After a not so good year for him it must have come as a great and proud moment to wear the striped jersey. Seeing this result has also made me happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Skip Madness (28 Sep 2009)

For those of you complaining about the BBC commentary, here'shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSunQ67CKSE a taste of the alternative on Eurosport...


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## rich p (28 Sep 2009)

Excellent commentary from David Harmon! Did that go out live? I'd switched over to the cricket to see our brave heroes thrash the arrogant Saffers by then.


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## raindog (28 Sep 2009)

What a race, and what a surprise. That's got to be one of the most gutsy attacks we've seen all year - well done Evans!!

Here's Harmon's live "blunder" for anyone that missed it

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSunQ67CKSE


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## gavintc (28 Sep 2009)

The final lap was an excellent display of strong riding and excellent performances. The Cancellara attacks right through to the final one by Evans - great to watch. But, I agree that the commentary was poor. At the very least, he should have had a list of the riders in front of him.


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## Skip Madness (28 Sep 2009)

rich p said:


> Excellent commentary from David Harmon! Did that go out live?


It had cut on the Eurosport International feed, which was what he was angry about, but British Eurosport was still on the feed so several thousand of us did indeed hear it live.


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## Flying_Monkey (28 Sep 2009)

That's so totally Alan Partridge... superb.


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## kennykool (29 Sep 2009)

I watched Live on Eurosport. Thise guys mused over a qyestion for over an hour in the middle part of the race......Question - Who is the smallest country to win at the worlds.

Now first of all they had to decide was the question asking about Land Mass or poplulation when it referred to Smallest?

Man it went on for an hour and I think the came up with Latvia. was very amusing.

great victory for cadel - I am so happy for the lad.


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