UCI Road World Championships 2012

[montage]

Froome Wiggo and Cav will be marked far too much to try anything for obvious reasons, I doubt Swift, Dowsett or Rowe can get over the lumps near the end as the racing will be aggressive - stannard and cummings perhaps have more a chance, but I can't see them out climbing the likes of Rodriguez and Valverde - and I imagine anything that they could get over, Sagan could do the same and we all know what would happen then. JTL seems a bit of an unknown, though he appears to be looking strong in the ToB. We've seen him out climb big names in the past but that was early season, and not names as big as these. There doesn't seem to be any option but to send people up the road - though we have seen how strong riders such as rodriguez can be isolated, so we'll see what the team is cooking.

For the TT, Contador would be my pick, with Martin and Kessiakoff on the Podium....who knows what kind of form Froome is in, but he can't be ruled out either.

 

[rich p]

There's a kilometre after the last climb of the Cauberg which won't help someone like Rodriguez who would prefer a hilltop finish. I'd like Gilbert or Rodriguez to win it.

 

[montage]

Regarding the Women, Surely Armisted, Cooke and Pooley are all in for some sort of shot?
For the juniors, I'd love Jon Dibben to take it, only because he's local to here and I've raced against him in the past (or rather been in the same race as him). The U23 team seems small though - not been scoring many points this season or what?

 

[thom]

Regarding the Women, Surely Armisted, Cooke and Pooley are all in for some sort of shot?
For the juniors, I'd love Jon Dibben to take it, only because he's local to here and I've raced against him in the past (or rather been in the same race as him). The U23 team seems small though - not been scoring many points this season or what?

Armitstead !

Whizzy Lizzie I think has the best shot, Cooke not having great form recently and Pooley more so a GC type rider.
Pooley could go well in the TT though.

 

[lyn1]

The U23 team seems small though - not been scoring many points this season or what?

Selection issues. Thwaites & Rowsell (Endura) have been the outstanding u23 by some distance in both the UK and foreign UCI races. They were not selected for the Nations Cup rounds, nor was Edmondson, who has done well in the TOB. Only Academy members were given rides despite producing very disappointing results on all occasions. Consequently GB were ranked 26th behind teams like Ethiopia and Eritrea and failed to get an invite to the Tour L'Avenir, (21 teams). That race was also influential on the number of WC places allocated as it contributed Nations Cup points.
I can't understand why If they wanted to give some of the young Academy riders a run out they didn't ride Thwaites & Rowsell, at least in the early rounds to secure the points needed and guarantee more WC spots, particularly as they were available.

 

[dellzeqq]

If ever a cyclist had a point to prove it's Wendy Houvenaghel.........

 

[Noodley]

If ever a cyclist had a point to prove it's Wendy Houvenaghel.........

Not sure what she has to gain or "prove" by doing well. She was not in the team cos others were viewed as being better in one event at the time of the olympics.

 

[thom]

NOS live streaming : no commentary

 

[thom]

Rabobank already lost 2 of 6 riders - Vos unlikely to prevail in TTT

 

[Noodley]

Looking good for Pooley's team so far, even with a rider dropped early on - but that dropped rider may have an impact later in the course

 

[thom]

Yeah AA Drink are down about 45 secs on the top 2 teams though.
Some of the riders are dropping like flies on these hills.

 

[Noodley]

live report on cyclingnews makes it sound like carnage on the cauberg

 

[Noodley]

Laws and Pooley guaranteed bronze

 

[thom]

"Rabo women went regularly to the climb/course for recon & no.1 'problem' was "how do we stop Vos from dropping the other riders?" "

 

[thom]

Result of Womens TTT:
1) Specialised - looked a class apart
2) Orica
3) AA Drink