World Cycling Championship Florence 22 - 29 September 2013

[Noodley]

you've got to unite around something - a plan.

A decent DS will have a plan, then another, then another...looking at the GB team there were loads of options available re tactics which a decent DS would be able to respond to during a race, and get the team working together towards the changes on the road.

 

[Booyaa]

Out of interest, did anyone seriously believe Froome was a contender even before it started raining today?

I asked this the other day as up until that point there had been no mention of him.

 

[rich p]

I don't think many on here gave Froome much of a chance but he was talking himself up in the media.

 

[Bollo]

Thing is, once Cav was picked in the team, there wasn't much else he could have done and looked like he was contributing given the parcours. Maybe the GB team didn't have the guts not to pick him...

I read somewhere on the internet, where truth reigns, that Cav was picked as much for his ability to extract some sort of team ethos as for what he could contribute to the race. He's probably about the only rider with the standing and cajones to shake Sir Brad out of his usual diffidence.

 

[smutchin]

So, really, rather than underachieving, the British team performed much as we'd expected all along?

And to be fair, plenty of other strong-on-paper teams were notable by their absence at the death. OK, so Alex Howes and Peter Stetina actually finished the race with the main group, but Talansky and Tejay and the rest of the USA team DNF. And Simon Clarke was the only Australian finisher...

And as the home team, Italy were ultimately a bit disappointing - no one remembers who came 4th...

 

[Crackle]

So, really, rather than underachieving, the British team performed much as we'd expected all along?

And to be fair, plenty of other strong-on-paper teams were notable by their absence at the death. OK, so Alex Howes and Peter Stetina actually finished the race with the main group, but Talansky and Tejay and the rest of the USA team DNF. And Simon Clarke was the only Australian finisher...

And as the home team, Italy were ultimately a bit disappointing - no one remembers who came 4th...

I was going to mention the USA, you beat me to it.

And in answer to you and Dellzeqq, I never thought Froome had a chance and I think we can safely revoke Wiggins passport to Italy.

 

[smutchin]

I read elsewhere that Rui Costa wanted to win to avoid having to wear the Lampre kit next year.
It was a pity Uran crashed out when he did; the dynamic of the chase in the last few kms would have been significantly different.

Until he went down, I really thought Uran was looking like he might nick it. He's usually a very good descender.

 

[Crackle]

It was a pity Uran crashed out when he did; the dynamic of the chase in the last few kms would have been significantly different.

It was but it was also one of the most spectacular crashes I've seen and chapeau he picked himself up after that and cracked on, jeez, tough bugger!

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Until he went down, I really thought Uran was looking like he might nick it. He's usually a very good descender.

Yeah, he and Henao were looking good in this one. Until the crash, I thought he had a chance.

 

[uphillstruggler]

I am surprised no-one predicted Rui Costa... again. He's been doing this all season, and he still seems to be able to fly under the radar. You think people (yes, including all of us) would have twigged by now. And Purito has been coming second all season too!

Agree that the British performance and direction was a disgrace. In those conditions, and for that length of race, they absolutely should have gone out to support a hard man like Stannard or, if he was in better form, Thomas, and supported them with dedicated, fit and hungry riders. Cav did his job as did Rowe. It wasn't worth even selecting Wiggins - we knew that already - and Froome is not really a useful support rider in this kind of race.

I too am disappointed that he team didn't get behind Stannard - you would think that with all the work that bloke does for everyone else, they would have supported him, Maybe Thomas also as another option.

I'm hoping Stannard gets a result in the classics that his type of rider deserves.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I'm hoping Stannard gets a result in the classics that his type of rider deserves.

I agree, but Sky will have to change their focus and tactics quite a lot for that to happen.

 

[The Couch]

My only slight criticism of the race itself is that it is too long. Why the need for 10 laps? The amount of DNF's surely point to just how hard it is even for the toughest and fittest professional. It also means 9 laps of bugger all happening and whoever is left in the end battling it out with whatever they have left. Just my opinion though.

The way I see it, the biggest amount of the DNFs came because of the weather (once the rain stopped and roads dried up, the riders didn't drop out out at the same pace anylonger)... then again I do agree with your point, because of the fact that because of the gigantic distance the riders were too afraid to attack from too far away (perhaps, since riders are turning more "human" lately?). Once Italy stopped pulling the front, it got boring until the last round.

I am surprised no-one predicted Rui Costa...

I did mention him

... Anybody thinks "outsiders" like Froome, Costa, Voeckler, D. Martin, Gerrans,... (anyone else?) would have a good chance?

but I had believed the "experts" that were saying that this would rather be a race for punchers that can climb, rather than climbers with a good punch

Some personal remarks:

1. Uran was again looking very strong... this year he has looked much better (across a longer period) than Henao, so Sky might start getting regrets in the next years
2. Anybody else was thinking Betancur was looking good all day long, until he found himself a parking spot in the last roud on the Fiesole?
3. After his unfortunate fall, Nibali made 1 minute up on the (chasing) peloton in about 2 km span... no matter, how interesting he made the race later on...that's a disgrace if I ever saw one
4. Considering, it was a race that apparently suited the climbers best, how did Grivko end in 5th place?
5. Feel gutted for Purito, but then again... he got himself "seduced" to attack from too far out, as a climber he is just not suited to hold on to a lead for a very long time, if he might have waited to go on the Via Salviati (or right after the top), he probably had taken it
6. I really think Valverde was too knackered to jump back on the wheel of Costa, since Costa attacked right before some turns and Valverde had realized too late Nibali couldn't do it (I believe this was shown in the sprint against Nibali, that he should have dominated much more against a knackered Nibali)
7. Costa is a great winner (and might have thought back at the team decision to go and help Valverde get back to the peloton in the TdF, when he was on the podium yesterday )

 

[totallyfixed]

Certainly on the face of it, and looking back at the men's Olympic Road Race you would be forgiven for thinking that the GB team have a plan A but no plan B. That plan A would appear to be ride at the front, control the peleton, in the ridiculous hope of putting main contenders under pressure without considering that actually all they are doing is wearing themselves out and allowing everyone else to sit in. I'm sure this must be an over simplification, but to me it borders on arrogance and lacking of respect for riders with maybe more talent than themselves.
I also agree with Pedrosanchezo, in that you didn't get the feeling of one for all and all for one within the team, putting Froome and Wiggo in the same squad I don't think is ever going to work
I doubt we have heard the last of this.

 

[thom]

Certainly on the face of it, and looking back at the men's Olympic Road Race you would be forgiven for thinking that the GB team have a plan A but no plan B. That plan A would appear to be ride at the front, control the peleton, in the ridiculous hope of putting main contenders under pressure without considering that actually all they are doing is wearing themselves out and allowing everyone else to sit in. I'm sure this must be an over simplification, but to me it borders on arrogance and lacking of respect for riders with maybe more talent than themselves.
I also agree with Pedrosanchezo, in that you didn't get the feeling of one for all and all for one within the team, putting Froome and Wiggo in the same squad I don't think is ever going to work
I doubt we have heard the last of this.

I think it's a bit mean spirited to make that comparison to the olympic road race personally - with Cav as World Champ and the route set up to give him a chance of being in it at the end, fully committing to racing for him while still an outside strategy at least gave GB a chance and a good one at that.
Likely there could have been a backup as well but I think there was logic to the approach. And we maybe saw something of the value of David Millar as team captain too.
With this offering, there was no outstanding contender in the GB ranks, so I do agree there was a lack of pragmatism/realism that appears arrogant.

Regarding Wiggins, the criticism is definitely a black mark against him that he won't like. I think he will want to show he can ride for Froome in the future. Froome himself can't complain given he dropped out so far out though. He clearly doesn't have the mentality to hang in through the tough times as is kind of needed to be World Champ of the cycling world, which is ok you know if you are a TdF winner.
It just seems they both should be riding for others in one day races, as they did do so effectively for Cav 2 years ago....

 

[smutchin]

And we maybe saw something of the value of David Millar as team captain too.

Of course! I was trying to think who they might have picked who would have improved the team's chances and there's the answer right there. Millar would have thrived in those conditions yesterday.

Why was Pete Kennaugh not in the team either? He's a thoroughbred Trojan.