2021 UCI World Championships - Flanders

[eth-dog]

So our squad for the road race has been annunced. It's looking like the right mix for the team, although I'm a little surprised that Caleb Ewan is there given the amount of hills on the race.

Michael Matthews, Caleb Ewan, Luke Durbridge, Miles Scotson, Nick Schultz, Harry Sweeny, Robert Stannard, Nathan Haas

I thought you could only have 5 members on the road? In any case, if we get 8 I'd be using Durbo, Scotson, Schultz and Haas as the guys to manage the breakaway and then Sweeny and Stannard as part of the lead out train for Matthews or Ewen, depending on who's left there. Would love to see either of them win it.

 

[drd23]

I thought you could only have 5 members on the road?

That's the Olympics. WCs have max teams of 8, with allocations decided the same way they are for the Olympics (i.e. by UCI points)

 

[eth-dog]

Using that as a guide:

8 members: Belgium, Slovenia, France, Netherlands, Italy, Great Britain, Spain, Denmark, Australia, Colombia
6 members: Germany, Ecuador, Switzerland, Portugal, Norway, Russia, Ireland, Poland, USA, New Zealand
4 members: Canada, South Africa, Austria, Kazakhstan, Czech Republic, Estonia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Eritrea, Luxemburg

Van Aert, Mezgec, Alaphillipe/Demare, van der Poel, Ulissi/Colbrelli/Trentin, Cavendish?, Not sure for Spain, Pederson/Nielsen, Matthews/Ewan and Gaviria will probably be the riders they want to win the race respectively from the teams with 8. Probably a little too easy for Ala, Mezgec and Ulissi, but good for WVA, MvdP, Colbrelli, Nielsen and Matthews.

The question for Colombia is how do they support Gaviria? They're a nation of climbers who just so happen to have one quick guy. Going to be an interesting one

 

[drd23]

Its probably worth putting in a course diagram. Note that despite being in Flanders, none of the legendary climbs you'd see in the Tour of Flanders monument such as the Koppenberg, Paterberg or Oude Kwaremont are on the course

 

[Vader]

Well that's a messy course.

Once through the Leuven & Huldenberg loops, then 4x round the Leuven loop, one more trip around the Huldenberg loop, finishing with 3x round Leuven again.

 

[Orange Agent]

We're making up the numbers. Wouldnt be writing off Sagan, he should be pretty fresh and has been given a bit extra longer to prepare.

 

[yaco55]

It's very much a Brabantsje Pil type course - The men's selection is poor - The key rider to help Matthews failed to gain selection being Heinrich Haussler - Sweeney has a broken collarbone while I would not have selected Ewan who will find it tough to make the final - Another rider who should have been selected is Jack Haig who does well on long courses.

The wonen's team is now in disarray with Roy breaking her wrist at the Simac Tour - No Brown and Spratt out of form.

 

[drd23]

 

[drd23]

The key rider to help Matthews failed to gain selection being Heinrich Haussler

It appears you aren't the only one surprised by this

 

[Orange Agent]

The Belgian team is ridiculous.

 

[yaco55]

It appears you aren't the only one surprised by this

Benji from the Lantern Rouge podcast is knowledgeable and is good value - I watched Ewan win stage 5 of the Benelux Tour which was the closest type stage to the World's - He did well to win the stage and is very professional in his preparation but I can't see him reaching the final with double the climbs and an extra 70kms - I like Schultz as a rider but he's never ridden on this kind of parcours while Sweeney broke his collarbone two weeks ago.

 

[Orange Agent]

TT - Ganna & VanVleuten
RR - WVA & Volering

 

[yaco55]

Ewan suffered through two hilly stages of the Tour of Luxemburg in preparation for the World's before calling it quits.

 

[drd23]

Does anyone know why Australia doesn't have any entrants in the men's ITT?

 

[Orange Agent]

Does anyone know why Australia doesn't have any entrants in the men's ITT?

Rohan Dennis pulled out after Tour of Britain. The actual reason hasn't been released but I'd say it was a case of can't win, can't be ****ed.

 

[eth-dog]

Rohan Dennis pulled out after Tour of Britain. The actual reason hasn't been released but I'd say it was a case of can't win, can't be f’ed.

Still, we have Durbridge (who is good enough for top 10 on this course) and Porte who are great time trialists as well.

 

[yaco55]

Durbridge would finish 15th to 20th on this course - Anyway, he's in the break at the Einsborn Frankfurt race.

 

[Dees]

Given the less than ideal prep and a course that suited the big guys, Plapp was very impressive last night.

 

[yaco55]

Exactly - When you break your elbow at L'Avenir and get on the road 7 days before the ITT, then it's an excellent effort to finish 2nd.

 

[drd23]

If anyone's bored in lockdown on a Friday night, started 30mins ago

 

[yaco55]

It's been a crashfest so far - Expect more on the weekend.

 

[Orange Agent]

Dutch women certainly know how to lose a race. Some of the worst tactics ever.

 

[yaco55]

Nothing wrong going with VOS for the sprint - What they could have done is break the race up on the Flandrien circuit BUT in saying that the Leuven circuit stifles the race.

 

[Orange Agent]

Crowds are awesome.

 

[drd23]