2020 UCI world road championship

[deptfordmarmoset]

At least Alaphilippe looked like he was giving it 100%. I was actually concerned he might run his bike off the road he was riding so close to the ragged edge. Van der Breggen yesterday, on the other hand, made it look like she was riding away effortlessly. There was something so similar in their 2 victories, but nothing at all in their riding styles.

 

[matticus]

If the calendar goes back to normal next year it means JA will be allowed the stripey jumper for less time than most.

Unless wins it again next year I ssuppose.

... but he could race Paris-Roubaix (et al) twice!

 

[Starchivore]

Wonderful to see, I was on the edge of my seat for the last part of that race, just hoping for Julian to hold on. I think Boardman made it sound close for longer than it actually was in the end, he had a good bit of time on the line.

He's one of my favourite racers, I love the enthusiasm. I felt that the commentators and pundits were a bit odd in the way they talked about him in the tour- they laughed at his attacks (okay, that big one right before blowing up was funny), and they made out that it had been a disappointing tour for him. Disappointing? He won a stage and wore yellow, surely for anyone other than the big favourites, that's a good tour. Anyway, really good to see him win, great that he'll be wearing the jersey.

 

[matticus]

He's been the world No1 on ranking points. Won multiple classics (and Monuments) in 2018/2019. So I'd say his 2020 Tour was disappointing. But he certainly did try!
He does bring a bit of banter on his own head - remember all that handlebar banging, and weaving around the road after being dropped? Sort of a Thomas Voeckler pantomime character style.

Gotta love 'im though

EDIT: OK, I think I have a serious man-crush now:


View: https://twitter.com/OutOfCycling/status/1310270158502588416

 

[BalkanExpress]

Wonderful to see, I was on the edge of my seat for the last part of that race, just hoping for Julian to hold on. I think Boardman made it sound close for longer than it actually was in the end, he had a good bit of time on the line.

He's one of my favourite racers, I love the enthusiasm. I felt that the commentators and pundits were a bit odd in the way they talked about him in the tour- they laughed at his attacks (okay, that big one right before blowing up was funny), and they made out that it had been a disappointing tour for him. Disappointing? He won a stage and wore yellow, surely for anyone other than the big favourites, that's a good tour. Anyway, really good to see him win, great that he'll be wearing the jersey.

There was a sense when the 2020 route was announced that, after his efforts in 2019 , this would be his best ever/only chance to win the tour. So he arguably came up short against the high level of expectation while objectively having a very good tour.

err....did that make sense?

 

[Aravis]

If the calendar goes back to normal next year it means JA will be allowed the stripey jumper for less time than most.

Unless wins it again next year I ssuppose.

When I saw your comment this morning I completely swallowed it, and only later realised that this year's race was on the equivalent weekend to last year's, so in fact a couple of calendar days earlier because of the leap year.

Having looked back over the last decade, the only one that took place at the "wrong" time was the 2016 race in Doha, which was in mid-October.

A hypothesis: maybe Alaphilippe in the Tour was being far cleverer than anyone realised. Having achieved all his objectives early with a stage and a spell in the yellow jersey, it would be pretty sensible to focus on preparing for the Worlds and if you can make everyone think your form is a bit off, so much the better. A supremely cunning plan would be to take an illegal bottle to lose the jersey, accept the punishment graciously and be more popular than ever.

I don't think he'll ever be my favourite rider, but I appreciate the fact that he's there, and over the years there have been plenty I've been pleased to see the back of. On Sunday I was rooting for van Aert.

 

[Adam4868]

Tactics aside..he was the strongest/fastest rider there.Fully deserved those stripes.On a climb that kick he has ! Theres nobody can touch him.

 

[mjr]

Tactics aside..he was the strongest/fastest rider there.Fully deserved those stripes.On a climb that kick he has ! Theres nobody can touch him.

Nonsense. His kick is explosive and he used it to good effect but the strongest rider was

Spoiler

then hindered by a group of riders who didn't believe they could win soft pedalling their turns.

 

[Adam4868]

Nonsense. His kick is explosive and he used it to good effect but the strongest rider was

Spoiler

then hindered by a group of riders who didn't believe they could win soft pedalling their turns.

Allaphilipe climbed the final climb at a average of 20.8 kmh,Fulgsang was 4 seconds slower and VanAert and company were 6 slower.If your into that as in power etc he climbed at 8,0 w/kg ! Which I read as he's the fastest rider in history at such short explosive climbs.
Or in other words totally deserved it 😁

 

[cisamcgu]

Nonsense. His kick is explosive and he used it to good effect but the strongest rider was

Spoiler

then hindered by a group of riders who didn't believe they could win soft pedalling their turns.

If he was the strongest then why didn't he jump away from the pack at the final climb ?

 

[mjr]

If he was the strongest then why didn't he jump away from the pack at the final climb ?

Difference between strongest and explosiveēst.

 

[Adam4868]

Difference between strongest and explosiveēst.

Lol... Allaphilipe WAS the strongest

 

[mjr]

Is there another sport that has the weird situation where you need your competitors to help you get a chance to win.

Skicross, snowboardcross and some cross-country ski racing? They don't have such strong team elements, though.

 

[matticus]

Is there another sport that has the weird situation where you need your competitors to help you get a chance to win.

It's great isn't it? Without it there would be a lot less excitement. It's like a soap-opera, with a mass of adrenaline flowing; so often you can't easily predict the outcome.
(I was convinced Belgium would win it with someone.)

 

[matticus]

I once saw Cancellara in Wout's position with 5 miles to go. He just decided to go for it anyway, Gold or nothing, didn't care if he towed the others with him.