wakemalcolm
Legendary Member
- Location
- Ratho
Why's this even a story? If you're not in a position with the support you need to win for yourself, and there's no compatriots for you to help, what do you do?
World Championships Montreal 2026 ***SPOILERS***
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Why's this even a story? If you're not in a position with the support you need to win for yourself, and there's no compatriots for you to help, what do you do?
matticus
Guru
Loved the McNulty interview. Totally genuine surprise and happiness. And apparently he finished the race aged about 61!
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
I thought IDT had spent a lot of time pulling (mostly with Seixas in his wheel) when the MVDP group was away, so I thought he was paying for that when MNulty went.
And Pidders only knows about a zillion times more than me, so there's a 1/zillion chance that I have a valid point. Which is good enough for me.
Dorset Boy
Über Member
- Location
- North Dorset or a mountain
Del Torro might not have chased once McNulty had escaped. but he certainly didn't disrupt any chase, so was hardly 'working for' McNulty. He'd also done a fairky large amount of work for himself up to that point.
Pidcock can come across as a sore loser.
matticus
Guru
Just for once, I was pleased with the Team GB riders. There seemed to be method in the madness, for most of the race. Most WCs (men+women) I see hours of pointless work done on the front when we don't even have a top-ten favourite, and often no-one finishes in the top 20, very depressing.
This one was different. PIdcock was verrrry close to winning, and was almost the main driver of the race.
Maybe without the crash he coulda woulda...
This one was different. PIdcock was verrrry close to winning, and was almost the main driver of the race.
Maybe without the crash he coulda woulda...
matticus
Guru
I haven't seen Pidcock comment. I agfree with your first para, but I suspect Pidders was very frustrated after doing everyhting in his power and just letting this one get away - probably his best chance at a WC (road!) title.
I like a bit of honest emotion. It would be boring if every interview was just:
"<shrugs> yeah, I guess the other guy was just better today. That's the way it goes. Thanks, bye!"
misforturob
Senior Member
I think this is the strongest GB showing in a men's worlds road race since Cav in 2011?
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cyc...-of-the-chasing-group-at-world-championships/
"But yeah, Del Toro was obviously working for [UAE Team Emirates-XRG trade teammate] McNulty in the end there," Pidcock said to Cyclingnews.
"Likewise, obviously Matteo [Jorgenson] - the Americans are a super strong team, so yeah, they were not letting anyone go."
"I think if me and Cicco, if we had a little bit more of a gap and we managed to stay away, I think we would have caught McNulty. But yeah, it's how the race goes."
I can't think of McNulty being 'better'... well, better at playing his hand at that moment maybe but I see his victory being partly down to not being chased down, which I saw as something that could have happened - if the chasers hadn't pfaffed about.
Nah, I reckon they let him go in the first place because he was praps deemed no threat (we'll reel him in) and that benefited him. So definitely well played on his part (you gotta be in to win etc) and I take nothing away from his effort.
Nah, I reckon they let him go in the first place because he was praps deemed no threat (we'll reel him in) and that benefited him. So definitely well played on his part (you gotta be in to win etc) and I take nothing away from his effort.
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Since Cav's 2nd place in Doha in 2016 maybe.
Depends how you judge it, do you go for highest placed rider, or top two riders or ...
I've just wasted a bit of time collating GB performances since 2016 (top 20 only)
26 Pidcock 7th, Onley 17th. Montreal (McNulty)
25 Pidcock 10th. Kigali (Pogacar)
24 Onley 16th. Zurich (Pogacar)
23 Doull 18th. Glasgow (Van der Poel)
22 Hayter 9th, Tullett 14th. Woollongong (Evenepoel)
21 Pidcock 6th. Leuven (Alaphilippe)
20 No top 20. Best Pidcock 42nd. Imola (Alaphilippe)
19 No top 20. Best Geoghegan Hart 26th. Leeds (Pedersen)
18 Kennaugh 16th. Innsbruck (Valverde)
17 Swift 5th. Bergen (Sagan)
16 Cav 2nd, Blythe 12th. Doha (Sagan)
Probably at least one error in there.
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CarbonClem
Senior Member
Agreed. Hard for us to comprehend how disappointing it must be to miss out when you know you quite realistically 'could' have won it.
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Maybe not McNulty himself, but you have to give props to the USA team for having three riders there. And it's a team sport.
matticus
Guru
Cav's hopeless - he's DNFed 5 out of 7 starts! ;-)
Could you do some more research to support my pet theory? Every year (since about 2012 anyways) we've had numerous top road riders (inc several Grand Tour winners) but have massively under-achieved. Cav+Pidders are the standout exceptions. (and Lizzie of course! I think Cooke was earlier?)
(There might be a strong correlation with under-achieving in the Classics too ..)
Dogtrousers
Lefty tighty. Get it righty.
Nicole Cooke was 2008. Can you guess who was second?
Marianne abso-blooming-lutely unbelievable longevity Vos.
Possible explanation for the relative under-achievement might be to do with popularity of the events. Most people in the UK haven't heard of the classics or the world champs - only the Tour and maybe the other GTs. So that's where you focus your efforts cos that's where the sponsorship/money/fame is. Possibly also to do with the willingness of the national organisation to get itself together. I mean, GB doesn't bother entering a team for the European champs, for which it is eligible so maybe that's got something to do with it.
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In which case they completely forgot about the Montreal race last year.
A bit silly if you ask me.
