2013 Pro-cycling season thread

Sooooo

Sagan for world champ again?

Christ, he looks about 9 in that photo.

He doesn't look much older now.

The consensus is that this is a tough worlds, maybe the toughest since Lugano in 1996, but they say that nearly every year. I wouldn't like to call it until we've seen some racing on the circuit.

I guess it will be tough due to the repetition of the two climbs, rather than because they are ferocious themselves. Maybe riders suited to the Ardennes will go well on it, although the first climb is longish. I have seen a few pros tip Cancellara on twitter. Hopefully it is the type of course that will give Classics and GC riders a fair battleground.

I'm tipping Cav, reckon the little fella has it in him

so the worlds are going to be on BBC but not Eurosport. Crap.

Fortunately they won't be doing the camera work though, so they can only screw up the commentary.

Hugh Porter has been retired, to be replaced by Simon Brotherton so the commentary might improve.

FWIW, I like Hugh Porter and think he's a decent commentator on the track, but his knowledge of the current road scene is lacking sometimes and it shows.

I though Brotherton was atrocious at the UCI track world championships.

I await him plaintively asking his co-commentator to explain what went wrong for 'Team GB'.

Anyway, we need BMMF here to explain why anyone with a need for commentary is an idiot. (I am one).

Fuck me. Yates is on fire. Outriding the best.

Hope he does a ride at the worlds. That'd be nice for him.

He is a bit of a monster isn't he? Given a few years to develop, he might actually become a competitor in the hilly classics. Seems to have a lot more talent than JTL, for example.

Ooft harsh. JTL is extremely talented.

He'll be big!! A GC rider though.

The twins are rumoured to both be going to OGE.

That would be good. Be nice to see more young British cyclists thriving outside of Sky.

Ooft harsh. JTL is extremely talented.

He'll be big!! A GC rider though.

The twins are rumoured to both be going to OGE.

28 and he's never ridden a GT. He's in the last chance saloon, if he doesn't do well in the first half of next season, he'll be out the door (assuming Sky don't seek to release him for his two year contract a year early).

From the hints they've been dropping, I'd not be surprised to see at least one of the Yates twins at Argos-Shimano.

Yes he is old, but still a bloody good bike rider when it's going right. Think about cauberg last year, did a great ride for not being used to the big difference.

Pro conti to WT is a huge step up. Yes he's not going to win the world champs , but get it right and he's a bloody good bike rider.

He is obviously a good bike rider. Just not right out of the top drawer, as some people seemed to think after his results at the start of last year.

I also heard an FDJ rumour for Yates bros but maybe that has gone cold?

Bring me your luckiest riders

http://rouleurmagazine.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/ofs_gp-montreal_2013_07.jpg

Belgium have two genuine world stars, in Gilbert and Boonen, both of whom have had rotten seasons. Factor in both Van Ben Broeck and Vanendert have injury disrupted seasons, and they are good for a decent amount of points from the Tour, and you can see why they are struggling.

don't forget Bakelants, who snatched the grand prix de wallonie from Voeckler last week right at the last corner

Men's road race next sat. Where's the best place to view if one was in the area and so inclined?

I'll try and be

here

better come Sunday though ;-)

Do the members of the winning team in the Worlds TTT get to wear rainbow TTT winner jerseys in TTTs this coming year?

I'd guess not?

No. But they get a little badge on their team jerseys (across all formats of racing). More here: http://inrng.com/2013/09/world-team-time-trial-preview/

No Rainbow Jersey
There’s no rainbow jersey. Instead the team gets “the distinctive logo” for the following year and this is not for the six riders on the day, it is shared with the whole team. Here’s the UCI rulebook:

[QUOTE]The world champion team of the UCI Team Time Trial shall wear the distinctive logo on their jerseys in all road events from 1 January until 31 December in the year following the World Championship event. The world champion in the individual time trial is not authorised to wear the world champion’s jersey during team trial events.

The world champion team of the UCI Team Time Trial shall wear the distinctive logo on their jerseys in all road events from 1 January until 31 December in the year following the World Championship event.

So teams will get a special logo for their jersey and this will be worn in all events the following year, not just time trials but ordinary road races and everyone racing in the team jersey. If a rider leaves the team then they don’t get anything for next year. Indeed theoretically it’s possible for the six riders who win the title on Sunday to leave the team over the winter but the squad will wear the logo the following year. It’s a complicated notion that has had loyal readers regularly posing the question.[/quote]

Interesting how the TT WC is not allowed to wear their stripes in TTT events, yet the TTT WCs wear their 'distrinctive logo' in all Road events.

UCI logic

Do the members of the winning team in the Worlds TTT get to wear rainbow TTT winner jerseys in TTTs this coming year?

I'd guess not?

Yes.

But only one stripe each.