The Event
The Men’s World Road Race Championships, the end of season coronation and often one of the most exciting races of the year as well as one of the most important as it provides a year in the rainbow jersey for the winner. There are thrills, spills and some of the most intensity tactical racing that one could hope for.
The Course
276.5km of racing, with a 40-kilometre stretch until they hit the circuit that loops through Bergen. The early 40 kilometres are relatively flat compared to the rest of the course.
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The Circuit
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Starts with the entry through a tunnel which will be well lit, lasting about 200m. There’s then nearly 2km before the first prosper climb, which comes at Solheimsviken which goes for 500m, and then 5km into the course, there’s a 1km climb that goes up at 5%.
The road drops, before we then hit the most serious part of the course, Mount Ulriken (or Salmon Hill). The first 500m are 7.8% and there is then a kilometre at 6%, before the descent back into the city centre. This is an intensely technical descent that twists and turns all the way into Konstrad, and the roads that then follow into Bergen are all rolling roads.
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The last 5 kilometres go to the seafront and then back again, although much of the road is well protected so it’s hard to imagine winds playing a big role unless the conditions are seriously turbulent. They are, however, very technical once again.
The 700 metres stretch from Kong Oskarsgate (Kong Oscar Street) to halfway down Øvregaten (High Street) is cobbled. There is then a succession of curved corners that constantly turn, before a complete hairpin.
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The finish is made very technical by a sharp left and then right before a flat-out sprint to the finish line.
The Winner
Will be a strong all-rounder who is excellent at technical bike handling and also quick in a finish, given that the closing kilometres of the circuit do not lend themselves heavily to solo attacks - unless a chase doesn't work together to bring an escape back. Descending is a must, and a strong team is a big bonus – if they are all working for one man, but many will have multiple options.
The Contenders
Are many. Given the balanced nature of the course, but also the long distance of the race – which will take nearly 7 hours to complete, strongmen will fancy their chances but the flat finish means speed will be a requisite and it’s all to play for.
When that is the case, Peter Sagan usually wins and the dual World Champion has won a tough and hilly puncheur’s finish (Richmond 2015) and then beat the world’s best sprinters in Qatar last year to retain the title and he is the one that everybody else has to beat. He has been in fine form during the second half the year, taking the GP De Quebec (before finishing ninth in Montreal) and two stages of the Binckbank Tour beforehand. He’s the clear favourite.
One of the two men to dominate the Classics season was Greg Van Avermaet, who took apart the field in E3, Gent-Wevelgem, was second in Flanders and then won Paris-Roubaix. That stunning stretch was as good a classics season as has been seen in recent years and whilst he has had a quiet summer by his standards, the route of the Tour didn’t suit him and he finished second and seventh in Canada.
His teammate and countryman Philippe Gilbert was second in E3 before finishing second in Gent-Wevelgem before taking the Tour of Flanders in what has to be one of the rides of the year – he had 29 seconds as a gap over Van Avaermaet, albeit helped by a crash – but he didn’t need any help to take Amstel Gold. His summer too, has been quiet (sickness went through the side in the Tour), but it’s been clear that he’s been preparing for this for a long time and an attritional race will make him a very strong option.
They are helped by having the strongest team in the race, with Oliver Naesen, Jasper Stuyven, Dylan Teuns, Tiesj Benoot, Julian Vermote and Tim Wellens all lining up.
They are all serious contenders in the right circumstances and they would be leading most other nations too. Tim Wellens took one of the toughest stages of the BinckBank Tour in the worst conditions, which famously bring out the best in him, and he also took the GP De Wallonie. The more rain the better for the Lotto-Soudal man when he beat none other than Tom Dumoulin and there was a 17-second gap to the rest.
Jasper Stuyven has arguably never been in better form, taking the final stage of the BinckBank Tour, whilst the work that Oliver Naesen did for Romain Bardet at the Tour de France, probably kept him on the podium at the expense of Romain Bardet. He has kept good company and impressed although other contenders look to be in better form and he might be a helper today.
Tiesj Benoot is going to take a big race win sooner rather than later and was top 20 in both Canada races. He might not be the fastest contender overall in a sprint, however, so much depends on who attacks and when.
Some teams have an entire lineup who could take the prize, but Colombia’s eggs are all in one basket. Fernando Gaviria has had an incredible breakout year and is coming into form at the perfect time thanks to his very promising Tour of Britain where he contended in each sprint and took a stage of his own. The new sprinting star took four stages at the Giro and also finished fifth in Milano San-Remo, so this course holds no fears and he can surely count on the support of Esteban Chaves, Sebastian Henao, Serio Henao, Miguel Angel Lopez, Jarlinson Pantano, Nairo Quintana, and Rigoberto Uran, making him a major contender; He would want a reduced sprint but will have to navigate this without chief lead-out man Maximiliano Richeze.
Michal Kwiatkowski rode himself to a standstill at the Tour, and once released, deservedly took Clasica San Sebastian soon afterwards. He hasn’t raced much apart from the Tour of Britain but given his extremely busy tour and summer that looks a wise choice here. The course isn’t quite as hard as he would like, but he does pack a fast sprint and is a major player.
Edvald Boasson Hagen took a fine solo win to end the Tour of Britain when he was very unfairly disqualified on the second stage, and perhaps the Norwegian will have felt that he should have won. This circuit – designed by fellow Norwegian greats – could not have been designed better and it would be a surprise if he wasn’t the chosen contender from his home team. Able to win in a sprint finish or go long, he’s one of the most versatile contenders.
Close behind him will be Alexander Kristoff, who bounced back from a poor Tour to take the European Championships road race and then Ride-London. He took the points jersey at the Tour of Britain but was out-sped by other rivals there; This course suits him a lot more but he could find others faster.
The tougher things got at the Tour de France, the better Michael Matthews got and whilst it was a shame Marcel Kittel was ruled out through illness and crashes, he was thoroughly deserving of the points jersey. He climbed brilliantly but also managed to out-sprint Edvald Boasson Hagen and John Degenkolb, to take the 17th stage and showed plenty of speed to keep himself in the battle for the points jersey. He wants an attritional race.
Italian national coach Davide Cassani has never had more strength in depth and predicts that a pack of 30-40 riders will contest the finish. His squad is ideal for this but his best chances surely lie with Mateo Trentin, who has never had a better season for Quick-Step.
A winner of stages at all three Grand Tours, he took the initiative at the Vuelta a Espana when he took four stages despite just failing to win the Green Jersey at the end thanks to Chris Froome. The sprint opposition there was not as strong as it will be here, but the racing was truly arduous and he was able to win a stage that had a category 1 climb that topped out just 20 km towards the end. The support of the Italian team would be very significant.
Gianni Moscon is the other option. The Italian’s breakout season has been unbelievable, with his performances in the Vuelta being the best from someone of his age as a domestique for a long while at the team. Fifth at Paris-Roubaix earlier in the season, he has the power for long-range attacks and also he ability to sprint, but he would also be invested in a very hard contest.
Elia Viviani sprinted well at the Tour of Britain, even being awarded a stage by the commissaries, and he did take the Cyclassics Hamburg and then Quest Bretagne before the Tour of Britain. He’s another option although his form might not be as strong as Trentin.
France’s best option from a strong squad might well be Julian Alaphilippe, who missed the Tour but made up for it with a fine Vuelta a Espana which included an excellent stage win, and he’s been fresh since having not raced a single day afterwards. He might enjoy the latter sections of the circuit more than Tony Gallopin.
Astana’s Alexey Lutsenko would probably prefer a more difficult fishing circuit but he was phenomenally impressive in the Vuelta a Espana when he took Stage 5’s uphill finish to Alecossebre, and he was one of the most powerful riders in the Break that took stage 18 although he was eventually well beaten by Sander Armee. He is one to keep an eye on.
