"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - 2007 World Championship RR

According to cyclingnews, Boonen is officially out due to his injuries sustained in the Vuelta. Valverde remains in limbo, and his outlook for participation this year is grim. So, who is the frontrunner? Can Bettini pull off a double? Can Zabel improve over his silver from last year? Flecha, maybe?

My pick--Di Luca. He's been hitting his goals all year, and he wants to win this one.

Landis

I want Di Luca to win it.

Boonen was never going to figure in the finale...the parcours this year is very difficult.

Boonen was never going to figure in the finale...the parcours this year is very difficult.

Franco Pellizotti. The dude can get going real quick in any terrain. Climbs well enough, and can haul on the flats if need be.

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Bettini will pull a Bugno.

i am really looking forward to this race. i like ballan and di luca.

Bettini will pull a Bugno.

i hope not.

Bettini, one more time!

Bettini, one more time!

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2050/bettattoo2ir7.jpg

http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/2050/bettattoo2ir7.jpg

oh my.

DiLuca or Freire

Schumi

le plane, le plane!

i am totally stealing that.

U23: Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Schumi

ABS...Anybody but Schumacher.

ABS...Anybody but Schumacher.

+1



http://www.gerolsteiner.de/typo3temp/8eebc6447d.jpghttp://img293.imageshack.us/img293/2212/coneheads23mz.jpghttp://members.aol.com/nflpntrs/cage-talosian.jpg

U23: Edvald Boasson Hagen.

Won't make it over and down with the leaders. Too much elevation gain for a big boy.

I'm gonna go for a long shot ... Voeckler.

Pippo Pozzato.

Heres the preliminary start lists.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2007/worlds07/?id=startlist

Pippo Pozzato.

Yep, he's proven he can execute a very solid sprint after a tough day.

wow. it's amazing how quickly the people in charge can make such a cool event suck so much. i guess i am down to ballan.

Anyone who makes Eddy a persona non grata is on my ***** list.

That is ridiculous.

I'm still going Pozzato, but I'll throw in Sammy Sanchez as a darkhorse

What the hell is King Gee doing???

Rogers in a friggin canter...he is burning inside.

Do team tactics come into play at all in this race? I've never had a chance to actually watch it.

Watch a video of the 2006 version. Or, specifically, the last 2k or so. That should answer your question pretty well.

Watch a video of the 2006 version. Or, specifically, the last 2k or so. That should answer your question pretty well.

2002 in Zolder as well. Raced to perfection by the Italians and aussies....but there's only one arc en ciel given out....:(

Or 1996 Lugano for an example of the more traditional azzuri implosion.

Ryanf.

Is Zabel starting? Surely, no national bias is being shown when the Germans choose which suspected and/or proven dopers to bar from "their" race.

Is Zabel starting? Surely, no national bias is being shown when the Germans choose which suspected and/or proven dopers to bar from "their" race.

yep, he's starting.

the organizers definitely know how to put together a clusterf***

Is anyone covering it on the net (live feed)?

but I'll throw in Sammy Sanchez as a darkhorse

Sure, until he finds his way into a 4 man move w/ Valverde forcing him to lead out! ('06 Worlds)

Sanchez's only hope is to not have Freire or Valverde in the final move. Otherwise it's pacing time and then drifting back into obscurity.

Has the race started yet? Cyclingnews doesn't have a live report going yet - anyone know who does?

Has the race started yet? Cyclingnews doesn't have a live report going yet - anyone know who does?

they had a budget cut and couldn't hire a psychic this year, so you'll have to wait until they actually do the race on sunday.

Has the race started yet? Cyclingnews doesn't have a live report going yet - anyone know who does?

the botto is right. there aren't any races today. tomorrow and sunday are the road races.

they had a budget cut and couldn't hire a psychic this year, so you'll have to wait until they actually do the race on sunday.

Bah. I skimmed the cyclingnews worlds preview and saw this line "The road races kick off on Friday, after a day of rest." I didn't read on to where they say Friday is the rest day and races start Saturday. Too bad. I like following the live feed while I'm at work, but I won't sit around on a Saturday morning to read about a race on my computer.

Bah. I skimmed the cyclingnews worlds preview and saw this line "The road races kick off on Friday, after a day of rest." I didn't read on to where they say Friday is the rest day and races start Saturday. Too bad. I like following the live feed while I'm at work, but I won't sit around on a Saturday morning to read about a race on my computer.

considering that it will be the womens race, i don't blame you.

It's unlikely Bettini will even race. The Germans want real testing and blood samples or they will pull the support.

I pick.... Whoever botto picks. Then, he can't make fun of my pick.

I pick.... Whoever botto picks. Then, he can't make fun of my pick.

Good approach...

It's unlikely Bettini will even race. The Germans want real testing and blood samples or they will pull the support.

So DR, are there any top pro racers who you consider clean? Or is it guilty until convicted by sloppy lab work that would get laughed out of any legitimate courtroom?

they had a budget cut and couldn't hire a psychic this year, so you'll have to wait until they actually do the race on sunday.


...and that's why, for serious racing discussion from people that actually have raced real races, not around parking lots for a half hour, there are other forums...

why do you bother wasting your time here if we are all just worthless noobs?

why do you bother wasting your time here if we are all just worthless noobs?


For laughs...and I don't frequent the racing forum very often. Except when I am bored.

Do team tactics come into play at all in this race? I've never had a chance to actually watch it.

Absolutely. And it's really difficult when you've got top cycling countries where there are multiple riders who could pull off the win. No egos there....:D

Bettini will pull a Bugno.

good call.

looks like we'll see more of this.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/121/snpb2ny2.jpg

Argh. Not happy with that result. At all.

Argh. Not happy with that result. At all.

you'll get over it.