I know, the best under 23 are racing tomorrow, but the French team really raced well as a team. At the end, Petit was very strong, leading out the winner, Demare, and still finishing second. He was clearly strong enough to win the race, but apparently the plan was for Demare to win.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl9i3t_yampiyon-demare_sport?start=31#from=embediframe

World Championships are on NBC, channel4-4 "Universal Sports"....super exciting to watch the women, juniors, &under 23's!.
right now broadcasting last (4)Laps of mens elite roadrace! 9:54am sunday 25th spt2011. rideHard, would be fun to watch events like this w/other Kissenas.
...maybe we can find&monopolize a 'sports bar' home owner's basement to regularly watch, jeer&cheer!

Voelker ..on the attack 1Lap 2go!;>

ah, it s over, Cavendish in a bunch sprint again...."sorry but IMO boring!" even @266km. -h

@ Harry. Boring? Didn't find so. I barely understand what's going on in most sprints I watch, not to mention the rare ones I participate in, but I enjoyed the fact Cav had to get in a good position without his usual train before sprinting to the finish (just before that, the British team, Wiggins in particular, was extremely strong). Cancellara being 4th, almost taking the 3rd place, is amazing since he's not a pure sprinter.

stephane, i'm not saying that the "world Championships" are boring just the opposite...i totally dig the team/individual format and that there are no race radios, plus the individual efforts are exciting...what is 'boring' is the long race that ends in a monster group finish where every team has ALL there people up front and the one or two same fellows sprint out in the last 50m to win or place in top3. i would prefer (&granted i am new to 'racing') to see 'heroic efforts where absolutely every one is spent and the strongest, fastest, cleverist &or most stubborn racer wins, sprint or otherwise. i didnt know who Voelkler was until this years Tour and was jus learning the difference in abilities and style of the Schlecks & Contidor, but after the Tour i absolutely adore a guy/girl other who can beat the 'well organized' odds. -h

Harry

That doesn't happen very often. It's usually a much smaller group, but this year was touted as a sprinters year and a large bunch sprint was always on the cards.

so what are people's predictions for this year?  

I think Purito will win.

no, we're talking about a circuit including a 4.3km long climb of 5.2% average with a max of 9% and 242m of height gain and then the via salviati after which is 600m long at 10.2% average and a max of 16% (some indicate 19%).

I would have put my money on Simon Gerrans This is exactly the kind of circuit where some of the big faves will show their hand way too early and fade before the finish (e.g. Cancellara, Nibali, Sagan). Gerrans is the kind of rider you wouldn't even know was in the race until he made the right move at the end.

Great theory, but he isn't in the Australia team ! They do have a solid team though, so Richie Porte is one of my picks

Dan Martin has shown good form recently, so he is another. Clearly the Italians will be super motivated and I think Luca Paolini could make the podium.

As a wild card: Carlos Betancur.

As for Spain either Purito or Valverde could win. They both can climb well and are proven in tough classics but I am not sure Spain will unify behind one of them and that will cost both of them.

I think any of the top riders at the Vuelta should be considered as having a good shot, though I'd  put Nibali, Valverde and Purito ahead of Horner and Roche.  Those three pack better punches; but all are savvy attackers.  If Sagan and Cancellara can hang on the bigger hill, they can attack on the smaller, use their descending skill to build the gap on the descent and then hammer the final straight flat kilometer.  Looking at the course, if Fabian is riding well, he could go on the bigger hill and ride it home.  Problem is, everyone will be looking for these two moves.  

Yeah, I like Sagan and Cancellara but they'll be so marked it will be difficult.  Nibbles and Betancur are good pics.  Chavanel?  Whatever it's gonna be CAV.

Outside pic of Machado and Iglinsky.  Because why.

Seems like good ole Gilbert was kinda coming around and you know he wants another year of the rainbow curse and a matching tattoo on his other ankle (so bad).

http://www.velobeats.braynardwebdev.com/?p=445

Jens Voigt solo.

Vos?  Anyone? Anyone? Johansson?  Bronzini?  STEVENS?!?!

http://www.castalba.tv/channel/15584


Gah, the Americans put the hammer down first time up the climb and it's down to 30 riders.

I like how BBC 1 flipped over to a curling preview or some shit as the women are closing in on the last two laps.

Anyway, it's on BBC 2 now.

http://www.castalba.tv/channel/14463

Stevens is in the lead group but looks very vulnerable.

Hmmmmmmm....

Anyway, as expected we just saw a preview of what Cancellara is going to try and do tomorrow. Of course, that's what he always does.

anyone have a feed? im watching the bbc with tunnelbear right now but curious about US options.

Yeah mine's Eyetalyun but apparently you can install hola.org and set country to France to watch the UCI channel in the US.  Haven't tried it.

I'm enjoying the AOL dial noise in the background.  The abandons are massive.  Down to 70 riders in the main group?

It's on BBC:

http://castalba.tv/channel/14463

And the announcers are lamenting there's no more Brits in the race...ha ha.  Even PINOT is still in.

OOH NOW I CAN LISTEN IN ENGLISH!  

what is that supposed to mean...GO FRANCE!

I'm a little embarassed to be rooting for italy right now after all the work they've put in.  I don't think I saw anyone else at the front of the pack except, for some reason, Gilbert. 

Nothing I just like piling on the British Kissena contingent and trolling b/c I flove them.

Welp, there goes that.

Noooo, Panda-bear Dan is out!

Now this is a finish.

Uh, until they bartered a price for the win just now.