The biggest one-week racing event starts this Sunday with the UCI Road Cycling World Championships. Richmond, Virginia is centre stage - twenty-nine years since the last time it was held on US soil in Colorado Springs. It's been a long cycling season and really the question is who's got the finishing drive and kick to win?
Here's my predictions for the three races I'll be keenly following...
Men's road race; 9/27, 259.2km, 16 laps.
Has the fast Slovakian recovered from his Vuelta fall? If he has, this Rouleur can have his day of
redemption. These riders are most likely to make it a good battle; John Degenkolb, Alexander Kristoff, Michael Matthews & Philippe Gilbert.
Men's Team Time Trial; 9/20, 38.8km
No denying defending champions, BMC Racing will be the team to beat but I believe Orica GreenEDGE (having finished third in 2012 and second in the last two years), will have the edge and win.
Orica GreenEDGE: Svein Tuft, Sam Bewley, Luke Durbridge, Michael Hepburn, Michael Matthews & Jens Mouris.
Men's Time Trial; 9/23, 53km
My top three: Tom Dumoulin, Rohan Dennis, Tony Martin.
Double Merit:
A record that has stood since 1989. Here are the 5 riders to have won both the Tour de France and World Road Race Championships in the same year...
Georges Speicher 1933:
Louison Bobet 1954:
Eddy Merckx 1971, 1974:
Stephen Roche 1987:
Greg LeMond 1989.
(above image)
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