Storylines to Look for in Cycling World Championships Road Races
Cycling's Road World Championship week is underway, with team and individual time trial events for the women and men the first to be contested.
Bleacher Report's Gianni Verschueren is keeping you updated with all the results and schedules from Ponferrada, Spain. The highlights of the week are almost certainly going to be Saturday and Sunday's road races.
Over the following pages we look at some of the notable storylines heading into the weekend as several of the sport's biggest names look to take a memorable victory to help see out their 2014 season on a high.
We begin with the woman who, again this year, has underlined her status as one of the most dominant performers in sport, let alone cycling.
Can Anyone Stop Marianne Vos?
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Marianne Vos is a multifaceted person and competitor, that much was made clear in an interview with The Observer's William Fotheringham last week. Yet like many who excel at their chosen sport, she also shares an uncompromising attitude to her craft:
"I want to be the best. I’m a perfectionist in that I want to show my best. If I make a mistake, I want to make sure I don’t make it again. There is definitely an addiction in winning—it’s the best sensation you can have and I want it over and over again."
Winning over and over again is something the Dutchwoman has done once again in 2014. In addition to her third Giro d'Italia Femminile, the Rabo Liv rider also won the inaugural editions of the Women's Tour of Britain and La Course.
Now Vos turns her attentions to three-peating at the World Championships, in the process securing the fourth World road race title of her career.
The 27-year-old's continued great form makes her the clear favourite in Spain, though Vos is unlikely to take anything for granted.
Italy's Giorgia Bronzini beat her in the RideLondon Grand Prix in August and has previously worn the rainbow jersey herself. This year's World Cup winner Lizzie Armitstead has proved her consistency throughout the season and will be keen to end on a high note.
Others are sure to feature, too. But anyone would do well to finish ahead of Vos.
Costa Looks to Repeat as World Champion After Mixed 2014
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Rui Costa reiterated his winner's punch and considerable toughness when he survived last year's grueling road race to finish first.
Two stages in the Tour de France (2011 and 2013) as well as consecutive Tour of Switzerland successes had marked the Portuguese as a rider to watch. Winning in Italy among such exalted company as Joaquim Rodriguez, Alejandro Valverde and Vincenzo Nibali flung him right into the spotlight.
Twelve months later, Costa will be aiming to repeat as world champion after a mixed 2014.
The positives included a third consecutive victory in the aforementioned Swiss event, as well as podium placings in other highly respected stage races. The overwhelming negative was being forced to withdraw from the Tour de France because of ill-health, ending his hopes of a podium finish.
A crowded field will make retaining the honour of wearing the rainbow jersey for another year difficult, especially with less for Costa to call on within his own team than some of his rivals.
Still, the right to be considered as a legitimate contender is evidence of the 27-year-old's continued progress in his sport.
Spain Are Hoping to Forget the Pain of 2013 on Home Roads
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"EN: Last year,the Worlds was discussed between us. How will the worlds be this year? Picture taken today at training pic.twitter.com/Z0rkVuEcTG
— Rui Costa (@RuiCostaCyclist) September 22, 2014"
Rodriguez was happy enough to take the above photo with Costa, though you wonder what his thoughts were at sharing a snap with the man who caused him so much pain last year.
The Portuguese just edged ahead of the Spaniard in the final stretch of the 2013 Worlds. Rodriguez and his team-mate Valverde had the opportunity to work over the younger man. Instead they were mugged by him.
Silver and bronze at such a prestigious meeting of talent are not to be sniffed at, especially considering most of the field gave up in the wet and miserable conditions. For someone like Rodriguez who has become known as one of his sport's nearly men in the biggest races, it was evidently hard to take (see main picture).
With the road race at home this week, the Spanish team will be eager to make up for last season's disappointment.
Vuelta a Espana winner Alberto Contador is absent, much to the disappointment of Spain coach Javier Minguez, as per CyclingNews. Regardless, should they have enough to get to the deciding kilometres in a healthy position, the country's other leading men Rodriguez and Valverde will still be fancied to have a say in proceedings.
The latter has had an excellent year in one-day races, winning Roma Maxima, La Fleche Wallonne and Clasica de San Sebastian, and placing high in others. He experienced the Ponferrada course earlier this year too, helping his Movistar team-mate Jon Izagirre to the win in their national championships.
If Valverde is their best bet, placing some faith in Rodriguez would not go amiss. He bounced back a year ago to win the season's last monument, Giro di Lombardia. A little of that determination may have lingered on, ready to be summoned for an act of redemption in front of home crowds.
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Team GB Seek Improved Collective Performance After Miserable Efforts a Year Ago
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The aforementioned Spanish pair may have been gutted to have not won last year's road race in Tuscany, but at least they were in contention.
None of the British squad—who through Mark Cavendish had won the event two years earlier—even finished. While accounting for the awful weather and tricky road conditions, it was an extremely poor return for a group that featured two Tour de France winners in Sir Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.
"Having a British jersey on their backs, they should be very disappointed," coach Rod Ellingworth angrily said at the time, via The Guardian's William Fotheringham. "We should be very disappointed with that as a team and with the approach to the race. I don't think the lads' attitude was where it needed to be. Luke Rowe and Cav were OK, average, the other guys were below average."
Steve Cummings, Froome, Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe return from 2013, with Peter Kennaugh, David Millar, Ben Swift and the Yates brothers Adam and Simon joining them. The form of most of these is strong (Froome finished second in the Vuelta), while in one of the last races of his career, Millar will be keen to ensure his team do not shame themselves.
Ellingworth certainly appears to be hopeful of an improved showing in some form. He told CyclingNews' Alasdair Fotheringham "all the lads are looking good...all the lads are up for it."
As Sky Sports' Orla Chennaoui put it in her race preview, even if they do not win, "they must show they want to." That is the least to be expected after the Italian horror-show that concluded last season.
Cancellara Attempts to Add a Missing Entry to His Resume
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Fabian Cancellara has been moving away from the time trial focus that partly defined his career for many years.
He left it to cycling's other stars against the clock, Tony Martin and Wiggins, to duke it out for the discipline's rainbow jersey on Wednesday. The Sky man won it with a superb effort, finishing 26.23 seconds ahead of the German.
A four-time winner there, Cancellara is now looking to win the road race for the first time in his career.
The Swiss left both the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana early with an eye on Ponferrada.
"I have done 59 days of competition this season so far and I have another big goal at the end of this season, the world championships," Cancellara said following his Tour withdrawal after Stage 10, via Sky Sports. "It is not a secret that I would like to be in my best shape there, so it is important that I take some rest."
Cancellara's individual class and ability has been proved by numerous, often thrilling victories in the monuments of Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. Top-10 Worlds finishes in 2011 and 2013 have reiterated the versatility that has underpinned his status as one of cycling's best of modern times.
Well-rested and clearly focused, Spartacus looks ready for battle again.
Will Nibali End the Season on a High? Plus, Other Contenders
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Vincenzo Nibali has already won the Tour de France this year. After a gallant ride in Italy last year saw him overcome a fall to finish fourth, could he add a rainbow jersey to the yellow one freshly hung in his wardrobe?
"I’ll do all I can to arrive ready for the goal and give my best to the Italian team," Nibali said earlier this month, via CyclingWeekly's Gregor Brown. "Everyone knows that the Tour was my first goal of the year and the Worlds my second."
Italy are not short on decent options, though, and it could be the case Nibali helps a Fabio Aru or Edoardo Zardini if the race is shaping up better for them.
Elsewhere, perennial favourite Peter Sagan would surely like to capture what would be the biggest win of his high-profile, but still relatively fledgling, career.
E3 Harelbeke and the Tour's green jersey have ensured 2014 has been far from a bust. But with a Monument still eluding him and Grand Tour stage wins harder to come by with Marcel Kittel on the scene, a win in Spain would be a prestigious confidence boost as the Slovakian prepares for his switch to Tinkoff-Saxo next season.
As reported by CyclingNews last week, Germany's John Degenkolb had to spend time in hospital after suffering complications from a crash. If he has recovered in time, the versatile sprinter will be hoping to still be in contention for a finish in Ponferrada that may suit him following a hilly 254.8 km.
Australia's Simon Gerrans and Belgium's Philippe Gilbert are more than capable, while other form men of 2014 like Norway's Alexander Kristoff will fancy their chances too. Tejay van Garderen and Andrew Talansky of America would certainly like to influence the day's racing if the opportunity arises.
Someone coming out of nowhere to enjoy a day to remember should not be discounted either.
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