Shonak - Nik is a beast. Suddenly developed into a world beater. I think it'll be a matter of years before he takes the Tour. Matt is doing all right, too, though and he's in top shape
knockout - Yeah, we're spoiled this season. Though I'm afraid the team won't be able to keep all the talents. Choices will be made. Pearce and Porte seem safe, as Australian riders. I'm afraid it'll come down to Matthias or Bozic...
Martial1 - Hope so, too! I think he can do it!
TimoCycling - Thanks!
Marcovdw -
sutty68 - Yeah, don't let him wait too long or he'll lose his form now
the_hoyle - Definitely. Within 2 years, he'll be the best stage racer around, I guess.
baia - Definitely. Though both a very different riders, Orica might not have room for both in the future...
Shonak (2) - Spot on. The contracts of Bozic, Pearce, Matthias and Porte all end in 2017. It'll be impossible to resign them all, or to find the support they need for all. And we also have Caleb Ewan and Matthews as super sprinters, also running out in 2017. Damn
Thanks for the support guys! I can't stress it enough. You know how to motivate a guy, I'm glad so many are enjoying this story!
I don't know enough superlatives to descrive this Vuelta I have been following. Nik Bozic reminds us all of ancient times, Eddy Merckx comes to mind. Nik went on to win no less than 6 stages, which were all the uphill mountain finishes! What a domination! Here's the final result:
General Classification
1
Nik Bozic
Orica GreenEdge
78h42'05
2
Charlie Pearce
Orica GreenEdge
+ 5'27
3
Michał Kwiatkowski
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 5'52
4
Tanel Kangert
Astana Pro Team
+ 9'02
5
Richie Porte
Orica GreenEdge
+ 11'45
6
Jurgen Van den Broeck
Lotto Belisol
+ 13'27
7
Carlos Betancur
Movistar Team
+ 20'14
8
Jelle Vanendert
ASUS
+ 21'15
9
Igor Antón
Movistar Team
+ 30'38
10
Daniel Moreno
Movistar Team
+ 36'48
I don't know what to say here. Nik and Charlie have put in the effort of a lifetime. It was amazing to watch, Nik was leader for 17 stages. Charlie took place 2 on the 20th stage, which was just the icing on the cake.
But let there be no doubt: there was no competition for Nik Bozic. He rode everyone on minutes in the mountains. Perhaps the new master in Grand Tours. Contador, Froome, Kwiatkowski, watch out, there's a new kid on the block!
Meanwhile, all eyes turn towards the World Championships. Total focus is necessary now.
I will see you there!!
Matt
Orica-Greenedge seems to have an absolutely crazy good scouting staff!! If those 'new Merckx'es' are really that good you might have to fear your own teammates in the WC! But probably not an uphill finish there? Cobbles wasn't it? More likely a Flemish rider will win, maybe the one whose second name starts with a 'V'! Obviously I mean Sep Vanmarcke, muhahaha
Congratz, and three OGE guys in Top 5! However... wait, three OGE guys in Top 5... hm.
But honestly, I'm not on the hype train yet for Nik Bozic - or maybe I'm off the hype train? I suppose Kwiatkowski must have been tired from le Tour and the classics and besides him, the competiton was rather weak. Still, a great result for Nik, Charlie and the entire OGE squad. Merckx certainly doesn't come to my mind though, sorry Ian.
I shall remain loyal to the King of Flanders.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
jona500 - Our scouting staff should get a present indeed The WC is no uphill finish, but they'll have to be taken into account for future World Championships. Vanmarcke could be a good bet
Shonak - He's far from Merckx, of course, but I meant in the way he won the Vuelta. Taking 6 stages, totally crushing the competition Of course, let's see how he does in the Tour next year!
Just raced the WC. I'll start writing the report shortly. Expect one hell of a race. Guaranteed!
Charlie Pearce, two years after his U23 WC TT victory, almost did it over on the pro level. He was outbested by Boasson Hagen, who has found a second life in his career as a time trialist. It was a nice time trial to follow, obviously beheaded by the absence of Tony Martin, though, who is at home with a broken arm.
Now time for the main event!
World Championships 2016 - Road Race
Profile
I've been here before. I counted it this year, and from January 1st, 2016, I've done the local circuit of the finale 63 times. There's nothing more I can do. I'm ready for the World Championship Road Race!
LIVE Coverage Commentary by Michel Wuyts and José De Cauwer
Good morning and welcome everyone! Welcome in Frameries, where this year's World Championships Road Cycling take place. We've got a Belgian profile, a Belgian superteam and Belgian weather today. Much has been written and said about this day, and we're finally here. Let's list some of the favorites.
Matthias Vleminckx is the first name that comes to mind. Winner of the Ronde, the Omloop, Kuurne, E3 - Harelbeke this year, he's been talking about this race since I can remember. He's impressed friend and foe this season and will be leading the Belgian squad.
Sep Vanmarcke is another good pick, co-leader next to Vleminckx, Vanmarcke is our strongest classic specialist we have at the moment.
Niki Terpstra has shown a lot of ambition lately. But can he fight against his team mates at Quickstep, who have Van Avermaet, Boonen, Vandenbergh here?
Peter Sagan has had a rough season, but delivered nonetheless. He's keen on the one jersey he dreams of the most. Don't count him out today.
Other names popping up on most lists include Alexander Kristoff, John Degenkolb, Matti Breschel, Zdenek Stybar, Heinrich Haussler, Kenneth Vanbilsen...
It's 12 o' clock and we're about ready for the start of this 2016 World Championship Road Race. Are you ready, José?
I think we're as ready as we'll ever be!
And we're off! We see eager riders, they all want to get in that breakaway! If you can make the final circuit, you can be of much use to your leader on those smaller roads in the end. Maybe even stay away, you never know.
What are those cars doing there? Get out of the way!
Obivously, we see Belgium take control of the race. They have to, right? They have the big favorites and it's on Belgium soil. Do you miss being National Coach at a time like this, José?
I wouldn't want the job for all the money in the world today, Michel.
How's that?
A squad with this talent, all these natural born leaders. Try to get the team to cooperate properly. Can you make a Vanbilsen work for a Vanmarcke? We can't have 9 leaders. I think the National Coach made a mistake in bringing all these leaders here.
There's something to it. But can you leave a Vanbilsen at home?
Anyway, it's nice to see ex-World Champion Tom Boonen lead the pack on these Belgian roads. He's riding for the team today.
We also see Vandenbergh and Van Keirsbulck move in.
We've arrived at the first passage at the finish. The breakaway is large, but the peloton is right behind it. Everything under control so far!
First time over the main street of this WC. And Van Avermaet has a flat tire! Oh this is bad timing!
Things get ripped apart here, the roads are too narrow for a big group to pass quickly. The remaining Belgians are chasing the break now.
And a second time over the hill. Vanmarcke, Vleminckx, Roelandts and Vanbilsen have reached the first breakaway group. There are still a few up front, though. Do they know that?
Of course they do, Michel. Don't panic.
Matthias Vleminckx attacks, this is a crucial stage in the race! We've only got 19 km left to go now!
Oh and what's this?
You just don't do that. You just don't do it, you don't.
Vanmarcke makes the jump to Vleminckx and brings along two companions. What was he thinking? Vleminckx was gone!
They have to ride now, no other way. Third time over the hill and they've caught the head of the race. This is a thrilling finale, with the expected names at the front, but not in the way we hoped for!
Ding ding ding, one lap to go! We've got Sep Vanmarcke, Matthias Vleminckx and Zdenek Stybar at the front. Do they know they've got Stybar there, José?
I don't think so. They only have eyes for each other. This is just terrible to watch, they're fighting each other.
The final climb. This is important. Will we s--- AND VLEMINCKX ATTACKS, OH WHAT A DEMARAGE, WHO CAN FOLLOW THIS? GO, MATTHIAS, GO, GO!
Stybar is not letting go, he's not cracking! This is bad!
He didn't manage to shake him, who would've expected this? I don't think Vleminckx anticipated this. What does he have to do now?
Ride, he has to ride now. He shot off one bullet, let's hope he's got one left.
They're hesitating. And Vanmarcke joins them again. Will the Belgians finally work together now? They have to!
This is just terrible. They're not giving each other anything. Breschel joins them now, too. They have to act fast if they want to win this!
But the problem is neither wants the other to win. Are they both counting on their sprint?
And we're going to a four man sprint! What a finale of this World Championship! Two Belgians up front. And Vanmarcke doesn't have the legs anymore. Breschel is not fast enough. It's between Stybar and Vleminckx!!!
STYBAR OR VLEMINCKX?
IT'S VLEMINCKX, VLEMINCKX, HE'S GOING TO W--
O NO, STYBAR!
STYBAR
IT'S STYBAR!!
Oh Matthias, poor, poor Matthias. He'll be heartbroken. What a missed chance here. No Belgian winner today, what a disappointment.
We have Renaat with the vice World Champion. Let's listen to him.
Matthias Vleminckx. You must be disappointed.
It's... I really thought I could win when we headed into the final kilometer. If Vanmarcke doesn't come behind you, do you win the race?
I don't know. I thought I had super legs so I didn't care who was with me or who wasn't. It felt like it wouldn't matter, I could beat anyone. But in the end... Understandably an emotional Vleminckx. We'll give him some space to recover from the effort today.
Let's look at the result here.
Result
1
Zdenek Stybar
ASUS
4h08'33
2
Matthias Vleminckx
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
3
Matti Breschel
Cult Energy Vital Water
s.t.
4
Sep Vanmarcke
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
5
Alexander Kristoff
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
6
Arnaud Demare
FDJ.fr
s.t.
7
Niki Terpstra
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 1'23
8
Sébastien Turgot
Movistar Team
+ 2'07
9
Nicolas Roche
Tinkoff - Saxo
+ 3'03
10
Peter Sagan
Cannondale
s.t.
Spoiler
11
Carlos Barbero
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
+ 3'25
12
Sacha Modolo
FDJ.fr
s.t.
13
Mark Renshaw
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
14
Gerald Ciolek
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
+ 7'36
15
Jempy Drucker
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
16
John Degenkolb
Team Sky
s.t.
17
Bryan Coquard
Team Europcar
s.t.
18
Rick Zabel
Jack Wolfskin
s.t.
19
Elia Viviani
Cannondale
s.t.
20
André Greipel
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
21
Michael Mørkøv
IAM Cycling
s.t.
22
Oscar Gatto
Cannondale
s.t.
23
Tony Gallopin
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
24
Greg Van Avermaet
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
25
Heinrich Haussler
IAM Cycling
s.t.
26
Ramon Sinkeldam
Exergy Development Group
s.t.
27
Filippo Pozzato
Lampre - Merida
s.t.
28
Matthieu Ladagnous
FDJ.fr
s.t.
29
Sebastian Langeveld
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
30
Barry Markus
ASUS
s.t.
31
Jürgen Roelandts
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
32
Mark Cavendish
Team Sky
s.t.
33
Leigh Howard
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
34
Matteo Trentin
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
35
Adrien Petit
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
36
Silvan Dillier
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
37
Kenneth Vanbilsen
FDJ.fr
s.t.
38
Michael Matthews
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
39
Caleb Ewan
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
40
Tyler Farrar
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
41
Marco Marcato
Cannondale
s.t.
42
Sam Bennett
Velosure - Giordana Racing Team
s.t.
43
Giacomo Nizzolo
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
44
Alexey Tsatevitch
Team Katusha
s.t.
45
Bernhard Eisel
IAM Cycling
s.t.
46
Marko Kump
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
47
Matthew Goss
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
48
Sondre Holst Enger
Team Øster Hus - Ridley
s.t.
49
Nacer Bouhanni
Movistar Team
s.t.
50
Danny Van Poppel
Wanty - Groupe Gobert
s.t.
51
Dominique Rollin
Cyclingteam De Rijke
s.t.
52
Ben Swift
Team Sky
+ 8'46
53
Daryl Impey
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
54
Sebastian Lander
Cult Energy Vital Water
s.t.
55
Michael Kolar
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
56
Danilo Wyss
Team Vorarlberg
s.t.
57
Francisco José Ventoso
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
58
Erik Baska
-
s.t.
59
Marcel Kittel
ASUS
s.t.
60
Sonny Colbrelli
Bardiani CSF
s.t.
61
Rüdiger Selig
Jack Wolfskin
s.t.
62
Jonas Ahlstrand
ASUS
s.t.
63
Luka Mezgec
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
64
Alexander Porsev
Team Katusha
s.t.
65
Pim Ligthart
Oscaro - Air Corsica
s.t.
66
Fabio Silvestre
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
67
Philip Lavery
Synergy Baku Cycling Project
s.t.
68
Juan José Lobato
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
69
Wilco Kelderman
Belkin Pro Cycling Team
s.t.
70
Chris Froome
Team Sky
s.t.
71
Andrew Fenn
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
72
Geoffrey Soupe
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
s.t.
73
Scott Thwaites
Jack Wolfskin
s.t.
74
Marco Haller
Team Katusha
s.t.
75
Simon Yates
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
76
José Joaquín Rojas
Movistar Team
s.t.
77
Luis León Sánchez
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
78
Ruslan Tleubayev
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
79
Tom Dumoulin
ASUS
s.t.
80
Carlos Betancur
Movistar Team
s.t.
81
Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
82
Martin Hebik
Etixx
s.t.
83
Jeffry Romero
Colombia
+ 11'07
84
Arthur Vichot
FDJ.fr
s.t.
85
Eric Young
Exergy Development Group
s.t.
86
Michal Golas
IAM Cycling
s.t.
87
Sergio Henao
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
88
Jakob Rathe
Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis
s.t.
89
Ryan Anderson
Androni Giocattoli
s.t.
90
Denis Galimzyanov
RusVelo
s.t.
91
Matej Mohorič
Adria Mobil
s.t.
92
Daniel Biedermann
RC Gourmetfein Wels
s.t.
93
Guillaume Boivin
Exergy Development Group
s.t.
94
Enrique Sanz
Movistar Team
s.t.
95
Blaz Jarc
Garmin Sharp
s.t.
96
Bartlomiej Matysiak
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
97
Marcel Aregger
IAM Cycling
s.t.
98
Rob Britton
Team Novo Nordisk
s.t.
99
Dayer Quintana
Movistar Team
s.t.
100
Kamil Zielinski
CCC Polsat Polkowice
s.t.
101
Michael Albasini
Orica GreenEdge
s.t.
102
Jiri Hochmann
Bauknecht - Author
s.t.
103
Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
104
Mateusz Nowak
Efapel - Glassdrive
s.t.
105
Jakob Fuglsang
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
106
Lukas Pöstlberger
Tirol Cycling Team
s.t.
107
Grega Bole
Adria Mobil
s.t.
108
Valentin Iglinskiy
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
109
Tyler Magner
Team 3M
s.t.
110
Daniel Schorn
Jack Wolfskin
s.t.
111
Francesco Gavazzi
Astana Pro Team
s.t.
112
Rigoberto Urán
Lotto Belisol
s.t.
113
Leopold König
Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
s.t.
114
Jens Keukeleire
NFTO
s.t.
115
Larry Warbasse
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
116
Sébastien Reichenbach
Euskadi
s.t.
117
Stijn Vandenbergh
Omega Pharma - Quick·Step Cycling Team
s.t.
118
Petr Vakoč
Etixx
s.t.
119
Daniel Martin
AG2R La Mondiale
s.t.
120
Thomas Löfkvist
IAM Cycling
s.t.
121
Matej Vysna
-
s.t.
122
Alex Kirsch
TEAM Spuerkeess
s.t.
123
Martin Gilbert
NFTO
s.t.
124
Colin Doherty
-
s.t.
125
George Preidler
ASUS
s.t.
126
Patrick Schelling
IAM Cycling
s.t.
127
Rafal Majka
Tinkoff - Saxo
s.t.
128
Nairo Quintana
Movistar Team
s.t.
129
Steele Von Hoff
Garmin Sharp
+ 12'31
130
André Gonçalves
Banco BIC - Carmim
s.t.
131
Nolan Hoffman
MTN - Qhubeka
s.t.
132
Diego Ochoa
Colombia
s.t.
133
Matthias Frank
IAM Cycling
+ 13'06
134
Brent Bookwalter
BMC Racing Team
s.t.
135
Edwin Ávila
Colombia
s.t.
136
Peter Erdin
Team Vorarlberg
s.t.
137
Artur Detko
Bauknecht - Author
+ 13'53
Well, José. We've seen a strange race today. Beautiful to watch, but too bad we didn't get that Belgian winner.
But José was right: Too many leaders. National coach's fault. He can't expect someone like Vanmarcke to just idle by while Vleminckx rides off to rainbow glory and gets everything he wants. If Vanmarcke had attacked before, what whould have Matt done? I doubt he would have just sit on Stybi's wheel.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
'Potverdorie!' Such a chance to get a Belgian World Champion again after Gilbert! Belgium shouldn't be losing on it's own ground! Matt did all he could, Vanmarcke should be ashamed! But at least it was a tense final! AWESOME
PS: José should be picked up as national coach again! Doesn't mean Carlo Bomans should start commentating though
.. imo, it´s great to see some (possible) future rivality in the team between Bozic & Matthias .. 
Vuelta à España 2016 
