Monday, April 21, 2025

World Road Championships 2007 – Day 5: Elite Road Race

-

HomeDiariesWorld Road Championships 2007 - Day 5: Elite Road Race

It wasn’t until the Belgian guy pointed it out to me today, but it wasn’t the friendliest of championships, the World Road Championships 2007. The Press Centre you expect to be a clique-ridden, unfriendly, verging on hostile place.

World Road Championships 2007
The press horde.

I think it’s because a lot of those that work there are freelance and any new face could be taking work from them. But even in the ‘real’ world, if you don’t speak first, no one will talk to you.

World Road Championships 2007
Oh look, a beer garden…

In Belgium, folks always ask what you’re about and then you have a pils together – or a dozen pils, more like.

In Germany, maybe because they are conservative by nature, there’s not a lot of chat. Anyway, enough of my un-PC attitudes and racial stereo-typing.

World Road Championships 2007
They’re off.

Sometimes you just know when someones going to win, Cancellara for instance and Bettini too. The road race is obviously much more of a lottery than the test, but when I saw Bettini training on the circuit on Friday, it was apparent that he was a driven-man. He wore a mask of concentration and determination that spoke more than any words in a newspaper. This morning (Sunday) too, business-like, focused, no time for autographs, there was a race to win.

World Road Championships 2007
Carlos Sastre.

However, it would be wrong to forget the role played by Italian coach, Franco Ballerini, who once again welded-together a strong, united team, which ran rings round a Spanish squad; which was every bit as strong as the Italians, on paper.

World Road Championships 2007
The early break.

Millar was well-in the mix until the bell lap, but that’s when it really matters. The Worlds is like Milan-San Remo, it’s all going to happen between the Poggio and the Via Roma, but you have to get there with the “heads” to be in the race. The Worlds is really just two laps, but it’s just two laps with five hours plus, in your legs.

World Road Championships 2007
Oscar and Dave.

Mark Cavendish looked OK until mid-race, but it was no surprise to see him off the back as the shadows lengthened. The Italians didn’t pick Benatti or Petacchi, so there was no way that Cavendish was going to get a result. No disrespect to ‘Cav’; he’s had a marvellous first season and if he continues to progress, is a real star in the making. But let the laddie pay his dues at this level before we think about him battling with the Azzuri for the last two laps.

World Road Championships 2007
Snack time.

Before the race it was chaotic around the Italian bus, there were hundreds of fans, looking for a glimpse of the Squadra.

World Road Championships 2007
Schumacher before the race. We just can’t quite get behind this guy for some reason.

Meanwhile, home favourite, Schumacher was able to get out of his car, stretch and chat to friends in complete peace. I think the Germans like the actual sporting event, but they’re not into the Belgian or Italian pagan idolatry stuff.

World Road Championships 2007
Race watching is thirsty work – time for a beer.

It was a beautiful day in Stuttgart, in the first couple of laps, riders were removing under vests as it got hotter and hotter. It made for a different race from the U23 event where strong headwinds on the climbs and strong tail winds on the fast parts of the course, conspired to make it very difficult to form a breakaway. There was little wind today and the result was an attacking race.

World Road Championships 2007
Dave and Paolo on the big screen.

The official finishing sheet lists two pages of DNF, virtually three quarters of the field, that tells a story. The organisers were lucky with the weather, earlier in the week it had almost felt as if there was snow in the air. One year, in a Northern European Worlds, the UCI are going to get “caught” by the weather with this new, late date. At Plouay in 2000 it was horrible, wet and very cold. In addition, many riders have had a long, long season, the racing starts in January and by the end of September, they’ve had enough.

World Road Championships 2007
The three best riders in the world. Maybe.

It’s 10.00 am Monday CET and I’m sitting in Stuttgart airport, waiting on my flight to Gatwick. That’s The Worlds for another year, Varese in Italy for 2008.

Still, Trossachs next Sunday. Braw.

World Road Championships 2007
Kolobnev deserved the silver – at least.
World Road Championships 2007
Oscar’s team couldn’t match the Italians.
Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed was involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he was a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He was also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months often worked in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed was a highly respected journalist, his tales of chasing the Giro, Tour, Vuelta, Classics and World Championships - and his much-loved winter Six Days - are legendary, never the same twice, they gave our site an edge other cycling media could never duplicate or challenge. Sadly Ed passed away in January 2025, two years after suffering a devastating stroke.

Related Articles

Grenoble Six Day 2009 – Day Three; Sprinters

Them sprinters are big guys-I passed them in the tunnel tonight, they looked cool, cocky, stylish. The public here love the sprinters; at intro time, they actually get their big build up from Daniel Mangeas after the Six Day riders. Bauge did a standstill for more than half-an-hour, in Gent there would be bricks getting lobbed at him, but in Grenoble-they love it.

Le Tour de France – Day 9: Stage 21, Etampes to Paris

Salle de Presse, Meridien Hotel, Paris, 18.55 Sunday July 27th. We were in Etampes, and we just watched Steegmans demonstrate how to sprint, he's a much better sprinter than he is a time triallist. Sastre won his, and CSC's first Grand Tour without drama, there was the usual show boating-'Carlos with glass of champagne', it says here on this script.

Saunier Duval Team Launch 2007 – Day 3

The third day, and it's the big one, your actual Saunier Duval Team Launch 2007. I wrote-up my Gianetti and Ventoso interviews in the room first thing then came down for some grub. You can read the interview with Franciso here.

Le Tour de France 2007 – Day 1: Stage 12, Montpellier – Castres

Bonjour! It's that time - there's only one game in town and it's called, 'Le Tour'. Ken Livingston's ego trip and the stages Viktor calls; "watchin' paint dry!" are behind us, so are the Alps. Tomorrow it's the first time trial then it's the Pyrennes; sprinter and transition stages; the final tt and Paris. God-willing, we'll be there all the way. We arrived at Perpignan around 6.00, local time, it's nearly 9.00 now and we've still got our accreditation to collect at Castres. Wheels for the trip, is a Renault Clio, the air-con and stereo and iPod work, that's all you need really.

At Random

Andy Smallwood – Ribble Cycles CEO Talks Tech, Teams and Traditions

When Sasha Castling of Ribble Cycles contacted us to ask if we’d be interested to hear more about the company’s decision to run a TV ad. campaign promoting their wares during the Tour de France, we took the opportunity to ask the man behind the company, Mr. Andy Smallwood a wide range of questions about his business, the sport and that, ‘tech stuff.’

Scottish 25 Mile TT Championship 2019 goes to Kyle Gordon

On a rain sodden but mild and fast Sunday morning on the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway, starting and finishing at Forfar, Kyle Gordon (RT23) added to his Scottish 10 Mile TT Title with a rapid 48:53 to win the Scottish 25 Mile TT Championship 2019 crown from jockey-turned-bike-rider, former Olympic TT Champion, Wilson Renwick (Java Partizan Pro Cycling Team) on 49:16 and former Hill Climb Champion, David Griffiths (Bioracer-Moriarty Bikes) with 49:24.

Rudi Altig

In the passing of Rudi Altig from cancer on June 11th 2016 from cancer at 79 years-of-age, Germany and the sport of cycling have lost one of it’s giants. He was a man who could win everything from his nation’s amateur national sprint championship to the Vuelta by way of the world professional pursuit and road race titles, Monuments and Six Day races.

Scottish Cycling Super 6 2009 – Round 5, Aberdeen

Endura's Gary Hand took the July edition of the Scottish Cycling Super 6 2009 over 66 miles at a scorching Aberdeen on Saturday, beating Robin Wilkins from Stirling into second and Craig Adams from Falkirk into third with East of Scotland 'old dog' Andy Matheson grabbing fourth.