UCI Road World Championships 2018 Preview
The 2018 UCI Road World Championships will be starting up on September 22nd and will run through to the 30th of the month. This year’s edition of the popular event is being hosted in Innsbruck Austria, the third time that it has been hosted by the country. This will be the 91st edition of the tournament and it hosts three main disciplines for both the men and women participants.
Men’s Road Race
The race will take place on the 30th of September and it will be all eyes on Peter Sagan. He is the three-time defending champion of the event and is naturally going to be in among the leading pack of contenders. This year’s road race features the Hell Climb and it looks set to be one of the most difficult editions for some time. There is a star-studded line up at the event with the likes of Alejandro Valverde, Simon Yates, and Vincenzo Nibali in there.
One of the dark horses to watch for could be Michael Kwiatkowski who is used to riding in a support role. But unleashed he is a very good climber. Similarly Alaphilippe, Nibali and Roglic are all superb riders on the descent. It should be highly competitive. There’s a fantastic line up at the event and Valverde gets our nod at 7/2 odds* (betting odds taken from September 19th, 2018 at 7:33 pm).
British competitors: Hugh Carthy, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Pete Kennaugh, James Knox, Ian Stannard, Connor Swift, Adam Yates, Simon Yates.
Men’s Road Race Winner Odds*
Alejandro Valverde 7/2
Juan Alaphilippe 9/2
Simon Yates 10/1
Vincenzo Nibali 14/1
Primoz Roglic 16/1
Michael Kwiatkowski 18/1
Bar 25/1
Men’s Time Trial
Tom Dumoulin is going to be one of the main figures in the Time Trial as he seeks to defend his title there. Tony Martin is a four-time winner of the event and the German is back for another crack at a title. One of the other main challengers is expected to be Rohan Dennis. All three of those are superb on the uneven tracks and are likely to rise to the occasion. This course is going to be suited to those with the best legs for climbing. Primoz Roglic is the other rider who could muscle his way onto the podium. For us though Dumoulin is the justifiable 8/11 odds favourite.
British Riders: Alex Dowsett, Tao Geoghagen Hart.
Men’s Time Trial Odds*
Tom Dumoulin 8/11
Rohan Dennis 11/8
Vasil Kiryienka 16/1
Tony Martin 20/1
Maximilian Schachmann 20/1
Nelson Oliveira 22/1
Bar 25/1
Men’s Team Time Trial
This isn’t separated by country it is by team. Team SunWeb came out on top last season with Tom Dumoulin leading the way for them. Belgium’s Quick-Step Floors have been the most successful team at this event winning three gold medals. Team Sky have never finished higher than bronze (twice). Since the event was revived back in 2012 this will be the longest course for both men and women. Back more success for SunWeb.
Women’s Road Race
The Dutch riders are going to be featuring prominently and Anna van der Breggen and Annemiek van Vleuten will be the stand out riders in this one. They are rivals in different teams and so are used to going head to head but will have to pull together as a team for the Netherlands. Van Vleuten is probably the one better suited to the tough course that is ahead and she skipped the Giro Rosa for this shot at the Worlds. It is likely to be one of these two on top of the podium as they look head and shoulder above the rest of the field, especially on such a hilly course. Van Vleuten probably just edges this though, she is honed in on the Worlds.
British Riders: Hannah Barnes, Dani Christmas, Alice Cobb, Anna Henderson, Dani Rowe, Sophie Wright.
Women’s Time Trial
Annemiek van Vleuten got her hands on the Women’s time trial last year and her competitor Anna van der Breggen followed her home in second place. There could even be a real three of the podium being filled with Dutch riders as they could have Ellen van Dijk in the squad as well. Van Vleuten is the one to watch.
British Riders: Alice Barnes, Hayley Simmonds.
Women’s Team Time Trial
SunWeb completed the double in the time trial last year in Bergen winning both the men’s and the women’s events. They have to be in with a decent shot of pulling off a repeat as well. SunWeb women’s team looks even stronger than it was twelve months ago and on paper, the men’s is going to take some stopping.
