2023-08-06 08:17:21
In Glasgow it rains one day out of every two of the year. And today, the date of the Road World Cup, the weather report announces water, wind and cool, with a maximum temperature of 18 degrees. This Scottish city that lives under the umbrella awaits the stars of the world peloton with a 271-kilometre route that, after an initial ride, includes a 14-kilometre almost urban circuit that the cyclists will do ten laps on. In each of those loops there are 48 curves. That is, 480 in total. That means braking, acceleration and tons of tension on an asphalt surely soaked by the streets of the Scottish town. In this difficult scenario, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, one of the favorites, will defend his rainbow jersey.
There are a few more. In such a setting, the list of candidates for gold is long: Evenepoel is accompanied in Belgium by the reference team, the complete Wout Van Aert and the fast Jasper Philipsen. One of his compatriots, former world champion Tom Boonen, says that there are too many roosters in such a small pen. From that internal war, if it occurs, the rest will try to take advantage of it. The Netherlands goes with Matthieu van der Poel and Dylan van Baarle. In France they bet on Julian Alaphilippe, Christophe Laporte and Brian Coquard. Denmark relies on Mads Pedersen, well escorted by Mattias Skjelmose and Kasper Asgreen.
The protagonists
Slovenia
Tadej Pogacar
He has signed up at the last minute, but he is in good form on the Tour and will go out to win.
Belgium
Remco Eve Nepoel
On the way to the Tour of Spain, the current champion faces a circuit that does not benefit him.
Belgium
Wout Van Aert
He has everything, speed, strength and ability, to stand out on a track like this.
Netherlands
Mathieu Van der Poel
Against the powerful Belgian team, he is one of the candidates to break the race.
Faced with those four stout blocks, it is not convenient to forget the cyclist capable of everything: Tadej Pogacar. The Slovenian, who was able in the spring with Van der Poel in the Tour of Flanders and who was unable in the last Tour with Jonas Vingegaard (absent in Glasgow), has signed up for this World Cup at the last minute. He goes the march. And he loves to run over puddles. The circuit only has one hill, on Montrose Street, which barely lasts half a minute. It seems little, although the Slovenian has plenty of records to adapt to any track.
The Spanish team does not present some of its best assets in Glasgow: Juan Ayuso and Enric Mas are focused on preparing for the Vuelta. Carlos Rodríguez, Pello Bilbao and Mikel Landa have started a rest period after the Tour. And Oier Lazkano is recovering from the fall he suffered in the Klasika de Ordizia. Even so, the coach, Pascual Momparler, has pinned his hopes on two Gipuzkoans who fly in the rain, Alex Aranburu and Ion Izagirre, and on an Asturian labeled a classicsman, Iván García Cortina. The group is completed by Jesús Herrada, Xabier Mikel Azparren, Gonzalo Serrano, Jesús Ezquerra and Roger Adriá. “It is not an ideal circuit for us,” assumes Momparler. It’s more for powerful runners… but Izagirre is like a shot and Aranburu is explosive and the layout is going well for him».
Everyone worries about the combination of corners and rain. This World Cup is like a gigantic 271 kilometer criterium. The ten laps of the final circuit will force the peloton to play to the maximum with the brake. Placement will be key. And for that, to stay focused for seven hours, you have to have a mental armor. Being in the right place avoids wasting energy. The World Cup, although it does not have great unevenness, is always a long-distance test.
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