UCI World Championships

[choke]

I'll probably watch on either Sporza or NOS.nl with a VPN.


Re: the women's road race. Last week Annemiek van Vleuten broke her wrist during the Giro Rosa. For any normal human that would have ended a chance to defend the jersey but AvV doesn't give up easily. She was also scheduled to do the TT but has decided not to race that event.

Press release here: https://www.knwu.nl/nieuws/30345

Google translate:

September 22, 2020

Annemiek van Vleuten will decide on Friday whether she can defend her world title on the road in Imola a day later. She will therefore travel to Italy to join the national team. The Mitchelton-Scott rider broke her wrist last Thursday. “At the time I thought that I wouldn't be able to ride a World Cup at all. The doctors at the Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem thought along with me when I was able to go there for an operation on Friday. For example, I was not put under anesthesia, so I could get back on the bike quickly. They fitted me a brace on Monday and with that I could actually immediately cycle painlessly and also hold my handlebars well. It is important to note that the doctors indicate that there are no health risks associated with a possible start. I absolutely want to put my health first. ”

Van Vleuten makes another reservation because she wants to await the development of the healing process and will make a decision on her start in the road race on Friday. “It is true that standing climbing is not even 100 percent. And that must be the case to actually take the departure. When I start, I do it with ambitions and not just to be there. It does play a role that I don't take anyone's place when I decide to start. My place is in my name, because I won the world title in Harrogate last year. This is different for Thursday's time trial. I do not want to be on my conscience that a class like Ellen van Dijk would stand aside because I wanted to hold on to my place. That is why I gave up my starting place on that part ”