Worlds Recap

In case you've been living under a rock, you've heard that Paolo Bettini (Quickstep-Innergetic) won the Mens' Worlds Road Race on Sunday in Stuttgart. Here's a recap of the podiums:

U23 Men Time Trial:

1 Lars Boom (Netherlands)                          48.58 (46.86 km/h)
2 Mikhail Ignatiev (Russia)                         0.09
3 Jerome Coppel (France)                            0.46

Elite Women Time Trial:

1 Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany)                     34.43.8 (43.432 km/h)
2 Kristin Armstrong (United States of America)     0.23.5
3 Christiane Soeder (Austria)                      0.41.5

Elite Men Time Trial:

1 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland)         55.41.3 (48.380 km/h)
2 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hungary)                 0.52.1
3 Stef Clement (Netherlands)               0.57.8

U23 Men Road Race:

1 Peter Velits (Slovakia)                         4.21.22 (39.461 km/h)
2 Wesley Sulzberger (Australia)                         
3 Jonathan Bellis (Great Britain)

Elite Women Road Race:

1 Marta Bastianelli (Italy)                  3.46.34 (35.406 km/h)
2 Marianne Vos (Netherlands)                    0.06
3 Giorgia Bronzini (Italy) 

Elite Men Road Race:

1 Paolo Bettini (Italy)                                        6.44.43 (39.642 km/h)
2 Alexandr Kolobnev (Russian Federation)                             
3 Stefan Schumacher (Germany)      

Medals By Country:

1)Italy (3: 2 Gold, 1 Bronze)
2)Netherlands (3: 1 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
3)Germany (2: 1 Gold, 1 Bronze)
4)Russia (2: 2 Silver)
5)Switzerland (1: 1 Gold)
6)Slovakia (1: 1 Gold)
7)Hungary (1: 1 Silver)
8)Australia (1: 1 Silver)
9)U.S.A. (1: 1 Silver)
10)Great Britain (1: 1 Bronze)
11)Austria (1: 1 Bronze)
12)France (1: 1 Bronze)

Established Cycling Nations vs. Everybody Else
(Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria vs. USA, Russia, Australia, Great Britain, Slovakia, Hungary)
1)Established Nations (11: 5 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze)
2)Everybody Else (7: 1 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze)


As you can see, the big cycling nations, especially the squadra azzuri, the Dutch and Germans dominated this years' worlds. The US women were quite disappointing after last year's fabulous showing. France has once again flattered to deceive and were terrible in the Mens' Road Race, with their best place going to Ludovic Turpin in 41st, in the bunch 49" behind Bettini. Big props to Peter Velits for winning big for Slovakia, and to the Russians for their overall solid performance. Italy has once again been the best nation in cycling this year, and hopefully Enrico Franzoi can do well for them as the cyclocross season heats up. I'll be back for either a preview or review of Paris-Tours and the early season 'cross racing.

Forza azzuri e Bettini!