Larger US team could make the difference
Vattenfalls Cyclassics winner Tyler Farrar received confirmation today that at this year’s worlds, he will enjoy a significant advantage over British rival Mark Cavendish. The superior world ranking of the American team will see it awarded nine places in the Elite road race, equal to the composition of the Spanish, Italian, Belgian, Australian, Russian, Swiss, German and Dutch squads.
In contrast, Cavendish will have just two team-mates to try to control the race for him, and to lead him out inside the final two kilometres.
The six-man advantage that Farrar will enjoy will boost his chances of getting the better of his Manx opponent. Cavendish is arguably the fastest sprinter in cycling but Farrar has beaten him in the past and should have a much easier ride towards the finish on October 3rd.
The 26 year old was forced to pull out of the Tour de France due to a wrist injury, but has shown strong form since then. He built race condition in the Tour of Denmark, where he nabbed sixth and eighth on stages, then went on to win last Sunday’s Cyclassics race.
Cavendish has been quieter of late, but is expected to line out in the Vuelta where he will go head-to-head with Farrar in the bunch sprints. The Spanish tour will be important for the American in getting ready. “In the Tour of Spain I want to prepare for the world championships,” the Garmin rider told Sporza.
What is certain is that the initial reports from the course may have been inaccurate; the circuit was described as a mainly flat one, but it now apparently is a little hillier than was thought. That suggests that it may not end up being a scrap between the likes of Cavendish and Farrar, but the latter isn’t making his mind up just yet.
“First it was a world’s course idea for sprinters, but now they say that is too hard. I want to look for myself first. If I am in good shape, everything is possible at the world championships in Australia,” he said.
“But a world championship is always difficult to predict. If I find that I do not stand a chance, then I will have no difficulty in sacrificing myself for a team-mate.”
Aside from the nine man teams, there will be other countries with less. France and Slovenia earn seven each, while Kazakhstan, Morocco, Iran, Columbia, Venezuela, Poland, Portugal, Ukraine and Denmark will have six. Luxembourg will have four starters, one more than Cavendish’s squad.