Each national team has been carefully selected; the riders have all arrived in Innsbruck; the last reconnaissance rides have been completed, and the granny gears have been chosen. Now the best climbers and Grand Tour contenders in the men's professional peloton have only to be strong enough to survive the 258.5km of hilly racing and then conquer the final, steep 2.9km Höttinger Höll. Whoever leads, alone, over the top of the last climb, or wins a small group sprint in central Innsbruck, will inherit Peter Sagan's rainbow jersey.
Sunday's race is expected to be one of the hardest and most selective World Championships for years, with only the 1995 event at altitude in Colombia – won by Spain's Abraham Olano ahead of compatriot Miguel Indurain and Italy's Marco Pantani – and perhaps Sallanches, France, in 1980, when Frenchman Bernard Hinault won alone after over 6,000 metres of climbing, considered harder.
This year's race includes 4,681 metres of climbing, sparking comparisons with Liège-Bastogne-Liège or Il Lombardia.
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The riders face seven long hours in the saddle, with three distinct parts to the course, starting early on Sunday morning in the small town of Kufstein, east of Innsbruck.
French national coach Cyril Guimard compared it to a hard-to-digest three-course meal: the long day starts with the 85km run along the valley and the 2.8km Gramartboden climb, followed by the six laps of the 23.9km Olympic circuit that includes the gradual 7.9km to Igls before the fast descent to the centre of Innsbruck and the finish area.
Too hard for Sagan, perfect for Alaphilippe, Valverde and Yates
The juniors, under-23 men and elite women raced on the same circuit and strangely only the elite men's race has an extra sting in the tail with the climb of Höttinger Höll. It comes after 250km of racing. Its dominance in the finale and its 25 per cent sections could spark the decisive attack from a single rider or small group, or inspire a very aggressive race beforehand.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Interviews and Features http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/a-sunday-in-holl-steep-final-climb-to-decide-mens-worlds-preview
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