UCI 2006 World Road Championships

Salzburg (Austria), 19 - 24 Sept. 2006

British Cycling World Road Championships Home Page

Larry Hickmott reports and photographs

Elite Men's Road Race

Italian Paolo Bettini wins the World Championship from Germany's Erick Zabel.

After Nicole Cooke's brilliant Bronze in the Elite Women's race, there was no medal today in the Elite's Men's race in Austria but the race  shared the same awesome proud moments as we watched David Millar take the race to the best bike riders in the World and who knows, on a tougher course, he may well have pulled off the big one.

Right: David on the steepest part of the climb, looking well in control and 'luvin it'.

In the end though, the race was won by Italy's Paolo Bettini (Italy) who was a deserved winner after getting away in several key moves and then won the sprint. The race early on was quite 'normal' with the early breakways building up a lead that looked impossible to bridge but did eventually melt away as the race began with four laps to go.

It was the last lap though that on the big screen at the finish we were able to see the jersey of Millar bridging gaps and going off the front. With fellow road stars Karsten Kroon and Michael Boogerd (Netherlands), he got into a vital break which bridged up to Paolo Bettini but as many had predicted, the group behind was able to move much faster and the leaders were caught only a few kilometres from the finish.

Post Race Reaction
After the race, David was understandably disappointed he didn't medal but at the same time pleased with the ride saying in the GB tent afterwards "I was lov'in it. Max (Sciandri) and I talked about it and decided we could do it all on the last lap so I was pretty patient. There were a few times on the climb I could have gone before that but I gambled and waited and waited for the last lap."

"It's just unfortunate there was a big descent otherwise we were gone. The break was good and we worked bloody hard. We were all on the edge but there was nothing we could do as no matter what we did, the group behind us was going to go a few k faster because of how big it was. A shame but it was great to be in the race."

He said after he had been caught, he planned one final do or die attack 2k from the line. "I timed it a bit wrong though as Pozzatto was on the front and he was really strong. Then it went a bit hay wire. As soon as we came round the corner with 800 to go, a Spanish guy let a wheel go and then there was a lot of confusion. I tried to close the gap because I had Stuart O'Grady on my wheel but it was too late".

"I think today was a farer reflection of my form as I was tired for the TT. I am really happy though because it shows I'm getting stronger." David then added finally that with his form, he has high hopes for Zurich and Lombardy. "I'll relax a bit this evening and then I'm right on it."

Roger Hammond
"In a way, I'm disappointed because this was the perfect circuit for me today but on the side of the coin I'm happy because out of the last eight weeks, I have six days of racing and I can still be in the front group of a World Championship. So I did pretty well to be honest considering how little racing I have done. I lacked a little Tour and Poland would have been perfect before having a few weeks of rest. That's the frustrating thing."

"The last two laps for me were the worst two of the race. I made a mistake the penultimate time on the climb. Before that I'd worked out a way of moving to the front every lap but then with two laps to go they rode it a bit differently and the way I had gambled on getting to the front, the door was shut on me. So I then had to go back out the other side and move up into the wind and that was enough for me. I got up there and stayed up there on the long climb but on the next steep climb, it split and I had to close the gap on the descent and from there, I was fighting all the way."

Roger pictured moving up the left side of the group early on.

"I was still in the mix with a lap to go, and on the final climb I was in the front group but the problem was I was in 50th which was too far back. Then we turned left onto the small road and they drilled it. We went left and right and it split and on a short sharp climb you could blatantly see riders swinging over and that left two bike lengths and by this stage I wasn't good enough to close gaps. I could only just follow the wheel."

Asked about when the race started, Roger says "It was a bizarre. The first time they went really hard was with about for laps to go when the attacks went over the climb. Until then it was a different race. It was all about trying to save energy and not make stupid mistakes and stay out of the wind."

"The Worlds is always the same where it gets faster and faster and if at this time of the year, you have the legs after 250k, you're there on the last lap." Roger now takes a rest as he looks forward to a season with a different team next and hopefully a return to the good results in the Spring Classics.

The final British rider in the race was former British champion Russell Downing. "My race was good. With two or three to go I lost the legs after having helped Dave out until then. I went back to the car and spoke to Max (Sciandri) and was feeding Dave and things. I was staying by him and any time he needed to go up the bunch, I'd take him up and we did that a couple of times."

"After I'd do that, I'd be gassed afterwards but I'd try and keep Dave in my sight all the time and I did that until three to go when the legs went. I just lacked the kind of distance these guys have in their legs. If I could do more 200 kilometre races, I am sure I'd be in with a shout at the end."

"The level of the race was fine. It was grippy but okay as there were places to move up but you had to pick them. You can't just move up otherwise you'd be gassed. It was great to be here, even the last time up the steep climb where I was just off the back of the group, the crowd were amazing."

Russell added that he has nothing confirmed team wise for next year adding there are several iron's in the fire and he's trying to get things moving. "I'd like to get something signed so I can relax for the winter. It would be good to be in the pro peloton more next year and come back and help Dave again next year."

Thanks to the Great Britain riders for talking to us after a long day in the saddle.

Results
1 Paolo Bettini (Italy) 6.15.36 (42.476 km/h)
2 Erik Zabel (Germany)
3 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spain)
4 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spain) 0.02
5 Robbie McEwen (Australia)
6 Stuart O'Grady (Australia)
7 Uros Murn (Slovenia)
8 Alexandre Botcharov (Russian Federation)
9 Tom Boonen (Belgium)
10 Vladimir Gusev (Russian Federation)
34 Danilo Di Luca (Italy)
35 David Millar (Great Britain)
57 Raivis Belohvosciks (Latvia) 1.53
62 Roger Hammond (Great Britain)

GB PHOTOS

Getting ready prior to the race.

Signing on for the scrum of photographs and huge crowd.

The start of the Elite Men's race.

Roger and David get underway at the start.

Not a cloud in the sky, it was a hot hot day on the climb where all the people were there to party and watch a bike race.

Lap to go and the bunch is strung out behind a break of three.

One of the early breaks.

The lull before the storm. Four laps to go and the peloton is still bunched up on the first climb.

Millar on his ADA's and Scott bike.