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Sagan repeats as world champion on crosswinds-lashed Doha course

Canada's Roth 15th after riding up front all day

October 16, 2016
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Peter Sagan (Slovakia) became the first rider to defend his world road race championship since Italian Paolo Bettini in 2006-2007 after winning Sunday’s reduced field sprint. It was a difficult, hot day of echelons. Canadian Ryan Roth was in the early break and the decisive group for over 5:30.

In his first year in the rainbow jersey, Sagan took his fifth consecutive points jersey in the Tour de France, won the European championship and triumphed in Gent-Wevelgem, the Tour of Flanders and GP Cycliste de Quebec. He’s off to Bora-Hansgrohe next season, practically ensuring the team will jump up to the WorldTour.

The riders had a course that ran 130-km in the desert, first north and then south, before 7-laps of the 15.2-km Pearl circuit for a total of 257.5-km. Crosswinds would be the story of the day.


Eritrea’s Daniel Teklehaimanot tried the first breakaway, but it was his compatriot Natnael Berhane who successfully rushed away with six reinforcements including Canada’s time trial champion Roth. After 22-km the septet had a 10:00 lead.

Early on Belarus’s Kanstantsin Siutsou led the peloton, with Norway, Australia, Britain and France all up near the front.

When the peloton made its turn to return south, the first gaps appeared. Belgium drove on, with Norway, Italy and Australia getting their main men in the first bunch, but Germany, Britain (except Mark Cavendish), Spain and the Netherlands losing out.


With 145-km to go, Roth’s breakaway was caught by the lead group, henceforth referred to as the Peter Sagan/Tom Boonen group, with the nearest chase, German-led, 52-seconds behind. Once the race entered the circuits of the Pearl, massive numbers of riders started to drop out. The gap between the two groups was 1:26.

With five laps to go the gap increased. Things got testy in the chase as German John Degenkolb squirted water at a Belgian who wasn’t contributing.

As the finish line drew closer it looked more likely that the 2016 world champion would come from a 26-rider group containing Roth, Sagan, Boonen, Greg van Avermaet (Belgium), Cavendish, Michael Matthews (Australia), Alexander Kristoff (Norway) and Italians Elia Viviani and Giacomo Nizzolo. There were six Belgians accounted for.


With their superior numbers, the Belgians would have to get rid of as many sprinters as possible in the final three laps. The group went into the last three circuits with a 2:30 advantage. Chasers started to pull out, their spirit and legs shattered.

The race headed towards a tense climax.


With 21-km to go Roth asked for the team car.


A Belgian led into the bell lap. Belgium, Norway and Italy kept the pace high, stringing out the platoon of riders. Norway grabbed the reins with 6.2-km to go. Dutchman Niki Terpstra attacked with 5-km remaining, with Van Avermaet grabbing him. Terpstra immediately surrendered.

Then Terpstra’s teammate Tom Leezer bolted with 2.5-km remaining. Under the kite he had 4-seconds. Belgium slaved to bring him back. He was caught with 300-metres to go. When Brit Adam Blythe went hard, Cavendish couldn’t go with him, but made a late surge, having to free wheel for a split second. However, it was Sagan who dashed away up the right hand side to retain the rainbow jersey.

It’s the first time that three riders who had won the world road race championship–Sagan, Cavendish and Boonen–were on a WC podium together.

Roth came 15th after a fantastic, gritty performance.

The Germans had the most individual medals in Doha 2016 with five. The USA had four and Italy and the Netherlands both took three.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNLpg3WmTbI


Doha 2016 UCI Road World Championships Elite Men’s Road Race 257.5-km
Gold: Peter Sagan (Slovakia) 5:40:43
Silver: Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) s.t.
Bronze: Tom Boonen (Belgium) s.t.
15) Ryan Roth (Canada) +0:08