Bikes, spandex, street closures.. oh my! And that’s just the start of it.
Excitement (or dread) is in the air as the world takes Richmond by storm next week. Are you ready? How are you preparing? Will you flee or participate?
Over the course of 9 days – September 19-27 – Richmond will capture the world’s eye as we host this incredible event. Twelve races, nine days, 14-160 miles, and thousands & thousands of eyes. Commuters beware! Road closures and parking woes are part of the package. But so is increased business.
Personally, I’m excited for Richmond as a city! Time to show off what we’ve got. Let’s cheer on the participants and warmly welcome the visitors. Go, #RVA.
Some articles of interest:
Richmond.com – Street closures
All things UCI Road Championships – for an interactive map, ways to get involved, gear, media, and more
Top Men and Women Riders to Watch
Here are some Fast Facts, c/o Richmond.com:
1 That would be Alejandro Valverde, the Spaniard who leads the UCI World Tour Road Rankings by 110 points over Tour de France winner Christopher Froome. Valverde has finished third in the last three Worlds, and his six podium finishes are the most ever. But he is looking for his first championship.
2 Spain dominates the men’s rankings with three of the top five — Valverde, Alberto Cantador and Joaquim Rodriguez — and five in the top 30.
3 Both 2014 men’s champion Michal Kwiatkowski of Poland and women’s winner Pauline Ferrand Prévot of France will be in Richmond to defend their titles.
4 Lisa Brennauer of Germany also will be on hand to defend her title in the women’s elite time trial. Brennauer was also the runner-up to Ferrand-Prévot in the overall rankings and is a threat to win both titles.
5 Bradley Wiggins, the men’s 2014 time trial winner, is injured and won’t be racing. Among the top contenders in the TT is Tony Martin, the German sprinter who won three straight titles before finishing second to Wiggins last year.
6 The U.S. women’s team is a force. Twelve of the top 70 in the UCI Women’s Elite road rankings are U.S. riders. Two of the top 70 men are Americans.
7 Shelley Olds (14), Megan Guarnier (16), Evelyn Stevens (17) and Lauren Stephens (22) give the U.S. four women in the top 25. Only the Netherlands has more with seven.
8 Neither of the U.S. men ranked in the UCI’s top 75 — Tejay van Garderen and Andrew Talansky — will be racing in Richmond.
9 Taylor Phinney will be one of the U.S. team’s top sprinters — about 20 years after his dad, Davis Phinney, was one of the stars of the Tour DuPont and Tour de Trump that rolled through Richmond from 1989 to 1995. Davis Phinney won the points classifi cation in 1991 as the Tour DuPont’s top
10 The United States has produced four UCI World Champions. Two came on the men’s side — Greg LeMond (1983, 1989) and Lance Armstrong (1993) — and two on the women’s side — Audrey McElmury (1969) and Beth Heiden (1980). Both LeMond and Armstrong were also Tour DuPont champs.
Get out and play, #RVA!
