VeloEye Danielle Haex was in the VIP area for the start of the World Championships’ final event, the men’s elite road race and has kindly shared some of her pictures with us.
So without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the big names and key players in a race which fully lived up to its billing!
All signed in – let’s go!
2011 World Champion Mark Cavendish, who abandoned the race early: black helmet
2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins, who also abandoned the race: white helmet
Thomas Voeckler – always a magnet for the media. Love the French jacket!
Kitty’s favourite Movistarlet Andrey Amador, the lone Costa Rican rider. He looks thrilled, doesn’t he?
One of Danielle’s favourite riders, Switzerland’s Gregory Rast
French rider Sylvain Chavanel, looking a bit moody. For a while in the race, it looked like he was going to set something up with Thomas Voeckler for a French one-two
Taylor Phinney with his nasal strips and superhero kit! Rumours of his abandonment were grossly exaggerated – he finished the race
Oscar Freire in his last race – an early crash put paid to his chances, even though he finished the race
We thought that Peter Sagan, the Velvet Samurai, would be in the mix at the end, but it was not to be. We really only saw him momentarily out in front
The riders who lit up the race
Dutch rider Koen de Kort rode a great race, helping chase the break with the Orange Armada when the time came. He finished 16th
Big Tom Boonen was part of the strong Belgian squad that played the peloton well, setting up the ultimate win for his fellow countryman
Alberto Contador, riding for a super strong Spanish team, went off like a pistol (get it?) on a number of attacks that ripped the peloton apart
In the azzurro of the Italian team, Vincenzo Nibali attacked inside the last 5km but couldn’t sustain the charge. And out from behind him swung the new champion to break away in the last 1.5km …
Baby-faced Norwegian Edvald Boasson-Hagen took the silver medal
And finally, we have the King of the World
He might have had a disastrous season up until a few weeks ago, but this is the way to salvage your reputation! Philippe Gilbert did what everyone thought he would do – rode away on the final climb. From the moment he got away, everyone else was racing for second. Chapeau to the new World Champion!
Thanks, Danielle, for sharing another great set of photographs!
All photographs © Danielle Haex.
Brilliant gallery! Thanks Danielle!
Love all the close ups so we can see kit details! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much. I couldn’t go to the sign on in Maastricht as I was watching the junior men’s race but this is next best. Great photos as always.
Thank you very much for your nice comments!