Roche on starting order Gravel Worlds: "UCI cycling remind me what worlds is it tomorrow again? I am sure the race is was called gravel worlds not road worlds!"
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The Gravel World Championships are seeing the men's Elite race today, but the starting order in the event has led to outrage amongst some, who find it unfair where the riders will be placed.
Former pro and current gravel rider Nicholas Roche took to social media to denounce the order in which the riders have started, which was organized by UCI points. These traditionally favour the road riders, which have then been placed near the front, whilst some of the specialists in the discipline have been put to the back of the 138-rider peloton.
Whilst the race is almost 200 kilometers long, it features a string of small ascents near the start, which include off-road sections and even single-track, which is set to make things difficult for the riders who start near the back.
On a Twitter post, Roche wrote the following: "Breaking news: order on start line tomorrow. Riders with uci points ( non gravel) first on start line. Gravel riders start in the back. UCI cycling remind me what worlds is it tomorrow again? I am sure the race is was called gravel worlds not road worlds!"
The event is set to feature many seasoned pros in the discipline such as Roche, but also many stars of road cycling such as Mathieu van der Poel, Peter Sagan and Greg van Avermaet who will all be possible options for the rainbow stripes.
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Breaking news: order on start line tomorrow. Riders with uci points ( non gravel) first on start line. Gravel riders start in the back. @UCI_cycling remind me what worlds is it tomorrow again? 🤨 i am sure the race is was called gravel worlds not road worlds!
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