1987 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race
| 1987 UCI Road World Championships | |||
 | |||
| Rainbow jersey | |||
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | September 6, 1987 | ||
| Distance | 276 km (171.5 mi) | ||
| Winning time | 6h 50' 02" | ||
| Medalists | |||
 Gold |
 Stephen Roche (IRL) |
(Ireland) | |
 Silver |
 Moreno Argentin (ITA) |
(Italy) | |
 Bronze |
 Juan Fernández (ESP) |
(Spain) | |
The Men's Individual Road Race of the 1987 UCI Road World Championships cycling event took place on September 6 in Villach, Austria. The route consisted of twenty-three laps totaling to a length of 276 km (171 mi). Irishman Stephen Roche won the race, while Italian Moreno Argentin and Spaniard Juan Fernández finished second and third, respectively. By winning the race, Roche also completed the Triple Crown of Cycling, which consists of winning two Grand Tour races and the men's road race at the UCI Road World Championships in a calendar year.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
The Championship was won by the Irish rider Stephen Roche, who outsprinted the rest of a five-man group in the final 500 metres. Moreno Argentin took the silver medal and Juan Fernández captured third place for the bronze medal.
Race route
The race race contained 23 laps of 12 km (7.5 mi), equaling a total 276 km (171 mi) of racing in all.[9] Each lap featured two climbs that were 100 m (330 ft) and 90 m (300 ft), respectively.[9] The race started at 10:30 AM local time.[9][10] Sportswriters found the course to be suited for sprinters, believing that the race would likely result in a sprint finish.[10]
Participants and race favorites
The race began with 168 riders from 26 different countries,[11] of which 71 finished.[12] The starting field featured the previous year's winner Moreno Argentin,[10] who was seen as the race favorite by many journalists and the Austrian bookmakers.[11][13] A writer for Amigoe believed the Dutch and Italian teams to be the best teams competing in the race.[14] Cees Olsthoorn of Het vrije volk believed that Steven Rooks and Teun van Vliet were the Dutch riders with the best chances of winning.[15] Avui writer F. Recuero named Guido Bontempi, Teun van Vliet, and Eric Vanderaerden as other riders capable of winning the race.[10] La Stampa writer Gian Paolo Ormezzano believed an Italian rider would win the race, specifically Argentin or Bontempi, but stated the Dutch riders were a team to "fear."[11]
Race summary
After speculation of the start being delayed due to severe thunderstorms, the race began on time, during heavy rain. Roche won the sprint to the line after launching his attack with 400 m (1,300 ft) remaining.[14]
Result
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Aftermath
Roche became the first ever Irishman to win the men's road race at the UCI Road World Championships.[14] In addition, he became the second rider – after Eddy Merckx in 1974 – to complete the Triple Crown of Cycling, which consists of winning two Grand Tour races and the men's road race at the UCI Road World Championships in a calendar year.[14][15] Upon finishing the race, Roche stated that was like "a fairy tale" and that he "came to Austria to help [Sean] Kelly" going on to mention how the course did not suit him and he was not well prepared for the race.[15]
References
- Citations
- ↑ ""De Roche" De Facultades" ["De Roche" of Schools] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). September 7, 1987. p. 48. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 18, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ↑ Javier Delmases (September 6, 1987). "A ritmo de vals" [A Waltz] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). p. 45. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ↑ Gino Sala (September 6, 1974). "Tanto azzurro nella verde Austria" [So much blue in Austria Green] (PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). PCI. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
- ↑ Dario Ceccarelli (September 6, 1974). "La task force del generale Martini" [The Task Force of the General Martini] (PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). PCI. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
- ↑ "Argentin s'inchina a Roche" [Argentin bows to Roche]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. September 7, 1987. p. 17. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ Gian Paolo Ormezzano (September 7, 1987). "Martini sereno: <<Niente rimproveri>>" [Martini weather: <<reproaches Nothing>>]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. p. 17. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ Gian Paolo Ormezzano (September 7, 1987). "Roche mondiale grande come Merckx" [Roche mondiale grande come Merckx]. Stampa Sera (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. p. 14. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ Bert Dijkstra (September 7, 1987). "Roche voltooit trilogie" [Roche completes trilogy]. e Telegraaf (in Dutch). Dagblad De Telegraaf. p. T 17. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "I Numeri di Gara Degli Azzurri" [The Race Numbers of Blue]. La Stampa (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. September 6, 1987. p. 27. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 F. Recuero (September 6, 1987). "Molts favorits en un Mundial de ciclisme apte per a velocistes" [Many favorites in World Cup cycling suitable for sprinters] (PDF). Avui (in Spanish). Hermes Comunicacions S.A. p. 38. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Gian Paolo Ormezzano (September 6, 1987). "Non c'è piu Hinault, manca un faro" [There's more Hinault, missing a beacon]. La Stampa (in Italian). Editrice La Stampa. p. 27. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- 1 2 "Clasificacion" [Classification] (PDF). El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo S.A. September 7, 1987. p. 49. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
- ↑ Gino Sala (September 7, 1974). "Roche grande come Merckx" [Grande Roche come Merckx] (PDF). l'Unità (in Italian). PCI. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
- 1 2 3 4 "Stephen Roche bekroont een uiterst succesvol seizoen met het wereldkampioenschap bij de profs" [Stephen Roche finished off a highly successful season in the World Championship with the pros]. Amigoe (in Dutch). Amigoe. September 9, 1987. p. 6. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Cees Olsthoorn (September 7, 1987). "Roche in de voetsporen van Merckx" [Roche in the footsteps of Merckx]. Het vrije volk (in Dutch). De Arbeiderspers. p. 11. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
- ↑ McGann, Bill; McGann, Carol. "1987 World Pro Road Cycling Championships". Bike Race Info. Dog Ear Publishing. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.