Yeah........well done Lizzie!

I'm hoping we might see some live women's racing this year now they have the new women's world tour

Rob Hatch is obviously live on site rather than in a studio as he's just said he can see the podium presentation for the women's race.........

Greg van Avermaet v Sagan for the win, as it happens (and no, the apocalypse did not start just because GvA won ). Upcoming rider Tiesj Benoot was third, with Luke Rowe claiming a very creditable fourth place.

Was hoping for a double rainbow jersey win today...oh well.

The chase group timed it just right until it went wrong. EQS kept the gap at 50 seconds or so for kilometre after kilometre. As last year, that forced the break to work together to keep up the pace. A group of Lotto riders (with man in the break) immediately behind EQS gave the rest of the depleted peloton an excuse not to contribute.

The catch kicked off at 6.2km to go and was perfectly paced to reach the break in the last couple of hundred metres. But at two and half kilometres out closure paused for about 1,500m, after which time it was too late. I got the impression there was no 1km inflatable arch with red kite. Possibly it was because of a dual carriageway at that point.

Hatch spotted the gap rapidly closing several minutes after the rest of us. But he can be forgiven as he was on his own for several hours in the commentary box (as Duffers used to be). Pictures were okay without the break up due to low bitrates I have seen on Bike Channel triathlon swims.

Apparently, the women's race was covered on Belgian TV. The only video I have found so far are these brief blotchy highlights and winner's interview: https://youtu.be/clNW9XTm_r4

Another women's hour record attempt in Boulder, Colorado (started at 7pm): http://velonews.competitor.com/2016/...-record_396379

Evelyn Stevens is currently just shy of 48km pace after the first 15 minutes. She's aiming to ride further than 48.159km, which is the mark that Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli set in the now-banned 'Superman' position.

By riding at altitude, Stevens could gain up to 2km compared to riding at sea-level.

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Random vaguely-related factoid - had Miriam Welte not ridden a flying 200 (10.643) at the same velodrome four years ago, Pendleton's 10.724 in Olympic sprint qualification would also have been a WR.

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Stevens is bang-on 48km pace at the halfway point.

Just a small positive split as she raises the record to 47.980km.

Whatever the Dutch equivalent of a 'red letter day' is, Boels have it - a 1-2 in the Omloop, and the women's UCI hour record.

Disley's chart and comments: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcP1AFEWoAAuwQZ.jpg:large
Draft official document: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcP0AZ0UYAAmvuO.jpg:large
https://twitter.com/fmk_RoI has more charts

Steven's bike did not like exiting the final bend on those late laps.

There's also a high-quality clip on the Sporza website.

Kristoff is denied victory in KBK yet again, courtesy of Jasper Stuyven. Scott Thwaites sneaks into the top ten and fellow Brit Ethan Hayter claims victory in the junior race.*

[* Another name for the future? G won it in 2003]

Kristoff certainly had the legs for the win. Filtering that Prostats webpage for Katusha, it is clear he lacked team support to close those 17 seconds and create a bunch sprint finish.

Stuyven: "Fabian is the Classics guy of today. And they say that I’m the Classics star of tomorrow, but that I need to prove it this year.” He got off to a good start today. https://rouleur.cc/journal/riders/ja...yven-interview

Next week's Strade Bianche coverage is not live according to the BES schedule.
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/StradeBianche/en/

I've been looking around to see if any other races were going to be shown live on the Bike Channel and I came across their Twitter page

Interestingly it says they have exclusive rights to the Flanders Classics, a series of 6 early season races plus one in September

This includes Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders

https://twitter.com/BIKEchannelUK

It's live in Europe, British Eurosport 2 have got tennis instead. Next live event is the GP Le Samyn from Belgium on Wednesday 14:00, then the Paris-Nice, which starts on Sunday. Delayed on Sunday, then live through the week.

I think Paris-Nice might only be 'live' on Monday and Tuesday then it's 'jocked off' for Tirreno-Adriatico with recorded highlights of P-N later

http://www.athleticsontv.org.uk/

I'm sure the above site has been linked to before.......it's a listing of athletics and cycling on TV (but doesn't include the Bike channel)

Two months into the season, you'd think the UCI would have published this year's Road WCh qualification procedure...

Eurosport UK deleted a tweet last week that linked to the main Eurosport cycling calendar, presumably because it does not apply here: http://tv.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/eu...46/story.shtml

Nasty fall off a bridge during the GPLugano yesterday. Could have turned out much worse: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...no-race-213737

Wiggo reckons the men's team pursuit WR could go in London. If the staff manage internal conditions like they did in 2012, it could happen as low atmospheric pressure (below 1000mb at times) is predicted...and not just in that event either.

I'll be able to see it for myself as I have a ticket for that event.

Timetables, start lists and results (as always for WCh/WC/ECh track meets) are on the Tissot Timing website.

First couple of days are a bit skinny in the evening sessions, ones to watch on delay and fast forward. Don't think there's any YouTube coverage of the qualifying sessions which is where most of the drama will be from the British point of view.

TV Scheduling here

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gb...hampionships-0

Don't know if anyone else here shares my dual passion for cycling and horse racing but the two come together again today as Vicky Pendleton rides at Wincanton (3.20) in what is probably the decisive test as to whether she will take her place at the Cheltenham Festival

I've watched all her racecourse rides and I was quite pleased to begin with but I'm having serious doubts now. She fell off last time after being bumped by another horse. Opinion is divided as to whether a more experienced rider would have stayed on. But more worringly was that she didn't appear to be confident enough to get involved amongst horses and kept her mount safely at the back even though he was the short priced favourite. As soon as she moved forward a bit and came amongst other horses is when she fell off

Even people who don't follow it know that Jump racing is a very dangerous game and my worry is that Vicky's determination and bravery is overcoming natural fear. I'd be concerned for her in an ultra competitive 20 odd runner championship race at the Cheltenham Festival

Let's see what happens today........

Men's team pursuit goes into first, beats the Aussies - just NZL to come!!

Dibben, Burke, Doull and Wiggins 3:55:664

NZL only third!

1. GBR
2. AUS
3. NZL
4. ITA

who cares about the rest?

So it is GBR v ITA and AUS v NZL for places in the final and bronze medal runoffs, so looking good for Gold/Silver barring complete breakdown. Semis tomorrow afternoon, medal round tomorrow evening.

Yeah, well done Vicky........wins her first race !

No hanging around at the back.......she took the bull by the horns, led from the start, made all, jumped well, won with lots in hand

Much more professional performance !

I'm quite relieved......

Nice one Queen Vic.

Not sure taking an early lead to stay out of trouble will work at Cheltenham, if she's allowed to race there. 16/1 for the win apparently at the moment. Might have a cheeky bet once it's confirmed she's entering on Pachu Du Polder.

No more good news today - no entrant in the women's individual pursuit (think this should have been Katy Archibald). Women's team sprint 5th, men's team sprint 6th, so no medals there. Chris Latham goes in the scratch race tonight.

And the women's Team Sprint don't qualify for Rio. That's a huge disappointment.