Women’s Road Race – preview

Anna van der Breggen has been slated as leader of the Dutch team for the road race, after second place in the time trial, but she is one of many cards the Netherlands can play.

Van der Breggen won the Giro Femminile and all three Ardennes Classics – Amstel Gold Race, La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege – this season, and topped the overall Women’s WorldTour standings as a result.

Compatriot Annemiek van Vleuten was second in those standings, and won the women’s time trial to continue a stunning season which has also brought victories at the Boels Rental Ladies Tour and La Course, alongside two stage wins and third overall at the Giro Femminile.

Marianne Vos, meanwhile, is a three-time former world champion and was crowned European champion in August in a comeback season which has brought nine victories in all.

Any of those three Dutchwomen, backed by a strong squad which also includes Ellen van Dijk and Chantaal Blaak, could win on Saturday.

Men’s Road Race – preview

Defending champion Peter Sagan (Slovakia) could make history with victory in Sunday’s elite men’s road race, but the 27-year-old has had to shake off illness in Bergen.

Sagan geared up for the Worlds, where he will bid to become the first man to win three consecutive road race titles, with two stage wins at the BinckBank Tour last month, and then GP de Quebec success two weeks ago.

But having dropped out of the team time trial through illness, it remains to be seen whether he can be challenged on the rolling course.

The course was put together with input from Norway’s former world champion Thor Hushovd, so it is little surprise to find one which suits Edvald Boasson Hagen and Alexander Kristoff down to the ground.

The former rode well in the time trial, having arrived in Norway on the back of a stage win and second place overall at the Tour of Britain. The latter, meanwhile won RideLondon and the European title in the summer.

Boasson Hagen could be a contender in either a bunch sprint or with a late escape, but he and European champion Kristoff will need to work well together.

Given the profile of the course, it is little surprise to see Michael Matthews (Australia) and Olympic champion Greg van Avermaet (Belgium) also among the contenders.

Matthews won two stages of the Tour de France and the points classification, was third at RideLondon and at the GP de Quebec and helped Team Sunweb win the team time trial on the opening day of the worlds.

Van Avermaet, who was in stunning form during the Spring Classics, geared up for the race with second-place at the GP de Quebec.

RCUK prediction: 1) Peter Sagan (Slovakia); 2) Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway); 3) Michael Matthews (Australia)