Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team will be well represented in the 265km UCI Elite Men Road World Championship on Sunday, with 12 riders being selected to race in the colors of their nations.
There will be a preliminary course of about 100km, that starts in Maastricht, and will be a rolling, technical course. This course resembles Amstel Gold. There are seven total categorized climbs in the first 100km: Maasberg (4.4%), Adsteeg (5.4%), Lange Raarberg (4.5%), Daelseweg/Putberg (4.6%), Rugweg (3.2%), Eperheide (4.5%), and Hoogcruts/Piemert (5.8%).
After the first 100km, the riders will then race 10 laps, with each lap being 16.5km. This part of the race resembles the 1998 World Championships in Valkenburg. There will be two major climbs in the circuit: Bemelerberg Hill (900m, maximum gradient 7%) and the Cauberg —1.5km in length, maximum gradient of 12 percent. The race will finish 1700m beyond the summit of the Cauberg in Valkenburg.
The race starts at 10.45 and ends at approximately 17.00.
The 12 OPQS riders who will race in Road Worlds are:
Belgium: Tom Boonen, Kevin De Weert, Dries Devenyns
Italy: Matteo Trentin, Dario Cataldo
Slovakia: Peter Velits, Martin Velits
Czech Republic: Zdenek Stybar, Frantisek Rabon
Poland: Michal Golas
France: Sylvain Chavanel
Holland: Niki Terpstra