I'm looking forward to seeing JTL up against the worlds best - I just kind of wish he wasn't joining Team Sky......

Don't get me wrong. I'm not a Sky hater I just think that by having all of our the UK talent in one basket means that some of our guys are compromising their careers.

On a seperate note I urge all of you to read a book I'm reading right now. I'm sure you've heard of it....'The Secret Race' by Tyler Hamilton. I'm kind of shocked reading it so far. Not as a result of the revelations being a surprise - more because it just confirms how dirty US Postal were. How the French teams have not stood a chance in the last 13 years as they had to be clean. Shocked how Lance can still claim to have been a clean athlete. It really is compelling reading.

Talking of JTL - do you think he could figure in the World Road race this week? He looks in far better form than anyone else right now.

he is in the GB team (wasn't sure from your reply if you knew or not?) and given the terrain he might well have a chance but I still don't quite get why Cav is in there, reiging champion is the only reason why but think he might be a sacrificial Lamb maybe or just covering all the options should he still be there at the end. I'd think it very unlikely and that breakaways will be the order of the day.
Emma Pooley and Sharon Laws have already won a Bronze in the ladies' team TT for her team AA Drink-Leontian.NL

Great Britain squad for the 2012 UCI Road World Championships:

Elite men - road race

Mark Cavendish, Steve Cummings, Alex Dowsett, Chris Froome, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, Bradley Wiggins

Elite men - time trial

Alex Dowsett, Chris Froome

Elite women - road race

Lizzie Armitstead, Katie Colclough, Nicole Cooke, Nikki Harris, Sharon Laws, Emma Pooley

Elite women - time trial

Wendy Houvenaghel, Emma Pooley

A team which will no longer exist by the end of the month. There has to be more effort put into the women's game, whether it's shadow grand tours or an obligation on Pro Tour teams to run parallel women's teams.

Yeah I knew he was going. I just wondered who might figure come the end of the race.

I see the winner coming from Spain this year. There are 4 very good Spanish riders who if they work as a team will be hard to beat in Contador, Rodriguez, Valverde and Sanchez.

I agree with you on Cav. I kind of know why he is going as he wants to defend his title. Plus it also gets him in the right area of the world for negotiating his contract for next year. He might figure more than we expect him to but only to increase his market value.

And John_D - I think it should be a condition of every World Tour team to have a womens team. More parellel races. More money available. The womens Olympic road race was far more entertaining to watch than the mens.

true, although we have done well over the years I think the promotion of cycling for women across the board is massively behind the men which is a damn shame, we really need an influx of ladies in clubs and commuting on the road

Wiggins to set up an elite women's road race team.

He also wins bonus points for using the phrase "tuppence ha'penny"

Is this Wiggins pointing out to his employers that they should be stepping up to the mark? Fair play to Wiggo though and hope that if Sky don't come in then he stays true to his word.

Prediction for Cavendish. I mentioned yesterday that I believe that he is there to do business. I predict that the business he is doing is with Rabobank.

Rabobank have recently had a change in the management and are fairly unique in as much as the team is owned by the bank. They had a very poor season last year and the team already contains several members of his old HTC train including the vital man who has been missing for him this year.....Mark Renshaw.

He'd better retain his world title then. Don't think orange would suit him

I think we can safely say that won't happen.

Dowsett second in the clubhouse. Ain't going to stay there - the big hitters are all on the road.

Tony Martin about to catch and pass C*ntador. Safe to say I think he's got this...

He has got it, but only by 5.4 seconds from Taylor Phinney.

just noticed that spain may not be able to stage the 2014 worlds due to the country's financial problems. wonder if GB might make an offer to step in, last held here in 1982, we are due one and could get it on the back of the olympic success

It would need to be a more exciting parcours than the Olympics. Id love to see a proper ride on the fred whitton

Superb from Gilbert yesterday. On that last climb, as soon as Nibali's backside touched that saddle, boom, see you later.
Mind, Belgium had all the bases covered. If it had come back together, Boonen was still in there for a sprint. Genuinely pleased for Gilbert though and bloody impressed with JTL again.
Also, Gilbert speaks French in a really odd accent.