Sagan, Degenkolb, Nibali and Phinney out and about on road race course
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Peter Sagan (Slovakia)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Libby Hill will be a key point on the course(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Libby Hill will be packed with fans this weekend(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The crowds will be bigger when the race is on for real(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Libby Hill(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The French team on Libby Hill(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Remember, Virginia is for lovers(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Iljo Keisse (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jens Keukeleire (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Boonen (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Dutch duo of Tom Dumoulin and Robert Gesink out tranining(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Dani Moreno (Spain)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Why not pop a wheelie?(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
American Police cars on the scene(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rafal Majka (Poland)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Gregory Rast (Switzerland)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Joaquim Rodríguez (Spain) is always good for a photo(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nacer Bouhanni (France) climbing(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nacer Bouhanni (France) thinking through the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sven Erik Bystrøm (Norway) won the U23 race last year but is in the elite ranks for 2015(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Petter Nordhaug and Alexander Kristoff (Norway)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexander Kristoff (Norway) starts as a pre-race favourite(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Simon Gerrans (Australia) smiles for the camera(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A fans tries to match the pros(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Evelyn Stevens (USA) enjoying the sun(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matteo Trentin and Vincenzo Nibali (Italy)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Manuel Quinziato (Italy)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Moreno Moser (Italy) in the green helmet(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniele Bennati (Italy)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Arnaud Démare (France) will be looking for a good result(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Defending champion Michał Kwiatkowski and Tour de Pologne race director Czesław Lang(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michał Kwiatkowski leads Tour de Pologne race director Czesław Lang and the Polish team(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert in the middle of a Belgian sandwich(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Belgian team out training(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jay McCarthy (Australia) sits on Tom Boonen's (Belgium) wheel(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A fan in prime position(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Boom (Netherlands) out and about(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sep Vanmarcke (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Iljo Keisse (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A bandaged Elia Viviani (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vinceno Nibali (Italy)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nikolas Maes and Tiesj Benoot enjoy some fun times on a moto(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert has time for some time(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Slovakia) starts as one of the pre-race favourites(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alejandro Valverde (Spain) is looking for another medal(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The French team led by Nacer Bouhanni in the pink shoes(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Taylor Phinney heads the US national team's training ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The USA national team riding as one(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Bob Stapleton spotted enjoying the course(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Zdeněk Štybar (Czech Republic) out on course(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniel Oss (Italy enjoying the sunshine(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali leads the Italian team(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
John Degenkolb (Germany) during a ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin (Germany) during the recon(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
André Greipel (Germany) stretches the legs(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Italian national selector Davide Cassani gets a feel for the course(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Dumoulin (Netherlands) surrounded by blue and green(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Belgian team riding together(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tiesj Benoot (Belgium) during a training ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
BMC general manager Jim Ochowicz got out for a ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Stijn Vandenbergh (Belgium) on course(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Belgian team on Franklin St(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Boonen (Belgium) plays it up for the camera(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Expect Belgium to be aggressive on Sunday as they look to win gold(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rui Costa (Portugal)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (Belguim)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Is this where Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) will launch an attack come Sunday?(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Boonen (Belgium) looking for gold ten years after his Madrid victory(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Boonen (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sep Vanmarcke (Belgium)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Greg Van Avermaet (Belguim) wants Gold on Sunday(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert (Belgium) out of the saddle(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Philippe Gilbert is the last Belgian to win the Worlds in 2012(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain) was second two years ago but the course doesn't lend itself to his characteristics (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
2013 World Champion Rui Costa (Portugal) in his team kit(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) climbing Franklin St(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Slovakia) putting in an effort up the climb(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Emma Johansson (Sweden) is looking for the gold medal come Saturday(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Emma Johansson (Sweden)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michał Golas and Michał Kwiatkowski lead the Polish recon(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The two Michał's, Golas and Kwiatkowski, climbing alongside each other(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Julian Alaphilippe (France)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Taylor Phinney plays the 'joker' role for the USA on home soul(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Robert Gesink (Netherlands)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
John Degenkolb (Germany) grits his teeth while putting in an effort(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
André Greipel (Germany) powering up Franklin St(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Heinrich Haussler (Australia) on Franklin St(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Taylor Phinney (USA)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Silvan Dillier (Switzerland)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
John Degenkolb (Germany) is aiming for the rainbow jersey(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michael Albasini (Switzerland)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Zdeněk Štybar (Czech Republic)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Matteo Trentin (Italy)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Boom (Netherlands) smiles for the camera(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Diego Ulissi is one card the Italians can play in the road race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali (Italy) will start as as darkhorse(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alejandro Valverde (Spain) enjoying the sunshine while out tranining(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Emma Johansson with her Swedish teammates(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Emma Johansson with her Swedish teammates out for a ride(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Dutchman team out training(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Slovakia) on Franklin St(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
With the team time trial and time trials done and dusted for 2015 at the UCI Road World Championships, teams and riders turn their attention to the road race which start at 10am on Friday with the Junior women's road race, followed by the U23 men's road race at 12:25pm local time.
Saturday sees the junior men take to the Richmond course with the elite women contesting for the rainbow jersey that afternoon over the same 129.8km difference.
Sunday is solely devoted to the elite men's 261.4km race that has several pre-race favourite riders but no one outright.
With the sun shinning in Richmond, the men and women were out on the course getting a feel for the cobbles and climbs that are likely to be decisive in the final laps.
Peter Sagan and his Slovakia team were seen out on course, as was the strong Belgian and Italian teams with both putting in some serious time to Libby Hill.
It wasn't just the professionals out and about though with BMC's general manager Jim Ochowicz, Tour de Pologne race director Czesław Lang and former HTC-Highroad manger Bob Stapleton all spotted out for a spin.
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