Spanish director De Santos scouts Australia's 'uncomplicated' Worlds

The World Championships in Australia next year lack climbs significant enough to prevent a sprint finish, according to the director of the Spanish World Championship team, José Luis De Santos.

"It's one of the least complicated ones I can remember," De Santos said to Todociclismo.

The 2010 Worlds is the first point-to-point course.  It will take the professional men from Melbourne to Geelong over 85 kilometres. Once in Geelong, they will ride 11 15.9-kilometre circuits, each covering The Ridge climb (120m), for a total of 259.9 kilometres.

The route to Geelong is "without complications and a very wide road" and the circuit is "in an area of residential development," said De Santos. "It has two climbs, but they won't be selective enough."

The last metres to the finish line on Moorabool Street are uphill. "It's slightly upward, but nothing excessive, so the logical outcome would be a sprint."

The women and Under 23 men will only race on the Geelong circuit, skipping the start in Melbourne. The circuit is the base for the time trials, too. The Under 23 men will race it twice (31.8km), and there will be extended versions for the men (two laps, 45.4km) and women (one lap, 22.7km).

"Those who consider [Mark] Cavendish and [Fabian] Cancellara as favourite for the Worlds are not mistaken, although we will fight to upset this prediction," he said.

Spain has won four World Championships in the last 10 years including three in sprints with Oscar Freire.

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