The 2006 edition of the men's UCI Road World Championships Road Race took place on September 24, 2006, in the Austrian city of Salzburg. Reigning Olympic champion and Italian Paolo Bettini captured the gold medal and the rainbow jersey as the 2006 World Cycling Champion. The 36-year-old German sprinter Erik Zabel took the silver medal and UCI ProTour winner Alejandro Valverde of Spain captured third place for the bronze medal. A total of 136 cyclists actually finished the race, with Slovakia's Roman Bronis in last place (+ 13'38").
Based on the results of the riders in the UCI ProTour and UCI Continental Circuits in 2006, all nations have received an amount of riders they can send to the championships. The amount of allowed riders is different for each continent:
Qualified Nations by the UCI Protour: Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Spain and Switzerland get 9 starters. Canada, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania and Luxembourg get 1 starter.Qualified Nations by the UCI Africa Tour: South Africa gets 6 starters. Burkina Faso gets 3 starters.Qualified Nations by the UCI America Tour: Brazil and Colombia get 6 starters. Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela get 3 starters. Costa Rica and Cuba get 1 starter.Qualified Nations by the UCI Asia Tour: Iran gets 6 starters. Kazakhstan and Japan get 3 starters.Qualified Nations by the UCI European Tour: Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia and Ukraine get 6 starters. Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Great Britain, Ireland, Latvia and Norway get 3 starters. Sweden gets 1 starter. Note: Because Austria is the host nation, they are given 3 extra starters to give them 6 riders in total.Qualified Nations by the UCI Oceania Tour: New Zealand gets 3 starters.All nations are allowed to select reserves too, 5 reserves for nations with 9 riders, 3 reserves for nations with 6 riders, 2 reserves for nations with 3 riders and 1 reserve for nations with 1 rider.
On September 14, the selection was released:
Cadel Evans, Davitamon–LottoNick Gates, Davitamon–LottoSimon Gerrans, AG2R PrévoyanceMatthew Hayman, RabobankRobbie McEwen, Davitamon–LottoBradley McGee, Française des JeuxStuart O'Grady, Team CSCMichael Rogers, T-Mobile TeamMatthew White, Discovery ChannelNational Coach: Carlo Bomans
On September 11, the selection was released:
Serge Baguet, Quick-Step–InnergeticTom Boonen, Quick-Step–InnergeticStijn Devolder, Discovery ChannelPhilippe Gilbert, Française des JeuxLeif Hoste, Discovery ChannelKevin Hulsmans, Quick-Step–InnergeticNick Nuyens, Quick-Step–InnergeticJurgen Van Goolen, Discovery ChannelJohan Vansummeren, Davitamon–Lotto Vansummeren was replaced by Thierry Marichal from Cofidis, because he severely injured his shoulder in a crash on training just days before the event.Also 5 reserves were appointed:
Björn Leukemans, Davitamon–LottoThierry Marichal, CofidisKevin Van Impe, Quick-Step–InnergeticGeert Verheyen, Quick-Step–InnergeticFrederik Willems, Chocolade Jacques–Topsport VlaanderenSelection released on September 12:
Sylvain Calzati, AG2R PrévoyanceSylvain Chavanel, CofidisCyril Dessel, AG2R PrévoyanceSamuel Dumoulin, AG2R PrévoyanceAnthony Geslin, Bouygues TélécomSébastien Hinault, Crédit AgricoleSébastien Joly, Française des JeuxChristophe Le Mével, Crédit AgricoleThomas Voeckler, Bouygues TélécomOn September 11, the first selection was released, but since then many things have changed. Matthias Kessler and Jens Voigt have refused their selection as they claim to be "too tired after a long tiring season". Andreas Klöden has declared he only wants to ride in the Time Trial World Championships 2006.
Current Selection:
Linus Gerdemann, T-Mobile TeamChristian Knees, Team MilramRonny Scholz, GerolsteinerStephan Schreck, T-Mobile TeamStefan Schumacher, GerolsteinerMarcel Sieberg, Team WiesenhofPatrik Sinkewitz, T-Mobile TeamFabian Wegmann, GerolsteinerErik Zabel, Team MilramNational coach Franco Ballerini selected the following riders:
Alessandro Ballan, Lampre–FonditalPaolo Bettini, Quick-Step–InnergeticMarzio Bruseghin, Lampre–FonditalDanilo Di Luca, LiquigasRinaldo Nocentini, Acqua & SaponeLuca Paolini, LiquigasFilippo Pozzato, Quick-Step–InnergeticDavide Rebellin, GerolsteinerMatteo Tosatto, Quick-Step–InnergeticNetherlands
National coach Egon van Kessel selected the following riders:
Michael Boogerd, RabobankJan Boven, RabobankBram de Groot, RabobankKarsten Kroon, Team CSCGerben Löwik, RabobankJoost Posthuma, RabobankBram Tankink, Quick-Step–InnergeticMaarten Tjallingii, Skil–ShimanoMax van Heeswijk, Discovery ChannelAlexander Arekeev, Acqua & SaponeAlexandre Bazhenov, Naturino-Sapore di MareAlexander Bocharov, Crédit AgricoleAlexander Efimkin, BarloworldVladimir Efimkin, Caisse d'Epargne–Illes BalearsVladimir Gusev, Discovery ChannelVladimir Karpets, Caisse d'Epargne–Illes BalearsAlexandr Kolobnev, RabobankAlexei Markov, Caisse d'Epargne–Illes BalearsÍñigo Cuesta, Team CSCJuan Antonio Flecha, RabobankXavier Florencio, Bouygues TélécomLuis Perez Rodriguez, CofidisJoaquim Rodríguez, Caisse d'Epargne–Illes BalearsSamuel Sánchez, Euskaltel–EuskadiAlejandro Valverde, Caisse d'Epargne–Illes BalearsFrancisco Ventoso, Saunier Duval–ProdirCarlos Sastre, Team CSCSwitzerland
Selection released on September 14:
Michael Albasini, LiquigasFabian Cancellara, Team CSCAurélien Clerc, PhonakMartin Elmiger, PhonakDavid Loosli, Lampre–FonditalGrégory Rast, PhonakSteffen Wesemann, T-Mobile TeamOliver Zaugg, Saunier Duval–ProdirBeat Zberg, GerolsteinerChris Baldwin, Toyota–UnitedTyler Farrar, CofidisChris Horner, Davitamon–LottoJason McCartney, Discovery ChannelDanny Pate, TIAA–CREFFred Rodriguez, Davitamon–LottoJackson Stewart, Kodakgallery.com-Sierra Nevada Pro CyclingGuido Trenti, Quick-Step–InnergeticChristian Vande Velde, Team CSCThe home nation was represented by:
Bernhard Eisel, Française des JeuxRené Haselbacher, GerolsteinerBernhard Kohl, T-Mobile TeamChristian Pfannberger, Elk Haus–SimplonGeorg Totschnig, GerolsteinerPeter Wrolich, GerolsteinerMurilo Fischer, Naturino-Sapore di MareSoelito Gohr, Scott-Marcondes Cesar-São José dos CamposMarcio May, Scott/MarcondesPedro Nicacio, Scott-Marcondes Cesar-São José dos CamposLuciano Pagliarini, Saunier Duval–ProdirMauricio Ardila, RabobankAlex Caño, UnknownFélix Cárdenas, BarloworldLuis Felipe Laverde, Ceramica Panaria-NavigareMarlon Pérez Arango, Team Tenax SalmilanoMauricio Soler, Acqua & SaponePetr Benčík, PSK Whirlpool–Hradec KrloveTomas Buchacek, PSK Whirlpool–Hradec KrloveStanislav Kozubek, PSK Whirlpool–Hradec KrloveRoman Kreuziger, LiquigasMartin Mares, Naturino-Sapore di MareFrantišek Raboň, T-Mobile Teamto comePoland
Tomasz Kiendys, Knauf TeamTomasz Marczyński, Ceramica FlaminiaPrzemysław Niemiec, MicheRobert Radosz, DHL - AuthorMarek Rutkiewicz, Intel-ActionKristzof Szczawinski, Ceramica FlaminiaBruno Neves, Madeinox-Bric-A.R. CanelasSérgio Paulinho, AstanaNuno Ribeiro, LA - Liberty SegurosJosé Rodrigues, Carvalhelhos - BoavistaRui Sousa, LA - Liberty SegurosNelson Victorino, Duja-TaviraJanez Brajkovič, Discovery ChannelBorut Bozič, Perutnina PtujMatej Mugerli, LiquigasUroš Murn, PhonakGorazd Štangelj, Lampre–FonditalTadej Valjavec, Lampre–FonditalRoman Bronis, Dukla TrenčínMatej Jurčo, Domina VacanzeMaroš Kováč, Dukla TrenčínMartin Prazdnovsky, Team Sparebanken VestMartin Riška, PSK Whirlpool–Hradec KrloveJán Valach, Aposport Krone LinzRyan Cox, BarloworldDavid George, RelaxRobert Hunter, PhonakTiaan Kannemeyer, BarloworldDarren Lill, SchwinnIan McLeod, Française des JeuxAndriy Hryvko, Team MilramRuslan Pidgornyy, Tenax Nobili RubinetterieYaroslav Popovych, Discovery ChannelKyrylo Pospeyev, Acqua & SaponeVolodymyr Starchyk, NikolaevVolodymyr Zagorodniy, Domina VacanzeGerardo Fernandez, Viña Magna-CropuJorge Martin Montenegro, UnknownAliaksandr Kuscynski, Ceramica FlaminiaKanstantin Siutsou, Acqua & SaponeAlexander Usov, AG2R PrévoyanceDaniel Andonov Petrov, Maia MilanezaDaniel Petrov, Duja - TaviraSvetoslav Tchanliev, UnknownRabaki Jeremie Ouedraogo, UnknownAbdul Wahab Sawadogo, UnknownSaïdou Rouamba, UnknownMatija Kvasina, Perutnina PtujHrvoje Miholjević, Perutnina PtujRadoslav Rogina, Perutnina PtujLars Bak, Team CSCJakob Piil, Team CSCNicki Sørensen, Team CSCMart Ojavee, Kalev Chocolate TeamErki Pütsep, AG2R PrévoyanceTarmo Raudsepp, Union Cycliste Nantes AtlantiqueRussell Downing, DFL-Cyclingnews-LitespeedRoger Hammond, Discovery ChannelDavid Millar, Saunier Duval–ProdirIreland
David McCann, Giant Asia Racing TeamNicholas Roche, CofidisPhilip Deignan, AG2R PrévoyanceFumiyuki Beppu, Discovery ChannelShinichi Fukushima, Cycle Racing Team VangHidenori Nodera, Skil–ShimanoAndrey Kashechkin, AstanaAlexander Vinokourov, AstanaSergey Yakovlev, AstanaRaivis Belohvoščiks, C.B. Immobiliare-Universal CafféAleksejs Saramotins, Rietumu Bank-Rigato comeNew Zealand
New Zealand chose not to send riders to the Road World Championships 2006, as their most important riders are injured and thus unavailable.
Kurt Asle Arvesen, Team CSCThor Hushovd, Crédit AgricoleGabriel Rasch, Team Maxbo BianchiManuel Medina, Alcaldia de CabimasJosé Ramos, Alcaldia de CabimasJosé Rujano, Quick-Step–InnergeticRyder Hesjedal, Phonakto cometo comeFinland
Kjell Carlström, LiquigasLászló Bodrogi, Crédit AgricoleDainius Kairelis, Amore & Vita - McDonald'sFränk Schleck, Team CSCMarcus Ljungqvist, Team CSC
