▁nation , ▁were ▁entitled ▁five ▁rid ers ▁to ▁start . ▁Other ▁nations ▁and ▁non ▁ranked ▁nations ▁had ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁send ▁three ▁rid ers ▁to ▁start . ▁Moreover , ▁contin ental ▁champions ▁were ▁qualified ▁to ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁race , ▁on ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁nation ▁numbers . ▁The ▁out going ▁World ▁Champion , ▁Math ieu ▁van ▁der ▁Po el , ▁did ▁not ▁comp ete ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁contest ▁junior ▁races . ▁ ▁Cour se ▁The ▁race ▁was ▁held ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁circuit ▁as ▁the ▁other ▁road ▁races ▁and ▁consisted ▁of ▁seven ▁la ps . ▁The ▁circuit ▁was ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁included ▁two ▁hills . ▁The ▁total ▁clim bing ▁was ▁ ▁per ▁lap ▁and ▁the ▁maximum ▁incl ine ▁was ▁ 1 0 . 7 %. ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁ ▁were ▁flat , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁clim b ▁to ▁Al to ▁de ▁Monte aren as ▁started , ▁with ▁an ▁average ▁gradient ▁of ▁ 8 %. ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁hundred ▁metres ▁the ▁as cent ▁fl atten ed ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁ ▁were ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁gradient ▁of ▁ 3 . 5 %. ▁Next ▁was ▁a ▁descent , ▁with ▁the ▁ste ep est ▁point ▁after ▁ ▁at ▁a ▁ 1 6 % ▁negative ▁gradient . ▁ ▁The ▁Al to ▁de ▁Com post illa ▁was ▁a ▁short ▁clim b ▁of ▁, ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁gradient ▁is ▁ 6 . 5 % ▁with ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁ste ep est ▁parts ▁at ▁ 1 1 %. ▁The ▁remaining ▁distance ▁of ▁ ▁was ▁down