Mark Cavendish gives verdict on 2011 World Championship course (+ Video)

Mark Cavendish, who last month found the Geelong course too tough as rival Thor Hushovd won the World Championship, has given his thumbs-up to the course that will be used in Denmark next year.

Yesterday the HTC-Columbia rider rode two 14km laps of the course in Rudersdal, north of Copenhagen, and believes that a bunch finish will give him every chance of becoming the only British male pro other than the late Tom Simpson to win the rainbow jersey in the road race.

Next year’s finish line comes after the Geels Bakke, a half-kilometre long hill with a height gain of no more than 25 metres following a rolling circuit on which the elevation hovers between 20 and 60 metres above sea level.

"The route is much easier than in Geelong, but actually harder than I thought. It's technically very difficult. But I think it'll be a finale with a large bunch sprint." Cavendish told the Danish website CyclingWorld.dk.

"With the hill at the end it becomes a pure power sprint," added the Manx Missile, who a fortnight ago confirmed to road.cc that the race would be one of his main goals for 2011.

"It will be one of the most important race for me in 2011, and I will make a great effort to become world champion," he concluded.

The 2011 UCI Road World Championships take place between 19th and 25th September, with the time trials taking place in Copenhagen and the road races in Rudersdal, with both courses showcased in the video below. More information can be found at www.copenhagen2011.dk and www.facebook.com/Copenhagen2011.