Recent content by jono

A bit unfortunate that Wout is not racing tomorrow in Gavere, as it is a course that should suit him more than the races he's done so far. Perhaps the same could be said about MVDP skipping Dendermonde on the 28th. In the absence of WVA, I expect Del Grosso, Nys, and Vanthourenhout to be best...

This was quite evident, imo. Wout needs a heavy mud course to negate the technical advantages of other top riders.

Two good results for Arkea riders who are presumably still looking for new teams in 2026: Fouquenet with the win and 18 yo Raf Carrier in 10th.

I enjoyed the Hofstade course. Three days of sand in a row is a bit much, but on its own merit it has a lot going for it. I prefer it to Saturday's Antwerp track, for example. It was interesting to see Wout crash taking the clearly slower line around the tree (he lost ground to Mathieu without...

I don't think it even matters that he's Dutch. It's that he's not Wout, who Belgian fans seem to have an almost spiritual connection with, and keeps beating him handily.

Van Aert and Nys do seem to be benefitting from not racing a third day in a row (top 5 in a sand race is a great result for Nys!)

She had some better seasons a few years back but not quite like this season. Last year she didn't have a single top 10 in a World Cup, while this year in all races she has only finished outside the top 5 once. That's partly down to some previously top riders not racing or off their best (van...

Top North Americans: Lizzy Gunsalus (USA, 20th) and Tyler Clark (Canada, 36th and last rider on lead lap).

MVDP keeps trying to let a gap go out to his two teammates on the front.

Del Grosso has only raced twice this season. He did fade late at Namur, but at least going by lap times did not do so yesterday. I expect him to have a good race today, just as he did last year at Koksijde.

Looking at the lap times it seems your view of events is closer to the truth. I was just struck by how long it took him to go from sitting in the wheel of Mees Hendrickx to gaining a handful of seconds by the end of the lap. Can Wout put out an MVDP-type effort for more than two laps in a row...

I thought that was pretty convincing. He shipped about 20-25 seconds on the 7th lap with his flat, but was in control the entire time without having to extend himself.

If I'm Wout van Aert, I'm not happy about getting passed in the last lap by Ronhaar, Vandeputte, and del Grosso. The flat was 3 laps earlier and Wout had had two laps to sit in before that point. Perhaps he was saving his bullets knowing the podium was likely out of reach.

Top North Americans were Tyler Clark (Canada, 37th) and Rafaelle Carrier (Canada, 25th). Carrier was also the youngest rider in the top 30.

Unless MVDP gets hurt or alters his schedule for some other reason, he will win the World Cup overall.