2024 National Championships Overview Thread

[Mayomaniac]

As much as I dislike him, probably just a unfortunate snapshot of his celebration

Yeah, I saw better pic afterwards.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

You're kidding right?
Nys has a great sprint, heck, he has won bunch sprints before...

Up to this point, no, I haven't seen him beat the likes of Merlier or Philipsen, but if you can show the results, I am happy to say I was wrong.

 

[awavey]

Apparently Lotte lost her garmin after the podium celebrations

 

[awavey]

Yeah, I saw better pic afterwards.

Absolutely, if you've ever taken finish line photos you know you put it on high shutter rate, which with digital cameras can be insane, and you can get all manner of weird and wacky reaction shots from riders in that moment, and you've got thousands of photos that without context can look like anything and everything you want it to be. But the reality was it's never just like that microsecond capture

 

[kingjr]

wtf

Tell me true, did you and whoever else had a similar reaction, honestly believe that this was supposed to be a Nazi salute?

 

[Netserk]

Is it me or has Philipsens sprinting not been nearly as good as previous years lately?

Are you doubting the Alpecin mega-peak?! He'll be ready.

 

[tobydawq]

Is it me or has Philipsens sprinting not been nearly as good as previous years lately?

It's not you.

Milan and Merlier have been a LOT better than him this year.

 

[hayneplane]

Walker looked good I think just for the way he got back on them after seemingly being dropped. Vs Swift who rode 10kms and never got anywhere close to making any dent in their lead.

I don't know if the Tour plays a factor, well ok it does but it shouldn't, other nations championships still attract their best riders consistently.

We will have to get used to this course though as we're back here next year

Tour clearly plays a massive factor as none of the top 15 bookies favourites to win the GC took part in their countries NC road race.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Urška Žigart is Slovenian champion. Clearly better than her partner!

 

[awavey]

Tour clearly plays a massive factor as none of the top 15 bookies favourites to win the GC took part in their countries NC road race.

well this year yes because the Tour has moved to accomodate the Olympics, so its earlier and GC riders are basically already on their way to Florence so understandably might be reluctant to take part, but Pog rides nationals most years for example as a GC contender, other riders with stage victory hopes do their nationals too, its only Britain it seems where we get the B list of riders not picked for the Tour turning up.

and its the same in the womens race too IMO which is why I dont think the Tour should be a factor, the top riders from their respective world tours, dont see nationals as always a race they must do. I dont think Lizzie Deignan has ridden nationals since she last won it in 2017 till this year, yes there was Covid and pregnancy, but she avoided years she could have ridden simply because it wasnt a priority.

and thats the point, I dont think Froome has ever raced it, Thomas won it 2010, I dont think hes been back since. Wiggo never considered it a priority. Cav won it most recently when they actually provided a sprinter friendly course and I can understand why he doesnt bother with it otherwise with a stupid 25% climb at the finish, but you end up with British nationals more often than not with a selection of riders who have never won it as the favourites, will Hayter defend it next year ?

probably not. Georgi will because I think she gets it as does Anna Henderson, but if Lizzie D continues for another year, I doubt she'll bother with it again.


whereas for the likes of Lotte Kopecky, shes won it before, shes world champion, she still turns up to win it, thats the difference

 

[awavey]

Audrey Cordon Ragot meets her fans

https://twitter.com/x/status/1804508023542403190

View: https://x.com/hphcycling/status/1804508023542403190


next years TdFF starts in Britanny, why is she retiring ?

 

[Netserk]

well this year yes because the Tour has moved to accomodate the Olympics, so its earlier and GC riders are basically already on their way to Florence so understandably might be reluctant to take part, but Pog rides nationals most years for example as a GC contender, other riders with stage victory hopes do their nationals too, its only Britain it seems where we get the B list of riders not picked for the Tour turning up.

It's not really earlier than usual. Only in 2020 and 2018 have the nationals not been held in the weekend before the Tour this century.

 

[hayneplane]

well this year yes because the Tour has moved to accomodate the Olympics, so its earlier and GC riders are basically already on their way to Florence so understandably might be reluctant to take part, but Pog rides nationals most years for example as a GC contender, other riders with stage victory hopes do their nationals too, its only Britain it seems where we get the B list of riders not picked for the Tour turning up.

and its the same in the womens race too IMO which is why I dont think the Tour should be a factor, the top riders from their respective world tours, dont see nationals as always a race they must do. I dont think Lizzie Deignan has ridden nationals since she last won it in 2017 till this year, yes there was Covid and pregnancy, but she avoided years she could have ridden simply because it wasnt a priority.

and thats the point, I dont think Froome has ever raced it, Thomas won it 2010, I dont think hes been back since. Wiggo never considered it a priority. Cav won it most recently when they actually provided a sprinter friendly course and I can understand why he doesnt bother with it otherwise with a stupid 25% climb at the finish, but you end up with British nationals more often than not with a selection of riders who have never won it as the favourites, will Hayter defend it next year ?

probably not. Georgi will because I think she gets it as does Anna Henderson, but if Lizzie D continues for another year, I doubt she'll bother with it again.


whereas for the likes of Lotte Kopecky, shes won it before, shes world champion, she still turns up to win it, thats the difference

With the British Nats i think a big part of it is there has never been a course designed to tempt Froome into riding it and since Thomas transformed into a GC rider he hasn’t been strong in one day races like he was back when he won E3.

 

[awavey]

It's not really earlier than usual. Only in 2020 and 2018 have the nationals not been held in the weekend before the Tour this century.

well ok fine, it still doesnt impact most other nations nationals the way it does the British. So what gives?

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Post race interviews from the German nationals are hilarious btw. Few guys indirectly hinting that the front group must've benefited from some good motor draft and basically every non-Bora rider seems just fed up with the race as a whole. Multiple guys (Geschke, Zimmermann) openly gleeful that Brenner won and no Bora rider.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Out of interest why are Germans (riders) not interested in nationals any more and why are they against Bora rider winning?

P.S. Never mind, i checked on who won in the last couple of years and Bora (rider) turns up rather often. But i assume that as far as the Tour goes, it's perfectly OK?

 

[Wyndbrook]

I'd renew Hayter at a lower salary.

His sole big target this year is the team Pursuit, he needs to be coming to top form if any hope against the Ganna gang.

 

[Brullnux]

Lefevere to make Hayter Alaphilippe 2.0.

Lefevere giving Hayter a drinking problem does seem likely, yes.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Out of interest why are Germans (riders) not interested in nationals any more and why are they against Bora rider winning?

P.S. Never mind, i checked on who won in the last couple of years and Bora (rider) turns up rather often. But i assume that as far as the Tour goes, it's perfectly OK?

I remember watching one particular NC where Zimmerman was just bullied into submission by 5 Bora-riders. I assume it's annoying as a sole rider or a rider from a smaller team to race against one dominant WT-team with ten riders.

 

[11-34]

Out of interest why are Germans (riders) not interested in nationals any more and why are they against Bora rider winning?

Assume that Bora enters the competition with a team strength of eight riders, and all the others have maybe at most two team companions. It's then easy to figure out, how a non-Bora win is appreciated by the majority of the riders.

 

[RedheadDane]

Cecchini and Guarischi will be bullied at the next team meet-up.

Reusser escapes bullying because she didn't race her nationals?

It's not really earlier than usual. Only in 2020 and 2018 have the nationals not been held in the weekend before the Tour this century.

What happened in 2018?

 

[Bolder]

His sole big target this year is the team Pursuit, he needs to be coming to top form if any hope against the Ganna gang.

It’s not only that, he wasn’t improving last season, either, and he has that positioning issue. I assume he’s getting 1 million or more. Is that too much for a rider to win minor stage races (and stages in itzulia to be fair). But I’d re-sign him if I were Ineos.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Out of interest why are Germans (riders) not interested in nationals any more and why are they against Bora rider winning?

P.S. Never mind, i checked on who won in the last couple of years and Bora (rider) turns up rather often. But i assume that as far as the Tour goes, it's perfectly OK?

It's nothing against Bora as a team but more annoyance about a system where you heavily depend on the x factor how many other riders of the same nationality are on your team. The likes of Zimmermann or Geschke are repeatedly lone starters and due to their known quality it is easy for an 8 men deep Bora team to mark the shite out of them.

 

[Wyndbrook]

It’s not only that, he wasn’t improving last season, either, and he has that positioning issue. I assume he’s getting 1 million or more. Is that too much for a rider to win minor stage races (and stages in itzulia to be fair). But I’d re-sign him if I were Ineos.

I Agree, paid too much, but worth resigning. He is a rider who will occasionally win a biggish race.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Reusser escapes bullying because she didn't race her nationals?

Yes. The same goes for NFB. They have also both won championship titles for the team in the past.