All right, one and a half years. Holmgren: May 2025, Chladonova: November 2006
DAMN! A literal baby finished in the top-10?!
All right, one and a half years. Holmgren: May 2025, Chladonova: November 2006
It's you who suggested comparing them at the same age, so Chladonova this year vs. Holmgren last year. And that's difficult to do, since Chladonova seems to have abandoned the mountainbike altogether whereas Holmgren rode an XCO season next to the road season... and became world champion. That's a different trajectory and a different focus.What are you talking about? Different focus, different trajectory?
Chladonova was the junior XCO world champion at the same event. Aged just 18, she finished sixth at the CX U23 World Championships, one place behind Holmgren, who was in her second year of competing in this age group. What's more, Chladonova finished tenth in her first elite category CX World Cup race. I expect her to have a very strong CX season this winter, now that she has spent a full year with Visma.
You're trying to frame it as if Holmgren did a full XCO season, when in fact she only did a few U23 races + the Olympics.It's you who suggested comparing them at the same age, so Chladonova this year vs. Holmgren last year. And that's difficult to do, since Chladonova seems to have abandoned the mountainbike altogether whereas Holmgren rode an XCO season next to the road season... and became world champion. That's a different trajectory and a different focus.
I don't know what the plans for Chladonova's CX season are, she's done a full road season so I assume it's not going to be much. Visma are very careful and she's ony 18/19 years old. 10th in Benidorm was impressive, but also not really representative as it's more of a criterium.
I'm not sure what your point is, apparently it's hugely important that Chladonova is better than Holmgren. Okay, fine. She seems like a big talent and a very modest person, which is always a good combination.You're trying to frame it as if Holmgren did a full XCO season, when in fact she only did a few U23 races + the Olympics.
Since Viki's birthday falls so late in the year, I still stand by my statement that there are two years, or more precisely two seasons, between them. Viki completed the entire 2025 road season at the age of 18. Holmgren can say the same about the 2023 season.
Btw, Viki has said several times that CX is her favourite sport, and that the main reason she chose Visma was because it allowed her to combine road cycling and CX. So I would be surprised if she didn't have an extensive CX season in the winter
Because if you're the strongest in this race, there is no point in attacking early at this level, and because there are no strong teams to coordinate and make the race hard.Just tuned in and looks like a solid group ride. The other women's race was also atrocious. Why can't the women produce better racing on circuits like this?