Lesser known races 2024 edition

[Salvarani]

Bike - 1
Moto - 0

Good

 

[Brullnux]

Cosnefroy took that pretty comfortably in the end

 

[Ricco']

Why was he riding for Teuns

Status and points.

Blackmore's points doesn't count for Israel.

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

Poor Hermans cramped up just as he was about to launch his sprint.

 

[Rob5091]

Yep, van den Berg needed Healy at the finish, otherwise chapeau The Cheese King, Cosnefroy!

 

[Brullnux]

Intermarché so funny, they had four riders in the group and came 2nd in the bunch sprint. Had they ridden, they could well have come top 5

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Hermans underwhelming here. Teuns is not slow in a sprint but maybe this was a bit too flat for him. Not sure if Blackmore is faster (maybe he is, i really have no idea).

 

[Keldergoat]

That was a fun final to watch, more exciting than PR and RvV combined.

Really strong performances by Blackmore, Van den Berg and Cosnefroy. Van den Berg looked the strongest on the Moskestraat, but wasn't the smartest. Already before that acceleration he was doing the lion share of the work. But to be fair, you rather steal my heart as a rider showing initiative than just depending on your sprint. Blackmore is an absolute beast, was curious what he could do in such a competitive field but he certainly delivered. What a talent.

 

[GenericBoonenFan]

Who's gonna keep Teuns from another Fleche victory?

 

[Sciatic]

Cosnefroy took that pretty comfortably in the end

Finally got his win there!

 

[Landeirovic]

Who's gonna keep Teuns from another Fleche victory?

Ayuso?

 

[yaco]

Do Jayco not have anyone capable of giving Matthews a hand in these races, he'd be favourite if he had help

Have previously posted how weak is Jaycos classic team. Ordinarily you would have Schmid but he only returned to racing last week
while Scotson has not started in 2024. The team for unknown reasons has suffered lots of illness and have struggled to field teams in the last month.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Who's gonna keep Teuns from another Fleche victory?

Possibly Pidcock, Skjelmose, Van Gils... not sure who else is riding. Teuns seems to be in good form.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Rog still down for Fleche, I assume one of his stalkers admirers might know whether he actually intends to do it though given the circs.

 

[RedheadDane]

Meanwhile, at the Tour du Loir et Cher:

1	VAN DE WYNKELE Lorenz	Lotto Dstny Development Team	7	5		4:00:16
2	LOVIDIUS Edvin	Sweden	3	2		,,
3	DAEMEN Stijn	VolkerWessels Cycling Team	1	1		0:03

I hereby declare that all Swedes on the forum are allowed to feel a strong sense of National Pride until sunset.

 

[Sciatic]

Meanwhile, at the Tour du Loir et Cher:

1	VAN DE WYNKELE Lorenz	Lotto Dstny Development Team	7	5		4:00:16
2	LOVIDIUS Edvin	Sweden	3	2		,,
3	DAEMEN Stijn	VolkerWessels Cycling Team	1	1		0:03

I hereby declare that all Swedes on the forum are allowed to feel a strong sense of National Pride until sunset.

I think it’s been discussed in some other thread in the past, but I find it curious that Sweden produces star performers in many other sports (Nordic & alpine skiing, Athletics for example) but produces so few cyclists performing at the world tour level. Perhaps the bigger emphasis there is on winter sports but folks usually see that as true for Norway too?

 

[Squire]

I think it’s been discussed in some other thread in the past, but I find it curious that Sweden produces star performers in many other sports (Nordic & alpine skiing, Athletics for example) but produces so few cyclists performing at the world tour level. Perhaps the bigger emphasis there is on winter sports but folks usually see that as true for Norway too?

The Hushovd effect might be a strong contributor when it comes to the cycling boom in Norway. The Gustav Larsson effect in Sweden didn't kick in as hard, maybe.

 

[search]

and now they'll get a whole generation of little Swedish pole jumpers instead?

 

[Sciatic]

Given the preponderance of video clips of pole vaulters (aside from Duplantis, mostly women vaulters) on Instagram etc, I think there’s likely to be a boom in pole vaulting everywhere.

I’m always a bit envious watching those clips because I was a high school pole vaulter at a small school and my age group was the first to get top-of-line cata-poles. We had to teach ourselves how to perform with bendy/springy poles (our coach was a weight guy and knew nothing). Now I see how they’vegotten the technique done so well, and in particular all the training and technique practice methods they use, and wish we’d had that. We just made up whatever seemed like the best (old school) training: climbing ropes, sit ups, walking on our hands

 

[DNP-Old]

The Hushovd effect might be a strong contributor when it comes to the cycling boom in Norway. The Gustav Larsson effect in Sweden didn't kick in as hard, maybe.

I might be confusing you with someone else, but aren't you a Norwegian fella? Is this influx actually Hushovd thing? If so, I can't wait to see what happens once Nordhagen starts winning grand tours.

 

[search]

Serry in 25th indeed turned out to be the best Quickstep rider in the end. Although beaten by four Caja Rural.

In the post race interview, Quinten Hermans said that Stevie Williams went so hard that his legs exploded and he couldn't sprint anymore. Not sure if anyone told him the truth yet .

 

[Squire]

I might be confusing you with someone else, but aren't you a Norwegian fella? Is this influx actually Hushovd thing? If so, I can't wait to see what happens once Nordhagen starts winning grand tours.

I am indeed Norwegian.

Exactly what has caused what isn't an exact science of course, but the Tour de France viewership numbers in Norway went absolutely through the roof in the 2000s. Early in that decade, the coverage switched from Eurosport to TV2, which everybody had access to, and that obviously helped numbers. I don't know if TV2 got the rights because Hushovd started to do things, but his successes (and those of Arvesen and EBH later) definitely helped turn TDF into something that 'everybody' watched every summer, regardless of how much (or little) they followed cycling otherwise. I'm in no doubt that this massive interest contributed to a lot of 90s kids taking up cycling, which has led to us having more pros than ever, and even a Norwegian team at a high level, which was almost unthinkable 20 years ago.

 

[jmdirt]

Given the preponderance of video clips of pole vaulters (aside from Duplantis, mostly women vaulters) on Instagram etc, I think there’s likely to be a boom in pole vaulting everywhere.

I’m always a bit envious watching those clips because I was a high school pole vaulter at a small school and my age group was the first to get top-of-line cata-poles. We had to teach ourselves how to perform with bendy/springy poles (our coach was a weight guy and knew nothing). Now I see how they’vegotten the technique done so well, and in particular all the training and technique practice methods they use, and wish we’d had that. We just made up whatever seemed like the best (old school) training: climbing ropes, sit ups, walking on our hands

Me too! In Jr. High we used rigid poles, but then starting my freshman year of HS we got bendy poles and my PR went up 18" as soon as I learned how to ride the bend, then another 12" as I improved on it. Unfortuanely the progress slowed and then platued from then on. Image gaining 3 feet in one year, and then ony another foot the following three years!! Sorry for the ramble off topic...

CONGRATS BC!

 

[Salvarani]

The Hushovd effect might be a strong contributor when it comes to the cycling boom in Norway. The Gustav Larsson effect in Sweden didn't kick in as hard, maybe.

I think Emma Johansson and Jenny Rissveds did more in terms of exposure, than Gustav.

Cycling is a big recreational sport here. Something a lot of people have taken up as they have gotten older. Like people in their 30s and 40s. There has definitely been a big cycling-boom in that regard. "Vättern-rundan" is something a lot of people rides each year. 300km around our second largest lake.

It is a staple where you also ski 90km (Vasaloppet), swim 3km (Vansbrosimmet) and run 30km (Lidingöloppet). It is called doing the "Swedish Classic", pretty much word for word translated, you must do within one year. All four things.

Anyway... among the younger generation cycling has not become a big thing though, as far as I know. Just using it to try not to be late for school.