Race Thread

[Barkintheeye]

Magnus Backstedt is superb commenting both CX as well as road racing. Knowledgeable and interesting.

 

[Mick Dundee]

These guys could Spice Up the CX commentary…

Try to imagine them on VdP’s epic Amstel Gold win too!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KZV7zfMGTg

 

[Barkintheeye]

I don't agree. We've seen the past two seasons that Van Aert is vulnerable and can't keep his shape for months. During the coronaseason in summer/autumn 2020 he was incredible in august/september (Strade Bianche, Milan-San Remo, Dauphiné, Tour). He showed still form at the end of the season, but was not at his top level then (Worlds, Flanders). In 2021 he was top from Tirreno till Gent-Wevelgem, but not at "Flanders". Then he had another flare-up (Amstel Gold Race). In the second part of the season, Van Aert was at his best halfway through the Tour, the olympic road race (but not the timetrial), to Tour of Britain. Weakened somewhat towards world championship and totally faded in Roubaix. I hope he learned lessons from this for the upcoming road season.

We’ll see. I believe something has changed. Wout just looks unstoppable.

I bet they/he will want the CX title

 

[stonerider]

We’ll see. I believe something has changed. Wout just looks unstoppable.

I bet they/he will want the CX title

I hope he doesn't. I'd rather see him in top form for Flanders and Paris Roubaix. Winning those races would mean much more to his palmares than winning another CX World Championship jersey.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

These guys could Spice Up the CX commentary…

Try to imagine them on VdP’s epic Amstel Gold win too!!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KZV7zfMGTg

Possibly not the most professional commentary in world, but by far the best!

I really enjoyed the commentary yesterday. I don't think they've commentated together before, but Rob Hatch, Ian Field and Ellen Noble seemed to work well together and can describe whats going on well and add deeper insight. I feel Marty Macdonald is quite boring and just seems to regurgitate the same facts week in week out. Although I like Jeremy Powers from his Behind the Barriers days, he doesn't give much insight and just seems to be very excitable all the time.

 

[postmanhat]

I'm very much agnostic about Rob Hatch as a road commentator, but don't rate him on CX. Confusing Lechner with Riberole is quite hard to do, and describing this as a 'breakthough' performance by Anrooij? Granted, he is good at bringing in his co-commentators. I like Ian field, but Ellen Noble needs to gain a lot more confidence, and also an adverb other than 'super'. I prefer Marty Macdonald, but agree that his partnership with Jeremy Powers has become a little stale. Really enjoyed listening to him with Bethany Crumpton earlier in the season.

Anyway, back to the racing. Evie Richards was supposed to have returned already this week, but had a reaction to the vaccine taken just before Christmas. Could be back this weekend.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

She's not the only one; I had it the day before Christmas Eve, and left me lethargic for a few days......finally managed an hour ride this afternoon.
Would be good to see her back racing, first race since Snowshoe in September - though she was training with Trek-Segafredo before Christmas.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Possibly not the most professional commentary in world, but by far the best!

I think Rob Warner has dialled it back since then, now that he's on Red Bull.......but will still drop in "LOOK at the time...."

 

[Axel Hangleck]

No Evie for today, going by her instagram post.....

 

[Armchair cyclist]

Rob Hatch should do more crosses, it was a good group of commentators today, he knows how to give enthusiasm to the narration and to bring more diverse themes of conversation.

With Marty and Jeremy the commentary goes always to the same places: "bending the tape", "he went over the track's speed limit", "look at rider putting that road power", etc.

Just a shame that the audio and mixing problems in Eurosport continue day after day. It seems like an amateur production, not something coming from an international channel with decades of experience.

Having paid for subscription to GCN+ this year, it is rather galling to hear a couple of minutes of commentary silence followed by the information that those watching on TV have just had the benefit of an interview, that those of us who have paid for the service are deprived of.
Way to respect your customers.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

So how much will he win this one by?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Alvarado switched herself back on.
Just love it.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

So how much will he win this one by?

Good question. He'll know himself if the Worlds are likely; and he'll maybe ride accordingly....no point in burying himself to win by 1-2 minutes. Win at the slowest speed possible.....20-30 secs.

 

[Mick Dundee]

Pidders off to unusually good start… expecting another good race between the two mini-me’s at the very least

 

[Ricco']

The 80% rule needs to be revised, especially on courses like this one with narrow finishes.

80% in a fast course may be enough, but on a heavy day with long laps it's not, it should be 70% or around when the predicted lap times are slower than on ideal conditions.

 

[meat puppet]

Some pit stop

 

[RedheadDane]

Van Aert Van Aerting.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Some pit stop

Some pidcock-stop
by Wout
(No toying with them this time)

 

[Armchair cyclist]

So if we can arrange for van Aert to be given self destructing shoes for the remaining races, we might get some competitive events.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

A good race, but there was almost a sense of inevitability of Wout catching, and winning, despite his crash and pit stop. When you've got that much power in a course with deep mud sections, you're almost bound to challenge.

Tom rode a good race, and was good in the technical parts, but he hasn't got mega watts to hold Wout off. As I keep saying, he's an excellent CX racer, but the longer climbs/descents, and technical courses of MTB suit him far better

 

[Pantani_lives]

Best cross of the season! Pidcock had a faster pit stop, but Wout still won.

 

[Gwbert]

Best cross of the season! Pidcock had a faster pit stop, but Wout still won.

And we get it all over again tomorrow!

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

How many in a row will he win?

 

[Mick Dundee]

How many in a row will he win?

All of them barring injury, to be blunt.
As a Vdp fanboy, I’m a bit gutted Mathiue hasn’t been able to hit this CX season in similar shape to the last few years so we could’ve got some spectacular racing.

You‘re our only hope now Pidcock (third best CX rider in the world according to some anglosaxon dudes).

 

[stonerider]

All of them barring injury, to be blunt.
As a Vdp fanboy, I’m a bit gutted Mathiue hasn’t been able to hit this CX season in similar shape to the last few years so we could’ve got some spectacular racing.

You‘re our only hope now Pidcock (third best CX rider in the world according to some anglosaxon dudes).

Wout>Pidcock>the rest of the bunch...unless on a really heavy course.

MvdP will have to get his back strong again before we can consider in close to Wout again. Wout is just a physical beast of a man...so much power (watts).