Race Thread

[lemon cheese cake]

I think Nys is overrated and it's good he'll be doing the u23 races. While he's a good rider and has come from good stock, he's never been super dominant apart from as a second year junior and is only breaking through into the top 10 of elite races this season.

 

[Gwbert]

I think Nys is overrated and it's good he'll be doing the u23 races. While he's a good rider and has come from good stock, he's never been super dominant apart from as a second year junior and is only breaking through into the top 10 of elite races this season.

Still 5th in the first two world cups isn’t too shabby for a youngster. But he is a long way off Iserbyt. Let’s see if he dominates the u23 season.

 

[stonerider]

I think Nys is overrated and it's good he'll be doing the u23 races. While he's a good rider and has come from good stock, he's never been super dominant apart from as a second year junior and is only breaking through into the top 10 of elite races this season.

How good was his Sven at age 19?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Bad news for Lucinda Brand who crashed during training, and has broken bones in her arm.....So is out for a while.

 

[Lequack]

Well darn.

 

[Wyndbrook]

I think Nys is overrated and it's good he'll be doing the u23 races. While he's a good rider and has come from good stock, he's never been super dominant apart from as a second year junior and is only breaking through into the top 10 of elite races this season.

Perhaps so based on Belgian expectations as always, but his results so far at senior level seem to be better than Isybert was achieving at his age.
Time will tell, although this is likely to be his last full cross season, next year onwards he is road focused.

 

[Ricco']

Nys wins the U23 race sprinting against Jente Michels. Verstrynge, Wyseure and Ronhaar close the top-5.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Nys is definitely performing as one of the best u23 this year, but he's taken some time compared to what people were expecting of him

 

[DNP-Old]

While the gap he ultimately got doesn't really do it justice, Leo Bisiaux dominated the first junior World Cup in many moons this morning. Took the lead somewhere in the second lap and never looked back. The gap in level and talent between this generation is very small, and we could have a different winner every weekend.

The best part of that is that there are many different nationalities in them, different continents, even. The races will no longer be dominated by Belgium, Netherlands or the UK. Leo Bisiaux, Fontin Gloux, Baptiste Gregoire and Paul Seixas representing France. AJ August and David Thompson representing the US. Ian Ackert for Canada. Daniel Nielsen from Denmark. Vaclav Jezek and Pavel Sumpik representing the Czech Republic. Mathias Schwarzbacher from Slovakia. Tomasso Cafueri and Samuele Scappini for Italy. Last but not least, there's also Barnabas Vas, Kata's younger brother. Good stuff.

I think AJ August had some mechanical problems or a crash unfortunately, only 10th. After that, he posted just as good a lap times as Bisieux, some even better. Big talent from the States once more.

 

[RedheadDane]

Pieterse, Worst, and Van Empel in the front.
Followed by a larger group lead by Vas.

 

[RedheadDane]

Van Empel takes her third World Cup win in as many possibilities so far this season. Ahead of Pieterse and Worst.

 

[Raggamuffin]

Van Empel asserting herself as top dog this season and womens elite races are 10x better than the mens imo. Lars or Laurence will hopefully change my mind soon tho..

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

CX is so much better when the winner is not clear after 1/4 of the distance.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

While the gap he ultimately got doesn't really do it justice, Leo Bisiaux dominated the first junior World Cup in many moons this morning. Took the lead somewhere in the second lap and never looked back. The gap in level and talent between this generation is very small, and we could have a different winner every weekend.

The best part of that is that there are many different nationalities in them, different continents, even. The races will no longer be dominated by Belgium, Netherlands or the UK. Leo Bisiaux, Fontin Gloux, Baptiste Gregoire and Paul Seixas representing France. AJ August and David Thompson representing the US. Ian Ackert for Canada. Daniel Nielsen from Denmark. Vaclav Jezek and Pavel Sumpik representing the Czech Republic. Mathias Schwarzbacher from Slovakia. Tomasso Cafueri and Samuele Scappini for Italy. Last but not least, there's also Barnabas Vas, Kata's younger brother. Good stuff.

I think AJ August had some mechanical problems or a crash unfortunately, only 10th. After that, he posted just as good a lap times as Bisieux, some even better. Big talent from the States once more.

I was really interested to see how Ackert would be when/if he came across to Europe after riding really strong in the US races this year and the worlds last year. It's good to see Canada and the USA sending younger riders out to these races and getting the experience as juniors and such a shame British cycling havent done so, especially considering they have done to Tabor in the past even when there's been a National Trophy round.

It's also great to see a French rider winning a world cup again. While we haven't seen them convert that many good junior/u23 riders into good elites, it's nice to see them at the front after some seasons where they've seemingly even been absent from the front of these younger race categories

 

[Axel Hangleck]

That was a good race, but Tabor could do with a refresh, apart from the barriers there's very little technical to it.

3/3 for Van Empel; one wonders can she keep this form throughout the season; we saw what happened when McConnell dominated the early part of the MTB World Cup....

It's also great to see a French rider winning a world cup again. While we haven't seen them convert that many good junior/u23 riders into good elites, it's nice to see them at the front after some seasons where they've seemingly even been absent from the front of these younger race categories

Yes, I agree. The problem with promising junior/U23 riders who aren't Dutch/Belgian, is they tend to end up on the Road/MTB.....

 

[lemon cheese cake]

And.... someone at gcn has obviously pressed the wrong button and now the mens race has disappeared before the start.....

 

[RedheadDane]

Okay, those Cross Team Legendre jerseys are... dare I say it? Legendary!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

And.... someone at gcn has obviously pressed the wrong button and now the men's race has disappeared before the start.....

I just left the women's stream on, and all is fine.....though I've seen reports on twitter about it going down.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

I just left the women's stream on, and all is fine.....though I've seen reports on twitter about it going down.

It was up just before the staert.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Cross Vegas vibes with the size of the group here.

 

[RedheadDane]

Iserbyt also goes three for three in terms of World Cup wins.
In other words; BINGOal!

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Nice races again. Great final lap in the women's race again and as usual tactics are the winner for Pauwels Sauzen/Iserbyt. Would have been interesting if van der Haar had gone earlier, but I assume he was relying on Sweeck more.

 

[jmdirt]

Iserbyt was definitely ready for the beginning of the season! Congrats!

Congrats Van Empel!

 

[jmdirt]

Nys is definitely performing as one of the best u23 this year, but he's taken some time compared to what people were expecting of him

That's OK, he has time. Peoples' expectations often distort the true picture.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Startlists for Maasmechelen are out with not much unexpected. Vos and Backstedt are back racing world cups although her teammate Honsinger isn't listed. Actual decent list of British riders on the start lists but no Anna Kay and no elite men which I assume is as Kay and Mein are the local riders for the national Trophy and then Cam Mason hasn't properly started his season aswell as stating he's doing less races this season.