Slow down. He was more than a bit ahead of MVDP on form when he dropped him on the MTB - and still didn't have the raw power to beat him in the short track on that same weekend. Just MO, but unless MVDP mechs/crashes, Piddy as 0 chance of beating him in any of the upcoming CX races. Seems like MVDP is healthy again and my guess is he will dominate over the next couple weeks per usual. 8222-223.
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And BTW, MVDP and team clearly made a last minute "business decision" this past weekend. Thankfully. As a fan, I'm tired of seeing him miss big races or at best go in compromised.
He passed and rode away from him twice in one race at Albstadt, and then left him behind at Nove Mesto on the long rooty climb. Pidcock doesn't have the raw horse power, so he's not going to beat him in a Short Track which is more CX, than XC. MvdP's record in World Cup Short track is ridiculous; 10/12 nobody else is close.
MvdP is a better CX rider than Pidcock will ever be, it suits his skill set far better; however, on the longer climbs of XCO, he can't compete with Pidcock's light weight.
Fair enough. Just about any of the best riders (road: Remco, Pog, Vingegaard and others needs being added) can drop any of the other given the right circumstances. Maybe Pidcock has a small edge on a long technical MTB climb, just as WVA has an edge a very muddy course with lots of running and MVDP on just about any of the other courses. On average Pidcock is likely to come out third against WVA and MVDP - on CX and on the road. MTB maybe not? I tend not to follow the XCC/XCO races.
Pidcock has an interesting profile, he's not quite a climber, not quite a sprinter, not quite a puncheur. He's certainly a better climber than MVDP, but that doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things since in the real climbing races he won't be up against MVDP, he'll be up against Pogacar and Vingegaard.
In CX, MVDP is going cause some hurt starting on Friday and finishing the first weekend in February. Then, on the road, my guess is 2023 will be the year where it all comes together and we see him do the stuff only he is really capable of - meaning completely tear apart races like RVV and PR. If he stays on his current trajectory he won't be winning RVV this year by scratching and clawing to stay on Pogis wheel. He'll completely destroy everyone. Same with PR - won't be going in on *** back in like Fall 2021 or on a crash training period like in Spring 2022. If he goes in ready he will destroy everyone.
I guess WVA will have something to say about that. He's arguably never been at his best in Flanders and Roubaix, and this year he's really trying to get it right. It will be interesting to see them go head to head, both in their best form, on the road. I don't think it has ever happened, strangely enough. I'd give the edge to MVDP but we've seen in cross before that if a race is really hard WVA's grit and determination start to take the upper hand.
You are wrong. Mathieu is the greatest human to ever walk the earth. He can walk on water too. He was also responsible for creating a corona vaccine and if Russia and Ukraine were to find peace tomorrow, Mathieu will be celebrated as the greatest diplomat who has ever lived.
Well, lets put it this way. I think we are spoiled with a generation of some of the finest riders to have ever ridden bicycles, and that also goes for the women with Van Empel, Pieterse, PFP, Vos etc. It makes both road, CX and MTB exciting to watch and a big part of that is the crossover between disciplines - a little like: "who's strongest, Godzilla or King Kong". I am looking forward to many good races in 2023!
Dream scenario for RVV 2023 is WVA vs MVDP vs Pogacar vs Remco vs Piddles battling it out on Kwaremount and Paterberg and with Kung, van Baarle, Madouas, Pedersen, Asgreen and some other mixing it up.
He's also the greatest to walk on the moon as well, right?
Not forgetting the 'grand slam' in golf........
Fem van Empel won the prize for best cycling talent in the Netherlands (male or female) on Monday, the Gerrie Knetemann Trofee, ahead of Puck Pieterse and Olav Kooij, among others. There she said that for coming season the mountainbike is plan A and the road is second on the list. Her coach at Pauwels also confirmed in a podcast that the Paris Olympics are a secret goal of hers. So she probably won't do as much road racing as some might have assumed.
The Pauwels coach (Tom De Kort) also talked about Denise Betsema, and how far away she really lives from the cyclocross action. She's from the island of Texel, and it's a 3,5 hour drive to get to most crosses in Belgium. Now that's dedication, 7 hours in a car for a 45 minute race. Every weekend.
The Pauwels coach (Tom De Kort) also talked about Denise Betsema, and how far away she really lives from the cyclocross action. She's from the island of Texel, and it's a 3,5 hour drive to get to most crosses in Belgium. Now that's dedication, 7 hours in a car for a 45 minute race. Every weekend.
That could be the case if he stops his habit of injuring himself with stupid crashes due to lack of focus.
Well it's not a secret anymore!
Joking aside about van der Poel, I only really see Pidcock being able to challenge him at Gavere over the next week or so. It's going to be the one that suits him the best. I think van Aert is much closer but we'll have to wait to see how all three come out of the spanish training camps. That being said I still don't believe in the 'big 3' thing. Pidcock previously has been a stepping stone between Iserbyt and Aerts and then the real 'big 2'. This year I feel that gap is slightly diminished so far with Vanthourenhout, Sweeck and van der Haar being alot closer to Iserbyt and also surpassing him (and occasionally Pidcock)
‘So far‘ is the point tho marra.
(Mens) this season is only just about to kick off, starting this weekend. Expect big differences to show over the Christmas period when the world tour boys bring their primed engines and A game. Grab the popcorn and watch the battles commence!
Not sure what you mean by "grit and determination". Wout sort of got a reputation for "grit and determination" because he never just sat up in the endless number of CX races where MVDP dropped him (you do realize MVDP is 91-38 vs. Wout h2h right?) - he'd hang in there and drool all over himself to keep second and keep the gap respectable. But when of you are talking about who can absolutely turn themselves inside out to go for the WIN, there isn't anyone in cycling that can match MVDP.
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MVDP is what they call in Flanders a 'speelvogel', literally a playing bird, someone who likes to play around on his bike. It's both his greatest asset and his biggest weakness. WVA has 3 world titles in cross, something he really shouldn't have as MVDP has always been the better crosser. But somehow in these really important events, these races that MVDP really wants to win, there's something that holds him back. It's a recurring theme throughout his career. And whatever you may call it, grit, determination or just class, WVA beat him on a couple of those moments.
Why is it all about stats of how many they've won or lost against each other? I'm sure they both want to have as many wins as possible otherwise they wouldn't be racing any discipline, but I doubt they could care that one is extending the win gap or the other is making it smaller.
Vos, van Empel and van Aert's 2023 CX calendar has been released. Nothing that surprising listed with none of them having anything listed after worlds so far.
https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/race...ocross-program-of-van-aert-vos-and-van-empel/
https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/race...ocross-program-of-van-aert-vos-and-van-empel/
They shouldn't have anything on their calendar after Worlds as it's time for them to have a little break before gearing up for the road Spring Classics or XC MTB racing. Leave the post Worlds CX racing to the full-time CX racers who can't get a big road or MTB contract.
I'm wondering about Van Empel's post CX Worlds programme seeing as the first XC World Cup is now mid May, that leaves a bit of time for rest and preparation races in Spain/ Italy.
Jumbo had their team presentation today, but Van Empel wasn't there. So there's no news about her plans after the cyclocross season.
They did interview Marianne Vos on a Zoom call from the Teide. I think that's a first, altitude training halfway through the cross season. It seems she really wants to win those home Worlds in Hoogerheide.
She also didn't attend an awards ceremony where she received the best future rider award but I think did something over a video call. I guess it's partly due to her crash on Saturday, but I wonder in the case of not showing at the presentation whether it's due to a clause in her contract with the Sauces?
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