Race Thread

[lemon cheese cake]

Nice ride by XC rider Annie Last in 15th. First continental race in a few years and not far behind Millie Couzens who she's beaten or been close to in the National Trophy this season. I'd wouldn't say it's nailed on that Backstedt will win the national champs this year but with Last, Kay, MacLean-Howell and Couzens, it should be a good race.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Nice ride by XC rider Annie Last in 15th. First continental race in a few years and not far behind Millie Couzens who she's beaten or been close to in the National Trophy this season. I'd wouldn't say it's nailed on that Backstedt will win the national champs this year but with Last, Kay, MacLean-Howell and Couzens, it should be a good race.

They showed the pre-ride and she was riding a Scott; however she's been rumoured to be moving elsewhere - not on a Scott bike, but as we know MTB transfers are announced haphazardly. I do think she can make the top 3, as last year, and there's no Harnden; in reality, Backstedt should win if she's anywhere near top form. Kay is in that generation who have been overtaken by the youngsters and in the last two Nationals has found the courses too heavy.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

contractual ? Red Bull for the CX/MTB stuff, but obviously Ineos then still have first claim on him.

I can't see that being the case; CX doesn't seem to interest Red Bull - they have no full time CX riders ( the riders seen in CX are mainly MTB/Road) - and they've now lost the MTB rights.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

They showed the pre-ride and she was riding a Scott; however she's been rumoured to be moving elsewhere - not on a Scott bike, but as we know MTB transfers are announced haphazardly. I do think she can make the top 3, as last year, and there's no Harnden; in reality, Backstedt should win if she's anywhere near top form. Kay is in that generation who have been overtaken by the youngsters and in the last two Nationals has found the courses too heavy.

Judging by most of the previous Trophy's at Westmoreland Showground and the time of year, it'll be quite heavy again.

I think I saw her in one of the Cannondale rider's or staff's instagram story along with fellow Scott rider Charlie Aldridge.

 

[davidsonduke]

Someone upstream mentioned FvE's performance on the technical bits. I found that really impressive. From what I saw on the GCN coverage, she handled the course better than any of the other contenders. I wasn't expecting that. She may have not been on the limit, and that helped, but some of those sections would be hard no matter the speed. She really showed her proficiiency as well as her power and endurance.

 

[senna6541]

Pidcock seems like a great young man, and he is an absolute force on two wheels. Good for him that he checked the World Champion in CX box with his win last year. But this year is about a titanic head to to head battle between MVPD and Wout. Probably better not to have Piddy there to muck it up a bit like he did at Diegem and Loenhout.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Judging by most of the previous Trophy's at Westmoreland Showground and the time of year, it'll be quite heavy again.

I think I saw her in one of the Cannondale rider's or staff's instagram story along with fellow Scott rider Charlie Aldridge.

I've seen different rumours, including the new Lapierre team, formerly KMC-Orbea, as well as Cannondale. He was at the training camp, in Cannondale kit, but wearing Scott gloves....and they still haven't announced anything. MTB transfers can be bizarre.......1st August obviously doesn't apply.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Someone upstream mentioned FvE's performance on the technical bits. I found that really impressive. From what I saw on the GCN coverage, she handled the course better than any of the other contenders. I wasn't expecting that. She may have not been on the limit, and that helped, but some of those sections would be hard no matter the speed. She really showed her proficiiency as well as her power and endurance.

She's actually pretty good technically, not as good as Puck, but she did get a silver in the U23 XCO European championships, and Burquier was the only top name missing:

1 PUCK PIETERSE	20	NED	01:12:29
2 FEM VAN EMPEL	20	NED	01:13:21
3 GIADA SPECIA	22	ITA	01:14:04
4 SOFIE PEDERSEN	21	DEN	01:14:24
5 NOËLLE BURI	21	SUI	01:15:24

 

[awavey]

having just caught up with the highlights of the Womens race, did everyone just forget Lorena Wiebes had a near identical Pidcock moment at the same bump ? just at a slower speed so didnt end up on the other side of the fence.

 

[jono]

having just caught up with the highlights of the Womens race, did everyone just forget Lorena Wiebes had a near identical Pidcock moment at the same bump ? just at a slower speed so didnt end up on the other side of the fence.

I didn't see that one but I did see Alvarado have some trouble there.

 

[awavey]

I can't see that being the case; CX doesn't seem to interest Red Bull - they have no full time CX riders ( the riders seen in CX are mainly MTB/Road) - and they've now lost the MTB rights.

but they must have some interest else they wouldnt sponsor him at all, what I mean is these are the only races he can wear something with Red Bull logos on it and keep Ineos happy, he doesnt have the clout yet in road cycling to get around what Ineos want him to wear on the road for them and have his own personal sponsors, as even G cant do that with his trademarked Oakleys.

so Im thinking the setup is Ineos have first claim to his riding services as he is their contracted rider so they build the race programme for him target the spring classics, and are more concerned about the burnout part, but still allow him to do CX to fill in the gaps, but the Red Bull deal means he has to ride some if not all of these CX races else he isnt showing off their sponsorship.

it just feels like one of those competing deals things thats going on.

 

[theyoungest]

Someone upstream mentioned FvE's performance on the technical bits. I found that really impressive. From what I saw on the GCN coverage, she handled the course better than any of the other contenders. I wasn't expecting that. She may have not been on the limit, and that helped, but some of those sections would be hard no matter the speed. She really showed her proficiiency as well as her power and endurance.

She's always measured up against Puck, who is technically the best in the world, so that's maybe not completely fair. The difference between the two, I think, is mainly just experience. It's not like Fem had never touched a bike, but she only took up cyclocross seriously 3 years ago. It's also a matter of playing to your strengths, Puck knows that if she doesn't go full send on the descents Fem will drop her on the power sections.

 

[Barkintheeye]

She's always measured up against Puck, who is technically the best in the world, so that's maybe not completely fair. The difference between the two, I think, is mainly just experience. It's not like Fem had never touched a bike, but she only took up cyclocross seriously 3 years ago. It's also a matter of playing to your strengths, Puck knows that if she doesn't go full send on the descents Fem will drop her on the power sections.

Van Empel looks very solid technically albeit slightly below Pieterse who has raised the bar significantly.

It was a little surprising to see Alvarado so off her technical level but maybe the pressure put on her by Van Empel had her going over the limit?

 

[Lequack]

From the man himself

https://twitter.com/x/status/1609610409098575876

View: https://twitter.com/GcnRacing/status/1609610409098575876

 

[stonerider]

Yep, he said it, "stupid crash". He and MvdP have a lot in common.

 

[awavey]

I didn't see that one but I did see Alvarado have some trouble there.

they didnt show that on the highlights,only when she got stuck on a rut on the slope part, but they showed Nadja Heigl also crashed on the bumps and ended spectator side of the fencing.

 

[Gwbert]

Van Empel looks very solid technically albeit slightly below Pieterse who has raised the bar significantly.

It was a little surprising to see Alvarado so off her technical level but maybe the pressure put on her by Van Empel had her going over the limit?

Poor tyre choice as well, they said she was one of the only ones not on full muds

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Poor tyre choice as well, they said she was one of the only ones not on full muds

I don't think tyre choice would've prevented her from getting stuck in those ruts where Alvarado just stopped dead. van Empel was on muds and she also had the similar issue at the camber on one lap. The majority of the course was probably doable in practice on intermediates but would've just resulted in more running come the race. To be honest the only extra section of running Alvarado was really doing was that after the dip and before the bridge with steps

 

[Sciatic]

If it goes on like this Fem will win with 2 minutes advantage. Fair to say that she's recovered quite well.

You hit that (winning margin) right on the nose!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yep, he said it, "stupid crash". He and MvdP have a lot in common.

They could learn a thing or two from Van Aert who only has intellectual crashes.

 

[Sciatic]

haters gonna hate

There’s certainly truth in that, but more original prose is appreciated here

 

[postmanhat]

Florian Vermeersch returns to cross for this week's races. Presumably it's raining in Belgium?

 

[postmanhat]

Yep, he said it, "stupid crash". He and MvdP have a lot in common.

And particularly so in this case, as I can't have been the only one who saw the warm-up lap where the rider in front of Pidcock crashed in the exactly the same spot?

 

[Barkintheeye]

Poor tyre choice as well, they said she was one of the only ones not on full muds

She was on Typhoons/Grifos? If so I understand that it must have been horrible (have tried that myself and it didn’t work out well). Yet don’t the pit crew have optional tyres?

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Florian Vermeersch returns to cross for this week's races. Presumably it's raining in Belgium?

He's actually already done a couple since Mol.