Race Thread

[Axel Hangleck]

You don't expect to see a (possible) new transfer being revealed at a gender reveal party!

No longer a possible transfer - confirmed on instagram!!

Hope it works out well for her; another young promising CX rider signing for a top road team......

 

[Ricco']

I saw that Tormans was looking to set up a new cross team next winter. What will happen to the current structure who is close to the Intermarché - Wanty team? Will they fold or be renamed? I noticed that they are still using last year's kit design instead of an updated one closer to the WT team.

If they fold, what will happen to Lauren Molengraaf? Seeing how close she is with Puck Pieterse, wouldn't be surprised if somewhat she ended up in one of the Roodhooft's teams.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

I saw that Tormans was looking to set up a new cross team next winter. What will happen to the current structure who is close to the Intermarché - Wanty team? Will they fold or be renamed? I noticed that they are still using last year's kit design instead of an updated one closer to the WT team.

If they fold, what will happen to Lauren Molengraaf? Seeing how close she is with Puck Pieterse, wouldn't be surprised if somewhat she ended up in one of the Roodhooft's teams.

The Intermarche cx team will continue but they're looking for a title sponsor for that program, so riders like Aerts, Kuhn, Molengraaf are safe at the moment. The new Tormans team will start in the next season when Jan Tromans is back from his 'sabbatical' as it was referred to somewhere, with still strong connections to the Acrog Balen BC club team. I read that ag the moment there has been no kit or name change of the Intermarche/Tormans team as they are still using the Tormans service course because they don't have their own. In return Mr Tormans still gets his name on the kit.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

No longer a possible transfer - confirmed on instagram!!

Hope it works out well for her; another young promising CX rider signing for a top road team......

It'd be good to see Geert Wellens move over as well as he has definitely helped with the development of Schreiber and Backstedt. Maybe he'd also help Vas get back to where she was.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Yes, putting 2+2 together would make you think Molengraaf moving to one of the Roodhooft teams eventually; and like Pieterse, she does MTB in the summer (part of the winning Euros XC Relay team).

And whilst it's great for all these youngsters getting picked up by the big road teams, one can't help but wonder how long they stay in CX, despite the team/ rider saying otherwise at the start.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

So of the top u23 (in age, not category) riders:

Van Empel - Jumbo Visma
Pieterse - Alpecin/Fenix Deceuninck
Van Anrooij - Baloise/ Trek Segafredo
Backstedt - EF Tibco-SVB
Schreiber - SD Worx
Vas - SD Worx
Burquier - Canyon CLLCTV

All but one on a road team, though Pieterse rarely rides on the road. It would be interesting to know whether Burquier has also had road offers.

 

[theyoungest]

So this season I will have to figure out a bit on which terrain I can do best. Although this road season will mainly be about cyclocross. If you want to perform well in cyclocross in winter these days, you need a solid road season.

Sure, that's why two of the three best riders of the moment have not (Pieterse) or hardly (Van Empel) raced on the road this summer

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So of the top U23 riders:

Van Empel - Jumbo Visma
Pieterse - Alpecin/Fenix Deceuninck
Van Anrooij - Baloise/ Trek Segafredo
Backstedt - EF Tibco-SVB
Schreiber - SD Worx
Vas - SD Worx
Burquier - Canyon CLLCTV

All but one on a road team, though Pieterse rarely rides on the road.

And you also have Amandine Fouquenet at Arkéa.
Leonie Bentveld rode one race for Bingoal's road team last season, but I don't know if that's something she'll be doing more of in the future.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Sure, that's why two of the three best riders of the moment have not (Pieterse) or hardly (Van Empel) raced on the road this summer

Ha ha, I saw that quote on Cyclocross24's Twitter page, and was tempted to say something similar. Having read the interview with her, she/the team sees her future as possibly a climber.

I don't think there's much doubt that CX is a schooling ground for future road cyclists; most of the recent women's Junior/ U23 World Champions are now on road/ road development teams.

 

[theyoungest]

Ha ha, I saw that quote on Cyclocross24's Twitter page, and was tempted to say something similar. Having read the interview with her, she/the team sees her future as possibly a climber.

Yeah, I don't really understand that, she's not particularly good on climbing courses. Although climbing in cyclocross doesn't necessarily translate to climbing on the road.

 

[theyoungest]

The location for the Dutch championships looks pretty cool, on a riverside. Some sand sections, some mud, going up and down the banking. Maybe a muddier version of Antwerp.

Possibly the most Dutch-looking course ever. I think it will mostly just be one big mudfest, with the weather we have right now in the Netherlands.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Reminds me a little of Bogense....However, I've read on Twitter that the course may be flooded in certain parts......

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Possibly the most Dutch-looking course ever. I think it will mostly just be one big mudfest, with the weather we have right now in the Netherlands.

Either that or a swimming competition:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1613572036520968192

View: https://twitter.com/rivierengld/status/1613572036520968192?s=20&t=GYi6amu3v40LlYDj2kAGWQ

 

[theyoungest]

Either that or a swimming competition:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1613572036520968192

View: https://twitter.com/rivierengld/status/1613572036520968192?s=20&t=GYi6amu3v40LlYDj2kAGWQ

Yeah, it says they were afraid the flooding would come from the river, but in fact now it's flooded because of the rain

There have already been races in this spot, a few years ago. Apparently then it was quite muddy as well. But I think this time it will be quite a bit worse.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Reminds me a little of Bogense....However, I've read on Twitter that the course may be flooded in certain parts......

I heard lots of bad comments about Bogense but the WC 2019 in Bogense is one of my favorite races. I keep on rewatching it, both men and women elite plus the epic U23 where Pidcock made a devastating attack on Iserbyt. What I really liked about that course was the super tricky off camber that decided the men’s race.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Yeah, it says they were afraid the flooding would come from the river, but in fact now it's flooded because of the rain

There have already been races in this spot, a few years ago. Apparently then it was quite muddy as well. But I think this time it will be quite a bit worse.

I can see why they were concerned about the river flodding as bits of bush at the bottom of the picture look like they shouldn't be in the river as much as they are!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I heard lots of bad comments about Bogense but the WC 2019 in Bogense is one of my favorite races. I keep on rewatching it, both men and women elite plus the epic U23 where Pidcock made a devastating attack on Iserbyt. What I really liked about that course was the super tricky off camber that decided the men’s race.

To be fair, it held a World Cup the season before; and it's better than a few other Worlds courses (Dubendorf, Ostend spring to mind).

 

[Lequack]

Usually all the fun banter is in Dutch, but now Puck has done a video in English, for all you non-cheeseheads to enjoy.

Really fun to listen to

 

[Samu Cuenca]

No Worlds for Ferrand-Prévot.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1613914255706693633

View: https://twitter.com/INEOSGrenadiers/status/1613914255706693633

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Not the biggest surprise; even without the injury, she didn't look as if she would trouble the youngsters in the Worlds, though with her record who knows? However, she can recover and prepare for the MTB season. Four months to the first World Cup...though the Italian, Spanish & French XC races start in the middle of next month.

 

[theyoungest]

I'm afraid that will be the last we've seen of PFP in cyclocross. Unless Ineos really wants her there, but I doubt it.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

German champs are in Munich this weekend at the Olympic park so it'll probably be Marcel Meisen trying to keep his title and go for his 8th and Elisabeth Brandau trying to take her 7th. Women u23 start 2 mins later so depending which category Judith Krahl starts in, she she maybe challenged.

I bring the german champs up because the Olympic park has had the Supercross in past seasons and last year the European XC champs were there. Having watched the Supercross on a Facebook stream last season and the xc, I'd say it'd be a good location to have a (CX) world cup course.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I'm afraid that will be the last we've seen of PFP in cyclocross. Unless Ineos really wants her there, but I doubt it.

It wouldn't be the biggest surprise - unless she/ the team feels she can be competitive after a long MTB season, which ends in early October this year.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I bring the German champs up because the Olympic park has had the Supercross in past seasons and last year the European XC champs were there. Having watched the Supercross on a Facebook stream last season and the xc, I'd say it'd be a good location to have a (CX) world cup course.

The XC course could almost have been a CX course - just remove the small rock garden, and you've got a half decent climbing course. The issue is money; is there anybody/Promoter in Germany with the money to host a CX World Cup?

 

[lemon cheese cake]

The XC course could almost have been a CX course - just remove the small rock garden, and you've got a half decent climbing course. The issue is money; is there anybody/Promoter in Germany with the money to host a CX World Cup?

Yes I guess it's always down to that and then whether Flanders Classics and the uci want to go there.