Race Thread

[Red Rick]

Naichaca is gonna have a field day with this.

Anyway this race was quite boring which is quite telling considering that it was MvdP and WvA together all race.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Van Der Poel masterclass, WVA shouldn’t have let MVDP get into his comfort zone, the lower speed sprints.

 

[Didinho]

Ok Mathieu!
So f*cking happy!!!

 

[RedheadDane]

BTW, nice of the organisers to time it so they'd be done (almost) before coverage started from Valencia.

 

[dazaau]

Mega Massive sprint. These two guys are insane. Here's hoping this is the setup to a great year on the road for MVDP. #5 rainbow after this season must be sweet.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Once again, WVA failed to deliver when it matters

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Another fantastic race. Really a treat for cyclocross fans, don't know what much else to say.

 

[Lequack]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622253342863884289

View: https://twitter.com/Eurosport_ES/status/1622253342863884289?s=20&t=pZuhkrQyMwIEa2C5ki-spg

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622254708499824642

View: https://twitter.com/Xauli_Colollet/status/1622254708499824642?s=20&t=iTqaWluI0xBDsn57U3Oy8g

 

[theyoungest]

The natural born killer wins. Van Aert just lacks that real racing instinct, and it seems like he never learns. There's a slight dip before the climb to the finish, you can get out of that with a lot of speed and then they can't pass you anymore. Van der Poel knew it, I imagine Van Aert did too.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

RR, I didn't think it was boring, just very tactical. It was clear from the first quarter of lap one that the usual suspects were head and shoulders above the pack, with precious little separating them from each other. Naturally, tactics mattered. VdP played it well. I thought he might go right at the barriers, but he smartly waited for the sprint.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

In my opinion, the race is a bit overhyped and was not as good as people are saying it is

 

[TourOfSardinia]

MVdP really matured now.
Both race and interview.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Mathieu is a smarter rider. Wout wins when he overpowers, but left to tactics, Mathieu will almost always win. Wout should have kicked from the bottom. The sprint wasn't long enough to come around if either was going full gas when the sprint started.

 

[Eeslliw]

Who would have guessed Belgian pozzato making a tactical error in the finale. Played into VDP's hands

What did he do wrong? It would have always be a short sprint from lower speeds (beacause of the approach to the road), and it wouldn't matter if he was in the front or in the second position. MvDP just has this unparalleled 100-150m sprint starting from lower speeds.

Maybe he was to passive during the race and should try some longer attacks but I doubt he would distance MvDP.

 

[Breh]

In my opinion, the race is a bit overhyped and was not as good as people are saying it is

Just like RvV 2020.
Alaphilippe initiated the race but eliminated himself and then WvA and MVDP just held hands untill the finish line and nothing really happened.

 

[Lequack]

Lets not forget the amazing fans, there were so many of them

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622255172587065347

View: https://twitter.com/corradofr_/status/1622255172587065347?s=20&t=iTqaWluI0xBDsn57U3Oy8g

 

[theyoungest]

In my opinion, the race is a bit overhyped and was not as good as people are saying it is

Overhyped? By whom? Some people enjoyed the race, you didn't, fine.

 

[JosefK]

I hope this is a good sign that Mathieu's back will not be a problem during the road season. In any event, it was a great race and chess match.

 

[Lequack]

 

[Volderke]

This just wasn’t a parcours for Wva: he needs mud or sand to plow through.
Mvdp his short range explosiveness on this parcours was a killer combo, nothing to do about it, even if Wva started the sprint first.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

What did he do wrong? It would have always be a short sprint from lower speeds (beacause of the approach to the road), and it wouldn't matter if he was in the front or in the second position. MvDP just has this unparalleled 100-150m sprint starting from lower speeds.

Maybe he was to passive during the race and should try some longer attacks but I doubt he would distance MvDP.

He slowes right down coming out of the final corner, almost to a standstill. Slower speed sprint is Van der poel strength (more explosive) . And then he didn't even watch VDP the whole time. He allowed VDP to get the jump on him.

Maybe WVA was too passive but honestly the course didn't allowed the best racing

 

[limak_]

What did he do wrong? It would always be a short sprint from lower speeds (beacause of the approach to the road), and it wouldn't matter if he was in the front or in the second position. MvDP just has this unparalleled 100-150m sprint starting from lower speeds.

Maybe he was to passive during the race and should try some longer attacks but I doubt he would distance MvDP.

The only thing he could've done better was starting his sprint as soon as possible instead of trying to play games and looking around for Mathieu. It was quite obvious that it'll be hard to move up on the finish as the road was slightly twisty. I think he focused too much only on not letting MvdP go on the barriers (he accelerated just before them and stayed at the front) and didn't prepare himself mentally for the sprint while Mathieu knew exactly what to do on the final meters.

 

[jmdirt]

MvdP!
On the first lap he set the race.

 

[jono]

Not that it really matters, but this result will make it very difficult for Wout to ever claim the lead in the rainbow jersey battle. In cross, at least.

 

[Lequack]