Race Thread

[Axel Hangleck]

Just watched that "sprint" again, and noticed MVDP rode the hoods. Looked more like the devastating moves he delivered at '21 SB, or one of the insane punches he destroys everyone with at MTB short track events.

Yeah, Nove Mesto 2019 when he blew Nino away.......for his first XCO World Cup win was similar.

 

[Barkintheeye]

So with the dust settling and the hangover of this year's most exciting CX event slowly lifting what to make of it and what conclusions to draw?

Firstly, the showdown at OK Corral settled the scores and I think it is now conclusive that MVDP is the better CX-racer of the two with a 5 - 3 WC, and a 147 - 88 CX cup races. Similar to the build-up for the Valkenburg WC in 2018 one rider - MVDP - dominated the other during the season but at the day of the Championship WVA bested Van der Poel. That seemed to have been a decisive moment for Van der Poel that came back super-prepared for the WC at Bogense the year after with a dominant display of power and technical provess.

Secondly, this might have been the last time either of these two will put this much heart and effort into CX. I truly hope I'm wrong but there was something with Van der Poel's winning speech after the race that makes me wonder? Feeling is now that the road will be their focus and that this might have been the great finale...

Thirdly, the generation that follow these two gigants are not likely to fill the gap. One could have hoped that Pidcock and Iserbyt would have been the next two adversaries but that does not seem to be. Pidcock focusing on the road and MTB and Iserbyt not on the same level. Sweeck, Vanthourenhout and Van der Haar are getting old and some promising younger riders like Joris Nieuwenhuis still lack that extra. Maybe the next generation will come to deliver?

Finally, it is very hopeful to see that the level in the women's races is becoming higher and these races have often been more entertaining than the men. Maybe it's here CX will profit for the years to come - when the two all-time greats have left the sport?

 

[theyoungest]

Three world champions (four if you count the team relay) but the Dutch federation can't afford a party. National coach De Knegt: ,,Extensive celebration in a hotel? To let everyone stay costs 5000 euros. That budget is not there. With that money I went to Benidorm with juniors. So a beer and then we part ways."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622265835715788806

View: https://twitter.com/DanielDwars/status/1622265835715788806

 

[jono]

So what was the final H2H this season between Wout and Mathieu?

 

[theyoungest]

A bit of nerdery, thanks to velofacts.com: rankings for the long climb over the whole race (for the men's races the data is incomplete). Pretty clear that this is where the race was won for the elites and the U23s. For the juniors it wasn't, for obvious reasons.

Junior women:
Lauren Molengraaf
Isabella Holmgren 00:12.0
Célia Gery 00:12.5

U23 women:
Shirin van Anrooij
Marie Schreiber 00:26.3
Zoe Backstedt 00:27.5

Elite women:
Fem van Empel
Puck Pieterse 00:28.6
Annemarie Worst 00:36.6

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Three world champions (four if you count the team relay) but the Dutch federation can't afford a party. National coach De Knegt: ,,Extensive celebration in a hotel? To let everyone stay costs 5000 euros. That budget is not there. With that money I went to Benidorm with juniors. So a beer and then we part ways."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1622265835715788806

View: https://twitter.com/DanielDwars/status/1622265835715788806

Its good that development has been prioritised.

So what was the final H2H this season between Wout and Mathieu?

6-5 to Wout, although Mathieu obviously has the world title which in the end is arguably more valuable.
https://cyclocross24.com/rider/mathieu-van-der-poel/h2h/wout-van-aert/2022-2023/

 

[Wvv]

Also, great shot and quote:

 

[lemon cheese cake]

So, Fem van Empel is going to start in the X2O races in Lille and Brussels. Not only will she show off the new rianbow jersey, but she'll challenge Lucind Brand for the lead of the series.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

So, Fem van Empel is going to start in the X2O races in Lille and Brussels. Not only will she show off the new rianbow jersey, but she'll challenge Lucind Brand for the lead of the series.

Cross-fingers for Brand then.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

While I agree that Wout is better at sustained efforts and is probably also the slightly better runner the difference when both are in top form and having a great day is minimal. It should also be noted that Wout and Mathieu have different preferences in specific cycling disciplines and train accordingly. I’m certain that Mathieu has spent significantly less time in the windtunnel perfecting his position for time trialing (as well as climbing). I think Mathieu has proven that even with less training in that regard he could get great results if he did focus more on say time trialing (sustained efforts).

Furthermore, Mathieu has beaten Wout on mud courses plenty of times as well. I feel Dendermonde has propelled this “difference” to stupid heights.

I’d love to see a proper list of all the muddy/sandy courses they both have contested to see what the results indicate.

gavere this season alone... or the demonstration in mud cross MVDP gave in dubendorff (yes Van Aert wasnt at his best, but the others were). Demlshed the opposition there

 

[theyoungest]

So, Fem van Empel is going to start in the X2O races in Lille and Brussels. Not only will she show off the new rianbow jersey, but she'll challenge Lucind Brand for the lead of the series.

The series winner gets 30000 euros. That's enough to change anybody's mind

 

[Spine Concept]

gavere this season alone... or the demonstration in mud cross MVDP gave in dubendorff (yes Van Aert wasnt at his best, but the others were). Demlshed the opposition there

Indeed. As for van Aert not being at his best, neither was Mathieu this CX season due to his back.

Anyway, I like both riders. One for his consistency, never-say-die attitude, grittiness and mental fortitude throughout the whole season. The other for his winner’s mentality, unorthodox way of racing, how deep he can dig to achieve his goals, for how he leaves it all out on the road, and for his killer instincts.

We’re lucky to be able to witness these two cycling beasts at their prime at about the same age going at it against each other in multiple cycling disciplines. Long may it last.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

The series winner gets 30000 euros. That's enough to change anybody's mind

Not a bad season economically for a 20 year old! 30000 for the world cup overall as well, 45000 from the individual world cups, 5000 for the worlds and then a minimum (as per the UCI rules) of atleast 500, 750 and 1400 for all the other races she's finished.

 

[theyoungest]

Not a bad season economically for a 20 year old! 30000 for the world cup overall as well, 45000 from the individual world cups, 5000 for the worlds and then a minimum (as per the UCI rules) of atleast 500, 750 and 1400 for all the other races she's finished.

That's what Lucinda Brand and Ceylin Alvarado had in their wonder seasons as well, usually such a season is good for about 125000 euros in prize money.

 

[Barkintheeye]

For those of you who love to rewatch past heavy weight bouts - and in particular those between Wout and Van der Poel - the WC 2017 in Bieles is a really good one. I remembered it as very one sided with Van der Poel outclassing Wout but that the punctures unfairly handed it back to Wout. Glad I rewatched it. Seeing it with everything that has gone down since it’s very telling and I think it was a fair win for Wout!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Bieles, Valkenburg, Bogense, Dubendorf.......all hosted the Worlds, and have completely disappeared as world level CX venues......Discuss. Valkenburg is hoping to be a MTB World Cup venue but the others - nothing!

In my mind, a venue should host numerous World Cups, European championships before even applying to host World Championships.....where is the legacy for hosting the Worlds?

 

[theyoungest]

Silvia Persico just finished 3d on the Jebel Hafeet climb in UAE Tour. Just one week after the cyclocross worlds, and apparently having crashed as well. She was upstaged by the two Trek women who finished more than a minute ahead of her, but still, pretty impressive.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Bieles, Valkenburg, Bogense, Dubendorf.......all hosted the Worlds, and have completely disappeared as world level CX venues......Discuss. Valkenburg is hoping to be a MTB World Cup venue but the others - nothing!

In my mind, a venue should host numerous World Cups, European championships before even applying to host World Championships.....where is the legacy for hosting the Worlds?

It's a shame Valkenberg doesn't hold any race anymore. I enjoyed that course in it's format pre hosting the worlds, when it used to open the world cup. Bogense, Bieles, and especially Duebendorf I could not care much about not being on the calendar anymore.


So Alvarado wraps up the Superprestige with quite a dominate performance. Put a good points gap in between herself and van der Heijden with Betsema not having the greatest race. Verdonschot showing well though.

Can't see a start list for tomorrow, but it'll be interesting for the women's race tomorrow. I can't find a start list but i'd assume van Anrooij is starting as she was doing cross training earlier this week with Brand and the other Trek Baloise riders. Fem van Empel said she's racing but has been on holiday for the past few days not riding her bike, so how she'll perform will be interesting.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

I just don't like Iserbyt, and I get the feeling that nobody he races against, does either.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Shame for Lars van der Haar. Looked the best up until that last lap slide. Good ride by Gerben Kuypers, backing up his 6th place from the world champs. Intermarche have definitely got a good team for next season if him and Kuhn continue how they have.

 

[Third Time Lucky]

I just don't like Iserbyt, and I get the feeling that nobody he races against, does either.

Give the guy a break. He can't help being born with a face only a mother can love.

Nice win for Fem today.. nearly botched the Superwoman at the end but fun to see

 

[theyoungest]

Fem van Empel was already on holiday in Morocco, but apparently Belgian commentator and cyclocross guru Paul Herygers convinced her to shorten the trip and finish the X2O series, to not throw away the prize money. And of course she still won...

Fem van Empel kortte vakantie in op advies van Paul Herygers (die ook nog wat beleggingsadvies geeft) | sporza

In tegenstelling tot Mathieu van der Poel bij de mannen heeft Fem van Empel er toch voor gekozen om haar regenboogtrui ook dit seizoen nog te showen in het veld. Het was commentator Paul Herygers die Van Empel overtuigde om in "zijn" Lille van start te gaan, om zo ook de lucratieve X²O-trofee...

sporza.be

 

[Barkintheeye]

Mens race was not all that exciting despite quite intense battle between Sweeck and Van der Haar for the win and between Ronhaar and Iserbyt for the third spot.

Hope that Kuypers, Ronhaar, Vandeputte, Verstrynge, Nys and potentially some other young riders can be a notch stronger next season.

 

[logeardaddy]

Nice win for Fem today.. nearly botched the Superwoman at the end but fun to see

She also jumped the planks once. Trying to unleash her inner Puck?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I just don't like Iserbyt, and I get the feeling that nobody he races against, does either.

'Is -er bit of an acquired taste.
To me it often look like he's doing motocross
- except without a moto.