Race Thread

[theyoungest]

I think it's now 15 World Cups in a row with all Dutch podiums in the women's Elite races.......Impressive, but not great for the sport.

There's no reason why it shouldn't be all British podiums or all Belgian in a few years time. There just happens to be this amazing generation of 3 Dutch super talents, all the same age, but behind them the talent pool has pretty much dried up. Which makes sense, the sport isn't nearly as big in the Netherlands as the current domination suggests.

Puck just needs to rest, recover, and rebuild for a bit after a long XCO season. Give her a couple months and she'll be ready to battle Van Empel for wins during the Christmas period. Even the cycling legend MvdP has to take breaks to be at his best.

That's true, but last year you could also already see that Fem just has more power than Puck. That gap will be difficult to close, certainly because Puck is the more experienced rider of the two so if anyone has more margin for growth it's probably Fem.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Puck just needs to rest, recover, and rebuild for a bit after a long XCO season. Give her a couple months and she'll be ready to battle Van Empel for wins during the Christmas period. Even the cycling legend MvdP has to take breaks to be at his best.

Guess and hope your right. It's best for everyone if FVE gets closely disputed by at least PP and Shirin VA in the coming races

 

[Samu Cuenca]

There's no reason why it shouldn't be all British podiums or all Belgian in a few years time. There just happens to be this amazing generation of 3 Dutch super talents, all the same age, but behind them the talent pool has pretty much dried up. Which makes sense, the sport isn't nearly as big in the Netherlands as the current domination suggests.

I think you're being a bit harsh here. Molengraaf was the best junior last season and probably lost out on the world title due to a crash. Whether one or both of the Holmgrens have surpassed her since is not confirmed yet. While I don't expect Puck Langenbarg or the other Dutch juniors to be better than the likes of Cat Ferguson, Imogen Wolff or Célia Gery this year, it's still quite early to judge their full potential. Leonie Bentveld doesn't seem to have the same talent as the big 3 or Bäckstedt, but she still has time to get a real breakthrough at elite level.

The current Dutch success might also be able to inspire a new generation of riders. It will of course be hard and most likely impossible to keep up the same kind of domination over a long period of time, but I definitely wouldn't say that the talent pool has dried up yet.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I hope this won't become another wasted CX season for Vas, but this is definitely not the best of starts.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714681059218993480

View: https://twitter.com/teamsdworx/status/1714681059218993480

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Having seen his race in Waterloo I was thinking the same. Probably a little bit still to go for him really challenging them to the finish line but on the right course he will be up there. Ronhaar and Nieuwenhuis do not have the sustained power … yet but look very promising. The old guard - Van der Haar, Vanthourenhout and also Iserbyt - are being challenged for real.

On the women side the change already happened last year and is being firmly cemented this year. Looks like Van Empel is a new “Van Aert” within Women’s cross that will dominate for years to come.

...and being a fan of van Anrooij, that is a sad thing to accept, but that is the case. I still think Puck will challenge occasionally, but Van Empel appears to be ahead by a significan margin, right now at least.

 

[Gwbert]

FVE must be much fresher at this point of the season than Van Anrooij and Puck, but she also does look better overall - perhaps not on a super technical course though. I wonder if Backstedt will challenge her in the long run. Or Cat Ferguson or the Holmgrens come to that.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

FVE must be much fresher at this point of the season than Van Anrooij and Puck, but she also does look better overall - perhaps not on a super technical course though. I wonder if Backstedt will challenge her in the long run. Or Cat Ferguson or the Holmgrens come to that.

Backstedt was close with van Anrooij on the Friday race, so there definitely is a chance she could be up there soon. Maybe a breakthrough later into the season.

 

[theyoungest]

...and being a fan of van Anrooij, that is a sad thing to accept, but that is the case. I still think Puck will challenge occasionally, but Van Empel appears to be ahead by a significan margin, right now at least.

Earlier this year Van Empel was struggling, mentally and physically. She had some adaptation problems to her new team and training methods, and she was worried about her father who had some kind of health scare (maybe still does, I don't know). I listened to her on a podcast, and she sounded almost depressed. Luckily she seems to have turned things around, but it's a thin line. Who knows what can happen during a season.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1715021932456751153

View: https://twitter.com/camerooney_/status/1715021932456751153


Cam Mason to leave Trinity; the last of the original riders.......

 

[JR1012]

I hope this won't become another wasted CX season for Vas, but this is definitely not the best of starts.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1714681059218993480

View: https://twitter.com/teamsdworx/status/1714681059218993480

So how long will she be out? Approximately 2 months? So maybe first race WC in Namur (17.12.2023).

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So how long will she be out? Approximately 2 months? So maybe first race WC in Namur (17.12.2023).

Provided the surgery was successful, we're probably not going to see her back before Namur.
She might also decide to do a light program and just go all in on getting back to peak shape for the World Championships in Tábor.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Worst and Kuypers won the Kermiscross in Ardooie today. While they're probably still slightly jetlagged, or at least not recovered fully after the weekend, he managed to beat the likes of Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout. How he'd have stacked up against them, Nys and Ronhaar in Waterloo would've been interesting.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Looks like Cameron Mason is on his way to the CX Red team. Makes sense with the Roodhooft brothers umbrella of teams, riding for Alpecin on the xc bike and then probably still this team for gravel as the likes of Kielich rode some of the gravel world series and European champs in the Crelan kit.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1715342213549379975

View: https://twitter.com/Cyclocrosss/status/1715342213549379975?t=gPu0AlEr86tXqo1akPETPQ&s=19

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Interesting, and a good move; he's capable of top 10s, and maybe top5s in the right circumstances - I wasn't totally sure a road team would come in for him, as he's done only a few road races. That is still possible with the Roodhooft connection.
Though I wondered whether Specialized would continue to support him, as they don't have a top line male CX rider; but CX isn't high on their priorities, and his MTB results don't yet warrant a Factory team position.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Interesting, and a good move; he's capable of top 10s, and maybe top5s in the right circumstances - I wasn't totally sure a road team would come in for him, as he's done only a few road races. That is still possible with the Roodhooft connection.
Though I wondered whether Specialized would continue to support him, as they don't have a top line male CX rider; but CX isn't high on their priorities, and his MTB results don't yet warrant a Factory team position.

The highest level I can think of is David Menut in Europe and then Lance Haidet on the US side. I guess their fortunate to have Vas, Schreiber and Clauzel on the women's side, as Rochette is now with Canyon.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

The highest level I can think of is David Menut in Europe and then Lance Haidet on the US side. I guess their fortunate to have Vas, Schreiber and Clauzel on the women's side, as Rochette is now with Canyon.

Well yes; but no offence to them, but Menut or Haidet are unlikely to be troubling the top 10 in any of the top races......Specialized have top riders in men's Road, XC, DHI, but it would seem Cyclocross isn't that important to them.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Well yes; but no offence to them, but Menut or Haidet are unlikely to be troubling the top 10 in any of the top races......Specialized have top riders in men's Road, XC, DHI, but it would seem Cyclocross isn't that important to them.

Yeah. I think the fact that the Crux when updated was labelled as a gravel bike as well as a cx bike says it all.

 

[JR1012]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1715725262799720879

View: https://twitter.com/cyclocross24/status/1715725262799720879


With that said, she will skip propably 3 WCs and the European Championship.
If Van Empel doens't get injured, she will win the overall wc because of no real opponent.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Good to hear she's having some rest; all her MTB rivals will be taking rest, and not racing Elite races.....And she'll be still racing more than them.

 

[theyoungest]

With that said, she will skip propably 3 WCs and the European Championship.
If Van Empel doens't get injured, she will win the overall wc because of no real opponent.

Last year they both missed two world cups and still Van Empel could skip the last one because she was so far ahead in the overall. So Pieterse or no Pieterse, Van Empel would still be the favourite. Of course for the racing it's better if Pieterse is there.

 

[DNP-Old]

Barnabas Vas (younger brother) just beat Arthur van den Boer, who is probably the best first year junior to come through, and Senna Remijn, who was the best first year junior last year and, for now, the beatable man in the upcoming World Cup.

 

[theyoungest]

I always think of Suske & Wiske when I read the name Barnabas.

Meanwhile, Fem seems almost bored at the front of the race.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Ugh...Iserbyt...the d0uche is so strong with him. Anyway, great showing by Mason, especially with his start position.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

 

[jmdirt]

It sounds like there was a good battle at the front today...maybe I can find some coverage...