Race Thread

[TourOfSardinia]

Nice final lap action in the Women's race today.
Even though the long road section killed Ceylin in the end.

 

[theyoungest]

It was even closer than last year in Benidorm. This year Fem really passed Puck at the very last opportunity. It's a great addition to the calendar, lots of spectators, exciting racing, what's not to like.

In the background, former MTBer Sophie von Berswordt rode her first ever cross world cup. She moved up from the final start positions to 17th, which is no mean feat on this course.

 

[RedheadDane]

"He is world champion in packman on CX bike."

 

[DNP-Old]

Thibau!

 

[RedheadDane]

Van der Poel, and Van Aert just don't wanna play with anyone else.

 

[RedheadDane]

Forget what I said.
Huge group, now.

 

[DNP-Old]

Not jumping the barriers as to avoid risks and then subsequently miss his saddle on the jump, lmao.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Wout Lol Wins

 

[meat puppet]

Nice risk management there. So, is 13 his lucky or unlucky number?

 

[KZD]

Well, Van der Poel was right when he said this was the race that would prevent him from winning all 14.

Nice to see Van Aert winning again.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Nys nice podium

 

[Bolder]

This is what it takes for MvDP to lose, one dropped chain and one mistake. I'm not sure he would have won even if he'd stayed with Wout, who looked much more powerful today. Fun race.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Shake

 

[theyoungest]

This is what it takes for MvDP to lose, one dropped chain and one mistake. I'm not sure he would have won even if he'd stayed with Wout, who looked much more powerful today. Fun race.

Wout certainly looked stronger than a few weeks ago. But at no point did he look like he was able to drop MVDP, quite the opposite actually.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

This is what it takes for MvDP to lose, one dropped chain and one mistake. I'm not sure he would have won even if he'd stayed with Wout, who looked much more powerful today. Fun race.

i don't know what race you were watching but it certainly didn't look like Wout was more powerful today than VDP. On the contrary even.

But this course is hard to get rid of everyone and VDP got punished for his mistake.

 

[kingjr]

Looked like the race would have unfolded similarly to last year

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

i mean really, MVDP got closer to dropping Wout here than any other way around:

https://x.com/LeGruppetto/status/1749079798792466447?s=20

 

[Bolder]

i don't know what race you were watching but it certainly didn't look like Wout was more powerful today than VDP. On the contrary even.

But this course is hard to get rid of everyone and VDP got punished for his mistake.

I meant that he looked stronger than he was earlier in the season. If MvdP hadn't dropped a chain and later crashed it would have likely been closer than previous races this year.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

oh yeah they would've sprinted for it. I don't think vdp would've dropped Wout regardless on this course

 

[RedheadDane]

Let's play a little game of "What's missing in this picture?"

 

[Pantani_lives]

Van der Poel has read my prediction that he would only win thirteen races out of fourteen. He lost on purpose today, so now he's safe for the world championship.

 

[jono]

This is what it takes for MvDP to lose, one dropped chain and one mistake. I'm not sure he would have won even if he'd stayed with Wout, who looked much more powerful today. Fun race.

... and a course that favors group racing, and only racing about 4 laps of a 9 lap race. I think MVDP would need at least one more strike against him to lose at Tabor (especially given the absence of Wout, who was the only rider close to Mathieu's level today).

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

The bike handling skills of these guys are amazing...





...usually

https://twitter.com/x/status/1749188832119934989

View: https://twitter.com/Cyclocrosss/status/1749188832119934989

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Finally watched the races. Alvarado was brilliant all race. She couldn't stay with Puck and Van Empel on that fast climb, but she made her way back time and time again, except for the last lap, of course.

Good men's race as well. I was super happy to see Nys battle his way to 3rd. Good race from Orts as well on home soil. Nice to see Wout win again as well. MVdP perhaps needed a little kick in the pants and he got it.

 

[logeardaddy]

It was hard to recognize some riders without their national champion's jersey. And then there was Iserbyt, looking like he'd been hit with a couple of tomatoes.

As for the course, it looked designed for weekend warriors, not pros.