Race Thread

[TourOfSardinia]

Thanks davebqvst
this one works for me
https://www.firstonetv.net/Live/Belgium/E%C3%A9n-26

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

a little illness, but recovered and Vd Poel is superior again.

 

[Breh]

MVDP extends his contract to 2020. He wants to win a medal at the Olympics. Appearently Quick Step wants him.

Yesterday was a peculiar race. WvA had a small gap at the end of the second lap but then Van Der Poel just blasted away.
His last two seasons were hampered by his knee injuries but now he's dominating like never before. It's a shame he had to endure so much bad luck during his last two WC's. He's the more talented of the two in my opinion.

 

[Der Effe]

Yeah, it's no secret Quick Step would like to add him to their team, but then again every WorldTour team would.

 

[NorthAmericanScum]

I know WvA plans to look to the road more this year...I wonder if he doesn't defend his World Title if that will see him move even more towards road or make him invest more in Cross?

 

[Ricco']

Regarding Mathieu's extension, he got a pay raise and a new bike sponsor for the team, Canyon, which may give him better material for the XCO seasons (in which he will do the full World Cup program from now on, starting on Stellenbosch on March and going to the 2018 World Championships in Lenzerheide).

With Stevens gone from VDP's team, they will now sponsor Van Aert's team from March 2018 onwards.

 

[Breh]

Yes, Adrie wasn't too content with Mathieu's MTB plans in the past, they lacked a plan and the knowhow. But now they have an actual plan, better support and new material to compete in these races.
Mathieu dominated once again today. He again seemed to struggle the first two rounds but nobody was able to follow him once he got into his rhythm.

For our northern neighbours, you can watch tomorrows race in Bredene on https://vtm.be/live. You have to register I believe.

 

[NorthAmericanScum]

Re:

Regarding Mathieu's extension, he got a pay raise and a new bike sponsor for the team, Canyon, which may give him better material for the XCO seasons (in which he will do the full World Cup program from now on, starting on Stellenbosch on March and going to the 2018 World Championships in Lenzerheide).

With Stevens gone from VDP's team, they will now sponsor Van Aert's team from March 2018 onwards.

The Felt bike always seemed out of place and I feel like they weren't well liked by WVA and others. Not surprised to see this.

 

[Der Effe]

I know WvA plans to look to the road more this year...I wonder if he doesn't defend his World Title if that will see him move even more towards road or make him invest more in Cross?

I think Van Aert will focus on the road more and more no matter what the outcome.

Today on Sporza they said van der Poel will earn about a million a year on his new contract :surprised:

 

[NorthAmericanScum]

I know WvA plans to look to the road more this year...I wonder if he doesn't defend his World Title if that will see him move even more towards road or make him invest more in Cross?

I think Van Aert will focus on the road more and more no matter what the outcome.

Today on Sporza they said van der Poel will earn about a million a year on his new contract :surprised:

With Van Aert trimming back his cross schedule and vDP committed through the next few seasons is anyone going to realistically be able to challenge him? I really don't see it at this point. His win total is going to be quite high by time 2020 rolls around.

 

[Der Effe]

I know WvA plans to look to the road more this year...I wonder if he doesn't defend his World Title if that will see him move even more towards road or make him invest more in Cross?

I think Van Aert will focus on the road more and more no matter what the outcome.

Today on Sporza they said van der Poel will earn about a million a year on his new contract :surprised:

With Van Aert trimming back his cross schedule and vDP committed through the next few seasons is anyone going to realistically be able to challenge him? I really don't see it at this point. His win total is going to be quite high by time 2020 rolls around.

Possibly, but I guess that from 2019 on MvdP will also trim back his cross schedule a little to achieve his MTB ambitions. His performance was breathtaking again today, with only Van Aert and Sweeck finishing within 2 minutes, after being beaten by WVA yesterday. He even crashed at the start, having to chase from the beginning. I'm starting to become more and more of a fanboy, with him also being an incredibly nice chap.

 

[davebqvst]

MVDP wins again today at Baal. I guess it is, indeed, not about the bike

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

What are Van Aert's likely roles on the road? Has it done any races? I've just started paying attention to some CX lately and it seems the MVDP is going to win 90% of the races for the next 3 years!

 

[rote_laterne]

Last year he won a couple of 1.1 classified races and a top ten in the Belgium Tour.

 

[MagnusMagnussen]

Re:

Last year he won a couple of 1.1 classified races and a top ten in the Belgium Tour.

Even beats Tony Martin in the prologue of the Belgium Tour.
1. Wout van Aert 6'52"
2. Tony Martin op 2"
3. Reto Hollenstein 4"
4. Niki Terpstra 4"
5. Yves Lampaert 5"
6. Martin Elmiger 6"
7. Lars Boom 7"
8. David Boucher 10"
9. Gijs Van Hoecke 11"
10. Sylvain Chavanel 11

In 2017 he won
De Ronde van Limburg (UCI 1.1)
Bruges-Bruges (UCI 1.1)
GP Pino Cerami (UCI 1.1)

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Yep, and Vd Poel didn't do badly either:

Tour of Belgium, stage 2

1. NED VAN DER POEL Mathieu BEC 4h43'12" 25
2. BEL GILBERT Philippe QST 15
3. BEL VAN AERT Wout VWC 10
4. BEL NAESEN Oliver ALM 5
5. BEL PARDINI Olivier WVA 3
6. FRA SENECHAL Florian COF 0
7. BEL BENOOT Tiesj LTS 0
8. GER MARTIN Tony KAT 03" 0
9. BEL VERMOTE Julien QST 03" 0
10. BEL WYNANTS Maarten TLJ 05" 0

Dwars door Hageland

1. NED VAN DER POEL Mathieu BEC 4h39'25" 80
2. NED VAN DER HOORN Taco RNL 48
3. BEL VAN AERT Wout VWC 02" 40
4. BEL PARDINI Olivier WVA 03" 36
5. BEL CLAEYS Dimitri COF 14" 32
6. FRA SENECHAL Florian COF 14" 28
7. BEL MERLIER Tim VWC 16" 24
8. BEL VANBILSEN Kenneth COF 16" 20
9. BEL DECLERCQ Benjamin SVB 18" 16
10. BEL JANSSENS Jimmy CIB 20" 12

Boucles Mayenne gc (stage race, also won 2 stages there)
1. NED VAN DER POEL Mathieu BEC 13h03'00" 110
2. FRA LE BON Johan FDJ 11" 80
3. FRA VENTURINI Clément COF 19" 66
4. ITA VENDRAME Andrea ANS 23" 56
5. CAN HOULE Hugo ALM 30" 50
6. FRA DASSONVILLE Flavien AUB 31" 45
7. POR VILELA Ricardo Augusto Afonso MZN 32" 40
8. FRA CABOT Jérémy RLM 34" 35
9. GER MEISEN Marcel BEC 35" 30
10. FRA CALMEJANE Lilian DEN 35" 25

 

[jmdirt]

KFC wins #14!

 

[Breh]

This has to be one of the dullest seasons in quite some time.

Van Aert is simply not good enough.

 

[jflemaire]

Re:

This has to be one of the dullest seasons in quite some time.

Van Aert is simply not good enough.

Actually, Van Aert is pretty good. It's just that Van der Poel is out of this world. But I agree the men's races are rather dull.

I hope everything will go well for VdP at the worlds. Van Aert doesn't deserve a third title.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Well having watched Evie RIchards win today
Valkenburg is a hell of a course
and they did only 3 laps.

 

[winkybiker]

What a great race. A little sorry for KFC to not get her rainbow stripes, but Sanne Cant is really at the top of the game. She claimed it to be the hardest race, course and victory of her career. Not a course that many would have thought suited her, but class comes through.

 

[jmdirt]

Yes great race, and super tough course! Congrats all!

 

[davebqvst]

I only caught the U23 Women's race yesterday, and that was a blast - super impressive ride by Richards, especially with her shifting issues in the last lap. The course looks super gnarly and I'm sure will be even harder today after all the races that came before.

Expecting a typical MVDP blowout today, but hoping for a close race that is not decided by mechanical or other issues.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

A live feed for the mens http://sebn.me/sebn-5.html

Amazing how Van Aert revels in deep mud

 

[benzwire]

Re:

A live feed for the mens http://sebn.me/sebn-5.html

Amazing how Van Aert revels in deep mud

Just tuned in, mid-race. What happened to Van der Poel? I thought he'd be lapping the field by now!