Race Thread

[RedheadDane]

Honestly, I was a little confused when the graphics seemed to indicate that there is a rider named 'Bop De Beeck'. However, checking further I realised it said B.Op De Beeck.

 

[Sciatic]

Jez is wrong. The 'ferret' part is a bad translation.

'Rapenfretter' is the nickname. 'Een raap' is a turnip, 'een fretter' is Flemish for 'een vreter'. And 'vreten' is to consume, eat, devour.

So it's actually a turnip eater. But you can leave my profile name as it is, thank you



Previously, we had the finish of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad/Het Volk. Next to cycling we're famous for our 10 days music festival the Lokerse Feesten (with some big international names, we had our Blur and Neil Young and Snoop Dogg etcetera) and a rather big traditional football team Sporting Lokeren (cup winners 2012 and 2014, good Europa League the year after, now on our way back after bad managing and bankruptcy).

This is the content I’m here for! (Honestly, I always like learning about cycling towns/regions).

 

[Sciatic]

Honestly, I was a little confused when the graphics seemed to indicate that there is a rider named 'Bop De Beeck'. However, checking further I realised it said B.Op De Beeck.

Too bad, “Bop” would certainly earn a spot in the best cycling names category

 

[jono]

The World Cups starting with 24 November in Antwerp are not currently listed on the Flobikes schedule (Canada), and I don't think any American broadcast source has been confirmed either. I really hope this is just an oversight and gets cleared up soon.

 

[ManicJack]

Now that I think about, they weren't on Flo last year either were they?

 

[jono]

Now that I think about, they weren't on Flo last year either were they?

Last season's World Cups were available on Flo. Still are available as replays. At least in Canada.

 

[jono]

Canadian cyclocross nats are this weekend. Relay today, championship races tomorrow, UCI race Sunday.

Looking at the sign-ups, I do find it somewhat curious that Ava Holmgren would be racing elites in her first CX start of the year, while Isabella (the stronger rider, surely) will be lining up in the U23 race (both should race elites). I guess both riders will be defending their jerseys in those categories, but it seems silly not to have Isabella line up with the elites. This could have been the strongest front-of-the-race pack of North American riders of the season with McGill, Rochette, and the two Holmgrens probably stronger than any USA elite rider.

And this is not even a race where U23s and elites race together (the U23s will race concurrently with the juniors) so no measuring stick for Isabella vs the others there.

Ian Ackert would probably also win the men's elite race but will be racing as a U23. Gunnar Holmgren is probably favourite in the elite race, with no Clark brothers signed up.

 

[Sciatic]

Canadian cyclocross nats are this weekend. Relay today, championship races tomorrow, UCI race Sunday.

Looking at the sign-ups, I do find it somewhat curious that Ava Holmgren would be racing elites in her first CX start of the year, while Isabella (the stronger rider, surely) will be lining up in the U23 race (both should race elites). I guess both riders will be defending their jerseys in those categories, but it seems silly not to have Isabella line up with the elites. This could have been the strongest front-of-the-race pack of North American riders of the season with McGill, Rochette, and the two Holmgrens probably stronger than any USA elite rider.

And this is not even a race where U23s and elites race together (the U23s will race concurrently with the juniors) so no measuring stick for Isabella vs the others there.

Ian Ackert would probably also win the men's elite race but will be racing as a U23. Gunnar Holmgren is probably favourite in the elite race, with no Clark brothers signed up.

With Honsinger retired, there are no American women that can hang with those four Canadians (if they were all in the same race as you say).

Also: do you know where I can watch those races with a VPN? (I’m in the US)

 

[jono]

With Honsinger retired, there are no American women that can hang with those four Canadians (if they were all in the same race as you say).

Also: do you know where I can watch those races with a VPN? (I’m in the US)

I haven't found any information about a livestream. I expect there won't be one. I will try to update here if one pops up.

@cdnyclist on twitter usually provides live text updates if you're into that sort of thing.

 

[Sciatic]

I haven't found any information about a livestream. I expect there won't be one. I will try to update here if one pops up.

@cdnyclist on twitter usually provides live text updates if you're into that sort of thing.

Thanks!

 

[pastronef]

great race today in Merksplas, decided in the last part of the last lap. cyclocross without the road stars VDP, WVA, Pidcock, is great

 

[jono]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1857861236492235238

View: https://x.com/cdncyclist/status/1857861236492235238


So both Holmgrens are racing elites. As they should. Results for the championship races already completed have been impossible for me to find so far.

Update: Women's elite race finishes I. Holmgren, Rochette, McGill, A. Holmgren.

In the men's, it appears Ian Ackert will in fact line up in the elite race, not the U23s, which is completed and has been won by Mika Comaniuk.

 

[jono]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1857890669332775257

View: https://x.com/cdncyclist/status/1857890669332775257


Ian Ackert is Canadian men's national champion.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

So, both Canadian Elite titles are won by riders who are better known as XC MTB racers......and both on Trek bikes.

 

[logeardaddy]

great race today in Merksplas, decided in the last part of the last lap. cyclocross without the road stars VDP, WVA, Pidcock, is great

It looked like good teammate Thibau sat up to let Van der Haar take the points for 3rd in front of him and keep his tie for standings leader.

 

[RedheadDane]

This got nothing to do with racing, but I can't state enough how much I just love the giant ducks just... creeping up behind the riders. (Well, if the camera angle is right)
Whoever came up with that is a genious.

 

[KZD]

Surprising win for Vandeputte today. Nys crashed hard in the last lap.

 

[jono]

I think many are crediting the absence of Mathieu and Wout for the close and exciting racing this season, and similarly on the womens side with Puck and Fem being totally or mostly absent. But I think a factor of nearly equal importance is that courses have been fast and mostly dry. Few tractor pull courses or even sections.

I am looking forward to the return, should it occur, of MVDP and WVA, and on the women's side of Pieterse and van Empel (I know she has raced a bit). Additionally I think the Holmgrens and Rochette can spice up the back end of the top 10 should they do a European calendar later this season.

 

[theyoungest]

I think many are crediting the absence of Mathieu and Wout for the close and exciting racing this season, and similarly on the womens side with Puck and Fem being totally or mostly absent. But I think a factor of nearly equal importance is that courses have been fast and mostly dry. Few tractor pull courses or even sections.

I am looking forward to the return, should it occur, of MVDP and WVA, and on the women's side of Pieterse and van Empel (I know she has raced a bit). Additionally I think the Holmgrens and Rochette can spice up the back end of the top 10 should they do a European calendar later this season.

Faster and drier courses have been a feature for a few cyclocross seasons now, for various reasons, climate change being one of them. And the close racing is a returning pattern as well, usually with one pretender to the throne of new CX king... this year it's Thibau Nys. But then Mathieu turns up to show who's boss. I expect it will be no different this year (that is, if he actually does show up).

For the women it's perhaps a little different this year, Van Empel not as dominant, although on the Koppenberg and the Euro champs you could already see her form level rising. Puck Pieterse will only start racing in December. It will be interesting to see if her form on the road, where she's by far the better rider of the two, can translate to cross, where if it's really about power Van Empel always prevails.

 

[Gwbert]

Faster and drier courses have been a feature for a few cyclocross seasons now, for various reasons, climate change being one of them. And the close racing is a returning pattern as well, usually with one pretender to the throne of new CX king... this year it's Thibau Nys. But then Mathieu turns up to show who's boss. I expect it will be no different this year (that is, if he actually does show up).

For the women it's perhaps a little different this year, Van Empel not as dominant, although on the Koppenberg and the Euro champs you could already see her form level rising. Puck Pieterse will only start racing in December. It will be interesting to see if her form on the road, where she's by far the better rider of the two, can translate to cross, where if it's really about power Van Empel always prevails.

Yeah I can’t wait for Puck to come back. She was definitely second best to Fem last year so let’s see where she is after a successful mtb/road season. Do we not have first races yet for Puck/wva/mvdp/pidcock?

 

[theyoungest]

Yeah I can’t wait for Puck to come back. She was definitely second best to Fem last year so let’s see where she is after a successful mtb/road season. Do we not have first races yet for Puck/wva/mvdp/pidcock?

Puck Pieterse will be back in Herentals or Namur (December 14th or 15th). The rest of them haven't said anything about their return, I think only Van Aert is pretty much a certainty to do cross this season.

Puck Pieterse maakt in Herentals of Namen haar crossrentree

Het is nog even wachten op de terugkeer van Puck Pieterse in het veld. De 22-jarige Nederlandse – die na een druk mountainbike- en wegseizoen wat gas heeft teruggenomen – zal midden december weer te zien zijn in de cross. Ze maakt haar seizoensdebuut in Herentals of Namen. Dat liet de renster...

www.wielerflits.nl

 

[Didinho]

Puck Pieterse will be back in Herentals or Namur (December 14th or 15th). The rest of them haven't said anything about their return, I think only Van Aert is pretty much a certainty to do cross this season.

Puck Pieterse maakt in Herentals of Namen haar crossrentree

Het is nog even wachten op de terugkeer van Puck Pieterse in het veld. De 22-jarige Nederlandse – die na een druk mountainbike- en wegseizoen wat gas heeft teruggenomen – zal midden december weer te zien zijn in de cross. Ze maakt haar seizoensdebuut in Herentals of Namen. Dat liet de renster...

www.wielerflits.nl

15/12 Namur it is.

13 races in total.

 

[Gwbert]

15/12 Namur it is.

13 races in total.

Namur is a good race for Puck.

 

[jamesrider]

Good to know Puck Pieterse has confirmed her plan for Herentals or Namur. Sounds like the cross season is taking shape.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Looks a reasonable schedule aiming towards worlds for Piterse , but not too long. I'm not convinced by listing the double world cup weekend just before the works but hey.
Although only third in the end at the last worlds her form before illness and minor injury was really good, besting van Empel in the more difficult conditions.