Race Thread

[jono]

With only tomorrow's C2 in Wisconsin remaining, Maghalie Rochette has locked up the USCX points series. Eric Brunner and Andrew Strohmeyer are tied in the men's points table, so whoever finishes ahead tomorrow will be the winner. Three other riders (Werner, Clark and van Kempen) are separated by 4 points for 3rd. Interesting battle ahead.

Strohmeyer takes the USCX series (and whatever meagre prize money goes with that title) by beating Brunner on the final day. Jules van Kempen was third on Sunday and in the overall.

The Sunday podium of Rochette-Bakker-McGill also matched the positions in the overall, with Rochette winning 7 of 8 races.

 

[JR1012]

According to Sporza commentator Ruben Van Gucht, Sanne Cant will become SD for Vas and Schreiber.

 

[RedheadDane]

Don't forget to join the fun at AC's 2025-26 CX game!

2025-26 CX Game

The principle is the same as the CQ games: pick a team of prescribed size to a budget that is based on the same scoring principle as they are trying to gain points in this time around, then sit back and watch in either wonderment or despair as they perform even beyond your hopes, or totally...

forum.cyclingnews.com

 

[theyoungest]

According to Sporza commentator Ruben Van Gucht, Sanne Cant will become SD for Vas and Schreiber.

Probably a better choice than Lars Boom, although Sanne Cant doesn't exactly strike me as the biggest motivational speaker either.

 

[CXXC]

Looking forward to the new CX season , we have seen the hope supercross and Meulebeke but I feel that this weekend the season really starts with Essen and Ruddervoorde

It's a shame that early US events were not supported as much by UCI

Hoping that all events are competitive , that's more likely in Men's racing than Women's where there appears to be a lack of depth of talent , how otherwise would a rider like Brand dominate the season

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Don't forget to join the fun at AC's 2025-26 CX game!

2025-26 CX Game

The principle is the same as the CQ games: pick a team of prescribed size to a budget that is based on the same scoring principle as they are trying to gain points in this time around, then sit back and watch in either wonderment or despair as they perform even beyond your hopes, or totally...

forum.cyclingnews.com

No-one else?

 

[Wyndbrook]

Looking forward to the new CX season , we have seen the hope supercross and Meulebeke but I feel that this weekend the season really starts with Essen and Ruddervoorde

It's a shame that early US events were not supported as much by UCI

Hoping that all events are competitive , that's more likely in Men's racing than Women's where there appears to be a lack of depth of talent , how otherwise would a rider like Brand dominate the season

Obviously not a fan of Lucy.

 

[jono]

No-one else?

Thanks for putting that together. I'll get a team together at some point today when I have more time.

I wish I had a bit more clarity on the planned European schedule of some of the NA-based riders I'd be interested in selecting.

 

[theyoungest]

Hoping that all events are competitive , that's more likely in Men's racing than Women's where there appears to be a lack of depth of talent , how otherwise would a rider like Brand dominate the season

Men's cyclocross is fairly competitive until Van der Poel shows up, then it's Pogacar-type domination. Nobody even comes close. In women's cross you have no such rider... but if you had to name one it's certainly not Brand.

 

[jono]

Men's cyclocross is fairly competitive until Van der Poel shows up, then it's Pogacar-type domination. Nobody even comes close. In women's cross you have no such rider... but if you had to name one it's certainly not Brand.

I guess you could hold out hope that a version of Wout that is a bit more focussed on cross, and an MVDP that didn't have any more good performances this season after halfway his pneumonia through the Tour, might result in some closer racing at the front, but I don't think that is likely.

There's also some progression likely for guys like Tibor and Thibau, who I at least expect to finish with or ahead of the cross lifers most of the time.

 

[CXXC]

Obviously not a fan of Lucy.

Not at all , She is such an ugly runner/has ugly riding style just grinding out results . I must hand it to her she is fearless and a real competitor even though she is willing to stomp over others to get ahead

Hoping that another year on younger riders will be better , it's not as though Brand has had a stellar road season , She's just a domestique after all

In Men's racing Iserbyt is not my favourite but I hope he may be back to his best after recent troubles

 

[theyoungest]

Not at all , She is such an ugly runner/has ugly riding style just grinding out results . I must hand it to her she is fearless and a real competitor even though she is willing to stomp over others to get ahead

Hoping that another year on younger riders will be better , it's not as though Brand has had a stellar road season , She's just a domestique after all

In Men's racing Iserbyt is not my favourite but I hope he may be back to his best after recent troubles

Younger riders already are better than Brand. In a head to head battle Van Empel usually beats her. Similarly on the more technical courses Puck Pieterse is clearly better... when she's on form, that is. Shirin van Anrooij should be back at a good level this year as well.

Also, calling Brand "just a domestique" is a little unfair as she's a former Dutch road champion (twice), she's won the Omloop, podium in Roubaix, top-10 in the Tour. In cyclocross she's been more than a match for Marianne Vos, for instance.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I love Lucy

 

[CXXC]

Younger riders already are better than Brand. In a head to head battle Van Empel usually beats her. Similarly on the more technical courses Puck Pieterse is clearly better... when she's on form, that is. Shirin van Anrooij should be back at a good level this year as well.

Also, calling Brand "just a domestique" is a little unfair as she's a former Dutch road champion (twice), she's won the Omloop, podium in Roubaix, top-10 in the Tour. In cyclocross she's been more than a match for Marianne Vos, for instance.

Thanks! perhaps I could have been clearer 'Just a Domestique' was based upon the last season , of course there was an earlier time when Brand was better

 

[stonerider]

Younger riders already are better than Brand. In a head to head battle Van Empel usually beats her. Similarly on the more technical courses Puck Pieterse is clearly better... when she's on form, that is. Shirin van Anrooij should be back at a good level this year as well.

Is Shirin racing CX? She didn't race last year.

 

[theyoungest]

Thanks! perhaps I could have been clearer 'Just a Domestique' was based upon the last season , of course there was an earlier time when Brand was better

Her top-10 on GC in the Tour was just last year...

Is Shirin racing CX? She didn't race last year.

I haven't read anything about this year, but last winter she had surgery on her iliac artery. I would assume now she's back to full fitness she'll want to race cyclocross again.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

I haven't read anything about this year, but last winter she had surgery on her iliac artery. I would assume now she's back to full fitness she'll want to race cyclocross again.

In interview about Thibau #3987, Sven Nys said she would take to the field ‘around the start of the World Cup season’.
Link

 

[Wyndbrook]

In interview about Thibau #3987, Sven Nys said she would take to the field ‘around the start of the World Cup season’.
Link

Probably hoping that Wiebes, Kopecky and Kastelijn rock up one day and she can put them in the ditch together.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Not to take anything away from any of today’s riders at Essen but isn’t it a little surprising not to see any new names in the top spots? Jens Adams and Corne van Kessel are experienced seasoned riders who always perform well but where are the new MVDPs, WVAs?

Ps. Yes Vandeputte is relatively young but no junior/U23 riders being able to challenge?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I'm guessing that any talented new riders similar to MvdP, WvA would likely be put on a Road programme and CX is used as training.....
They were about 23-25 when they started properly on the Road....Nowadays they're already signed and a doing big road races by 19-20.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Not to take anything away from any of today’s riders at Essen but isn’t it a little surprising not to see any new names in the top spots? Jens Adams and Corne van Kessel are experienced seasoned riders who always perform well but where are the new MVDPs, WVAs?

Ps. Yes Vandeputte is relatively young but no junior/U23 riders being able to challenge?

Isn't this mainly down to most of the younger riders riding pretty serious road schedules? Nys, Del Grosso, Verstrynge, and for the women the same applies to Vas, Backstedt, Schreiber and Bentveld (although the latter is racing this weekend).

 

[RedheadDane]

Is it just me, or does it appear like they accidentally turn the volume of the commentators down... and the volume of the background sounds - including the speaker - up?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Who decided that it was a good idea to start the Belgian season with arguably the three worst venues in the country? Thankfully Ruddervoorde is up next...

 

[RedheadDane]

Wonder if we'll ever see a direct duel between Vandeputte and Van De Putte...

 

[Barkintheeye]

I'm guessing that any talented new riders similar to MvdP, WvA would likely be put on a Road programme and CX is used as training.....
They were about 23-25 when they started properly on the Road....Nowadays they're already signed and a doing big road races by 19-20.

That’s probably it. Bad for CX and possibly also for the younger riders as it is a good way into becoming a complete rider.