Race Thread

[Hugh Januss]

If I'm Wout van Aert, I'm not happy about getting passed in the last lap by Ronhaar, Vandeputte, and del Grosso. The flat was 3 laps earlier and Wout had had two laps to sit in before that point. Perhaps he was saving his bullets knowing the podium was likely out of reach.

I didn't see much sitting in? Wout came out of the pit in 9th place and by the beginning of the last lap he was 4th and towing the others in pursuit of Sweek and Verstrynge. Seemed to me like he just kind of shut off the power when he saw he wasn't going to make the podium.

 

[jono]

I didn't see much sitting in? Wout came out of the pit in 9th place and by the beginning of the last lap he was 4th and towing the others in pursuit of Sweek and Verstrynge. Seemed to me like he just kind of shut off the power when he saw he wasn't going to make the podium.

Looking at the lap times it seems your view of events is closer to the truth. I was just struck by how long it took him to go from sitting in the wheel of Mees Hendrickx to gaining a handful of seconds by the end of the lap.

Can Wout put out an MVDP-type effort for more than two laps in a row? This remains to be seen.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

As she hinted pre-race Brand trained this year to face up to a race-fit Van Empel
and when that didn't happen - she was streets a head.

It was great to see Alvarado there challenging. Ceylin isn't gonig to do anything but get better. Puck is missing some fitness, and I'd be less concerned if it weren't for the way she finished MTB season. There's something missing in her form. She looks like she might be riding into form, but I'm not sure we will see a dominant ride from her this year.

 

[Hugh Januss]

It was great to see Alvarado there challenging. Ceylin isn't gonig to do anything but get better. Puck is missing some fitness, and I'd be less concerned if it weren't for the way she finished MTB season. There's something missing in her form. She looks like she might be riding into form, but I'm not sure we will see a dominant ride from her this year.

I think Puck is suffering from being good enough at all three disciplines that she doesn't want to give up any of them.

 

[stonerider]

Tip o' the hat to del Grosso. Great ride!

del Grosso and Puck were in a video at the same training camp. Both of them are fading at the end of the races. Something tells me riding wheelies uphill doesn't translate to CX dominance. del Grosso has tons of talent but he lacks the killer instinct of MvdP.

 

[RedheadDane]

Casasola out.
Schreiber out.
Pieterse being dropped by her own teammate.
This is not going well for my CX game team.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The battle for third was on right until the end. Van Anrooij's perfect early sand run kept her well out of those shenanigans, but she was not able to give Brand any competition.

 

[jono]

del Grosso and Puck were in a video at the same training camp. Both of them are fading at the end of the races. Something tells me riding wheelies uphill doesn't translate to CX dominance. del Grosso has tons of talent but he lacks the killer instinct of MvdP.

Del Grosso has only raced twice this season. He did fade late at Namur, but at least going by lap times did not do so yesterday. I expect him to have a good race today, just as he did last year at Koksijde.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Glad to see Shirin returning to form. Lucinda van der Poel looks unbeatable this year, but maybe Shirin will challeng her her for a win soon. Alvarado in the rise as well, good weekend for her.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

...now, onto the battle for 2nd and 3rd place. Mathieu will be gone by half way through the first lap today.

 

[Tim Cahill]

They let VDP get ahead letting him take the right line alone but that was brilliant from Sweeck coming back on the sand, made it look like he was riding on a motorway.

 

[jono]

MVDP keeps trying to let a gap go out to his two teammates on the front.

 

[pastronef]

great ride by Sweeck. he keeps the WC leader jersey

 

[jono]

Top North Americans: Lizzy Gunsalus (USA, 20th) and Tyler Clark (Canada, 36th and last rider on lead lap).

 

[Bolder]

Perfect weekend for the CX GOAT!

Alpecin very strong overall too.

Del Grosso and Vandeputte looked really good today; Del Grosso had an unfortunate late endo in the sand. He's not quite the best technically but he's got that road power. MvdP can win CX races until he's Eddie Merckx's age, as far as I can tell.

 

[logeardaddy]

Is Van Alphen a candidate for most improved rider? My not-always-reliable memory tells me she was usually 7th-12th last season, with the large time gaps those placins imply. And now she's fighting to be best of the rest.

 

[jono]

Is Van Alphen a candidate for most improved rider? My not-always-reliable memory tells me she was usually 7th-12th last season, with the large time gaps those placins imply. And now she's fighting to be best of the rest.

She had some better seasons a few years back but not quite like this season. Last year she didn't have a single top 10 in a World Cup, while this year in all races she has only finished outside the top 5 once.

That's partly down to some previously top riders not racing or off their best (van Empel, Pieterse, van Anrooij until recently, Vas, Backstedt, etc.) but she certainly deserves credit for improving her level and consistency.

 

[Wyndbrook]

Zoe Backstedt comback this Sunday in Dendermonde.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Feel for Van Aert, obviously in half decent shape though the way he's closed Nys after decking it.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Feel for Van Aert, obviously in half decent shape though the way he's closed Nys after decking it.

Happy for him right now, as he's putting in a really strong ride. It's a long race, so he could fade, but this lap is promising.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Wout riding with some fire. Also, I know Sweeck is a great sand rider, but his rides are still impressive overall.

 

[AmRacer]

Stupid fan 😡

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

WTF? It looked like someone blew vape into Mathieu's face. That guy deserves to be punched in the face.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Probably best they don't test him for anything recreational after the race

 

[theyoungest]

WTF? It looked like someone blew vape into Mathieu's face. That guy deserves to be punched in the face.

It's not really a WTF moment anymore though, is it? Lots of Belgians and a lot of alcohol, there's always one or two morons among them.