Race Thread

[jono]

Two good results for Arkea riders who are presumably still looking for new teams in 2026: Fouquenet with the win and 18 yo Raf Carrier in 10th.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Weird to watch van aert and think he used to dominate CX races. He is so bad on the technical sections

 

[Tim Cahill]

 

[AmRacer]

What a del sprint

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He's just incapable of not bottling it isn't he

2 days in a row!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Well done he's 31

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Wout van 2nd

 

[theyoungest]

Del Grosso is such a technically gifted rider... just doesn't seem to move a muscle, other than his legs.

And also quick, apparently.

 

[Barkintheeye]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

 

[jono]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

This was quite evident, imo. Wout needs a heavy mud course to negate the technical advantages of other top riders.

 

[Barkintheeye]

This was quite evident, imo. Wout needs a heavy mud course to negate the technical advantages of other top riders.

Ok let me rephrase that. TDG looked decisively better than everyone else today. Completely relaxed and very quick at corners, on descents and unbothered at some of the harder sections. Impressive.

 

[theyoungest]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

Anyone can win a sprint against Van Aert these days

Just kidding, but he just doesn't have the awareness or the confidence to make the right decisions in the final of a race. This sprint was another instance of that. Why wait so long?

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Anyone can win a sprint against Van Aert these days

Just kidding, but he just doesn't have the awareness or the confidence to make the right decisions in the final of a race. This sprint was another instance of that. Why wait so long?

It's almost as if he's never analyzed any of his sprint losses.

But yes, TdG was far superior technically. Wout can't jump barriers effectively, and he gets too deep into a steep rise, in too hard of a gear, and just bogs himself down trying to power over.

That had to have been a massive mental blow to him. Wout has faded, and I don't think he will seriously challenge for any of the classics again. He just doesn't have it.

 

[theyoungest]

That had to have been a massive mental blow to him. Wout has faded, and I don't think he will seriously challenge for any of the classics again. He just doesn't have it.

The cycling gods are cruel, but sometimes they also give a rider his long deserved due. Van Aert will win Flanders or Roubaix at some point, I'm convinced of that. Maybe it will be in five years, when he's no longer considered a threat anymore and is allowed in the breakaway, but it will happen.