Race Thread

[memyselfandI]

I'm not sure that's even the reason, Del Grosso used to be known as somewhat of a difficult kid. Alpecin is a much better fit for him, for multiple reasons. He's really a mini-MVDP. Not a Van Aert or Vingegaard whom you can mold into a perfect pro.

I think that's a nice contrast between him and Nys: the enfant terrible vs. the chosen one.

I'm not sure if Nys is the chosen one, if that's what you meant? To me he looks way too hasty too often, is on edge with no reason. He's technically as good as top 10 these guys are, but still he's lost top spots with various mistakes, that have been very rare in case of DG and MVDP.

And yet commentators keep ranting all the time how skilled Nys is? Yes he is very skilled and he makes a lot of mistakes. Does it mean he's very skilled?

Punchiness for the short steep climbs one ability he has, but it's just a fraction of a complete master of all, like MVDP. For me it looks like DG is heading more to that direction. For fairness sake, it must be said that from pure physics standpoint, things look and happen bit different, with a smaller and bigger athlete..Reminds me and my son when we both were training and racing and he was exactly size of Nys and I was size of VDP)

 

[theyoungest]

I'm not sure if Nys is the chosen one, if that's what you meant? To me he looks way too hasty too often, is on edge with no reason. He's technically as good as top 10 these guys are, but still he's lost top spots with various mistakes, that have been very rare in case of DG and MVDP.

And yet commentators keep ranting all the time how skilled Nys is? Yes he is very skilled and he makes a lot of mistakes. Does it mean he's very skilled?

Punchiness for the short steep climbs one ability he has, but it's just a fraction of a complete master of all, like MVDP. For me it looks like DG is heading more to that direction. For fairness sake, it must be said that from pure physics standpoint, things look and happen bit different, with a smaller and bigger athlete..Reminds me and my son when we both were training and racing and he was exactly size of Nys and I was size of VDP)

Nys has been a celebrity pretty much all his life, a real life soap following his every move, he's the chouchou of the Flemish public. That's what I mean with the "chosen one". But you're right, he does tend to make mistakes on crucial moments which suggests he's on the limit more than Del Grosso, who looks exactly the same whether he's suffering or taking it easy. Physically their attributes are a little different: Del Grosso will probably develop into a rider for the cobbled classics whereas Nys is more of an Ardennes type rider.

 

[Gwbert]

Watching them in the sand last night it felt like Nys was struggling in the sand like Pidcock used to as he is just a lighter rider. But hitting the post was definitely a mistake though 😀

 

[Davesta]

This is a useful summary of the team changes taking place tomorrow.
Can’t wait to hear the commentators pronouncing the new Baloise Lions name 😅

Cyclocross teams and riders 2025-26 | Rijden

Rijden’s guide to the cyclocross riders and teams you can expect to watch on TV during the 2025-26 cyclocross season.

rijden.uk

 

[Hugh Januss]

Watching them in the sand last night it felt like Nys was struggling in the sand like Pidcock used to as he is just a lighter rider. But hitting the post was definitely a mistake though 😀

I think it was a function of where you had to ride to be on the fastest line through the sand. Del Grosso came within millimeters of having the same thing happen to him on the last lap. That said it's not the only time that Nys has crashed under pressure in the finale of a race this year.

 

[Hugh Januss]

This is a useful summary of the team changes taking place tomorrow.
Can’t wait to hear the commentators pronouncing the new Baloise Lions name 😅

Cyclocross teams and riders 2025-26 | Rijden

Rijden’s guide to the cyclocross riders and teams you can expect to watch on TV during the 2025-26 cyclocross season.

rijden.uk

I bet they go with Baloise Lions, if they tried to get the whole name in they would still be narrating the start at the end of the first lap.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Mountainbikester Jolanda Neff (even) terug in de cross: "Iets anders doen, geeft terug motivatie"

Jolanda Neff keert na zeven jaar terug in de veldrit met sterke resultaten. Lees hoe crossen haar nieuwe motivatie en kans op succes biedt. Volg haar verhaal!

www.wielerflits.nl

Then you might ask: why have you been away all this time?
"The past few winters, I never managed to organize a cyclocross campaign properly with my teams. Now that I'm with Cannondale, I have the option to do it again. It's great that I have their support."

Doesn't say a great deal about her previous team, does it? But we know from other forums that the Trek XC team hasn't been a happy camp.

 

[jono]

This is a useful summary of the team changes taking place tomorrow.
Can’t wait to hear the commentators pronouncing the new Baloise Lions name 😅

Cyclocross teams and riders 2025-26 | Rijden

Rijden’s guide to the cyclocross riders and teams you can expect to watch on TV during the 2025-26 cyclocross season.

rijden.uk

A few question marks remain to be answered tomorrow for some smaller riders and teams, but the big one is what jersey will the Alpecin/Fenix riders be wearing tomorrow? They haven't announced their 2026 kits but they'll need something with Premier Tech on it.

 

[awavey]

I bet they go with Baloise Lions, if they tried to get the whole name in they would still be narrating the start at the end of the first lap.

well yes it like theyre Baloise Lions and becoming Baloise..dum de dum de dum de dum de dum...Lions. so yep theyre still Baloise Lions

 

[logeardaddy]

A few question marks remain to be answered tomorrow for some smaller riders and teams, but the big one is what jersey will the Alpecin/Fenix riders be wearing tomorrow? They haven't announced their 2026 kits but they'll need something with Premier Tech on it.

Will Premier make Alp/Fen take on a mandatory Canadian rider?
Is Het Poetsbureau a cleaning service? Will they be washing the bikes in the pits?

 

[jono]

Will Premier make Alp/Fen take on a mandatory Canadian rider?
Is Het Poetsbureau a cleaning service? Will they be washing the bikes in the pits?

For CX? They should sign Carrier and let her do the CX/MTB thing.

They already signed Hugo Houle for the men's road team, who is basically the Premier Tech mascot at this point, following them from Astana to Israel to Alpecin.

 

[saunaking]

Just watched the men's race today, what a spectacle!
I just hope Nys and Del Grosso stay with cx for many years as it looks like they are head and shoulders above the rest and will continue to be for years

 

[Axel Hangleck]

For CX? They should sign Carrier and let her do the CX/MTB thing.

They already signed Hugo Houle for the men's road team, who is basically the Premier Tech mascot at this point, following them from Astana to Israel to Alpecin.

Yeah, would be good for her - but is it really likely? How many MTB World Cups will Alpecin/Fenix show up for.......They only have a few MTB riders compared to Road/ CX riders.......

Remember Sam Gaze turning up to Brazil with hardly any kit/ support?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

He's dressed like Puck...

They should tie the knot!

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Is Het Poetsbureau a cleaning service?

I assumed they were purveyors of bespoke writing desks for bards and rhapsodists.

 

[awavey]

Brands checked out already

 

[awavey]

lol and we had our first attempt at Baloise Verzekeringen - Het Poetsbureau Lions...which did end as yeah its Baloise Lions. cant say Ive noticed if theyve managed to fit all that on Brands kit, unless its on the shoulders, but she's just flying so they arent focussing on her much.

Puck does have some Premier Tech logos on her kit, but still looks fairly similar for Fenix.

and maybe Canyon sram will grow on me, maybe

as for the rest cant see much change

 

[theyoungest]

I assumed they were purveyors of bespoke writing desks for bards and rhapsodists.

Close. The Poets Bureau was established during the Cold War, to propagandize behind the Iron Curtain. Rumour has it they wrote the lyrics to Wind of Change by the Scorpions.

 

[awavey]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

 

[theyoungest]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

I'm assuming you're watching with British commentary.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

some of this commentary makes me laugh, Puck in 2nd apparently cant get back on terms with Brand implying she's having a bad race. But Zoe back in 3rd is apparently consistently improving her efforts, even though shes losing more time per lap to Brand and Puck !?!

They were talking about Zoe improving from race to race......not in this particular race.

 

[CXXC]

I know only an imbecile such as myself would return each time, hoping for a different outcome. Again Brand lacks instant acceleration from the start giving me hope as she is swamped by quicker riders, that lasts about 20 seconds as she breezes by everyone with little apparent effort, there was no b1tch face grimace of effort that I usually see.
Lucinda did not even have to barge riders out of the way at corners.

 

[jono]

So Alpecin is back in blue?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Well, well, we might have a race here.

 

[Tim Cahill]

With the VDP cross races and Pogacar road races the plan is usually to go off and do something else but leave it on in the background once they're ahead, usually the right play but 1 in 100 times like this or in Amstel something actually happens.