Race Thread

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Watched the womwn's race. Good race.

Didn't watch the men's race, went back to sleep. Good choice.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

isn't it a bit sad? I mean, I know the sport needs stars to reach the big public, but dear me, after 1 lap he was gone. it says a lot about the reach of cyclocross. obvs the Spanish race owners loved to have VDP at the start. and the camera staying on him after the finish while Nys and Orts are crossing the line. IT SUCKS. thank god they showed the last 4 seconds of Nys and Orts crossing the line. madness. I don't know, it's a bittersweet feeling.
ok now Spain has Orts, and GB holds hopes in Mason. but looking it from another angle, CX could survive without stars and keep being strong in BEL-NED.
I hate VDP but it would be good for him to race a whole season of MTB World Cups. that discipline needs visibility and sponsor like mad. it needs clicks and marketing EXPERTS not those brainrot and brainless web marketing people.
so for the sake of XCO it would be good marketing to have VDP there, and him leave cyclocross alone

To be fair, XCO has issues, but is a global and an Olympic sport; look at the World Cup Top 10/ Overall Top 10.........current World champions from South Africa/ Sweden, Overall winners from NZ/ USA.........Never going to happen in CX.

MTB as a whole (not just XCO) suffers from ignorance from the road biased cycling media - and as a result gets very little coverage. Just look on here or Wielerflits, for example............whereas CX benefits from it's road background, and the road off-season, so gets more coverage; and can make you think it's bigger than it is.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Also it's patently against the rules.

It would very much penalise the riders at the front. But could they have raked it between races?

I guess the only conclusion is that not all sandpits are equal in their influence. Just like not all grassy banks, off camber traverse, or any other feature from one course to another aren't equal (and a thread on the best and worst features is one I've been thinking of starting for ages)

 

[pastronef]

How can you hate a bike rider?

ok, no hate, let's say I dislike his CX dominance

 

[pastronef]

To be fair, XCO has issues, but is a global and an Olympic sport; look at the World Cup Top 10/ Overall Top 10.........current World champions from South Africa/ Sweden, Overall winners from NZ/ USA.........Never going to happen in CX.

MTB as a whole (not just XCO) suffers from ignorance from the road biased cycling media - and as a result gets very little coverage. Just look on here or Wielerflits, for example............whereas CX benefits from it's road background, and the road off-season, so gets more coverage; and can make you think it's bigger than it is.

what I mean is CX in its cradle BEL-NED, so that means where the racing that matters happens, is safe and secure. thousands of people on the ticketed circuits, good tv views, sponsors, etc
XCO is way more international, yes, and it0s great, but it costs way much for the sponsors and teams, and I believe it's a wonder that the brands still splash the cash. in 10 years CX will still be going strong, XCO I don't know, will it still be profitable?

 

[pastronef]

Do you really believe that MTB XCO is in a worse place as a sport than CX?

not now. let's see in the long run.

 

[pastronef]

I've read on Weightweenies forum that the Ridley Racing team is folding?

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

I've read on Weightweenies forum that the Ridley Racing team is folding?

There has been talk of them merging with Pauwel Sauzen for some time: commentators have mentioned it and it was posted in this at the turn of the year.

 

[pastronef]

There has been talk of them merging with Pauwel Sauzen for some time: commentators have mentioned it and it was posted in this at the turn of the year.

thanks. I searched other news and Nieuwenhuis won't join Pauwels, he'll get his personal team/sponsors

 

[Axel Hangleck]

In 10 years CX will still be going strong, XCO I don't know, will it still be profitable?

CX will be fine in Belgium - elsewhere it will remain as it is; unless the man from the IOC says yes. XCO will be okay, look how many manufacturers are involved.......
MTB is constantly evolving, and progressing new tech, which is what bike & component manufacturers want. CX is stuck with 33mm tyres and what else? Tubs.....yesterdays tech.....

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I've read on Weightweenies forum that the Ridley Racing team is folding?

Weightweenies? A forum full of wannabe pro idiots who spend more money and showing off their bikes than actually riding them..........A bunch of clueless prats.....

 

[pastronef]

Weightweenies? A forum full of wannabe pro idiots who spend more money and showing off their bikes than actually riding them..........A bunch of clueless prats.....

tbf I just read the pro racing thread on there

 

[harrybo]

Okay... I hate the first race after national championships! So confusing with some people wearing NC jerseys, and others... not...

For example; I didn't recognise Fouquenet at first. Of course, also doesn't help that I'm still thinking of her as an Arkea rider...

took me a few laps too

 

[harrybo]

I was actually thinking they should do it every lap

even I knew could of rode the sand and i,m 67, tell you what the vip area was beside it, bet those people were cheesed off as everyone seemed to be going thru single file. I took myself off the top of the course and the finish area and it was a brilliant day

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Puck's Maasmechelen Course preview

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odnz5I_Uhw4

 

[awavey]

BC announce their team for the World champs, and are again not bothering to send the latest womens national champion, at least theyve put Zoe in the elite race, for what little good it will do.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gbcyclingteam/article/20260123-Cyclo-cross-stars-to-represent-Great-Britain-at-the-UCI-Cyclo-cross-World-Championships-0

 

[jono]

If Backstedt was in good form I would say this opens up the U23 for some other riders, but would she even have been favorite for that race this year?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Lucy risking her continuous podium run

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Puck wins. I am not sure Fouquenet could have beat PP anyway as she also made too many small mistakes throughout the race, but that puncture, or whatever forced her to switch bikes on the penultimate lap, definitely made it impossible for her. Alvarado came fast from behind at one point, but couldn't quite close the gap. Brand's podium streak is broken, but that doesn't mean she won't win tomorrow instead or next week.

I hope someone rides into that Mercedes and destroys it without hurting themselves.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

BC announce their team for the World champs, and are again not bothering to send the latest womens national champion, at least theyve put Zoe in the elite race, for what little good it will do.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/gbcyclingteam/article/20260123-Cyclo-cross-stars-to-represent-Great-Britain-at-the-UCI-Cyclo-cross-World-Championships-0

I don't have too much of an issue with their selections; a British champion who will struggle to get Top 20, so why select them? A bit different for a youngster who may gain experience for the future.
But it's another warning at how little talent we have in CX.....only Mason, Backstedt are World class.....and even they aren't going to win their races.
In the last 10 years we've had plenty of Worlds success (mainly Junior/U23), but most of those riders have left CX for Road (or XCO for Evie).

 

[jono]

Well, this should be fun for the VDP haters. He'll have to ride half the course to the pits and will actually have to ride hard in the second half of the race for once.

 

[jono]

Can Nys pull an EF and win from a group of 3 teammates?

 

[Dazed and Confused]

NIce bit of "tactic" from Nys.

 

[jono]

NIce bit of "tactic" from Nys.

Haha, not sure whether or not to give him credit for tactics as he's botched that section 3 out of 6 times. But it worked!

 

[Dazed and Confused]

4/7....