Race Thread

[Mavic]

Piddy looking good for second. What a talent he is.

 

[postmanhat]

Looked away for minute and Pidcock has pulled out 10 seconds!

Or is Aerts slowing?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Surprised they're riding 7 laps. I think that will be one too many for Pidcock. Apparently, it's really cold, which might explain why Iserbyt has blown up

Van Aert said it wasn't cold, he was contemplating riding without gloves. Iserbyt blew up trying to counter Pidcock.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Where is this orange guy coming from? Haven't seen him all race.

 

[Mavic]

Like I said, Aerts will probably have more left in the tank at the end... Interesting battle indeed.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Van Aert had a puncture

 

[Mavic]

Aerts mistake, as understandable as it was, was probably trying to follow Mathieu. Wasted a lot of energy there.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I think van Aert could have overtaken Pidcock if he didn't have that puncture. He lost a lot of time. Came back to 10s on Pidcock, punctured, lost 15 seconds, and is again gaining on Aerts and riding away from Sweeck.

Aerts mistake, as understandable as it was, was probably trying to follow Mathieu. Wasted a lot of energy there.

If you want to settle for silver before the start, then yes, it was a mistake. If you want to win, how unlikely it may be however, it was the only thing to do.

 

[Mavic]

If you want to settle for silver before the start, then yes, it was a mistake. If you want to win, how unlikely it may be however, it was the only thing to do.

Hence the “as understandable as it was” bit. I was of course speaking in hindsight cause he probably lost on silver because of it.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I know what you mean, but I don't agree it was a mistake. That's all. It was a course which should suit him, and as a pro athlete you should always try to go for a win. Especially in a WCC and especially if you have been able to beat him in the past (if only a few times).

 

[Mavic]

I know what you mean, but I don't agree it was a mistake. That's all. It was a course which should suit him, and as a pro athlete you should always try to go for a win. Especially in a WCC and especially if you have been able to beat him in the past (if only a few times).

Call it whatever you want to call it. A mistake, a noble attempt, a necessary attempt as a pro athlete, my point, in hindsight (which is always 20/20), is that it cost him the silver.

I agree that it was the only thing to do as a pro athlete and all of that, so don’t get me wrong.

 

[postmanhat]

Congrats to Pidcock. His attack was one of the few racing highlight of this largely forgettable Championships?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I agree with MvdP that was the hardest course I've seen.

 

[jaylew]

First turn to finish. What a ride. Great ride from Pidcock as well to hold off the Belgians.

Wow, 5 minutes to 10th place (Iserbyt).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

If he wanted to the difference could have been +2mins. Just leagues and leagues above the rest. Also in pure Power now. No Aerts is not close, not when MvdP is in top form. That much is clear now. The hope is Wva, Pidcock and T. Nys

 

[JosephK]

Great rides from everyone on the podium. In that wind/wetness/cold, hypothermia could easily have jumped on someone. That might have been the only thing that could have stopped MvdP today . . . but he rode perfectly and was therefore untouchable. Really impressed by Pidcock--he has an abundance of grit. Aerts didn't look unhappy on the podium, either. Wout van Aert was amazing to reach 4th just six months after his horrible TDF injury. Chapeau.

 

[Mavic]

Van Aert disappointed not to have finished on the podium. Rightly so too as it seems he had a puncture at a very unfortunate moment. Also taking into account that he had to come from behind. He was very strong today everything considered. Definitely on track for the road season.

Disappointment of the day is probably Iserbyt. Had a great season, just couldn’t bring up the goods today.

 

[JosephK]

Van Aert disappointed not to have finished on the podium. Rightly so too as it seems he had a puncture at a very unfortunate moment. Also taking into account that he had to come from behind. He was very strong today everything considered. Definitely on track for the road season.

Disappointment of the day is probably Iserbyt. Had a great season, just couldn’t bring up the goods today.

Yes, and I also wonder whether Iserbyt actually did suffer from the cold a bit more than the others at the front, in the 2nd half of the race.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Iserbyt blew himself up when he went with Pidcock. Once you go into deep red on a course as tough as this, you never recover.

A young Van der Poel made the same mistake in his career a couple of times. It's understandable Iserbyt dropped away after he blew himself up

 

[Mick Dundee]

VdP aside, Pidcock’s performance was outstanding. He wasn’t regarded as a genuine top 5 finisher and guess it confirms he can ride tough courses very well... Namur, British Nationals and now this. First Brit to podium in the men’s elite ever apparently and still only 20 years old.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Belgium has the team classification in the bag.

all in all an abysmal worlds for them. Only bright side is that at least they dominate the junior men so the future is bright.

But with Pidcock being 20 years old and 2nd.. idk. Even when Vd Poel goes less CX or eventually retires, they could still be looking at Pidcocks rear, well, if he stays in CX that is.

 

[Mayomaniac]

all in all an abysmal worlds for them. Only bright side is that at least they dominate the junior men so the future is bright.

But with Pidcock being 20 years old and 2nd.. idk. Even when Vd Poel goes less CX or eventually retires, they could still be looking at Pidcocks rear, well, if he stays in CX that is.

The scary thing about Pidcock is that he's only 50kg light and last year he already won the Tour Alsace and finished first on LPdBF, ahead of guys like Schlegel and Inkelaar, so I don't know how long he'll do this much CX.

 

[GVFTA]

The scary thing about Pidcock is that he's only 50kg light and last year he already won the Tour Alsace and finished first on LPdBF, ahead of guys like Schlegel and Inkelaar, so I don't know how long he'll do this much CX.

50kg? How tall is he?

 

[dciple]

Ok but all kidding aside and I know very well that Pidcock is a talent ; I checked his results from this season, in a worldcup race the closest he came
was 5th place, 30 seconds from Aerts. And now I'm supposed to believe that in the 2nd half of the World Championship race he suddenly kicks into gear,
drives twice as fast as all the Belgians, KEEPS that pace until the end, has the same lap times as Van der Poel and finishes second, this time 30 seconds before Aerts ??
Seriously how no one finds this a bit too incredible is beyond me, all of this weighing only 50 kg in a race made for powerful racers like van Aert, Aerts & Van der Poel ?

 

[Mayomaniac]

50kg? How tall is he?

He's listed as 157cm tall.