Race Thread

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Nice, thanks!

Yeah, VHD seems like a nice guy!

 

[Arredondo]

Nice win from Pauwels in Essen, glad to see he's back. A good Pauwels i like more as a rider instead of Albert. Pauwels is the more complete rider, because he has to stop thinking he can't do well on muddy courses. See Namen, Baal and Essen. He's a monster!

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Mourey!!!!!!!

Finally!

This was also maybe the most exciting cross this season.

Very strong race by VDH and Nys coming from way back.

 

[Arredondo]

Yess, my favorite crosser finaly wins big again!!

 

[avanti]

Yess, my favorite crosser finaly wins big again!!

So did mine; Katie C.

Good to see 7 us women in today's world cup. The only was to win internationally is to race internationally (this applies to all types of racing).

 

[Kwibus]

Mourey!!!!!!!

Finally!

This was also maybe the most exciting cross this season.

Very strong race by VDH and Nys coming from way back.

First cross I managed to see a bit from. Great race indeed.
Nys was very impressive and Mourey and VDH were impressive as well.
Nice race for sure. Lots of nationalities at the front of the race as well. At the end still 3 belgians in the top 5 though.

 

[Arredondo]

So did mine; Katy.

Good to see 7 us women in today's world cup. The only was to win internationally is to race internationally (this applies to all types of racing).

Katie is my favorite woman crosser to. Great power and nice to see her winning from Vos again. She has to do it now, because the next couple of weeks it will be more difficult for her.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Apparently VDH has two bruised ribs from his crash in Namur; I'm even more impressed by his ride now!

Hope he'll be recovered a bit and strong again for Zolder the day after tomorrow!

http://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/25053/twee-gekneusde-ribben-voor-lars-van-der-haar.html

 

[Echoes]

It's the first cross that I managed to miss this season. (so between ourselves, Kwibus and me have watched every cross, he Namur and me all the rest. ).

Worst thing is that it's in the town I grew up and it's the first time I'd failed to visit it since its creation in 2009.

Apparently KP did no recover from his win the day before. I'm not surprised Mourey wins one. After all the Belgians are racing almost every weekend at their best whle Mourey is racig about one weekend out of two and often without competition. He was already very close for several years and he already won a WC event (Treviso but in ... 2006, lol). But no I hope he had agood Christmas day with his grandma and will win the Swiss cross he's racing every year instead of Zolder. ;-)

By the way a Merry Christmas to all cyclocross fans. For what's left of it.

 

[winkybiker]

Good to see 7 of (our?) women in today's world cup. The only way to win internationally is to race internationally (this applies to all types of racing).

I'll get soundly hammered for this, but what difference does it make what country someone comes from?

 

[avanti]

I'll get soundly hammered for this, but what difference does it make what country someone comes from?

Personally I appreciate the efforts of riders and teams from anywhere.

But having cyclists from the USA compete internationally results in the following:
- Home publicity aids race organizers attract sponsors (and obtain race approvals/support from appropriate govt departments)
- Media coverage of international events (I can recall times when there was zero TV coverage of the TdF for example).
- Riders get the international race experience they need in order to excel.
- The UK is a great example of what happens when UK riders win -sponsors, closed roads, funding, sold out track events.

 

[winkybiker]

Personally I appreciate the efforts of riders and teams from anywhere.

But having cyclists from the USA compete internationally results in the following:
- Home publicity aids race organizers attract sponsors (and obtain race approvals/support from appropriate govt departments)
- Media coverage of international events (I can recall times when there was zero TV coverage of the TdF for example).
- Riders get the international race experience they need in order to excel.
- The UK is a great example of what happens when UK riders win -sponsors, closed roads, funding, sold out track events.

All this is fine, but if true, surely at the expense of support for cycling in the countries of the cyclists that were beaten. Is it not a zero-sum game? Rather than piling money into the top-end of cycling in countries that already have successful athletes, we should be more widely focussed on participation. Part of me thinks that all professional athletes and others invlolved in the pro-sports "industry" should get a job. And don't get me started on the olympics.

Having said that, I love watching pro-cycling. It is just that the nationality of the riders holds virtually no significance for me.

 

[Der Effe]

Today's cross isn't being broadcasted, is it?

 

[BigMac]

Stybar

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Stybar is such a boss. Similar carreer to Lars 'I'm to good for CX' Boom, except better.

 

[Echoes]

Best race I've seen this year thus far and by a country mile !

though it could also be the worst. (and a Happy New Year to all cyclocross fans )

 

[Arredondo]

So, today was the sixth round of the worldcup, in the always romantic Rome. Due to the heavy rainfall, the course turned out in a muddy course for the big powerhouses. The biggest today was Niels Albert, who rode more than 40 minutes solo, and finished 5 seconds in front of Van der Haar, who came back from a bad start, and Nys, who rode the fastest last 15 minutes. Francis Mourey rode in second position for most of the cross, but eventually lost the sprint for 2nd place.

In the woman categories, Katherine Compton was trully magnificent. She beated Vos for the 4rd time (after Namen, Zolder en Baal) in a short period. I think we will finally get a true fight at the WC between the two, although i think Vos will be better in about two weeks time.

Men:

1. Niels Albert
2. Lars van der Haar + 5s
3. Sven Nys s.t.
4. Francis Mourey + 11s
5. Martin Bina + 41s
6. Rob Peeters + 45s
7. Thijs van Amerongen + 50s
8. Tom Meeusen + 1m01s
9. Corne van Kessel +1m16s
10. Bart Wellens + 1.19s

Women

1. Katie Compton
2. Marianne Vos + 23s
3. Eva Lechner
4. Pauline Ferrand Prevot
5. Sanne Cant
6. Helen Wyman
7. Ellen van Looy

 

[Gung Ho Gun]

The cross was very nice, but the complete lack of spectators was kinda depressing ...

 

[Astana1]

Without the mud, and the crazy weather, I thought the course was pretty non descript compared to the other courses I have seen up in Belgium. I have seen more spectators at local cross races in Kansas City.

 

[LugHugger]

Just watched US Nats from Boulder on YouTube. @doperssuck commentating tried to claim that there was no point taking Page to the Worlds over some nobody from Boulder who managed to finish 5th at their home race (this is Boulder, at altitude, remember)

Given Page is the ranked 31st in the World rankings, having actually raced in Europe this season, I would have thought it was bleeding obvious why you would pick him

The Americans seem to think that domestically hoovered UCI points makes riders capable of racing against the Euros. Utterly clueless.

 

[avanti]

Just watched US Nats from Boulder on YouTube. @doperssuck commentating tried to claim that there was no point taking Page to the Worlds over some nobody from Boulder who managed to finish 5th at their home race (this is Boulder, at altitude, remember)

Given Page is the ranked 31st in the World rankings, having actually raced in Europe this season, I would have thought it was bleeding obvious why you would pick him

The Americans seem to think that domestically hoovered UCI points makes riders capable of racing against the Euros. Utterly clueless.

Page was riding with a damaged rib at 5000 ft so good he managed sixth. The first three riders are familier with the Valmont course.

This was a great race day with mostly sunny weather although high winds blew up from time to time. Great breakfast burritos and free Noosa yogurt samples. Only downer was that it took 45 minutes to exit the parking lot.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Too bad Mathieu van der Poel didn't win

Ah well, I guess going straight from peaking for Firenze into the CX season, makes his season a bit too long. Nice to see that he has some competition with the espoirs though; Van Aert was really on another level today and he's beaten Mathieu several times this season, definitely a huge talent and the deserved winner.

I guess with a muddy course like this, Sven Nys is going to win big time. All he has to do is not crash I guess. I'm cheering for VDH though!

 

[spalco]

Pretty exciting start to the race. I didn't watch a lot of cyclocross this year, but I'm really enjoying this now.

Van der Haar is impressing me. He's had to spend more energy than Nys and Stybar so far, but he keeps clawing his way back to their wheels.

 

[spalco]

Van der Haar is impressing me. He's had to spend more energy than Nys and Stybar so far, but he keeps clawing his way back to their wheels.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

lol Stybar......