Race Thread

[will-10]

That was a lot of fun to watch
Really hope we still see those three guys in particular maintaining solid cross schedules whatever the road might have in store for them the next few years.

 

[Winnen]

I'm pretty sure it's Mourey.

Walsleben was third in 2014. The year after Mourey.

 

[Bolder]

MVDP can really push it, even Wout said so. That was a hugely entertaining race. It's funny, watching the riders' body language about halfway through, I thought Pidcock was going to ride away and Wout/Mathieu were going to settle for 2nd/3rd. I don't know if they found an extra gear or Tom slowed, but that all changed just before the last lap.

“Today was a really hard battle. I had to really push my limits to take the win today,” van der Poel said. “I had to dig really deep to take the win today.”

“He can go far over his limit in the last lap and I’m capable of doing a good final, but very often he’s just stronger in the end,” Van Aert said of van der Poel.

 

[Bolder]

I agree in what "Logic-is-your-friend" noticed about Van Aert during the race concerning the steep descent and the cobbles afterwards : "And every lap that short steep downhill where they need to get off the bike, he gets on in a way too big a gear". I didn't understand why Van Aert was struggling that way in the short downhill, and then jumped on his bike in a too big gear. Lap after lap. Losing lap after lap 4 or 5 seconds on that section.

I noticed that too. MVDP rode down it most times; even if he didn't gain much, he saved energy by not jumping on/off.

 

[Barkintheeye]

One of the best races in a long time. Would have been fantastic to have Iserbyt up there but probably would not have changed the podium (?). MVDP looked cooked when WVA caught up but it may have been part of an intuitive strategy.

In my view Pidcock took his chances and made the most out of it but didn’t have the gas necessary for such a long hard race. Great effort nonetheless.

WVA did pull MVDP up to Pidcock but it is all too easy to see that in hindsight. He could equally have broken the others as he was having a strong finish.

MVDP excelled technically as usual and nailed the harder sections when it mattered. In the end that made the difference. When it counts he can go some % faster than the others without dabbing. However Pidcock is getting there. He is exceptionally talented.

Really looking forward to the next race.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Interestingly enough, it was Mathieu that made quite a few technical errors in the first two laps. Maybe not the ideal pressure in his tires for him?

 

[postmanhat]

Only six more races scheduled for Pidcock this season;

December

27th - Dendermonde
30th - Bredene

January

1st - Baal
3rd - Hulst
24th - Overijse
30th - World Championships

Does anyone know the schedules for MVDP and Van Aert?

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Does anyone know the schedules for MVDP and Van Aert?

You can see which races they 'll contend here: https://sporza.be/nl/2020/10/29/vel...-eindejaarsperiode-in-het-veld~1603985300011/

 

[Ricco']

Only six more races scheduled for Pidcock this season;

December

27th - Dendermonde
30th - Bredene

January

1st - Baal
3rd - Hulst
24th - Overijse
30th - World Championships

Does anyone know the schedules for MVDP and Van Aert?

Pidcock will start tomorrow in Essen.

MVDP, for now will do Essen (22/12), Herentals (23/12), Heusden-Zolder (26/12), Dendermonde (27/12), Bredene (30/12), Baal (01/01), Gullegem (02/01), NK Zaltbommel, Hamme and Oostende.

 

[senna6541]

Going to be seriously upset if my GCN scrip doesn't work for Essen and Herentals like it didn't for Namur and some other races (while others are just fine). Was able to catch Namur on Flobikes but missed Jeremy Powers commentary. Essen and Herentals are not on Flobikes so totally out o luck if GCN sucks again...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Going to be seriously upset if my GCN scrip doesn't work for Essen and Herentals like it didn't for Namur and some other races (while others are just fine). Was able to catch Namur on Flobikes but missed Jeremy Powers commentary. Essen and Herentals are not on Flobikes so totally out o luck if GCN sucks again...

You can grab Namur including Jeremy Powers commentary (who, since he's been in the peloton for years and should have heard the names a hundred times, strangely enough has a tendency to pronounce all the Dutch/Flemish names incorrectly, while the other guy is "pretty good" in that respect) on TIZ: https://tiz-cycling.io/videos/cyclo-cross-world-cup-2021-2-namur-full-race/

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Excellent timing by VTM to do a commercial break. Nitwits.

 

[RedheadDane]

Looks like it's been raining a tiny bit.

 

[Spine Concept]

Easiest win since his return for Mathieu, albeit without Iserbyt or Wout, but with Piddy, Sweeck, and Aerts. To be fair to Aerts he is still recovering from an accident.

Hermans was very strong today as well, impressive.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

I was actually surprised he waited so long. This was tailor made.

 

[RedheadDane]

Just a thought; maybe instead of confetti at the finish they should simply have pressure-washers. Or maybe not actual pressure washers; guess having riders blown across the road would be considered a bit of an issue...

 

[senna6541]

You can grab Namur including Jeremy Powers commentary (who, since he's been in the peloton for years and should have heard the names a hundred times, strangely enough has a tendency to pronounce all the Dutch/Flemish names incorrectly, while the other guy is "pretty good" in that respect) on TIZ: https://tiz-cycling.io/videos/cyclo-cross-world-cup-2021-2-namur-full-race/

Thanks Logic. Was able to catch Essen today. Surprising Powers can't pronounce the names given all the time he spent over there racing.

 

[Winnen]

Nice win by Alvarado on a beautiful track in Herentals. Much nicer than yesterday.

Vos with a bad start, I did not see it but she was apparently 26th at one moment. She finished as 6th, so I think she will be pleased.

This track promises a great race. I predict WvA's first win this season!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Celine's superior technical skills (honed on the MTB bike) to the fore on that course.....

Mens race should be interesting.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Thanks Logic. Was able to catch Essen today. Surprising Powers can't pronounce the names given all the time he spent over there racing.

He is American!

I really like GCNs commentators. Marty and Jeremy are knowledgable and likeable. Backstedt is excellent and I believe his daughter is racing CX so he seems to really know what he is talking about.

When I can’t get my hands on GCN commentary I will want to have it in Dutch. Even if I just get ten percent of what they are saying it brings that right Vlanderish cyclocross feel to it.

Merry Christmas all and... cross keeps on coming.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well, too bad for van de Poel, but props to van Aert for not giving up. Gap was constantly 'only' 4-8 seconds while you could clearly see Mathieu's superior technical skills in some sections. It's also a fact that taking corners and other obstacles at a higher speed, also raises the odds of getting a puncture of course.

 

[Bolder]

Truly foul weather today.

 

[Spine Concept]

Meh. It’s good to have a different winner, but never in this manner. I hate it when mechanicals play such a big role in a race. Robbed us of a potential epic duel.

 

[Jagartrott]

This parcours and weather wouldn't really have allowed full head-to-head dueling I think. There would be a gap of a couple of seconds almost everywhere. You could see it in the women's race too. Staying together was really hard.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Meh. It’s good to have a different winner, but never in this manner. I hate it when mechanicals play such a big role in a race. Robbed us of a potential epic duel.

Well, i would still have given Mathieu the edge, considering he is better at technical sections, eventhough i think van Aert was equally good (physically). But i don't agree with Adrie, who said Mathieu had the situation perfectly under control, considering what happened at Namur/Gavere. You can't say everything is under control when you lead 5 or 6 seconds.

Let's just say it evens things out a bit for a few seasons ago, when van Aert lost a bundle of races, due to mechanical issues (especially chain issues) i think in 2017.

Wout said he started with too low tire pressure in the first few laps and that was the main reason why he couldn't keep up, he had trouble taking corners and drifting etc. That means he also had to change bikes a few times and lost seconds each time, while Mathieu didn't.

Difference with the other guys, like in the good old days, is huge.