Race Thread

[Flamin]

Yay KP

I never thought he could win Zonhoven. Normally not a course for him but it's amazing that he won almost all the hardest crosses of the season in his career: Overijse, Koppenberg, Asper-Gavere, Ronse, Namur and now Zonhoven.
Only misses Koksijde because of Nys' irregular sprint. hmm well okay Valkenburg too but it's too recent.

Don't forget Baal.

Painful weekend for Nys, but I'm glad Pauwels didn't give up after Nys' (very dangerous) attack, as he seemed stronger! Nys really needs to win by racing intelligence this year, it seems, and also by his great recovery at weekends.

Like in Ronse?

 

[Jspear]

Your point being? He apologized so it's okay?

The jury said they tried to pull him out of the race multiple times. And even if they didn't, he clearly knew they were coming. No excuses to not get out of the f***ing way.

My point? I don't have a point. You said you hoped they "punished the moron hard." I was just sharing a link were they showed the extent of the "punishment." He was disqualified and fined. I wasn't giving any sort of opinion as to what I thought about Denuwelaere's actions.

 

[Flamin]

My point? I don't have a point. You said you hoped they "punished the moron hard." I was just sharing a link were they showed the extent of the "punishment." He was disqualified and fined. I wasn't giving any sort of opinion as to what I thought about Denuwelaere's actions.

Aight. The title of the article was that Denuwelaere apologized, therefore I wasn't sure what you meant

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Very exciting race. Nice for Meeusen to win a big cross again.

Mathieu looked quite strong. Van Der Haar also did an impressive ride considering how far back he was after his crash. Nys on the other hand looked quite strong in the beginning, but he was a bit disappointing in the second half of the race.

 

[Echoes]

Mathieu is always so cool in the interviews.

"I hope for dry conditions, opposite of Nys... Even though it's a little bit anti-cross (with a smile)."

Yes it's anti-cross but it's an understandable wish.

Asper-Gavere is my favourite. Classic among the classics. This huge steep hilllock to Kasteel Grenier. Very impressive. I hope I won't miss it.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

It promises to be an exciting season.
So many possible winners!

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Does anybody know when Stybar is coming back after his crash at Ardooie?

 

[Flamin]

Not the best day for the Dutchies. Nosedive from Van der Poel into the sand, then Van Kessel screws over Van der Haar.

Especially Van der Haar could have given Meeusen a big run for his money I think.

 

[Echoes]

Yeah 11 years after Monopoli, Franzoi is still there and beats Mourey on home soil!

Even Johan Le Bon and Sébastien Hinault were there.

1 Enrico FRANZOI ITA 1:01:06
2 Francis MOUREY FRA 1:01:14
3 Fabien CANAL FRA 1:01:21
4 Bryan FALASCHI ITA 1:01:33
5 Lilian CALMEJANE FRA 1:01:33
6 James SPRAGG GBR 1:01:48
7 Laurent COLOMBATTO FRA 1:03:13
8 Miguel FILLAUT FRA 1:03:21
9 Yoann CORBIHAN FRA 1:03:30
10 Elia SILVESTRI ITA 1:04:04
11 Steve CHAINEL FRA 1:04:13
12 John GADRET FRA 1:04:16
13 Christophe LABORIE FRA 1:04:42
14 Florian LE CORRE FRA 1:04:56
15 Nicolas BAZIN FRA 1:05:01
16 Christophe LE BOUEDEC FRA 1:05:27
17 Laurent SPIESSER FRA 1:05:34
18 Amaël JEGU FRA 1:05:38
19 Matthieu BOULO FRA 1:05:56
20 Damien MOUGEL FRA 1:06:01
21 Manuel TODARO ITA 1:06:05
22 Jérémie PIRIOU FRA 1:06:08
23 Loïc HERBRETEAU FRA 1:06:18
24 Sébastien HINAULT FRA 1:06:19
25 Mickaël CALVEZ FRA 1:06:23
26 Sébastien LE NAOUR FRA 1:06:23

27 Tony PERIOU FRA
28 Baptiste FLEGEO FRA
29 Lionel CALVEZ FRA
30 Mathieu GUYADER FRA
31 Alban ROUDOT FRA
32 Johan LE BON FRA
33 Etienne LE ROUX FRA
34 Herve PRUD'HOMME FRA
35 Dominique JEGO FRA
36 Simon KEROUEDAN FRA
37 Pierre GOUAULT FRA
38 Bruno BILLANT FRA
39 Jean-Marc BIDEAU FRA
40 Patrick PRIGENT FRA
41 Fernand GOACOULOU FRA
42 Steven LETTY FRA
43 Christopher JOURDEN FRA
44 Laurent PICHON FRA
45 Armindo FONSECA FRA
46 Florian GUILLOU FRA

 

[Flamin]

Van der Haar DNS in Koksijde

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Koksijde..

Go Mourey ffs.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Van Aert

 

[Flamin]

That was super impressive. So much class on a bike. I think we are really seeing Nys' successor here.

 

[Echoes]

Hey Kevin wins a hard cross again and the way he did, oh boy! Some panache!


And how disgraceful of Kris Mannaerts to go and get an interview of Mathieu while the kid was shagged on his bike. Such silly questions, on top of that. "Is this the hardest cross you've ever raced?" You bet it was, dude. Mathieu could only answer: "Just the way I crossed that line says it all" or something like that. What else could he have answered, poor thing.

 

[Flamin]

How Van Aert slaughtered everyone in Koksijde puts Pauwels' win in another daylight though. Sure, he's in very good form, but definitely not 2011-2012 form (yet).

And yeah, I was thinking the same, but it's their job of course to try and get the first reaction right after the finish. Usually riders say more interesting things when they're in the heat of the moment. Anyway, even when completely shattered, Mathieu stayed surprisingly calm and polite

 

[Echoes]

How Van Aert slaughtered everyone in Koksijde puts Pauwels' win in another daylight though. Sure, he's in very good form, but definitely not 2011-2012 form (yet).

Sure Van Aert has more potential than Pauwels has. I remember Pauwels a little bit in his U23 years. He was seen as a real talent but not a prodigy like Van Aert or Van der Poel. However, I'm not sure you can draw such conclusions. Koksijde is a sand cross with a lot of running section and KP has never been a sand nor a running specialist. It's probably the course that suits the least. I think both Van Aert and certainly Van der Poel are better sanders. I think KP (and most elite riders) tried to save energy for Francorchamps, where the battle is hard for the Superprestige.

And yeah, I was thinking the same, but it's their job of course to try and get the first reaction right after the finish. Usually riders say more interesting things when they're in the heat of the moment. Anyway, even when completely shattered, Mathieu stayed surprisingly calm and polite

Yeah Mathieu always struck as a very polite and well-educated kid. Getting reaction right after finish might be interesting but was it necessary to get some from an exhausted rider? I mean other riders had already crossed the line and much fresher. It really looked like sensationalism to me.

By the way, I'm just wondering if it were very wise of Mathieu to race two elite ranking hard crosses in one weekend. I think it's the first time he did, didn't he? (or Gieten + Ronse?) Last year, when he only raced non-ranking events, he would carefully avoid racing twice with the elite in one weekend. Adrianus said it clearly in an interview. I hope Mathieu knows what he's doing (and he looks like a down-to-earth guy, so I think so) because he's racing a lot with the elite (+ the road but I guess he can manage that) at a very young age. I'm a little bit scared.

 

[Flamin]

Sure Van Aert has more potential than Pauwels has. I remember Pauwels a little bit in his U23 years. He was seen as a real talent but not a prodigy like Van Aert or Van der Poel. However, I'm not sure you can draw such conclusions. Koksijde is a sand cross with a lot of running section and KP has never been a sand nor a running specialist. It's probably the course that suits the least. I think both Van Aert and certainly Van der Poel are better sanders.

Pauwels was very close to win Koksijde in 2011-2012 though (remember the controversial sprint against Nys). Parcours barely mattered to him back in the day.

I think KP (and most elite riders) tried to save energy for Francorchamps, where the battle is hard for the Superprestige.

Well, I'm sure Van Aert did as well. Just look at how strong he was in Francorchamps, riding on 2 flat tyres for half a lap and still winning the race. He also said he dug a lot deeper there than in Koksijde.

Yeah Mathieu always struck as a very polite and well-educated kid. Getting reaction right after finish might be interesting but was it necessary to get some from an exhausted rider? I mean other riders had already crossed the line and much fresher. It really looked like sensationalism to me.

By the way, I'm just wondering if it were very wise of Mathieu to race two elite ranking hard crosses in one weekend. I think it's the first time he did, didn't he? (or Gieten + Ronse?) Last year, when he only raced non-ranking events, he would carefully avoid racing twice with the elite in one weekend. Adrianus said it clearly in an interview. I hope Mathieu knows what he's doing (and he looks like a down-to-earth guy, so I think so) because he's racing a lot with the elite (+ the road but I guess he can manage that) at a very young age. I'm a little bit scared.

It was the first time indeed. Luckily he's skipping Milton Keynes this weekend, along with Van Aert.

Yeah, I share your concern he jumped into the field right after the road season again, which is a bit of a pity since I don't think he's riding on his true potential these last weeks, and he might pay for it big time towards the end of the season like last year.

 

[Echoes]

Pauwels was very close to win Koksijde in 2011-2012 though (remember the controversial sprint against Nys). Parcours barely mattered to him back in the day.

Yes, I forgot to say that but you are definitely right in that KP will probably never reached his 2011 level again and he said it himself, last Sunday, if I remember well. I think I mentioned that sprint earlier on this thread. In my opinion he should've been declared winner. It's true that when in top form he can handle routes that doesn't seem to fit him: in the sand and the mud but I think he'll always be at his best on hilly/interval crosses and in dry conditions. He's a climber in cross, so to speak.

Well, I'm sure Van Aert did as well. Just look at how strong he was in Francorchamps, riding on 2 flat tyres for half a lap and still winning the race. He also said he dug a lot deeper there than in Koksijde.

Well I haven't seen the highlights from the U23 race, so I'd trust you for that but well in the U23 ranks and in absence of Van der Poel, I don't think the field was at his level now.

It was the first time indeed. Luckily he's skipping Milton Keynes this weekend, along with Van Aert.

Yeah, I share your concern he jumped into the field right after the road season again, which is a bit of a pity since I don't think he's riding on his true potential these last weeks, and he might pay for it big time towards the end of the season like last year.

Silly me. Ronse was one week after Gieten. But it already struck me that Mathieu raced Ronse, while he had first planned to just race the Superprestige with the elite.

Do you think he really overdid on the road? Ponferrada aside, I'm not sure his calendar was that heavy. He raced the Tour of Belgium, of Alsace and a race in Estonia (if I'm not mistaken?). It seems like the classic calendar for BKCP riders. About the Worlds, I'm trying to look for precedents and am thinking of Lars Boom, who got the ITT World title. But he was already a little older, wasn't he?

 

[Flamin]

Yes, I forgot to say that but you are definitely right in that KP will probably never reached his 2011 level again and he said it himself, last Sunday, if I remember well. I think I mentioned that sprint earlier on this thread. In my opinion he should've been declared winner.

I remember it as a very sneaky but legal sprint (can't find the images right away to watch it back), but then again I'm a Nys fan

It's true that when in top form he can handle routes that doesn't seem to fit him: in the sand and the mud but I think he'll always be at his best on hilly/interval crosses and in dry conditions. He's a climber in cross, so to speak.

Yes, absolutely agree.

Well I haven't seen the highlights from the U23 race, so I'd trust you for that but well in the U23 ranks and in absence of Van der Poel, I don't think the field was at his level now.

He was in front with Vanthourenhout when he punctured right after the materiaalpost, then a few moments later the other tyre flatted. When he could finally take another bike, he had lost 40 seconds (and a lot of energy obviously) and there were just 3 laps to go. In the end, he caught Vanthourenhout right before the finish on the Raidillon. Vanthourenhout completely blew up and barely managed to crawl himself to the finish

Of course it's 'just' the U23, but Vanthourenhout is a good talent though.

Do you think he really overdid on the road? Ponferrada aside, I'm not sure his calendar was that heavy. He raced the Tour of Belgium, of Alsace and a race in Estonia (if I'm not mistaken?). It seems like the classic calendar for BKCP riders. About the Worlds, I'm trying to look for precedents and am thinking of Lars Boom, who got the ITT World title. But he was already a little older, wasn't he?

I didn't really pay close attention to him tbh, but in these races you mentioned, he was in good form already. Still, when I hear Meeusen (I think it was him) saying before the season that he took a lighter schedule on the road to be able to be 100% during cross season, it must have some effects on Mathieu's performances in the field.

 

[Echoes]

I remember it as a very sneaky but legal sprint (can't find the images right away to watch it back), but then again I'm a Nys fan

Well it doesn't matter that much after all but Nys knows that he's slower in the sprint than Pauwels and already used this technique against KP the year before in Asper-Gavere. When Stybar tried to do the same thing, Denuwelaere had to cross the line with his *** on the ground, lol.

Of course it's 'just' the U23, but Vanthourenhout is a good talent though.

Certainly but he was the only one, I'd say. Sweeck wasn't there either (Laurens, I mean), for example.

I didn't really pay close attention to him tbh, but in these races you mentioned, he was in good form already. Still, when I hear Meeusen (I think it was him) saying before the season that he took a lighter schedule on the road to be able to be 100% during cross season, it must have some effects on Mathieu's performances in the field.

Yup but then again Meeusen is not the same type of rider. He's all about technique and certainly does not have Mathieu's engine. Tom focuses more on MTB in summer. He's even doing quite well. Meanwhile he probably also had to recover from Vélo-Afrique.

 

[Flamin]

Well it doesn't matter that much after all but Nys knows that he's slower in the sprint than Pauwels and already used this technique against KP the year before in Asper-Gavere. When Stybar tried to do the same thing, Denuwelaere had to cross the line with his *** on the ground, lol.

You sure? the next day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_foPvG7WEw

Certainly but he was the only one, I'd say. Sweeck wasn't there either (Laurens, I mean), for example.

True, although from what I know Vanthourenhout is superior on the tough courses.

Yup but then again Meeusen is not the same type of rider. He's all about technique and certainly does not have Mathieu's engine. Tom focuses more on MTB in summer. He's even doing quite well. Meanwhile he probably also had to recover from Vélo-Afrique.

Yeah, we'll see how things turn out. I hope he'll find his best form again.

And I didn't know about the Vélo Afrique thing, but it looks really cool

 

[Echoes]

You sure? the next day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_foPvG7WEw

That would happen a couple of times out of 10 when KP isn't in top form.

Let us remember this one for example: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/archief/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.957293

And I didn't know about the Vélo Afrique thing, but it looks really cool

I started a thread a long time ago when he did the first one in 2011: http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=12866&highlight=Meeusen

He did it every year since. From 2012 on Danny De Bie joined him. This year he did two tours in Senegal. What an adventurer!

Highlights from the 2012 edition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL7VCXiDnI0

2013 Stage 6: Lac Rose - Lac Rose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-oS45esoo0

For those who have time to waste: a one-hour doco of the 1st tour of the 2014 edition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQSCWsnczt8

And a half an hour doco, named "In het spoor van Tom Meeusen" (In Tom Meeusen's Footsteps): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq6dpW-gn8s

 

[Flamin]

That would happen a couple of times out of 10 when KP isn't in top form.

Let us remember this one for example: http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/archief/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.957293

Hehe I know Nys isn't very fast indeed, but after a hard race, he regularly beats riders who are supposedly faster.

Vélo-Afrique

Nice! I will take a look when I have more time.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Van Aert beats Van Der Poel in the sprint!!

Van Der Poel started his sprint way to early I guess.

Also nice to see Walsleben riding better again.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

No. Van Aert simply has more power.
Van Aert has made another jump this season. He is now definately a lot stronger than VD Poel. He was already at hard crosses, now he is also stronger in easy crosses.

Vd Poel better focus on the road, there is no chance he can do anything against Van Aert anymore. The roles of the juniors has been reversed