Race Thread

[Bolder]

Battle for 3rd is looking good.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Pidcock caught Aerts.

 

[postmanhat]

Pidcock might be about to break Aerts heart. He'd have to be pleased with a podium today. Not his kind of course at all

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Race over now.

 

[spalco]

How much did WvA lose in the puncture, 20-25 seconds maybe? I think VDP is proving to be the stronger one today regardless.

 

[wheresmybrakes]

C'mon Piddles, next one Wout.

 

[Spine Concept]

That bridge is brutal on WvA.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

How much did WvA lose in the puncture, 20-25 seconds maybe? I think VDP is proving to be the stronger one today regardless.

Van Aert was riding on a flat since having passed the previous pitlane. So he had been riding on a flat for much longer than reported.

 

[Bolder]

How much did WvA lose in the puncture, 20-25 seconds maybe? I think VDP is proving to be the stronger one today regardless.

By my count he lost 25 seconds -- was up by about 15 and came out of the pits down 9.

Riding a third of a lap with a puncture will definitely take some energy out of you. Had Mvdp not crashed and Wout not flatted we might have seen a real duel. But that's CX for you. And there's still enough time left for the unexpected...

Edit: So maybe riding on a deflating tire for a long time...no fun.

 

[Flamin]

How much did WvA lose in the puncture, 20-25 seconds maybe? I think VDP is proving to be the stronger one today regardless.

Hard to tell. Van Aert never really looked the same after the puncture. Being in the lead with 15" vs having to spend the energy to close a 10" gap is a massive difference, both mentally as physically.

 

[Bolder]

The 5-8 cluster looks like a bar fight about to break out...

 

[KZD]

22 seconds so unless Van der Poel crashes or punctures he will win.

 

[Pantani_lives]

WvA will win his third WC silver medal in just over four months.

 

[Spine Concept]

Is it me or has that bridge been more decisive than any other section on this course?Mathieu just powers up that bridge after the second sand section while Wout seems labor a lot more. Constantly losing seconds there.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Roland Liboton won his fourth world title at 26. MvdP is about to do the same.

 

[Spine Concept]

Barring a massive crash MvDP will get his fourth world title. Shame about the puncture for WvA, I hate mechanicals at such occasions. However Mathieu has ridden further and further away even after Wout’s bike change.

Idk how long Wout has had to ride on a flat, that also takes a lot of energy that would have otherwise been spent on staying away from Mathieu. So that has to be taken into account as well ofc.

Anyway, like I said earlier this course doesn’t lie and you cannot hide. If you’re the best it will show. Mathieu has been the best in the end.

 

[KZD]

Aerts seems to have guaranted the podium. Even Sweeck its approching Pidcock now

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Barring a massive crash MvDP will get his fourth world title. Shame about the puncture for WvA, I hate mechanicals at such occasions. However Mathieu has ridden further and further away even after Wout’s bike change.

Like I said earlier this course doesn’t lie and you cannot hide. If you’re the best it will show. Mathieu has been the best today.

You don't only lose a lot of time, you burn through a lot more energy as well. He had been riding nearly half a lap on a puncture.

 

[Spine Concept]

You don't only lose a lot of time, you burn through a lot more energy as well. He had been riding nearly half a lap on a puncture.

Agreed. Edited my post to include that before you quoted.

 

[Jagartrott]

Such a pity that we hardly ever get to see a real fight.

 

[KZD]

Ridiculous that the race was less than one hour but amazing win by Van der Poel.

 

[Spine Concept]

Man, it’s been a Dutch clean sweep this worlds as far as wins is concerned. People who don’t follow CX will be confused as hell.

 

[glassmoon]

Bummer for WvA puncture... we don't know if it was a bad luck or his mistake (punctures often are) yet.
Congrats to MvP.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Such a pity that we hardly ever get to see a real fight.

It was interesting for 3 laps. Mathieu was very lucky three times. He easily could easily have injured himself, his bike could have been damaged, and Wout punctured very soon after.

Anyway, we'll never know how it would have unfolded without the crash and the puncture, van der Poel unfazed by his crash, that alone was very impressive.

 

[Winnen]

Van der Poel improved his sand passages after the first two laps. Did he changed tyre pressure when he did a bike change? Or was it just confidence because he was in the lead?

Any ideas?