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Race Thread

Page 19 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Echoes said:
I was there. It really was amazing. What a talent is Mathieu Van der Poel but what a fighting spirit has Wout Van Aert and even Kevin Pauwels fought till the end. But this shoulder to shoulder between Mathieu & Wout. Well in Mathieu's family, we know shoulder to shoulder is, of course. :p

I'm really proud to have seen it live, something to remember when I'm old. So fond of this duo and this rivalry. Who wishes to see them switch to the road after that? Just get interested in cyclocross and enjoy.
Seeing Kevin Pauwels up there is really good to see. It's a shame he can't be up there fighting with MVDP and WVA. The same with Tom Meeusen could be at the front 100% of the time. He seems to be able to have bursts that can get him up to the front after Van Aert and Van der Poel have gone clear but is not able to go with them in the first place. One can see this effort is one of the metaphorical matches he has, which means he doesn't have it when the duo attack each other again as it is already burnt. (I remember when Meeusen was heralded as the successor to Sven Nys or Niels Albert.)

I wish the other young riders like Micheal Vanthourenhout and Laurens Sweeck could be more consistant to create a really good battle. Possibly if Vanthourenhout was more consistent and Van der Poel didn't exist, then we could see battles like we had in the Brico cross races at Geraardsbergen and Kruibeke. His problem is he can't last the whole hour when racing both Van Aert and Van der Poel.
 
I have been watching Cross for last 2 years and it is pretty exciting compared to road. The rivalry between Mathieu and Wout is really good for the sport. Even the best make mistakes, have bad luck and from the start till the end of the race ~1 hr something or the other happens. Not much drafting also helps to ensure that people can attack and keep the pressure high if they have the legs.
 
With a few exceptions, I've found the racing to be slightly less entertaining this year with MVP and Wout being so dominant. You never really get the impression that anyone else has a chance. A lot of it has to do with their racing style. They start so fast that often they already have a gap after one or two laps and they rarely let up and let anyone else back in the race.
 
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jaylew said:
With a few exceptions, I've found the racing to be slightly less entertaining this year with MVP and Wout being so dominant. You never really get the impression that anyone else has a chance. A lot of it has to do with their racing style. They start so fast that often they already have a gap after one or two laps and they rarely let up and let anyone else back in the race.

It's true that it's almost only been about them, but their rivalry has been pretty entertaining. Its been fun to watch. IMO it makes up for the lack of other strong competitors.

I really hope MVP is okay....of course because it's not nice to see someone hurt. He also needs to be there to challenge Wout.
 
First day of the new year and new team for Wout van Aert. He changed from Colnago to Felt bikes and worst of all, from Lazer to Suomy helmets. I feel sorry for the guy, no one deserves to wear those helmets.

In Baal, Toon Aerts surprised Wout and won is second race of the year. After his crash (without fractures), Van der Poel hopes to come back next weekend at the National Championships.
 
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MWC said:
Baal. Weird. Almost is if Wout was sleeping for 45min. Didn't drop Bosmans until 3 laps to go. Strange day.

MVDP, get back on that horse and teach these fools how to race!

He was struggling with the course a bit until he switched to softer tires late in the race. Would likely have won had he switched sooner.
 
Wout van Aert won the belgium cx champs from Kevin Pauwels and Laurens Sweeck.
Mathieu van der Poel also defended his title successfully despite his heavy crash in last month's Loenhout DVV Trofee. Corne van Kessel was second and leader of the U23 world cup Joris Niewenhuis third.
In france, Clement Venturini took victory ahead of Arnold Jeanasson and John Gadret.
If I got my translation of the swiss/german website correct, Julien Taramarcaz reclaimed the national champ's jersey from Lars Forster (2nd) with Nicola Rohrbach coming home in third.
Marcel Meisen won in germany. Sascha Weber came second with defending champion Philip Walsleben in third.
The british title was won by Ian Field who took his fifth national champion's jersey ahead of the defending champion Liam Kileen and Paul Oldham.

They are the only results I can find for the men. The US national champs are later, with the conditions looking cold and snowy.
 
Stephen Hyde won in the USA in snowy and icy conditions. He actually broke his rear derailleur on the final uphill, about 300m from the finish. However he freewheeled, scooted and ran to hold off a charging Jamey Driscoll who caught him just after the line. Kerry Werner took third.

In Belgium Sanne Cant won the womens race with the Dutch title Marianne Vos giving WM3 Procycling their first national championship of the year. Nikki Brammier, like Cant, defended her title in Bradford (UK) where she won here first elite cx championship in 2013. Katie Compton won in Hartford (USA) in equally cold and snowy conditions like Hyde in the men's race. Pavla Havlikova won in the Czech Republic and Caroline Mani won in france.

Micheal Boros aslo won inthe Czech Republic.
 
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lemon cheese cake said:
rote_laterne said:
There should be a live stream of World Cup in Fiuggi Regione Lazio, starting in 1 hr 18 min:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALYIedge1KY
Great race. Not going to reveal the result apart from Toon Aerts didn't finish after a crash. He walked off with a neck brace. Get well soon Toon.
Michael Vanthourenhout seemed like the 2nd strongest guy today but he had some bad luck. What the hell happened to Venturini?
 
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jaylew said:
lemon cheese cake said:
rote_laterne said:
There should be a live stream of World Cup in Fiuggi Regione Lazio, starting in 1 hr 18 min:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALYIedge1KY
Great race. Not going to reveal the result apart from Toon Aerts didn't finish after a crash. He walked off with a neck brace. Get well soon Toon.
Michael Vanthourenhout seemed like the 2nd strongest guy today but he had some bad luck. What the hell happened to Venturini?
No idea. He was there. Slid around on the off camber on time then disappeared to 39th. Mechanical/Puncture probably.
 
You'd think that with Wout and MVP not in the mix and with the best women's field in a long time that you'd get some really exciting racing but Hoogerheide was probably the least interesting cross of the season. That course + that weather = snoozefest.
 
Apr 8, 2012
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The day of the dropped chains, all races. Vos in the last lap of all places to do it. What a fantastic race tho! I haven't dropped one since I switched to 1x three years ago. What is it about 1x that most of the Euro contingent doesn't get? WvA must have lost 2 races this season due to dropped chains, hopefully not tomorrow. Doesn't have to be this way.
 

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