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Race Thread

Page 59 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Wasn't there one called Ethias Cross last cross-season, though? Or have I officially gone bonkers?
Ethias Cross has been that for last year or so. Before that it was the Brico Cross. There is also the X2O Badkamers Trofee which was the DVV Verzekeringen Trofee until this year. Before that it has been the BPost Bank Trofee and originally the Gazette van Antwerpen Trofee.
Previously there has been the Soudal Classics which, like the Ethias/Brico Cross, had no overall classification and included the Namur World Cup. This became the Rectavit series last year before being swallowed up by the other three series.
Events mix and change between series, especially since the Trofee Veldrijden, Classics series and now the Ethias Cross are all organised by Golazo.
 
So the X2O is the one that used to be Ethias Cross? The one where the overall is counted by time, rather than points? And Iserbyt is leading both that and the Superprestige?
Superprestige is on points. X2O has been time based for the last six or seven seasons. If you miss a race, you loose five minutes.

Iserbyt leads both, 1:20 ahead of Lars Van Der Haar in the X2O and 72 points to Toon Aerts 67 in the Superprestige.
 
Iserbyt is on a slightly higher level right now and his small frame suits tight courses. I think he got the hole shot, or at least top 3, out of the gate.

WvA was squeezed in the first few turns and was around 20th place so he had a bit of a hole to dig out of. But he wasn't going to touch Elie today.

The women's race was ... interesting. Brand cut across Alvarado in the pits during a bike change and dropped her bike right in front of her. Not cool. Alvarado had to chase and came up a bit short, not sure the pit incident would have changed things but it was a really bad look.
 
I'm looking forward to how Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout's level relate to MVDP's next week. That will be the ultimate benchmark of how high it really is. I think it's pretty high and that it's not going to be a walk in the park for MVDP. Unlike last year.

If it isn't, the best bike rider of 2020 would finish closer than half a minute behind Iserbyt. And Pidcock isn't exactly stirring things up either.
 
I'm looking forward to how Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout's level relate to MVDP's next week. That will be the ultimate benchmark of how high it really is. I think it's pretty high and that it's not going to be a walk in the park for MVDP. Unlike last year.

If it isn't, the best bike rider of 2020 would finish closer than half a minute behind Iserbyt. And Pidcock isn't exactly stirring things up either.
The first couple races weren't exactly easy for VDP last year - it was pretty clear that he was a bit more focused on base building for the road than in previous years and didn't really have his "flash" til reasonably late in the cross season (seems like he peaked perfectly for the WC's). Will be interesting to see how he comes in. Wouldn't be surprised to see him win or lose right out of the gate. Seems like his technical skills give him an advantage Wout doesn't have, and also seems like for MVDP there is absolutely no interest in anyting but winning. Guess you get that way when your hit rate is 95% or whatever the hell his is over the past few years.
 
The first couple races weren't exactly easy for VDP last year - it was pretty clear that he was a bit more focused on base building for the road than in previous years and didn't really have his "flash" til reasonably late in the cross season (seems like he peaked perfectly for the WC's). Will be interesting to see how he comes in. Wouldn't be surprised to see him win or lose right out of the gate. Seems like his technical skills give him an advantage Wout doesn't have, and also seems like for MVDP there is absolutely no interest in anyting but winning. Guess you get that way when your hit rate is 95% or whatever the hell his is over the past few years.

If you win every race, and the majority of them with a significant gap, I'd say that's pretty easy. I expect more competition this year.

For sure he's not going to be at his best yet. If he would be, we wouldn't be wondering about if anyone is giving to go him a run for his money.
 
Indeed. If Mathieu is at his best, there’d be no talk of anyone giving him a run for his money except a Wout at his best.

The rest have to pick their moments in the beginning when Mathieu is building up to his best form, which I’m not even sure he will achieve in the CX season.
 
If you win every race, and the majority of them with a significant gap, I'd say that's pretty easy. I expect more competition this year.

For sure he's not going to be at his best yet. If he would be, we wouldn't be wondering about if anyone is giving to go him a run for his money.
He didn't win that easily at the beginning of last season though. At least not compared to the year before. The first few races he had to wait a long time before he could distance Iserbyt. The previous year he took off in lap 2 and won by a minute.
 
Last year Iserbyt was a lot more confident about his chances against Mathieu. This year he seems a bit more cautious about his words. Which is understandable cause he got humbled. But it’s also kind of ironic cause I think his chances are better this year to beat him than last year. He seems to have made strides again.
 
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He didn't win that easily at the beginning of last season though. At least not compared to the year before. The first few races he had to wait a long time before he could distance Iserbyt. The previous year he took off in lap 2 and won by a minute.

Of course he wasn't at the same level at the start of last year compared to the year before, since he had a way heavier and longer road season and therefore a shorter cx preparation.

Fact is, he still won every single race bar one last year, and it wasn't anywhere near a close battle in most races.
 
Of course he wasn't at the same level at the start of last year compared to the year before, since he had a way heavier and longer road season and therefore a shorter cx preparation.

Fact is, he still won every single race bar one last year, and it wasn't anywhere near a close battle in most races.
Sure, but you were talking about van der Poel's level next week, to which Senna replied that the first races weren't easy for him last year. So that's where my response came from, that he didn't win that easily at the beginning of last year's season.

But like i already said a few weeks ago, i agree with the notion that we can expect a closer fight than last year. Iserbyt & Vantourenhout have raised their personal bar, Wout is back (unlike last year with his injury) and Mathieu with an even bigger focus towards the road season.
 
He always down plays it...and yet always wins. In many circumstances i find that annoying, I can't work out if I do in this situation.
What is it that you find annoying? Would it be less annoying if he were to arrogantly and disrespectfully predict the decimation of the whole CX peloton upon his arrival? What is he supposed to say?

Furthermore, it really is hard to know where you stand exactly after a long time out of CX and having only trained less than a handful of times in the field.
 
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What is it that you find annoying? Would it be less annoying if he were to arrogantly and disrespectfully predict the decimation of the whole CX peloton upon his arrival? What is he supposed to say?

Furthermore, it really is hard to know where you stand exactly after a long time out of CX and having only trained less than a handful of times in the field.
It's damned if you do, damned if you don't. When you win roughly 62 out of the last 65 races, each week you have to face the camera's and predict your next race. So, either you are honest and will be perceived, by some, to be arrogant, or you try not to disrespect anyone and it will look like false modesty to others.
 
It's damned if you do, damned if you don't. When you win roughly 62 out of the last 65 races, each week you have to face the camera's and predict your next race. So, either you are honest and will be perceived, by some, to be arrogant, or you try not to disrespect anyone and it will look like false modesty to others.
I agree. With that being said, I think generally speaking it's better and more respectful to choose the modest route.
 
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The mighty fall
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