Race Thread

[Winnen]

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.

Fully agree. And based upon VdPoels reaction in the post-race interview Adrie was wrong. But he is his dad, he is allowed to give his son an edge.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

PS: van Aert will keep riding the Bianchi in CX after new year, but the Bianchi will get a Jumbo/Visma paint job.

 

[tobydawq]

He is American!

Yeah, I think that is a good enough reason.

To this day, I think Rob Hatch is the only native English speaker I have heard pronouncing foreign names correctly.

It's as if Americans and Brits just can't fathom that pronunciations could be different in other languages.

And in Americanised sports like American football and basketball you can be sure that if you as a foreigner are lucky enough to be deemed good enough to actually play in their major league, the sound of your name will forever be changed.

But Powers' VANderpoeling is seriously driving me nuts. A real shame that Tiz only choose English commentary. But oh well, I guess I should just be glad to be able to see it.

 

[jmdirt]

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.

A flat is not necessarily a 'mechanical'. If a racer chooses tires or psi/bar that gain an advantage, but increase risk...well you see where I'm going, the 'gamble' was paying off until it wasn't.

 

[Spine Concept]

A flat is not necessarily a 'mechanical'. If a racer chooses tires or psi/bar that gain an advantage, but increase risk...well you see where I'm going, the 'gamble' was paying off until it wasn't.

I see what you are saying but I disagree.

Technically speaking, if a working part of a machine breaks down it’s called a mechanical regardless of intent. It’s not like he was riding around with a thorn in his tire and hoping for the best.

Choosing psi/bar is part of CX, there’s always risk involved, but that doesn’t mean it’s not called a mechanical because you chose a different tire pressure strategy.

 

[jmdirt]

I see what you are saying but I disagree.

Technically speaking, if a working part of a machine breaks down it’s called a mechanical regardless of intent. It’s not like he was riding around with a thorn in his tire and hoping for the best.

Choosing psi/bar is part of CX, there’s always risk involved, but that doesn’t mean it’s not called a mechanical because you chose a different tire pressure strategy.

Technically speaking, air coming out of a tire isn't 'mechanical'!

He might have been riding around with the wrong tire, bar/psi hoping for the best?

 

[Spine Concept]

Technically speaking, air coming out of a tire isn't 'mechanical'!

He might have been riding around with the wrong tire, bar/psi hoping for the best?

I doubt he was knowingly riding around with his tire getting unmanageably flat. He’d have changed bikes if that were the case. I think that’s assumable being the pros they are. Unless you have some inside info I don’t know about (?).

As far as riding around with the wrong tire pressure goes, what is “wrong”? Like you said yourself, it works until it just doesn’t anymore. That’s not equal to being “wrong”, it’s just a strategy, and as with every sport, it carries risks. It was just a mechanical.

I’m not taking anything away from Wout, he deserved that win being the only one able to keep Mathieu within reach. I just rue the potential duel we missed out on.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Right before WVA overtook MVDP I was saying to myself that this is the best I have seen Wout - from a technique perspective - in a long time. He was doing the barriers faster than usual and going downhill really well. Clearly MVDP has a technical ability that none of the other riders match when he is at his best but today Wout wasn’t that far behind, again focusing solely on technique.

And once again it is on a hilly and muddy track where Van der Poel had to give.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Well, today and last week in Gavere should at the very least the competition should have a glimmer of hope. Mathieu losing 2 races already. As i hoped and somewhat predicted, this season is already a lot more tense and interesting (and fun) to watch because there is more competition.

And once again it is on a hilly and muddy track where Van der Poel had to give.

And yet this had some sections like a MTB race.

 

[senna6541]

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.

Backstedt is really good. The guys who did the Tour of Britain last year are really good. I'm American, do we have a rep for being bad with languages? Just figured Powers spent lots of years racing in Belgium so figured he would have dialed in the pronunciations a bit. Regardless, his analysis is great and he's very even-handed with MVDP and Wout.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Backstedt is really good. The guys who did the Tour of Britain last year are really good. I'm American, do we have a rep for being bad with languages? Just figured Powers spent lots of years racing in Belgium so figured he would have dialed in the pronunciations a bit. Regardless, his analysis is great and he's very even-handed with MVDP and Wout.

That of Americans was a friendly joke. I am not bothered at all with Power’s sometimes “off pronunciation” of Dutch and Belgian names and words. He is still a good commentator.

A question for the Belgian/Dutch speakers. Who are the usual commentators in your broadcasts?

 

[Bolder]

Well, today and last week in Gavere should at the very least the competition should have a glimmer of hope. Mathieu losing 2 races already. As i hoped and somewhat predicted, this season is already a lot more tense and interesting (and fun) to watch because there is more competition.


And yet this had some sections like a MTB race.

It sure did. I've raced easier VTT XC courses, at least the woods/hills part.

MVDP's technical ability is off the charts. After all, he is the best VTT'er in the world, too. He handled that slimy off-camber downhill hairpin that both Brand and WvA crashed on with ease.

 

[Zoef-Lightning]

Van Aert is at this moment fysically (way) better than van der Poel. But van der Poel has more explosivity and technical skills . In and after every short turn van der Poel takes 1 second. And in every (steep) descent, van der Poel takes 2 seconds. On a technical course, van der Poel takes 8 to 10 seconds in each round, just with his technical abilities. But that's cyclocross. Fysically and technical abilities. And guts. And in Herentals he took 2 seconds extra per round and made every time a gap, not changing his bike, as Van Aert and some other riders did. That was possible, because the mud was not thick. So, tactics...... but not without risks. So, it happened that van der poel had a beginning flat, not knowing it. He didn't change his bike as the others did. And when van der Poel realised he had a flat, it was too late, and he had to compete several hunderds of meters on a flat tire (difficult, but not impossible on this muddy stretch where all the competitors ride on half flat tires because of the muddy conditions).

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

That of Americans was a friendly joke. I am not bothered at all with Power’s sometimes “off pronunciation” of Dutch and Belgian names and words. He is still a good commentator.

A question for the Belgian/Dutch speakers. Who are the usual commentators in your broadcasts?

I don't know for Dutch TV, i don't even know if they even broadcast any CX anymore. I think Eurosport started doing some CX races recently, though i don't know who does them or if it's the regular road team.
On Belgian TV, the most common duo (on Sporza & Telenet) is Wuyts & Herijgers. Herijgers is very good for CX, just like De Cauwer is for road races, both former pros to complement Wuyts, who is simply a commentator.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

I don't know for Dutch TV, i don't even know if they even broadcast any CX anymore. I think Eurosport started doing some CX races recently, though i don't know who does them or if it's the regular road team.
On Belgian TV, the most common duo (on Sporza & Telenet) is Wuyts & Herijgers. Herijgers is very good for CX, just like De Cauwer is for road races, both former pros to complement Wuyts, who is simply a commentator.

I saw somewhere that NOS is covering the World Cups. There was RTV Drenthe for the Gieten as the local broadcaster and then I think Omroep Brabant did the Euros. But I wouldn't know who the commentators are.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Saw a preview for the Dendemonde World Cup from american Becca Fahringer. It looks like its going to be quite muddy and a slog.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

OT: Don't hold your breath but: Fabio Aru returns to Cyclocross!
After more than 10 years, the Sardinian will compete tomorrow in Ancona, the first of a series of events_
See Gazzetta (in italiano)

Ciclismo, Aru torna al ciclocross

Dopo oltre 10 anni, il sardo domani sarà in gara ad Ancona, primo di una serie di appuntamenti

www.gazzetta.it

 

[Axel Hangleck]

If he enjoys it and thinks it gives him something, good for him. Heinrich Haussler is a late convert, and loves it! None have ambitions to be 'toppers', but just love to get out and do some racing.

 

[Flamin]

What a mess after 2 laps.

Pidcock, Aerts and Vanthourenhout caught behind a pile-up after a few 100m into the race. Van Aert punctured and now Iserbyt with a nasty crash.

 

[davebqvst]

What happened there to Iserbyt, it looked like his elbow was bleeding - did he get cut by one of the disc brakes when the others fell on him?

 

[Bolder]

^^Which is funny because it's a relatively dry, flattish course. Iserbyt looks like he broke a collarbone? They just hoisted him right over the barriers...although he probably weighs 50kg so it was easy. Too bad about Wout's flat, but I guess turnabout is fair play and all that...

Edit: I did see blood on his elbow, too but assumed collarbone. I wish they would design barriers that could stand up without the protruding feet. I think that's what was the culprit.

 

[KZD]

Bad luck for Iserbyt probably it will be the end of season for him.
Van Aert closing into the second group, but already 32 seconds behind MVDP.

 

[davebqvst]

Ok I just realized Iserbyt has red sponsor panels around the elbows, so maybe that wasn't blood after all. Judging by the way he held his arm maybe it was the collarbone.

Anyway, looks like the Mathieu-Show started a while ago...

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

This race went down the drain fast. Puncture + crash and it's done and dusted. Pidcock with one of his off-days..

 

[KZD]

I missed these huge advantages for Van der Poel
Pidcock is not having a good day but Van Aert doesn't look much better either