Race Thread

[KZD]

Van Aert is always the strongest in these long running sections. Superb athlete.

I really hope that Van der Poel's back is ok for the rest of the cross season. If he has to miss the World Championships again, I think its time for him to seriously reconsider some of his career goals perhaps having to drop some.

 

[Gwbert]

Van Aert is always the strongest in these long running sections. Superb athlete.

I really hope that Van der Poel's back is ok for the rest of the cross season. If he has to miss the World Championships again, I think its time for him to seriously reconsider some of his career goals perhaps having to drop some.

Van Aert seemed to run so quickly today - very impressive, especially deep into a cx race.

On MVDP - he should drop the road stuff and do CX and MTB haha! Or just do the road Classics.

 

[Third Time Lucky]

Stop racing in the field Mathieu.
Give into your feelings, join us on the road, it is your destiny.

 

[jono]

Van Aert seemed to run so quickly today - very impressive, especially deep into a cx race.

On MVDP - he should drop the road stuff and do CX and MTB haha! Or just do the road Classics.

Obviously commercial interests will make this impossible, but he should stop attempting to ride the Tour. Leave the whole summer for MTB, fall for recovery, or Worlds if the course suits. Spring classics season of course.

 

[senna6541]

Geez, just read through all these overly dramatic posts about MVDP and you would think we're talking about a guy with a drug or alcohol problem who can't stay out of the bars and off the streets. This was one day, and one race. Anyone's back can flare up, and he looked plenty strong to me prior to that happening today. The only result that matters in CX is at Hoogerheide - and then RVV, and then PR. Nothing has really been settled yet between these two. And for Christ sakes, it's MVDP's life/career - doubt he gives a ___ about what a bunch of us hacks on social media think. He's done a pretty damn good job of managing it so far - the guy has won a sh_t ton of races at the highest level across 3 disciplines. And always puts on a great show to boot. He's definitely a bit of maverick, probably why folks in the USA love him.

 

[senna6541]

Also, to anyone who thinks MVDP is somehow all of the sudden "shrinking" physically vs. Wout, just check out the pic of them riding on the beach in the 2021 CX Worlds. Lots of racing left in 2023. Let's see what happens from here.

 

[Nick2413]

I agree there’s some over exaggerating going on here. Yes he probably isn’t scheduling his seasons optimally and appears to need more recovery these days, but this formula has worked for 90% of his career and now he will learn to adjust. Even he wouldn’t be getting 1st 2nd and 3rd place in every single race if he were truly in as bad of shape as is being said.

The back issues likely won’t ever fully go away and will need to be managed long term. They are not the kind of thing some stretching and core work will fix, not that they can’t help slightly.
It will likely require a reduction in racing volume and as some have said no (full) doubles and minimal shorter stage races. He can still rip in the TdF but will have to be more selective. Being in another 56 breakaways is probably not a good idea, but he can still be aggressive.

 

[Bolder]

The problem is that a lot of his success has hinged on violent, back-torquing acceleration, whether in CX, mtb or on the road. You rarely see him diesel away a la Remco. Take away that weapon and he's not the same rider.

 

[theyoungest]

For a lap or two it looked like Backstedt was going to break the Dutch hegemony and ride away with it, but alas, looks like we're getting an all Dutch podium again.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Rob hatch is a great road race commentator
but for CX his constant repetitive chatter just irritates
IMO

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Rob hatch is a great road race commentator
but for CX his constant repetitive chatter just irritates
IMO

Still preferable than the list of names and common phrases Marty MacDonald reads out.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Sanne Cant coming nicely on form to remain eternal Belgian champion.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Sanne Cant coming nicely on form to remain eternal Belgian champion.

There are some nice NC battles coming up. Schreiber vs. Majerus is another one (if Majerus rides. She hasn't ridden any CX races this season).

Alvarado seemed to enjoy getting that very aero bike, but I doubt it'll be any good in an actual race. Not even Gaia Realini would be able to stay upright on it.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

There are some nice NC battles coming up. Schreiber vs. Majerus is another one (if Majerus rides. She hasn't ridden any CX races this season).

Alvarado seemed to enjoy getting that very aero bike, but I doubt it'll be any good in an actual race. Not even Gaia Realini would be able to stay upright on it.

I think Majerus had an injury before the end of the road season and has/had been off the bike for a while.

 

[KZD]

Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout put up a decent fight but quickly realised that Van Aert isn't Pidcock.

Van der Haar remains the Superprestige leader.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Your caption here

 

[Third Time Lucky]

Wout red hot favourite for world championship after winning on balloon bike.

 

[jmdirt]

Wout!
Ceylin!

 

[Lequack]

Your caption here

Those pants tho

 

[meat puppet]

Your caption here

with the competitive gruppo weight box ticked, sram plans to unveil round wheels next year.

very good cross races during the past couple weeks when the big three were actually going for it. these WVA shows less so. but he is right on the clock: flying now and a substandard RVV & PR week almost guaranteed.

 

[jono]

with the competitive gruppo weight box ticked, sram plans to unveil round wheels next year.

very good cross races during the past couple weeks when the big three were actually going for it. these WVA shows less so. but he is right on the clock: flying now and a substandard RVV & PR week almost guaranteed.

Is this a thing that people talk about? I mean he's never really been close to winning either race other than the 2-up sprint vs Van der Poel in 2020 (2nd last year at P-R, but at 2 minutes). But he missed RVV last year and before last year hadn't ridden P-R since 2019.

 

[meat puppet]

Is this a thing that people talk about? I mean he's never really been close to winning either race other than the 2-up sprint vs Van der Poel in 2020 (2nd last year at P-R, but at 2 minutes). But he missed RVV last year and before last year hadn't ridden P-R since 2019.

dont know about others really, but I was just taking the piss. he has underperformed in big races quite a bit.

 

[jono]

dont know about others really, but I was just taking the piss. he has underperformed in big races quite a bit.

In one day races, I suppose. It is kind of crazy that with his particular skillset (huge engine, can get over hills well better than just about anyone who isn't a pure climber or GC type, and can sprint with the sprinters) that he's only got 1 monument and no road worlds jerseys so far. I expect that to change this year.

 

[Hugh Januss]

very good cross races during the past couple weeks when the big three were actually going for it. these WVA shows less so. but he is right on the clock: flying now and a substandard RVV & PR week almost guaranteed.

As a fan of cyclocross racing let me just say that if the price of racing cross in the winter is that Van Aert wins fewer classics on the road than he otherwise might, I for one am alright with that.

 

[theyoungest]

with the competitive gruppo weight box ticked, sram plans to unveil round wheels next year.

very good cross races during the past couple weeks when the big three were actually going for it. these WVA shows less so. but he is right on the clock: flying now and a substandard RVV & PR week almost guaranteed.

His season is geared towards Flanders and Roubaix, perhaps more than ever. I think it's more a case of MVDP underperforming than WVA being at his absolute best right now.