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Race Thread

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It depends what Vos is aiming for. Theoretically she should have gone well on that track, but perhaps her aims of the altitude camp are beyond cyclocross.
Then it's a bit early to go on altitude camp in December already. She took a break from racing to improve her form, but it hasn't. If anything it's gotten worse.

This rule that someone who steps up to Elites can't be eligible to the U23 World Cup classification is a bit moronic, when they all race together.

Now Shirin wins the World Cup because her other U23 rivals decided to step up to Elites during the season to focus on another goals (EC for Fem and NC for Puck). Now Shirin can do the same in the week between Besançon and Worlds (unlike Puck, she could wait because she didn't want to take part in NC) and keep her U23 World Cup.
I think as far as the national championships go that rule doesn't apply, after all Backstedt is British elite champion but she still races as an U23.
 
I think as far as the national championships go that rule doesn't apply, after all Backstedt is British elite champion but she still races as an U23.

Great Britain NC women's race was a combined race of Women Elite and Women U23, so she has won both titles, I think.

In the Netherlands, as there was a separate race for each category, who wanted to go for the Elite title needed a special permission to go up the rankings.
 
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I always feel whenever I've seen a result like this from Vas this year, it's that she's been consistently bad, but she did have a couple of better rides in Gavere and Diegem. Maybe it's just a bad season, but it will be interesting how she moves from here and whether her slight decline will mean she'll focus on the road more.

Generally speaking, Vas hasn't been able to achieve another really big result (road, CX, MTB) after she tested positive for Covid during last year's WC. But In CX, it's now also clear that the Dutch youngsters are simply better than her, resulting in it being much harder to get wins and podiums this season.

Not all riders progress in a straight line though (unless you're Persico perhaps, who seems to be improving every time she rides a race), so it obviously can't be ruled out that Vas can get back to her very best in future CX seasons, but the path to becoming a top 3 rider is definitely longer now than it was a year ago.
 
Smart decision or Shirin. She has been looking very strong, but Fem and Puck pulled away from her this weekend, so better a U23 rainbow jersey than 3rd in the Elite race. It will be interesting to see where the 3 of them are in a year or two. I know that this is premature, but it looks like we are witnessing the 3 best womens CX riders ever, all at age 20. This is something.
 
Smart decision or Shirin. She has been looking very strong, but Fem and Puck pulled away from her this weekend, so better a U23 rainbow jersey than 3rd in the Elite race. It will be interesting to see where the 3 of them are in a year or two. I know that this is premature, but it looks like we are witnessing the 3 best womens CX riders ever, all at age 20. This is something.
It's a bit difficult to judge, the course in Benidorm was so unusual. Fem looked crazy strong on that long stretch of tarmac uphill, and I do think she looked a lot better than the last few weeks, but I think Hamme next Saturday will offer a better idea of where both Fem and Shirin are in a 'proper' cross.
 
It's a bit difficult to judge, the course in Benidorm was so unusual. Fem looked crazy strong on that long stretch of tarmac uphill, and I do think she looked a lot better than the last few weeks, but I think Hamme next Saturday will offer a better idea of where both Fem and Shirin are in a 'proper' cross.
I know Benidorm was unusual, but I was mostly watching for Fem's form, and it looked like it was back. And if Fem is on form and Puck is strong, Shirin's chances go way down. No Fem in Hamme.
 
I know Benidorm was unusual, but I was mostly watching for Fem's form, and it looked like it was back. And if Fem is on form and Puck is strong, Shirin's chances go way down. No Fem in Hamme.

It's been announced today that she's doing Hamme instead of Besançon.

It's a bit sad that Van Anrooij isn't doing the elite race, but it will of course make it easier for her teammate Brand as well as others to get a medal.
 
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I think Van Anrooij has made the right decision; the chance to get a Rainbow jersey - and it's hard to see her not winning. I know there is an argument to say once you've won Elite World Cups, you shouldn't race in U23 Championships.....but until that becomes a rule, it's perfectly fine to ride in category. Fem did last year, and Evie did in 2018.

I think the real battle will be for 2nd & 3rd; pick any of Backstedt, Schreiber and Burquier.
 
I think Van Anrooij has made the right decision; the chance to get a Rainbow jersey - and it's hard to see her not winning. I know there is an argument to say once you've won Elite World Cups, you shouldn't race in U23 Championships.....but until that becomes a rule, it's perfectly fine to ride in category. Fem did last year, and Evie did in 2018.

I think the real battle will be for 2nd & 3rd; pick any of Backstedt, Schreiber and Burquier.
I agree, I would also Bentveld to the possible medal options.
 
I agree, I would also Bentveld to the possible medal options.
Backstedt, Schreiber, and Burquier are all clearly stronger than Bentveld, I think it will be difficult. In fact I think Backstedt could maybe run it quite close with Van Anrooij, at least for a while. If she has a good start, which is not Van Anrooij's strongest suit, together with Schreiber she could make her a little nervous.
 
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Backstedt, Schreiber, and Burquier are all clearly stronger than Bentveld, I think it will be difficult. In fact I think Backstedt could maybe run it quite close with Van Anrooij, at least for a while. If she has a good start, which is not Van Anrooij's strongest suit, together with Schreiber she could make her a little nervous.
I think a bad start in Elites doesn’t necessarily translate over to the u23s, so expect Van Anrooij to be behind Schreiber/Backstedt, but otherwise ok. Her power will tell in the end. Probably by the end of lap 1!
 
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Yeah, it's a mystery. I think she was sick in the week before nationals, that maybe explains the complete off day in Benidorm, but it's not like she was super great before that.

But that goes for more riders. Marianne Vos, for instance. Last year she wasn't the most inspiring to watch either, mostly following wheels, but this year even that is impossible. And she went on altitude camp over Christmas! Imagine spending the holidays on Teide and having absolutely nothing to show for it.
From what Maghalie Rochette said on her podcast, Vos slid out on one of the tarmac corners after the hurdles on the final lap. While she wouldn't have been at the front or even near Brand and Worst, Vos would still have probably been 9th or 10th as opposed to the back of that group with 14th.
 
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From what Maghalie Rochette said on her podcast, Vos slid out on one of the tarmac corners after the hurdles on the final lap. While she wouldn't have been at the front or even near Brand and Worst, Vos would still have probably been 9th or 10th as opposed to the back of that group with 14th.
Yeah I heard that as well, but sprinting for 9th is not what Vos spent all that time on the mountain for, I assume. As you say, even Brand and Worst were way ahead, and on a course like this, which really suits Vos, that's not a good sign. The power just isn't there.
 
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Vos had an amazing last season, and was fortunate that she had relatively dry races.....I can only recall the Fayettville World Cup where she raced in real muddy conditions.......which tend to blunt her abilities.
This season is an even worse version of 2020/21, where she didn't look like her normal self, and only managed 15th in the Worlds, a place behind MTB rider Anne Tauber. I thought then the newer riders were all round better, especially technically.....but then last season happened.

I won't ever write her off, but I've seen nothing to suggest she can challenge for a World title.
 
Manon Bakker misses out on the Worlds. It was between her and Van Alphen, and I think it's probably the most logical choice.

Interesting team for the relay as well, where the weakest link is the elite male rider.
Tibor del Grosso (U23 men)
Guus van den Eijnden (junior men)
Lauren Molengraaf (junior women)
Leonie Bentveld (U23 women)
Fem van Empel (elite women)
Ryan Kamp (elite men)
 
No Marianne Vos in Hoogerheide. Apparently it's her pelvic artery that's bothering her.

Reigning cyclocross world champion Marianne Vos will not defend her title in Hoogerheide next week due to physical problems.

The cyclocross season has not brought Vos what she had hoped for. Vos was not at her best due to complaints brought on by a constriction of her pelvic artery. Together with the team, she has decided not to participate in the cyclocross World Championships in Hoogerheide.

"It's very unfortunate that things have turned out this way", said a disappointed Vos. "I would have really liked it to be different, but the treatment and recovery are a priority to hopefully start the road season without any complaints. Of course, I'm hoping the rainbow jersey will remain with the team and be worn by Fem van Empel the next season."
 
Van Empel destroyed the competition in Hamme today. Van Anrooij on more than a minute, on a course that really suits her. Shirin made a couple of mistakes but in the end Fem was just way too strong.

She takes the lead in the X2O Trofee, but she's not going to race anymore after Worlds. Tells you all about the significance of any other classification than the World Cup, no matter what Lars van der Haar says.
 
Van Empel destroyed the competition in Hamme today. Van Anrooij on more than a minute, on a course that really suits her. Shirin made a couple of mistakes but in the end Fem was just way too strong.

She takes the lead in the X2O Trofee, but she's not going to race anymore after Worlds. Tells you all about the significance of any other classification than the World Cup, no matter what Lars van der Haar says.

Yeah, hard to see anyone beating her next week, but it is the Worlds. I think Van Anrooij might feel a little better about her decision to go U-23, she might have podiumed in the elites, but winning is another thing. Have to say Alvarado looked super strong today, coming back from that crash. I think she is in peak form, it's just the sport has moved on.
 

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