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Race Thread

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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.
Alvarado was super strong in the Dutch nationals as well. She is indeed in fine form. Which also serves to demonstrate that those two weeks in Spain have done Van Empel a world of good, because two weeks ago Alvarado was still better.
 
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I don't think we needed another Wout-Mathieu battle before Hoogerheide, but both of them racing in opposing races really doesn't do a whole lot for the excitement of the men's races this weekend. Even if both sat out we'd have more excitement at the front.

(This is assuming that Mathieu also wins easily tomorrow like Wout today).
 
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I suspect both winners today, who are both Jumbo-Visma riders will likely win the Worlds....they look in super form, and both had a nice workout. I'm impressed at how Fem has kept this level since September, with her worst finish 3rd at the Nationals.
They should certainly be the betting favourites. Pieterse should keep it close and could sneak a win, but given Mathieu's form this year anything other than a Wout clear victory would have to be considered a massive upset.
 
They should certainly be the betting favourites. Pieterse should keep it close and could sneak a win, but given Mathieu's form this year anything other than a Wout clear victory would have to be considered a massive upset.
I wouldn't go that far. Mathieu just won last week. Wout is stronger, but when Mathieu has been feeling good, it is a slight advantage, not huge.
 
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They should certainly be the betting favourites. Pieterse should keep it close and could sneak a win, but given Mathieu's form this year anything other than a Wout clear victory would have to be considered a massive upset.
Pieterse probably has to hope for freakish conditions, lots of rain and mud. That's when she really comes alive, and Van Empel still complains about knee pain, which when there's lots of running and pushing through the mud will probably hamper her.
 
Besançon drama. The borderline untouchable Bisiaux just suffered a mechanical in the ultimate lap. He stood still for quite some time and had to make his way to the material zone on foot. Of course, being very slow, he dropped to 52nd(!) position, which is dead last and thus resulting in 0 points for the World Cup.

In the meantime, his main rival Corsus took the lead and was on his way to win the whole thing. However, Corsus dropped from 1st to 6th in the ultimate lap, not giving him enough points to overtake Bisiaux, who now wins the World Cup.
 
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.
Maybe, but they are in two very different situations. Lars is a mature pure cross rider, and Fem is a young rider nursing a knee problem and just about to commence on a world tour career with new team.
 
Maybe, but they are in two very different situations. Lars is a mature pure cross rider, and Fem is a young rider nursing a knee problem and just about to commence on a world tour career with new team.
That's true, although part of her maybe still wants to do it as she went full gas all the way to the line. It's 30000 euros she's throwing away, quite a significant amount in women's cycling.
 
So, questions to be answered at Worlds:

1. Do the Dutch women sweep the elite podium? If so, who takes the third step?

2. Do they sweep all 3 women's rainbow jerseys? I think yes (Fem, Shirin, Lauren).

3. How many of the 9 podium spots do they take on the women's side? I say 6.

4. Is Mathieu back? Or does Wout level the score of rainbow jerseys?

5. Which Belgian full-timer (Laurens, Eli, or Michael) take the third spot on the podium?

I honestly don't know enough about the men's junior and U23 categories to know what questions to ask there.
 
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It's remarkable how the men and the women are mirroring each other.

*They'll both have a world championship without the defending champion.
*The top favorite from Jumbo has won on Saturday.
*The big challenger from Alpecin has won on Sunday.
I think for both races there's very little to separate the top favorite from the challenger. All four of them looked super strong this weekend. So let's say both are 50/50 races.
 
So, questions to be answered at Worlds:

1. Do the Dutch women sweep the elite podium? If so, who takes the third step?

2. Do they sweep all 3 women's rainbow jerseys? I think yes (Fem, Shirin, Lauren).

3. How many of the 9 podium spots do they take on the women's side? I say 6.

4. Is Mathieu back? Or does Wout level the score of rainbow jerseys?

5. Which Belgian full-timer (Laurens, Eli, or Michael) take the third spot on the podium?

I honestly don't know enough about the men's junior and U23 categories to know what questions to ask there.
Wout has to go in as the money favorite. And if he wins he will have fully earned it. He's facing a dude in MVDP who may or may not be fully healthy, but he is an absolute killer who feeds on emotion and adrenaline - and you have to imagine that he is going to be extremely jacked up in Hoogerheide. As Jeremy Powers alluded to during the Benidorm race, it's pretty clear who the alpha is when these two guys line up in CX. Wout can't match MVDP's technical skills or his willingness throw caution to the wind and completely test his limits. A lot of folks thought Wout had kind've "broken" MVDP after Koksidje and Zonhoven. My guess is that's not the case. 94-44.
 

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