Eli has already showing of his new Jersey (in the right manner, winning today in Otegem.)
It's lucky Michael Vanthourenhout has been wearing the European champs jersey to prevent seeing the teams attempt at the Belgian one!That looks classy, his actual race top yesterday looked awful, yellow band plastered in sponsor logos, too horrific to show.
Written by a certain Gerrit De Vynck... I thought, this guy has to be Flemish, but a little Google search reveals that he's actually a native South African who grew up in Canada. And he's a tech reporter, all of his other articles are on tech and AI. Very random, but very cool nonetheless.Feature article on Belgian cyclocross racing in today’s Washington Post (one of the biggest surviving mainstream newspapers in the US). I’m sure y’all will find plenty of bits to pick (or outright errors), but I’m glad to see cyclocross getting some attention here. I would love to see cyclocross expand its (currently ver niche) audience here. It’s a great sport to watch.
Logically a rider should not chase a teammate, MvdP, will wait then launch a huge attack and ride across on his own. Then most likely ride away.I think MvdP will win thirteen races out of fourteen. Another Dutchman will win the world championship by attacking in the first lap, so MvdP won't be allowed to go after him.
He is allowed to chase if he manages to drop all the others. Which of course he does every race, so MVDP will almost certainly win.I think MvdP will win thirteen races out of fourteen. Another Dutchman will win the world championship by attacking in the first lap, so MvdP won't be allowed to go after him.
Can't afford the gas?It’s hard to understand Honsinger’s schedule. She intended to race less in Europe this cross season, that I know. But it’s puzzling that she’s on the start list for the Exact cross race Sat, which almost every other other high ranked rider is skipping, but isn’t on the start list for the WC race in Benidorm on Sunday that has every top rider competing.
Is it dodging the heavy competition? Is it that the course on Sat suits her much better? She doesn’t post much online and isn’t interviewed often so hard to know.
It's probably hard to come up with a course that's less suited to Honsinger than Benidorm, so that could be part of the answer.It’s hard to understand Honsinger’s schedule. She intended to race less in Europe this cross season, that I know. But it’s puzzling that she’s on the start list for the Exact cross race Sat, which almost every other other high ranked rider is skipping, but isn’t on the start list for the WC race in Benidorm on Sunday that has every top rider competing.
Is it dodging the heavy competition? Is it that the course on Sat suits her much better? She doesn’t post much online and isn’t interviewed often so hard to know.
I can't imagine MVDP being asked to take part in any team tactic that reduces his own chances to improve those of a teammate.He is allowed to chase if he manages to drop all the others. Which of course he does every race, so MVDP will almost certainly win.
I think the only realistic scenario where both for the men and the women we could get an unexpected winner is if it's snowy and slippery in Tabor. Which it certainly can be.
Ouch, that's like a podium with only Belgians in speedskating. But yeah, it's a real possibility.I can't imagine MVDP being asked to take part in any team tactic that reduces his own chances to improve those of a teammate.
I suspect they will be racing every man for themselves, more or less, and even this tactic has a good chance at resulting in a Dutch podium sweep.
And from a country that does not have enough top male riders to fill their worlds quota, admittedly partly financial reasons.Ouch, that's like a podium with only Belgians in speedskating. But yeah, it's a real possibility.
Easy(ish) points to better her spot on the start grid at worlds maybe? 🤷♂️It’s hard to understand Honsinger’s schedule. She intended to race less in Europe this cross season, that I know. But it’s puzzling that she’s on the start list for the Exact cross race Sat, which almost every other other high ranked rider is skipping, but isn’t on the start list for the WC race in Benidorm on Sunday that has every top rider competing.
Is it dodging the heavy competition? Is it that the course on Sat suits her much better? She doesn’t post much online and isn’t interviewed often so hard to know.
Yeah that would be something but the Belgians have Bart Swings at least. He is arguably as big a favorite in the mass start event as Van der Poel is at the CX World Championship.Ouch, that's like a podium with only Belgians in speedskating. But yeah, it's a real possibility.
Good point. Although since her starts typically involve immediately falling 30 positions back even when she has started in the front row (last year) it’s hard to know if that even helps?Easy(ish) points to better her spot on the start grid at worlds maybe? 🤷♂️
I guess the cross angle was mainly to support Pidcock when he left Telenet.GB not sending anyone other than those on UCI trade teams, or connections with one. Mason and Pidcock are racing which I think would've been a given, but Cat Furguson and Imogen Wolff are racing the junior world cup round. I guess they're in the top 3 of the series overall and will probably have a good shot at winning again, however itf they weren't in this position, they possibly wouldn't be there. I'd also say it's most likely that Ferguson was already there with Movistar and Wolff is being supported by Trinity Racing rather than through BC.
That does raise a point though. What has happened to the cx team that Trinity morphed from? Mason was really the last survivor apart from the odd junior they've picked up for the season. Which I also don't understand. I get Wolff's agent is probably from Trinity, however what direct support can they give after she ages out of being a junior while on the road? Then with the junior boys that's also strange. Last year they had Jacob Bush but he's gone to ride for the Sunweb development team rather than the Trinity u23 team.
More excellent racing in the juniors, with both races won by French European champions....
Obviously, Ferguson gets talked up a lot, yet very little about Gery, who is on AS Bike team.......