Race Thread

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Toch verdienen de balken, volgens kenners de meest beruchte passage op het parcours, nog een extra woordje uitleg. Vooral Nederlands renner Pim Ronhaar ziet er gevaar in. “Normaal liggen er Wereldbeker-planken en die zijn prima te springen. Maar ik heb gezien dat er nu andere balken in liggen. Die van een paar jaar geleden en die zijn gewoon een stuk hoger en heel moeilijk te springen.”

“Bovendien loopt die zone daar omhoog. Normaal als het vlak is, behoud je je snelheid wel op de balken. Maar hier moet je veel harder op die balk afkomen om je snelheid tussen de balken te bewaren. En met die Wereldbeker-planken is dat op zich wel te doen. Je kan daar je voorwiel opleggen, omdat het een iets bredere balk is. Maar wat er nu ligt, is gewoon een plank. Dus je mag hem echt niet aanraken, want dan vlieg je over de kop. Kijk de editie van 2015 maar eens terug. Toen is Mathieu van de zeven rondes die ze daar reden vier keer onderuitgegaan op die balken. Dus het is wel een risico.”

Apparently Van der Poel crashed on these barriers 4 out of 7 times in 2015.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

or for us mortals

Yet the beams, which according to experts are the most infamous passage on the course, deserve an extra word of explanation. Dutch rider Pim Ronhaar in particular sees danger in it. “Normally there are World Cup boards and they are easy to jump. But I have seen that there are other beams in it now. The ones from a few years ago and they are just a lot higher and very difficult to jump.”

“Moreover, that zone slopes upwards there. Normally when it is flat, you maintain your speed on the beams. But here you have to hit that bar much harder to maintain your speed between the bars. And that is certainly possible with those World Cup planks. You can put your front wheel on there, because it is a slightly wider beam. But what is there now is just a plank. So you really shouldn't touch it, because then you will fall over. Take a look back at the 2015 edition. Then Mathieu crashed on those beams four times out of the seven rounds they rode there. So it is a risk.”

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

or for us mortals

What is the most commonly used term to define a thick wooden "plank"? I have not often heard it being called a "beam". I have heard that people use "a 2 by 4" often... but clearly this relates to the size (in inch i presume). So what's the most common term used for a 2 by 4 of a custom size? A piece of timber? Bar? Beam?

Also, that automated translation is quite confusing. I only posted it as a source for even MvdP crashing 4 times. "But here you have to hit that bar much harder to maintain your speed between the bars." Would be better translated as "But here you have to charge towards the (first) beams more fiercely in order to maintain speed in between the beams.

 

[theyoungest]

What is the most commonly used term to define a thick wooden "plank"? I have not often heard it being called a "beam". I have heard that people use "a 2 by 4" often... but clearly this relates to the size (in inch i presume). So what's the most common term used for a 2 by 4 of a custom size? A piece of timber? Bar? Beam?

Also, that automated translation is quite confusing. I only posted it as a source for even MvdP crashing 4 times. "But here you have to hit that bar much harder to maintain your speed between the bars." Would be better translated as "But here you have to charge towards the (first) beams more fiercely in order to maintain speed in between the beams.

I think the point Ronhaar is trying to make (which gets lost in translation) is that these aren't beams but planks, and really high ones. So you really have to jump them rather than ride them, because there's no surface to rest your wheel on, as it were.

But there's a maximum height for these things, 40 cm I believe, and from what I saw of the footage a few weeks ago, these looked to be higher than that.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

In transfer news, Alpecin have signed Senna Remijn to their development team.......

Any ideas on World Cup winner Viezzi ?? - if he was Benelux, he'd surely have been snapped up.....

 

[sam6]

It says there is light rain on Sunday but doesn't look like much rain tomorrow or Saturday. Is the course going to be muddy do you think?

 

[JR1012]

It says there is light rain on Sunday but doesn't look like much rain tomorrow or Saturday. Is the course going to be muddy do you think?

No I don't think so. I think the strong wind will play an more important role.

 

[JR1012]

Blanka Vas is ill and could't train yesterday. Right now, it doesn't look good and she might not be starting on Saturday. Decision will take place tomorrow.

So first the injury and now sick, so sad. She is in such great form and a medal could be possible.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

In hindsight, it's quite remarkable that Vas could stay healthy and be in good shape for all those different championship races in 2021

https://twitter.com/x/status/1753063992975819112

View: https://twitter.com/lucasaganronald/status/1753063992975819112

 

[sam6]

No I don't think so. I think the strong wind will play an more important role.

That's sad as the mud is always the best thing about cyclocross!

 

[kingjr]

What is the most commonly used term to define a thick wooden "plank"? I have not often heard it being called a "beam". I have heard that people use "a 2 by 4" often... but clearly this relates to the size (in inch i presume). So what's the most common term used for a 2 by 4 of a custom size? A piece of timber? Bar? Beam?

Board?

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Board?

I took it as Logic (tongue in cheek) indicating me being thick as a plank Fair point!

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Board?

Would you call a piece of wood that is 100x250x3000 mm a board, for instance? Or something like this?

I took it as Logic (tongue in cheek) indicating me being thick as a plank Fair point!

No man, there are only a few people on the forum i would purposely insinuate them being an idiot, and you're not one of them. It was an honest question.
I've really always wondered about that.

 

[kingjr]

Would you call a piece of wood that is 100x250x3000 mm a board, for instance? Or something like this?

Not sure. Lumber maybe?

 

[senna6541]

Good to see you back Logic. Was getting worried about you.

 

[Sciatic]

Not sure. Lumber maybe?

Lumber can be any dimension, not specific to a particular shape or size. Board would be the most common usage for what you’re describing, but plank would not be wrong. For whatever reason though, plank is used more for a board laid horizontal to the the surface, as in plank flooring, plank roads, and “walk the (gang)plank.” We could also bring “slat” into the conversation about Cyclocross barriers

 

[JR1012]

Confirmed Blanka Vas is not starting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1753339208826306792

View: https://twitter.com/teamsdworx/status/1753339208826306792?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet%7Ctwtr%5Etrue

 

[theyoungest]

Confirmed Blanka Vas is not starting.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1753339208826306792

View: https://twitter.com/teamsdworx/status/1753339208826306792?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet%7Ctwtr%5Etrue

That's really sad. Just when her top form arrived (which also makes you more vulnerable to sickness). Btw whoever decided to translate "balen" to "baleful" deserves to be fired.

Let's hope that none of the other favourites get sick. If it's a virus, it might go around. Pieterse was already sick last week.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

That's really sad. Just when her top form arrived (which also makes you more vulnerable to sickness). Btw whoever decided to translate "balen" to "baleful" deserves to be fired.

Let's hope that none of the other favourites get sick. If it's a virus, it might go around. Pieterse was already sick last week.

Casasola was sick last week as well and has been replaced in the team relay, but hopefully she'll be able to start tomorrow.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

That's really sad. Just when her top form arrived (which also makes you more vulnerable to sickness). Btw whoever decided to translate "balen" to "baleful" deserves to be fired.

Let's hope that none of the other favourites get sick. If it's a virus, it might go around. Pieterse was already sick last week.

Baleful is definitely the wrong word to use, but one that we don't see enough nowadays, so I am grateful for the mistranslation, and shall respond to the prompt by trying to use it more in everyday life. And possibly in CN forum posts.

But Google translate gives 'balen' as 'to compress', so that doesn't seem appropriate in context either.

 

[theyoungest]

Baleful is definitely the wrong word to use, but one that we don't see enough nowadays, so I am grateful for the mistranslation, and shall respond to the prompt by trying to use it more in everyday life. And possibly in CN forum posts.

But Google translate gives 'balen' as 'to compress', so that doesn't seem appropriate in context either.

"Balen" is a verb which doesn't have an English translation. "Ik baal" more or less means "I feel sh.t about it". If you say "het is balen", you basically say that it's a sh.t situation.

 

[Barkintheeye]

Tabor course is set for epic showdowns this weekend.

View: https://youtu.be/7As-8aTL-7c?si=aHBi305ZnwjLXH7u


Looks like we can expect a slug feast with lots of mud, grinding at low cadence and high power and quite a few crashes and hitting the ground. In these conditions Van Aert would probably have done great but in his absence clearly Van der Poel is to dominate. Then I expect Vanthourenhout and Nieuwenhuis to do well along with Ronhaar and possibly Mason who might not have that peak anaerobic punch but lots of grind and base power. These are my top picks in Elite men.

Women: Hard to see anyone beating Van Empel. Brand and Pieterse as runners up.

Ps. "Barriers" seems to be the consistent term

 

[Barkintheeye]

Team Relay:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L57FU4Ost54


Several riders jumping the barriers ('planks' )

 

[Didinho]

Strong last round and sprint against Mason from the French junior.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Wow, that was a close one in the end.
It looked like GB had it before the penultimate lap, but Clauzel really outshone Kay, and Sparfel did very well to defend the lead against Mason. Mistakes are decisive on this course.