Race Thread

[theyoungest]

That’s really bad. One would think that one of the biggest and most professional teams would be able to manage their riders and make them prosper and grow. Particularly the young ones.

The team can try everything, but in the end it comes down to intrinsic motivation. The rider has to want to do it. Similar to Dumoulin, as soon as they start thinking "what the hell am I doing, what's the point, and do I even enjoy it"... that's the beginning of the end. It seems something similar happened to Van Empel.

It's really sad, and I think the sport loses its most talented rider, but I can't say I'm surprised. It was pretty clear something was going on and it wasn't good.

If she returns to the sport at some point it will probably be at Pauwels, an environment where she clearly felt more at home.

 

[jono]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n34Qef2EeBo


Antwerp course preview. If second place finishes within 30s of MVDP on this one, I'll be surprised.

Who is the EF rider?

 

[Gwbert]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n34Qef2EeBo


Antwerp course preview. If second place finishes within 30s of MVDP on this one, I'll be surprised.

Who is the EF rider?

Agostinacchio!

 

[Hugh Januss]

That’s really bad. One would think that one of the biggest and most professional teams would be able to manage their riders and make them prosper and grow. Particularly the young ones.

I think she's a victim of her own expectations. She was on top of the cross world, then she saw what Puck was doing in MTB and thought she could dominate there as well. When that went badly she disappeared only to reappear on the road and have very limited success there as well especially compared to Puck and Van Androoji her top patsies in cross. It only takes a little self-doubt to sink the entire ship.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Antwerp course preview. If second place finishes within 30s of MVDP on this one, I'll be surprised.

Who is the EF rider?

That depends on what sort of Van Aert we get.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n34Qef2EeBo


Antwerp course preview. If second place finishes within 30s of MVDP on this one, I'll be surprised.

Who is the EF rider?

That's a heavy rider's course. I think Nys will struggle tomorrow, with that much/deep sand.

I also don't expect Lucinda will be challenged by anyone on that course.

 

[Hugh Januss]

That's a heavy rider's course. I think Nys will struggle tomorrow, with that much/deep sand.

I also don't expect Lucinda will be challenged by anyone on that course.

Nys was right there in the European Championship which was pretty sandy. I am hoping that Van Der Heijden and Van Alphen can mount some kind of challenge to Brand they have both been riding well in sand races.

 

[jono]

That depends on what sort of Van Aert we get.

When was the last time van Aert was able to challenge a healthy MVDP in 'cross?

 

[theyoungest]

I think she's a victim of her own expectations. She was on top of the cross world, then she saw what Puck was doing in MTB and thought she could dominate there as well. When that went badly she disappeared only to reappear on the road and have very limited success there as well especially compared to Puck and Van Androoji her top patsies in cross. It only takes a little self-doubt to sink the entire ship.

Her own expectations, or those of the outside world? I don't think it's Van Empel's fault that she just happened to be better at cyclocross than Pieterse is... but not better at road and mtb. For some of the perpetually dissatisfied online fans she was the one eyed king in the land of the blind.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

For me Fem's finest Hour:

https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-cyclo-cross-world-cup-9-val-di-sole-2021/elite-women/results/