Race Thread

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theyoungest

Jan 11, 2010
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Barkintheeye said:
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.
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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.
 
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Hugh Januss

Hugh Januss

Jul 9, 2009
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Barkintheeye said:
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.
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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.
 
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Hugh Januss

Hugh Januss

Jul 9, 2009
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ChewbaccaDefense said:
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.
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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.
 
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theyoungest

Jan 11, 2010
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Hugh Januss said:
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.
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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

TourOfSardinia

Feb 16, 2010
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For me Fem's finest Hour:

d-Evw-Xw-LZ9Ti-Gzi-Kjv2k4ob-970-80.jpg


 
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stonerider

Nov 14, 2009
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Fem would do best with a smaller contract with a CX team without the expectation of also doing road racing. I suspect the contract she signed with Visma was too big to just be a CX racer. The internal pressure to also perform on the road got to her. She may not like all the travel involved with road racing as well and that adds pressure to some racers who would prefer to stay closer to home.
 
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Axel Hangleck

Jan 7, 2017
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stonerider said:
Fem would do best with a smaller contract with a CX team without the expectation of also doing road racing. I suspect the contract she signed with Visma was too big to just be a CX racer. The internal pressure to also perform on the road got to her. She may not like all the travel involved with road racing as well and that adds pressure to some racers who would prefer to stay closer to home.
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I've said similar elsewhere, but about XCO racers moving to the road; road racing is not for everyone, it's not the promised land many people claim it is. The pressure to perform is on another level compared to off-road racing, where it's a little more relaxed (whilst still serious/ professional).
 
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ChewbaccaDefense

Nov 5, 2013
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jono said:
When was the last time van Aert was able to challenge a healthy MVDP in 'cross?
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Benidorum 2024, before his disastrous year. (Google ain't that hard) The disrespect shown Wout is absurd. Guy has two horrific crashes in one year, and you act like anybody else is still unaffected by it. If MVDP had the same crashes, he doesn't win anything last year either.

I dont know if Wout will ever be the rider he was, before 2024, but to pretend that before that, he was just an "also ran" is ridiculous.
 
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Axel Hangleck

Jan 7, 2017
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jono said:
Fantastic racing. Alvarado ran better and raced overall more smoothly but couldn't match Brand's power.
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My annual 'issue' with CX....power overcomes skills/ technique more often than not......too many courses favour power. (Saying that, Brand's skills have improved massively over the years).
 
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jono

Jan 31, 2021
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ChewbaccaDefense said:
Benidorum 2024, before his disastrous year. The disrespect shown Wout is absurd. Guy has two horrific crashes in one year, and you act like anybody else is still unaffected by it. If MVDP had the same crashes, he doesn't win anything last year either.
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Benidorm was an interesting one, but eventually van der Poel lost his head to head with a pole, as well as to Wout and two other riders. His only loss of the last 2+ seasons.

Frankly I think the lack of priority Wout places on his cross season is the main reason the gap has gone out to Mathieu. The engine is still there.
 
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Tim Cahill

May 6, 2021
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VDP little mistake which allows the two to get back, good because that was looking all over already.

Van Aert physiologically pretty good I think on eyetest, just lacking rhythm.
 
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Hugh Januss

Hugh Januss

Jul 9, 2009
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jono said:
When was the last time van Aert was able to challenge a healthy MVDP in 'cross?
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The question was would anybody be within a half a minute of Van der Poel. Wout has never been further off than that on this course.
Edit. Never say never.
 
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ChewbaccaDefense

Nov 5, 2013
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Wout definitely shaking out the cobwebs. That battle with Nys is thrilling, as predicted...

EDIT: Getting beat by Ronhaar, and Joris, and del Grosso...pretty weak sauce.
 
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