Is Van Alphen a candidate for most improved rider? My not-always-reliable memory tells me she was usually 7th-12th last season, with the large time gaps those placins imply. And now she's fighting to be best of the rest.
She had some better seasons a few years back but not quite like this season. Last year she didn't have a single top 10 in a World Cup, while this year in all races she has only finished outside the top 5 once.
That's partly down to some previously top riders not racing or off their best (van Empel, Pieterse, van Anrooij until recently, Vas, Backstedt, etc.) but she certainly deserves credit for improving her level and consistency.
Zoe Backstedt comback this Sunday in Dendermonde.
Feel for Van Aert, obviously in half decent shape though the way he's closed Nys after decking it.
Happy for him right now, as he's putting in a really strong ride. It's a long race, so he could fade, but this lap is promising.
Wout riding with some fire. Also, I know Sweeck is a great sand rider, but his rides are still impressive overall.
WTF? It looked like someone blew vape into Mathieu's face. That guy deserves to be punched in the face.
Probably best they don't test him for anything recreational after the race
It's not really a WTF moment anymore though, is it? Lots of Belgians and a lot of alcohol, there's always one or two morons among them.
I guess I'd hoped with the issues last year and the year before, people would be able to accept his dominance. But ya, alcohol makes some people *** idiots.
- May 5, 2010
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Nys was pretty lucky he didn't hit any pole with that crash last lap...
Van Aert and Nys do seem to be benefitting from not racing a third day in a row (top 5 in a sand race is a great result for Nys!)
It's so absurd. MVDP is the most Belgian Dutchman you're ever going to meet, but apparently it's still not enough for some.
Promising ride from Wout. I think Mathieu, as much as he was still heads and shoulders ahead of anyone else, still seemed to be tired from the 2 previous days.
Good race today, for sure.
Good race today, for sure.
- Apr 13, 2021
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I don't think it even matters that he's Dutch. It's that he's not Wout, who Belgian fans seem to have an almost spiritual connection with, and keeps beating him handily.
- May 5, 2010
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He's a Belgian Dutchman who's also part French?
Dutch dad, French mom, born in Belgium*
*Of course, the reason he was born in Belgium is because that's where his mother was at the time.
Most importantly, he sounds like a Belgian. Actually between WVA and MVDP, Mathieu is the one with the heaviest Flemish accent.
They're certainly Wout fans, but if it was Thibau Nys beating Wout they'd be perfectly fine with it.
- Apr 28, 2010
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It 100% is because he's Dutch and little to nothing to do with him not being Wout. It doesn't matter where he was born, he has a French mother and a Dutch Father. His cycling heritage has nothing to do with Belgium. This is why they hate his dominance so much over there.
Like @theyoungest said, if it were Nys Jr. there would be no issues. It's clear as day IMO.
The fact that makes the anger worse each year is that, objectively, there shouldn't even be talk anymore about the big 2, as their 1v1 duels and titles are so far in favor of Mathieu that it's just disingenuous at this point IMO. Only sparsely winning on ridiculously mud-heavy courses doesn't equate to being on the same level. Mathieu sits alone at the top. Tell that to those w*nkers trying to sabotage him.
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I enjoyed the Hofstade course. Three days of sand in a row is a bit much, but on its own merit it has a lot going for it. I prefer it to Saturday's Antwerp track, for example.
It was interesting to see Wout crash taking the clearly slower line around the tree (he lost ground to Mathieu without crashing doing the same on lap 1). He did learn his lesson and take the inside line in subsequent laps.
It was interesting to see Wout crash taking the clearly slower line around the tree (he lost ground to Mathieu without crashing doing the same on lap 1). He did learn his lesson and take the inside line in subsequent laps.
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- Feb 24, 2015
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I think all three days offered really nice racing. Not considering MVDP who is in his own class the race for second and third were very competitive with many interesting changes.
On a side note, many riders said that they liked better this new (old) course at Koksijde without the "mud field" and I can understand why but from a spectator point of view I just might disagree. A course with many different conditions is always nice to watch. For example the WC in Ostende was great!
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