Race Thread

[jono]

Two good results for Arkea riders who are presumably still looking for new teams in 2026: Fouquenet with the win and 18 yo Raf Carrier in 10th.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Weird to watch van aert and think he used to dominate CX races. He is so bad on the technical sections

 

[Tim Cahill]

 

[AmRacer]

What a del sprint

 

[Ilmaestro99]

He's just incapable of not bottling it isn't he

2 days in a row!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Well done he's 31

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Wout van 2nd

 

[theyoungest]

Del Grosso is such a technically gifted rider... just doesn't seem to move a muscle, other than his legs.

And also quick, apparently.

 

[Barkintheeye]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

 

[jono]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

This was quite evident, imo. Wout needs a heavy mud course to negate the technical advantages of other top riders.

 

[Barkintheeye]

This was quite evident, imo. Wout needs a heavy mud course to negate the technical advantages of other top riders.

Ok let me rephrase that. TDG looked decisively better than everyone else today. Completely relaxed and very quick at corners, on descents and unbothered at some of the harder sections. Impressive.

 

[theyoungest]

TDG looks really sharp. In my view he rode the course technically better than WVA. Winning a sprint is another quality. Hats off!

Anyone can win a sprint against Van Aert these days

Just kidding, but he just doesn't have the awareness or the confidence to make the right decisions in the final of a race. This sprint was another instance of that. Why wait so long?

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Anyone can win a sprint against Van Aert these days

Just kidding, but he just doesn't have the awareness or the confidence to make the right decisions in the final of a race. This sprint was another instance of that. Why wait so long?

It's almost as if he's never analyzed any of his sprint losses.

But yes, TdG was far superior technically. Wout can't jump barriers effectively, and he gets too deep into a steep rise, in too hard of a gear, and just bogs himself down trying to power over.

That had to have been a massive mental blow to him. Wout has faded, and I don't think he will seriously challenge for any of the classics again. He just doesn't have it.

 

[theyoungest]

That had to have been a massive mental blow to him. Wout has faded, and I don't think he will seriously challenge for any of the classics again. He just doesn't have it.

The cycling gods are cruel, but sometimes they also give a rider his long deserved due. Van Aert will win Flanders or Roubaix at some point, I'm convinced of that. Maybe it will be in five years, when he's no longer considered a threat anymore and is allowed in the breakaway, but it will happen.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Hulst will be a Valkenburg 2018 redux......(You read it here first)

Two good results for Arkea riders who are presumably still looking for new teams in 2026: Fouquenet with the win and 18 yo Raf Carrier in 10th.

There don't seem to be any strong rumours about any possible teams interested about Amandine.....

 

[Barkintheeye]

The cycling gods are cruel, but sometimes they also give a rider his long deserved due. Van Aert will win Flanders or Roubaix at some point, I'm convinced of that. Maybe it will be in five years, when he's no longer considered a threat anymore and is allowed in the breakaway, but it will happen.

Could van Baarle win Paris-Roubaix then Wout should be able to get at least one win in one of the cobbled Monuments

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

The cycling gods are cruel, but sometimes they also give a rider his long deserved due. Van Aert will win Flanders or Roubaix at some point, I'm convinced of that. Maybe it will be in five years, when he's no longer considered a threat anymore and is allowed in the breakaway, but it will happen.

I do hope you're right, but Hincapie never won Roubaix. Not saying he's quite at Wout's level, but they aren't completely outside of the same class of rider. Sometimes the cycling gods crack your steer tube, or flat your tire in a moment when it looks like the race is in your hands.

I also don't want to take away from del Grosso's win, as it wasn't just down to a faded van Aert. del Grosso was fantastic today, and today was almost a replay of 2023, when Iserbyt was in del Grosso's place (del Grosso rode well that day, but didn't have it to challenge for the win), but today, the guy on Wout's wheel was the superior cyclocrosser. It'll be interesting to see how del Grosso progresses on the road. Next year, guys like him, del Toro, Brennan, and other young riders are going to be hard for everyone to handle in bigger races. Normally, I'd have my hopes up for Wout's spring campaign, but in all honesty, I'm much more excited to see what those younger guys are going to do.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

2 days in a row!

Again, your dedication to being a Wout hater, is phenomenal. You're the Pogačar of Wout haters. Don't post on any cyclocross race days, then post on the days Wout *** the bed. Chapeau, Teddy!

 

[theyoungest]

I also don't want to take away from del Grosso's win, as it wasn't just down to a faded van Aert. del Grosso was fantastic today, and today was almost a replay of 2023, when Iserbyt was in del Grosso's place (del Grosso rode well that day, but didn't have it to challenge for the win), but today, the guy on Wout's wheel was the superior cyclocrosser. It'll be interesting to see how del Grosso progresses on the road. Next year, guys like him, del Toro, Brennan, and other young riders are going to be hard for everyone to handle in bigger races. Normally, I'd have my hopes up for Wout's spring campaign, but in all honesty, I'm much more excited to see what those younger guys are going to do.

I think Del Grosso lacks a bit of engine for the real big races. He needs his tactical and technical skills to win, like in that stage he almost won in Catalunya. But in the end Brennan just outclassed him on pure power.

That being said, I thought the same about his good friend Puck Pieterse and she proved me wrong.

 

[Sciatic]

It's almost as if he's never analyzed any of his sprint losses.

But yes, TdG was far superior technically. Wout can't jump barriers effectively, and he gets too deep into a steep rise, in too hard of a gear, and just bogs himself down trying to power over.

That had to have been a massive mental blow to him. Wout has faded, and I don't think he will seriously challenge for any of the classics again. He just doesn't have it.

Folks (you're not the only one) should stop with the "massive mental blows" suggestions. Wout has been winning and losing bike races for at least 20 years now. He just started racing again this weekend, and seemed pleased with his effort at Hof----, so this is all part of jumping back in. He has had some big blows to his ego/confidence in recent years, but projecting that onto him after a race like this is just silly. Unless of course you had a long 1 to 1 chat with him after the race?

 

[Sciatic]

I do hope you're right, but Hincapie never won Roubaix. Not saying he's quite at Wout's level, but they aren't completely outside of the same class of rider. Sometimes the cycling gods crack your steer tube, or flat your tire in a moment when it looks like the race is in your hands.

Okay, that's a bit ridiculous but hopefully you're having some fun with us. Hincapie and Wout: completely different leagues as riders, absolutely outside the same class. There is a similarity in their strengths: could win classics and still ride as support (and occasionally win) in GT mountain stages.