Race Thread

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Puck FTW, but an Anrooij win would be pretty cool too.

Wout should have raced 2 days ago. Based on his racing so far, he will have a very hard time dropping anyone today, and evidently, anyone has a chance to beat him in a sprint, these days.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

How come Celia Gery is in a different kit from 2 days ago?

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Puck is flying right now. Big split for her to close though.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Puck was 8 seconds faster than anyone else that lap, but Lucinda is pushing hard now.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

What happened Zoe?

 

[awavey]

What happened Zoe?

was wondering the exact same somehow she got stuck in the late 20 positions and just kept losing time, I assume she got pulled on the last lap maybe if theyre only showing positions 1-20 now

 

[jono]

was wondering the exact same somehow she got stuck in the late 20 positions and just kept losing time, I assume she got pulled on the last lap maybe if theyre only showing positions 1-20 now

Backstedt 27th, 3:45 down.

Fouquenet will race cross for the Pauwels Sauzen team starting 1 January.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Pitch isn't doing much is it, Belgian weather isn't what it used to be, they should hold the next one at the MCG.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'm very curious to see what a dry Dendermonde looks like tomorrow. I enjoy a mudder now and then, but past editions have really stretched the definition of what is a bike race.

The answer was... fast.

Now, that brings me to something I've been wondering for a while.
Let's say after the organisers had reached the verdict of 12 laps... and then Thor and Zeus had started a pissing competition... then what?

 

[jono]

A mechanical on this course is game over. Too bad for Del Grosso.

 

[Berniece]

A mechanical on this course is game over. Too bad for Del Grosso.

Yeah, just hoping for a moment of hesitation at the front for him

 

[jono]

Yeah, just hoping for a moment of hesitation at the front for him

Wout staying on the front is the best chance those riders in positions 6-8 have of coming back. A Nys attack at this point would really close the door.

 

[KZD]

The battle of the future, Nys vs Del Grosso, great race.

 

[Berniece]

Good race and deserved win from Nys. No clue what WVA was doing those last rounds

 

[jono]

Good race and deserved win from Nys. No clue what WVA was doing those last rounds

On the last lap, at least, he couldn't handle the technical sections at the same flat out speed as everyone else.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Wout got whiny with 2 laps left (flicked his elbow at Nys, and then let everyone go by), and that was it, though I don't think he could have out sprinted Nys today, anyway.

Chapeau Thibau! A well deserved win for the only guy who has any shot at challenging Mathieu.

 

[pastronef]

what a race WITHOUT VDP. I pray his last CX race ever is the Worlds so he wins it for the 32846493 time time and adieu

 

[theyoungest]

Good race and deserved win from Nys. No clue what WVA was doing those last rounds

Van Aert just didn't have it. He couldn't create a gap, and he's not going to take all these corners faster than Nys or Del Grosso, or anyone really. So then there's no opportunity for him.

Nys rode like Iserbyt. Which gets you the win on a course like this.

 

[jono]

what a race WITHOUT VDP. I pray his last CX race ever is the Worlds so he wins it for the 32846493 time time and adieu

I understand the sentiment but this race wouldn't have been much different with MVDP. In dry conditions like this, the course is like Benidorm. Fast and nowhere to make a difference. It would still have been group racing.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

Van Aert just didn't have it. He couldn't create a gap, and he's not going to take all these corners faster than Nys or Del Grosso, or anyone really. So then there's no opportunity for him.

Nys rode like Iserbyt. Which gets you the win on a course like this.

To be fair, Nys did it without having Vanthourensleestack getting in 2nd position, and then soft pedaling to let Iserbyt get a gap. Nys used his strength, only.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Why do the Men not take off their hat for the anthem?
The Women always seem to do.

 

[RedheadDane]

I understand the sentiment but this race wouldn't have been much different with MVDP. In dry conditions like this, the course is like Benidorm. Fast and nowhere to make a difference. It would still have been group racing.

Which would have been quite different from how it usually is when MVDP is racing...

 

[Barkintheeye]

Amazing speeds! Almost hard to understand how they manage to keep traction in those corners at those speeds.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Even random belge teenagers home from university for Christmas are toying with van aert now.

 

[jono]

Unless he adds a race to his calendar, that was Wout's last of the year without MVDP present aside from the Belgian national champs.

Could we see a winless season from van Aert?

This has never happened before. The closest was 2019-20, when he add to wait until after worlds to pick up his only win.