Race Thread

[theyoungest]

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.

His strength, and a bit of pushing and shoving. Which is what you need to do when it's basically a crit race like today, but it's what Iserbyt is very good at.

 

[awavey]

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.

well he doesnt look like winning, and especially not if it comes to another sprint out, even if his thighs appear to have ballooned in size over this winter.

 

[Hugh Januss]

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.

I think this is a mediocre course without mud.

 

[jono]

I think this is a mediocre course without mud.

I find it is a boring course with the mud as well. But today was like a Temu version of a Benidorm race.


Top North Americans today: Rafaelle Carrier (Canada, 14th -- will be interesting to see what jersey she is wearing on 1 January) and Tyler Clark (Canada, 28th).

 

[Hugh Januss]

When the women's race is 9 laps and 40 riders are lapped it's quite possible that the course is too short.

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

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.

He'll win the Belgian championship.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I think this is a mediocre course without mud.

A generous assessment...

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I think this is a mediocre course without mud.

If a course needs mud to be any good/ testing, then it's just not a good course, full stop.
I understand them bringing it in the Covid era, but now it would be better as an X20, or SuperPrestige race. The World Cup needs to drop the number of Belgian courses.......

 

[theyoungest]

He'll win the Belgian championship.

I doubt it. The Belgian nats are in Beringen. A good course for Thibau Nys, I would think.

 

[Wvv]

Most importantly, he sounds like a Belgian. Actually between WVA and MVDP, Mathieu is the one with the heaviest Flemish accent.

Not true. Mathieu sounds quite Flemish but still has some lingo influences from his father. Van Aert clearly produces the sound of his region 'de Kempen', even if he hasn't that hard of a dialect.

 

[jono]

It was a fast course, but for anyone doubting that they were really doing nearly 30 km/h over that course, you were probably right:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2005337065488277994

View: https://x.com/cyclocross24/status/2005337065488277994

 

[Hugh Januss]

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

 

[Hugh Januss]

If a course needs mud to be any good/ testing, then it's just not a good course, full stop.
I understand them bringing it in the Covid era, but now it would be better as an X20, or SuperPrestige race. The World Cup needs to drop the number of Belgian courses.......

There are courses that mud improves. Dendermonde is a leading example of that, but I guess you have to like mud races. I always did, although I never liked maintaining my bikes afterwards.

 

[theyoungest]

Not true. Mathieu sounds quite Flemish but still has some lingo influences from his father. Van Aert clearly produces the sound of his region 'de Kempen', even if he hasn't that hard of a dialect.

Both of them sound Belgian to a Dutch ear. And Wout is more capable of code switching than Mathieu is, maybe because Wout spends more time with Dutch people than Mathieu does

 

[Hugh Januss]

A generous assessment...

I try not to be hater! (I was going to say be an Ilmaestro99 but I don't want another ban. So I didn't say that.)

 

[saunaking]

What is up with Tibor Del Grosso's back? He's stretching it out all during the races. It's the same way MvdP used to stretch out his back during CX races when he was having back issues a few years ago.

Ya, concerning. I've seen his youtube channel he spoke about core work and strengthing his back while commenting its not his favorite thing....
Cyclocross social podcast covered this in recent days too, saying its something he needs to address before it gets worse or possibly derails a season for him like with MVDP a few years back
Great ride from him today though, esp. with the puncture

 

[theyoungest]

Ya, concerning. I've seen his youtube channel he spoke about core work and strengthing his back while commenting its not his favorite thing....
Cyclocross social podcast covered this in recent days too, saying its something he needs to address before it gets worse or possibly derails a season for him like with MVDP a few years back
Great ride from him today though, esp. with the puncture

Del Grosso is known to be a guy who is somewhat "difficult" in the sense that he doesn't take things too seriously and prefers to just do his own thing, but having to stretch your back the whole time during races surely indicates that maybe there's a problem you need to address.

Then again, he posted on Strava a few days ago "my first gym session ever... if I have to believe the internet" so probably this lack of core training is a bit exaggerated.

 

[Barkintheeye]

The course might not deliver on our expectations but I was still mighty impressed. If you race CX you will know how fast it sometimes feel going round corners and down sketchy descents. These riders are going double the speed you could ever imagine. Quite impressive and something to behold no matter what you think of anyone individual rider.

 

[RedheadDane]

According to Bay, Schreiber has had a puncture since lap-1... she... doesn't act like it...

 

[awavey]

according to Wyman, Zoe was dead cert for the win...

 

[AmRacer]

Did somebody just hit Mathieu?

 

[awavey]

Did somebody just hit Mathieu?

it sure looked like it

 

[awavey]

so thats the technique for crossing that culvert, we didnt see anyone in the womens racing try and jump it did we ?

 

[Tim Cahill]

Van Aert looking really good physically but having to do a bit more making up for slight technical mistakes, looked better on the front. Puncture is an absolute sickener.

 

[RedheadDane]

Wout flat.
Well... his tire.