Race Thread

[jono]

no no no no
wtf
I was looking forward to tomorrow

I understand the sentiment, but Benidorm is not a course where I'd expect MVDP to dominate or even finish on a gap. In his 2 appearances he has won in a 2 up sprint and finished 5th.

 

[Hugh Januss]

And we're supposed to believe that MVDP is thinking about skipping an entire CX season? He can't even skip one race.

In this era of training camps and long breaks from racing for preparation I kind of like the explanation. Racers should want to race!

 

[Wyndbrook]

Yeah, Thibau vs. Tibor would have been a nice battle on that course. Now we already know the winner.

And we're supposed to believe that MVDP is thinking about skipping an entire CX season? He can't even skip one race.

Maybe this is the one race in future he keeps on his schedule, round of golf in the morning and rocks up to race in the afternoon.

 

[Pantani_lives]

MvdP's last defeat in cyclo-cross was in Benidorm 2024, when he crashed twice. Let's see if he can stay undefeated for two whole years.

 

[Barkintheeye]

A bit of nostalgia. Sven Nys GP 2006, about 10 years ago. A race where most of today’s best racers participated and some of yesterday’s hard hitters;

View: https://youtu.be/mH3coPmHvXY?si=A0gM0-k8zccr5J3h


Quite fun to watch. So many good races since then.

 

[JR1012]

Course preview:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70mQ6F-HYz4

Definitely not as dry and fast than last year.

 

[jono]

Moving the start-finish to the paved climb makes it even more likely that MVDP happily rides with the group for the entire race. No need to attack in any of the other sections when he knows he can nuke everyone in the finish.

Boring, but fast, group riding on the menu.

Edit: just watched the preview. Not the dust bowl of previous seasons. The first half of the course has a few wet sections, but will otherwise be basically smooth hardpack by the time the men's elites get to racing. Ironically, the more typical CX conditions on the grassy sections in the second half of the lap will make it worse for those who prefer an 'exciting race' (read: MVDP not winning).

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Both Junior World Cups won by Italian riders......good to see them producing talent; now can they keep them in U23/ Elites??

 

[RedheadDane]

Okay... I hate the first race after national championships! So confusing with some people wearing NC jerseys, and others... not...

For example; I didn't recognise Fouquenet at first. Of course, also doesn't help that I'm still thinking of her as an Arkea rider...

 

[Barkintheeye]

Brand looks completely transformed compared to previous years. Quite smooth and nimble and still powerful. Before it was more like an amateur racer but with a big engine. Now she’s almost as agile as Alvarado who was always one of the best technical riders in the women’s division.

 

[RedheadDane]

Brand with her 100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000th win.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

I think the U23 Women's Worlds will be interesting...........,quite a number of riders who could win it; Backstedt isn't looking as good as I expected - but is probably peaking for Hulst.

 

[RedheadDane]

No Van Der Haar. However, it's for a happy reason:
There's going to be another Van Der Haar.

Lars van der Haar slaat om mooie reden Wereldbeker Benidorm over

Lars van der Haar slaat de Wereldbeker Benidorm over om vader te worden. Lees meer over zijn afscheid van de veldrit en blijf op de hoogte!

www.wielerflits.nl

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Come on, Orts, get on that damn podium.

 

[jono]

Crazy that they didn't bother to rake the sand pit between races.

 

[tobydawq]

I think Mathieu van der Poel will win this race.

 

[RedheadDane]

I think Mathieu van der Poel will win this race.

Your predictive skills are unrivalled!

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Van der Poel's acting like an opposite broom wagon (he'll also act like a real one when/if he overtales riders).

 

[11-34]

mvdp is abusing this race as interval training.

 

[tobydawq]

I think Mathieu van der Poel will win this race.

I was right.

 

[11-34]

Never seen a happier third place.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Crazy that they didn't bother to rake the sand pit between races.

They'd get barred from their golf clubs, or lose their authorisation as long/triple jump judges.

 

[pastronef]

isn't it a bit sad? I mean, I know the sport needs stars to reach the big public, but dear me, after 1 lap he was gone. it says a lot about the reach of cyclocross. obvs the Spanish race owners loved to have VDP at the start. and the camera staying on him after the finish while Nys and Orts are crossing the line. IT SUCKS. thank god they showed the last 4 seconds of Nys and Orts crossing the line. madness. I don't know, it's a bittersweet feeling.
ok now Spain has Orts, and GB holds hopes in Mason. but looking it from another angle, CX could survive without stars and keep being strong in BEL-NED.
I hate VDP but it would be good for him to race a whole season of MTB World Cups. that discipline needs visibility and sponsor like mad. it needs clicks and marketing EXPERTS not those brainrot and brainless web marketing people.
so for the sake of XCO it would be good marketing to have VDP there, and him leave cyclocross alone

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Standings

 

[KZD]

Crazy that they didn't bother to rake the sand pit between races.

Yup, it ended up helping guys like Nys or Orts over the better sand riders like Del Grosso, Vandeputte or Aerts.

Having said that, it was a joy to watch Orts getting on that podium.