Race Thread

[Samu Cuenca]

Do you usually go around predicting kangaroo encounters during bike races?

Not really. I haven't checked, but I doubt any more credible bookmakers will let you bet on it.

 

[RedheadDane]

Not really. I haven't checked, but I doubt any more credible bookmakers will let you bet on it.

Maybe during a cross race?

They're never gonna have to pay any money.

 

[pastronef]

he's alone again. please kill me. it's baffling. I have enough since months

 

[jono]

he's alone again. please kill me. it's baffling. I have enough since months

What could possibly be baffling about the best rider ever winning easily?

 

[pastronef]

What could possibly be baffling about the best rider ever winning easily?

there's not even a race. too easy. fine, he's the best. time to set other goals. leave the discipline alone now

 

[RedheadDane]

there's not even a race. too easy. fine, he's the best. time to set other goals. leave the discipline alone now

Aren't you a big negative?

 

[AmRacer]

there's not even a race. too easy. fine, he's the best. time to set other goals. leave the discipline alone now

He wants 2 records first

 

[pastronef]

Aren't you a big negative?

yes I am. I know I'm exagerating. I don't like him.

 

[jono]

It's the smart thing to do, but if everyone else was racing full gas instead of letting Mathieu go and looking at each other in the race for 2nd the gap would be much smaller.

 

[theyoungest]

yes I am. I know I'm exagerating. I don't like him.

I think most races with Pogacar are boring as hell as well, in fact last year I couldn't be bothered to watch a lot of them since I already know the result beforehand.

But that doesn't mean I think Pogacar should quit cycling to become an alpine skier. It's not his fault he's so much better than the rest.

 

[AmRacer]

If Mathieu stops racing CX after Worlds, can Wout win 5 more worlds?

 

[jono]

If Mathieu stops racing CX after Worlds, can Wout win 5 more worlds?

No.

 

[theyoungest]

No.

I think he could, if he focuses more on cyclocross... he's probably still physically the best of the rest, although not as good as he was a few years ago. But technically he's never been great and without a lot of races he's quite bad. Someone with not as much power like Del Grosso can follow him because he loses a second in every corner.

 

[KZD]

Exactly the same top4 as yesterday but today was a walk in the park for Van der Poel.

 

[stonerider]

Exactly the same top4 as yesterday but today was a walk in the park for Van der Poel.

Yesterday would have been a walk in the park for MvdP also if not for the two punctures.

 

[jono]

Yesterday would have been a walk in the park for MvdP also if not for the two punctures.

Today was raced very differently by the rest of the field, also partly because of those punctures. But once MVDP got away the pace went out of the group entirely, as can be seen by how much the group increased in size from lap 3 to the later laps of the race.

 

[jono]

I think he could, if he focuses more on cyclocross... he's probably still physically the best of the rest, although not as good as he was a few years ago. But technically he's never been great and without a lot of races he's quite bad. Someone with not as much power like Del Grosso can follow him because he loses a second in every corner.

If VDP quits CX (I have my doubts) and WVA increases his focus and commitment (ditto), unless Wout won 5 consecutive seasons he'd be trying to complete the set in his late 30s. How many more injuries will he have added to his collection by then? How much stronger will Nys and del Grosso be by then?

Moreover, if Wout maintains or improves his overall fitness to the level required to accomplish this, he will still be concentrating on Roubaix and Flanders, which he and his coaches seem to believe is incompatible with a proper cyclocross season.

I guess in a purely theoretical sense, if Mathieu abandons the sport, Wout "could" become a CX specialist and go on an unprecedented WC run, but he won't and likely shouldn't do so.

 

[awavey]

You could make a case for either Pieterse, Alvarado, Brand, or Fouquenet being the favourite for the women's race at the world championships. That's certainly different from a few weeks ago.

At some point it looked like Chladonova was going to ride straight through the pack to number 1, but in the last lap the tank was empty.

the only thing is Brand didnt race today because of calf pain, and it didnt sound like she was quite where she expected to be feeling wise during yesterdays race, which isnt great with no doubt wanting to get out on the bike this week before worlds when she probably needs to rest abit more.

so still one of the favourites, but certainly not the favourite anymore imo. which absolutely a change from a few weeks back