UCI MTB World Cup (All forms!)

[jmdirt]

Nothing unexpected in the 15 minute races!

On to the XCO...

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Crashed again during the XCC short track but managed to finish 16th so 2nd row start on Sunday's XCO.

He must have flown in the last lap to get 16th.......he seems to be in good form.

Still hard to look past Lecomte & Flueckinger in the XCO races, though Loana didn't seem as comfortable as normal.

 

[Ripper]

He must have flown in the last lap to get 16th.......he seems to be in good form.

Still hard to look past Lecomte & Flueckinger in the XCO races, though Loana didn't seem as comfortable as normal.

No doubt about the flying.

Re: Flueckinger ... he's having such an excellent year. Hope his Olympics are good.

 

[Ricco']

Since we're talking about flying, what a lucky mad lad is Reece Wilson.

Coming almost unscathed and able to get back on his bike after that insane over the bars in the river gap.. I feared the worst at the time.

No doubt the 2nd biggest fall of the day in the french alps, right after the morale of Pogacar's presumable opposition.

 

[glassmoon]

How's the Tokyo XCO track? Enough climbing for Pidders to smash the field with 1+ minutes in the finish? Or is it more on the technical side? Or maybe both?

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Hell, that was scary.......the sort of crash you normally see on GMBN's 'fails & bails'....

None of the fastest qualifiers were likely to win, but he was riding well, and might have got a decent result; however he rode away seemingly uninjured from what was a horrific crash.

 

[glassmoon]

Atrocious conditions today...
Lacomte without a real oponent raced a race of her own.
Was pouring throughout the men's race, Pidders caught in a crash during the start and fighting back some 20, 30 places before pulling out of the race in cca 5/7 lap. Not sure if he had another crash, mechanical or reconed there is no point to keep riding but he managed to reach 12th place during the lap 4.
Double double for Mathias with Cink 2nd and Sarrou 3rd. Nino kinda did his season standard with 5th place.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Lecomte just rode away from everyone again, without seemingly making much effort. Nice battle behind her with Risveds, Richards, PF-P & McConnell. Really pleased for Evie who gets her first Elite WCup top 3 podium.

Flueckinger & Cink are the class of the field at the moment, with another 1,2. Pidcock seemed get caught up in the crash just after the start - and made up positions, then fell away. With his recent injury, it's probably the best decision to pull out - he'd only be risking another injury in those conditions.

At the moment both winners are the likely favourites for the Olympics......

 

[jmdirt]

Since we're talking about flying, what a lucky mad lad is Reece Wilson.

Coming almost unscathed and able to get back on his bike after that insane over the bars in the river gap.. I feared the worst at the time.

No doubt the 2nd biggest fall of the day in the french alps, right after the morale of Pogacar's presumable opposition.

I'm glad that RW is OK!

 

[jmdirt]

So looking to the Olympic race...
-Obviously MF is the top this year.
-MvdP is a freak.
-TP is also really talented.
-N1no showed just enough that you can't count him out.
-OC has been very strong this year.

-Can anyone beat LL?

Anything can happen on race day.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Just like the Tour, it's going to take something dramatic for LL not to win; she's miles ahead of the others, winning races by over a minute most of the time. Unless some of the others are 'sandbagging' and that doesn't seem likely.

The men's is more open, with Matthias the favourite; if MvdP is anywhere near his top level, then he is capable of winning with one devastating attack. Pidcock is the unknown - will he be on form? His race yesterday didn't tell us anything, apart from he's alive. And despite no longer being the No1, I won't write N1no off.....

 

[glassmoon]

So looking to the Olympic race...
-Obviously MF is the top this year.
-MvdP is a freak.
-TP is also really talented.
-N1no showed just enough that you can't count him out.
-AS has been very strong this year.

-Can anyone beat LL?

Anything can happen on race day.

Ondrej Cink is also a medal candidate imho.

 

[jmdirt]

Ondrej Cink is also a medal candidate imho.

OC is on my list because I forgot that it was Ondrej Cink not Aundrej! So, yes I agree!

EDIT: my brain is melting from the heat!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

He seems in excellent form; his big strength is his climbing, but he's weak on descents. Tokyo seems to have short punchy climbs, will that suit him?

 

[Ripper]

MF has obviously been having a dream year and would be a favorite. I would love to see him rock this course, but it could be that he's peaked a bit too soon, guess we'll find out pretty soon.

MvdP, my only concern here would be his ability to tolerate Tokyo heat, and possibly crashing out. Otherwise, he's obviously a favorite.

TP, who knows? Could have been sandbagging on sunday, crap conditions and not worth whisking injury. He does seem to enjoy the heat.

I think Nina does not have it anymore. I know that is bold, and I would not be surprised if I'm also wrong. But he seems to have been on a pretty sharp decline over the past two years. He's a dad now, he's 35, he's won at all, and he's just not getting any top results. This said, I think he does like the heat and the Tokyo course likely suits him.

The next level of racers is pretty strong, and France has a really strong looking team. If the course is tight, team tactics could play a pivotal role.

 

[glassmoon]

He seems in excellent form; his big strength is his climbing, but he's weak on descents. Tokyo seems to have short punchy climbs, will that suit him?

His descents are usually fine... what he doesn't like are muddy/wet conditions.

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Well 3-4 days away from the biggest XCO races of them all - the Olympic MTB race. I see MdvP only turned up on Thursday, one of the latest to do so. He is certainly doing things differently.

The women's has an overwhelming favourite - and it's hard to see her losing, unless something dramatic happens. The men's is a little harder, but Matthias has won the last two WCups, and is probably the favourite.

Women's;
1 - Lecomte
2 - PF-P
3 - Richards

Men;
1 - Flueckinger
2 - Pidcock
3 - MvdP

 

[senna6541]

Well 3-4 days away from the biggest XCO races of them all - the Olympic MTB race. I see MdvP only turned up on Thursday, one of the latest to do so. He is certainly doing things differently.

The women's has an overwhelming favourite - and it's hard to see her losing, unless something dramatic happens. The men's is a little harder, but Matthias has won the last two WCups, and is probably the favourite.

Women's;
1 - Lecomte
2 - PF-P
3 - Richards

Men;
1 - Flueckinger
2 - Pidcock
3 - MvdP

I assume (hope) MVDP and his team have their reasons and know what they're doing. If he has managed to hone the form he had at the tour to the mtb effort, I say he wins. Good course for him to use his power and explosiveness to overwhelm Flueckinger and Pidcock. Could come down to a technical error (all three great technically, although you might have to give Flueckinger the edge given much more race saddle time lately). Can't argue with your order though as it could definitely go that way. I'm going with my heart not my head here. Kind've the way MVDP races.

 

[Ripper]

Well 3-4 days away from the biggest XCO races of them all - the Olympic MTB race. I see MdvP only turned up on Thursday, one of the latest to do so. He is certainly doing things differently.

The women's has an overwhelming favourite - and it's hard to see her losing, unless something dramatic happens. The men's is a little harder, but Matthias has won the last two WCups, and is probably the favourite.

Women's;
1 - Lecomte
2 - PF-P
3 - Richards

Men;
1 - Flueckinger
2 - Pidcock
3 - MvdP

Would love to see Flückiger win, certainly on form and likely his last chance. Certainly seems to be more the bridesmaid, so to speak, so would love for him to get the big W. MvdP and TP easily have another Olympics in them, so I would rather it go to someone else, but they could easily take it. Short climbs and technical nature favour vdP but the heat does not. Technical favours TP but short climbs less so. Likewise, Flückiger seems to excel in wet courses and longer climbs, so the dry and punchy nature of this course might not favour him. The latter combo could actually favour some folks we have seen less top results of than normal (Avancini or Schurter).

All this said, previous Olympics tend to support that riders in phenomenal season form coming in are the ones who do well, so folks like Lecomte, Flückiger, etc. The only one I would add with rapidly rising form is Rissveds ... possibly Sarrou.

 

[senna6541]

Would love to see Flückiger win, certainly on form and likely his last chance. Certainly seems to be more the bridesmaid, so to speak, so would love for him to get the big W. MvdP and TP easily have another Olympics in them, so I would rather it go to someone else, but they could easily take it. Short climbs and technical nature favour vdP but the heat does not. Technical favours TP but short climbs less so. Likewise, Flückiger seems to excel in wet courses and longer climbs, so the dry and punchy nature of this course might not favour him. The latter combo could actually favour some folks we have seen less top results of than normal (Avancini or Schurter).

All this said, previous Olympics tend to support that riders in phenomenal season form coming in are the ones who do well, so folks like Lecomte, Flückiger, etc. The only one I would add with rapidly rising form is Rissveds ... possibly Sarrou.

Agree on the heat, although the fact there are no real sustained climbs kind've mitigates the impact a bit.

 

[Pantani_lives]

These are the six favorites for Olympic gold, arranged from old to young:

• Nino Schurter (Switzerland, 35) - defending Olympic champion
• Mathias Flückiger (Switzerland, 32) - current world cup leader
• Jordan Sarrou (France, 28) - current world champion
• Victor Koretzky (France, 26) - currently second in world cup
• Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands, 26)
• Thomas Pidcock (Great Britain, 21)

 

[Armchair cyclist]

So, for those of us who never normally appear in this section, but (largely because of CX/road guys crossing over) will be watching tomorrow, what are the key things to know?

Is there any advantage in having a compatriot, or is it every man for himself?

Is there an appreciable drafting advantage?

Are there many passing opportunities?

Are there technical rules that are not very obvious?

What elements of the course would be most hazardous to relatively inexperienced non-specialists, and which parts might TP or MvdP have an advantage on?

What would I ask about if I knew it were a thing to ask about?

And is it worth starting a new, Olympic-race specific thread, to keep all the ignorami like me out of your World Cup thread and help other people notice it (perhaps with the few preceding helpful notes about the favourites)?

 

[DenisMenchov]

So, for those of us who never normally appear in this section, but (largely because of CX/road guys crossing over) will be watching tomorrow, what are the key things to know?

1. Is there any advantage in having a compatriot, or is it every man for himself?

2. Is there an appreciable drafting advantage?

3. Are there many passing opportunities?

4. Are there technical rules that are not very obvious?

5. What elements of the course would be most hazardous to relatively inexperienced non-specialists, and which parts might TP or MvdP have an advantage on?

What would I ask about if I knew it were a thing to ask about?

And is it worth starting a new, Olympic-race specific thread, to keep all the ignorami like me out of your World Cup thread and help other people notice it (perhaps with the few preceding helpful notes about the favourites)?

1. It's every man for himself

2. Very little advantage, mostly on short flat sections and on longer but less steep climbs.

3. Yes and no, on the flat sections and on most of the climbs you can overtake easily. But some downhill sections are pretty narrow, though on some parts you have two lanes, "bolder and chicken" so to say.

4. You can only fix your mechanical at the designated area, so if you get a puncture you have to ride all the way to it.

5. Downhill sections take a lot of skill, even the experienced riders have problems following the best descenders (like Fluckinger for example). MVDP and TP are arguably the best climbers.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Pidcock broke his collarbone in early June, and started on the fourth row.

 

[Bolder]

Pidcock in the pilot's seat (in the cockpit, that is...) Too bad for mvdp but xc is always a crapshoot with crashes and mechs. Very technical course that looks perfect for Pidcock right now after 42 minutes/4 laps...