Epic race in 2019 with the changing conditions, etc. Great ride by Flueckiger and awesome watching the freak MVDP have to grind his way to a 2nd place in any kind've bike race. Seems like a course tailor made for Pidcock, and he's in race form. If not for the back row start you might even call him the favorite. I hear FL is on form so maybe he's the favorite on a climbing course like this? Of course if MVDP has found form via training he's always the favorite. There's just not a cyclist in the world that can deal with him when he's dropping bombs like he was at SB, etc.
2019 was a funny race; Forster & Schurter went out hard, and tried to blow the race to pieces...MvdP was dropped, but they then popped. Forster had two crashes, and retired, Schurter recovered to 6th place. Mathieu caught and passed Sarrou on the last lap and easily out sprinted him for 2nd. If there had been another lap, it would have been very interesting......
Will be interesting to see how the MvdP form is; no MTB races for 18 months; he's had a break since Flanders, so should be fresh, but will he be slightly rusty like when he starts a CX season?
Will be interesting to see how the MvdP form is; no MTB races for 18 months; he's had a break since Flanders, so should be fresh, but will he be slightly rusty like when he starts a CX season?
- Sep 14, 2009
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I think 2019 was wet and cold as well, and some folks seem to thrive in those conditions, while others seem to fall apart fairly readily.
It'll be interesting and my hope is that there's some really great racing. For the most part, everyone's been pretty close so far this year, with some really interesting races. What I'm unsure of is whether that means the level is high of everyone, which would make sense given it as an Olympic year. Or if we see such huge blowouts that it becomes clinic territory.
- Nov 13, 2019
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I am not that familiar with the bikes these guys use and with the trade-offs involved. Could you give a little explanation?
The XCO race should be good; MvdP said his form isn't as good as when he was last on the MTB (Lenzerheide 2019) So maybe a win is not expected; a top 5 result would be good. Nino looked ominously good in the XCC, and I'd never write him off.
Very impressive from Lecomte - completely outclimbed everyone, and just rode away from them. Another solid ride from PF-P, who is unlikely to be able to outclimb Lecomte on a course with those climbs, but is the next best. Fabulous result from Haley Batten; first Elite race and first podium.
The men's race should be interesting; looks a course for the climbers - so Sarrou, Flueckinger, and may Kerschbaumer will do well. I'd never write off Nino, and Mathieu is capable of lots of things - but I think this might be to hilly for him, with him unsure of his form.
If Pidcock had a top 40 start position, I think he'd probably win - however he'll be aiming for the top 16.
The men's race should be interesting; looks a course for the climbers - so Sarrou, Flueckinger, and may Kerschbaumer will do well. I'd never write off Nino, and Mathieu is capable of lots of things - but I think this might be to hilly for him, with him unsure of his form.
If Pidcock had a top 40 start position, I think he'd probably win - however he'll be aiming for the top 16.
Great, clever ride from Koretzky - followed all the moves, then lead when it mattered!
- Aug 14, 2012
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From the track preview I saw it looks like that but what stood out to me was the technical aspect. I think it's a level down, climbing wise, compared to something like Albstadt or Leogang.
- Sep 14, 2009
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Definitely not the long climbs like Leogang. That was a unique course. I can see it being different than Albstadt as well ... the climbs sounded like they were shorter and punchier/very steep. Will be interesting to see who it favours. We can certainly start making some assumptions already!
Some good racing today! Congrats VK!
Thoughts:
TP impressive working through from a deep start.
MvdP too much too early.
N1no is a fast old dude!
Homer hat on: its nice to see a USAer in 13th! GO Blevins!
Two world champs battle with the youngster taking it. Congrats LL!
Homer hat on: USAers 3rd and 4th!
Thoughts:
TP impressive working through from a deep start.
MvdP too much too early.
N1no is a fast old dude!
Homer hat on: its nice to see a USAer in 13th! GO Blevins!
Two world champs battle with the youngster taking it. Congrats LL!
Homer hat on: USAers 3rd and 4th!
Last edited:
- Sep 14, 2009
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Interesting to see so many hardtails in the race today. Obviously a good choice as the course was not that technical and there was a lot of climbing. My guess is in a race like today's riding a DS cost you some time on the climbs and did not really save any on the descents (so long as you were technically adept enough). Looking forward to Nove Mesto!
On a tangent, I forgot that for some nations, this weekend and next are huge for going to the Olympics. Gonna be an interesting year!
On a tangent, I forgot that for some nations, this weekend and next are huge for going to the Olympics. Gonna be an interesting year!
- Nov 13, 2019
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As a wild guess, I’d say Sarrou objects to the cancel culture and the ‘shhh’ is his protest to freedom of speech.By the way, anyone watch the redbull coverage? What was up with Marcotte and Andreassen dusting their shoulders and Jordan Sarrou doing the "shhhh"? What am I missing?
Not sure about the shoulder thing…. ‘Trying to forget and put things behind us’ as in the pandemic perhaps?
- Jul 25, 2012
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It's because Cadel Evans finished 5th in a WC race in Cairns when he was 17 and the organiser asked if they could have 5 on the podium as a good advertisement for mountain biking in Australia.
No - the Olympic discipline is the longer XCO race.
Saying that, either this year, or next year, the World Championships will have a XCC (Short track) race; whether it eventually becomes an Olympic discipline is another matter; they'd probably have to drop a track event.
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