World Cup Igorre

[ak-zaaf]

Live on Belgian TV this afternoon.

Not my favorite race, but I'm excited to see if Stybar can maintain his form.
It would be good to have a real duel between him and Albert the coming years in stead of Albert becoming the new Nys.

 

[Andrichuk]

Funny watching Nys go straight into the lapped rider on one of the last climbs


Anyways I think your right, Albert and Sytbar are pretty evenly matched up. Stybar has been on great form but earlier in the season when Albert was at 100% no one was finishing within a minute of him. Im really curious to see how the season is gonna end.

 

[Hugh Januss]

Funny watching Nys go straight into the lapped rider on one of the last climbs


Anyways I think your right, Albert and Sytbar are pretty evenly matched up. Stybar has been on great form but earlier in the season when Albert was at 100% no one was finishing within a minute of him. Im really curious to see how the season is gonna end.

Look out for Nys, he started a little bit slower this year, but he is building up. He could have won today, looked stronger that Albert, just had some bad luck.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Nys, Albert, Stybar, all three equally good.
Also, Wellens really impressed me yesterday!

 

[ak-zaaf]

Nys, Albert, Stybar, all three equally good.
Also, Wellens really impressed me yesterday!

Really impressive he could hang on for that long. If the 'big 3' tire themselves out battling each other the entire season, a fresh Wellens just might pick up another Rainbow jersey.


Awesome race, but I still don't like the setting. Why go international if there's only one country with a real interest in cyclo cross? Hell, even in Igorre i could read the Belgian supporter-flags (Wij zijn zo blij want Wellens is er weer bij )

Belgian crosses give me that warm wintery feeling that's supposed to come with vcyclo cross

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Don't forget the Czech Republic
And how about the USA?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Don't forget the Czech Republic
And how about the USA?

How about the USA?

I get the impression there's a pretty live scene in the US, but I can imagine it's nearly impossible to make it here in a non olympic sport that only runs a few months of the year.

 

[Echoes]

I rather like the setting in Igorre, the 2 climbs (the last one being reintroduced this year) and the slalom in the great plain where two years ago Nys and Wellens had a fierce duel (Nys was on the bike, Wellens on foot but ran as fast) after Mourey had a problem with his chain.

I think it's better to have such circuits than those in the Kempen or round Antwerp which are usually flat, their main difficulties being the bends (draaien en keren), artificial stairs or very little hillocks you can climb on the bike.

And by the way Igorre is a historic race. Zweifel already won it several times in the eighties.

 

[doddy13]

Ok, so i've finally watched the race and i really enjoyed that one.
The course was reasonably good, a little flat but with some tough hills. Seeing (what i call) the big 3 cross riders battle it out made for a fantastic race. Just a shame Nys crashed on the final lap and seemingly gave up.

 

[pmcg76]

Very jealous of you guys as I never get to see the races as I nearly always work weekends. I was actually in Belgium/Netherlands a few weekends ago, and had hoped to take in the Koksidje WC race, but I had too many friends to visit so couldnt fit it in.

It is really developing into a great 3 way tussle between Alberts, Stybar & Nys plus Wellens looks like he is making a good comeback. Must be so much more interesting to watch after all the years of total Nys domination.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Very jealous of you guys as I never get to see the races as I nearly always work weekends. I was actually in Belgium/Netherlands a few weekends ago, and had hoped to take in the Koksidje WC race, but I had too many friends to visit so couldnt fit it in.

It is really developing into a great 3 way tussle between Alberts, Stybar & Nys plus Wellens looks like he is making a good comeback. Must be so much more interesting to watch after all the years of total Nys domination.

Yep, there are some good years coming up if it goes on like this. I hope Nys can stretch it a few more years.
You can try cyclingtorrents.nl for some of the bigger races. They are usually uploaded a day later in good quality.

 

[Race Radio]

Here is another great site for Cross video

http://ccx.nathanspear.com/

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Here is another great site for Cross video

http://ccx.nathanspear.com/

Thanks for posting this! Just watched Compton's victory at Roubaix last year. Quite impressive. It's the kind of race where you can see riders' strengths and weaknesses quite clearly.