Worlds

[BrandonT]

Just over a week away and based on the course I saw for the Czech National race I think Stybar will continue his two year trend of being on the podium. I hope the race itself is a little more exciting then the Czech National race though.
Does any one know if it will be the same/similar course? Opening lap on the asphalt?

I would like to see Nys win this one but based on the last 7 years or so since he has won a World Championship, I think Stybar is a safer bet.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Don't really know the course but it's gonna frozen for sure, so Stybar would be a safe bet.
I'm gonna go with Nys however. For the first time in ages he hasn't dominated the entire season and all the classifications and he'll have a lot less stress compared to the passed year because everybody will be looking at Albert and Stybar.

 

[sTTevie]

the fighting for a team spot is in full swing since this week ... ... De Bie said only Albert & Nys are sure of a place in the team at the moment ... by Monday we'll know the team

Vervecken wants a spot, Vanthourenhout wants a spot, Wellens demands his spot

today's race will be deciding ... looking forward to what Vervecken can pull out of his hat here ... he's always good at Roubaix

 

[miffed]

Stybar looks amazing in Roubaix today and Nys was awsome at the Belgium nationals so it looks like it could be a tight race. Its just a shame the idiot pulled Albert off the bike last week it looked like an interesting 3 way battle was raging in cross this year, he looked (relativly) slow yesterday.

My prediciton Nys to edge it, especially if its rock solid

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

My prediction:
1)Klaas Vantornhout
2)Zdenek Stybar
3)Gerben De Knecht/Bart Wellens

Nys crashes with 2 laps to go, no Albert in top 5.

 

[sTTevie]

Belgian team has been announced ...

Niels Albert - Sven Nys - Klaas Vantornout - Kevin Pauwels - Erwin Vervecken - Bart Wellens - Bart Aernouts



I think it's nice for Erwin that he was selected ... a fitting tribute to a 18 year career at the highest level

 

[BrandonT]

I also think the Ladies race will be a good one. I hope that Katie Compton can get over those leg cramps and get back into the race. She probably won't have good form though.

I agree that Vervecken's selection is a nice tribute. I would say his 4th place sealed his selection. I think Sven Vanthournhout is probably a little put out though.

 

[BrandonT]

Only 6 days left to go! After yesterday's race and the form shown by Albert and Stybar I believe it will be a great race in Tabor. I don't think Albert has the technical ability to win but it will be exciting.

Will the Belgium team play nice again this year? Does Stybar have a strong enough team to help him win? Or will it just be a cluster of attacks?

 

[sTTevie]

difficult to say ...

last year Boom didn't have any teammates in the Belgian squad ... this year Stybar has Wellens & Pauwels ... the situation is a bit different ...

also, Boom was really the boogyman last year, having provoced the Belgian riders (& public) a bit early in the season, that really helped to set up one front against Boom

Stybie has a lot of Belgian supporters & is very popular among the common public, he's just a nice guy, so he doesn't stir up the same emotions as Boom dit last year


I don't think Pauwels will ride for Stybie, he will do his own thing ... so that leaves Wellens, I'm not sure what he will do, last year he was one of the driving forces behind the 'one Belgian team atmosphere' ...


it'll be exciting ... a lot of good stuff for the newspapers to write about ... the week before the worlds are always the best as a reader

 

[Echoes]

I think you're overrating the collective aspect of the race, gentlemen. With that respect cyclocross is very different from road races. This is certainly true under heavy weather conditions, which is likely to happen on Sunday. A team tactic can prevail only dry "road-like" conditions.

It is usually said that the Belgian controlled last year's race but they couldn't control Stybar.

I'm pretty sure that in Tabor the best will win, not necessarily the leader of the best team.

A good link for the weather on the circuit: http://www.cyklokros.cz/_new/cz/index.php?page=aktuality/538


The French are preparing the race very seriously :
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbzf8v_patrick-bruel-chante-par-lequipe-fr_sport

 

[BrandonT]

it'll be exciting ... a lot of good stuff for the newspapers to write about ... the week before the worlds are always the best as a reader

I wish that certain cycling websites would also write some good stuff about it.

I think that because the Belgians have an advantage with some very good technical riders that they could play a team tactic. If they were all on board.
I could be wrong though.

I am very excited for this race, I think I may have to change my predicition from Stybar to Nys though. I would really like to see Nys win.

 

[sTTevie]

I'm rooting for Pauwels ... pure on merit it should go to one the three usual suspects ... but imagine a post race interview with Kevin ... that would be sweet

 

[Echoes]

Oh yeah. Kevin the shiest sportsman I've ever seen. Poor thing.
I'm not sure he can even speak English.

But he's surely the epitome of kindness.

 

[BrandonT]

I read this morning that Tabor is supposed to get some warmer weather and the course might thaw.

Kevin Pauwels has the most entertaining interviews purely on mannerisms and body language. I have no idea what he is saying but you can tell that he is really uncomfortable.
I also think his ride last week has not been mentioned to much, could he have taken the sprint with Stybar? If the course is thawing and he is in as good of form as last week would suggest then he could be a really big threat on Sunday.

 

[ak-zaaf]

I'm kinda rooting for Nys, but after the behaviour of the Belgians last year I hope Stybar takes it. (Since he's the only non-Belgian contender)
Belgians will prolly claim Stybar as a 'halve vlaming' right away, but still.

 

[sTTevie]

Alaphilippe will have slammed his head into the wall a couple of times I think ... he could've been world champ ... great performance by Paprstka though, did you see how he almost collapsed when he came off his bike ... he gave it all, great!

 

[Echoes]

Shame for van der Poel, unlucky I think.? He looked easy behind Paprika (sic) at some point.

The two favourites van der Poel and Meeusen, disappointing.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Stybar wins.
Good champion.

 

[Tom T.]

Dominant performance by Stybar. I guess Albert doesn't handle those types of conditions well—he was nowhere to be seen.

 

[Echoes]

Legend, already.

 

[LugHugger]

Dominant performance by Stybar. I guess Albert doesn't handle those types of conditions well—he was nowhere to be seen.

Albert's been recovering from a fractured rib for the best part of a month

Great ride from Stybar to take the win. And a great ride from Nys - how many times did he catch a heel/lose traction and still finish with a bronze? Normally I find every opportunity to diss the guy but he rode with a lot of guts today.

Great race

 

[Tom T.]

Albert's been recovering from a fractured rib for the best part of a month

Save your rolling of the eyes, Chief. He just won the last World Cup race, didn't seem to be bothering him much then.

 

[Echoes]

I agree. He must have recovered from the broken rib by now but something was definitely wrong with him today and I don't think it was just the weather conditions. Let's see what he has to tell us.

 

[BrandonT]

I agree. He must have recovered from the broken rib by now but something was definitely wrong with him today and I don't think it was just the weather conditions. Let's see what he has to tell us.

I am suprised we don't know already, with the way he likes to talk.

I think it was a great race. Highlights: Nys hopping the barriers, Huele on the front, Klass rode brilliantly, Tim Johnson in 14th and Albert DNF. Unfortunately there were no Canadians in the field and only one in the womans race, what a shame.

I think Stybar will be a great WC!

 

[sTTevie]

Albert told clearly his rib didn't bother him at all ... so stop the BS ... he just had a bad day with a track he didn't like ... check him out next Sunday in my hometown Zonhoven, he'll answer with the pedals there

just checking out Zdenek in his new tricolore jersey on a Belgian talkshow, looking good!!!