Worlds

[BrandonT]

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!!!

Are you going to that race?

I wish that Cross would gain enough popularity that we in NA could see the WC on a talk show. Stybar on Oprah! haha

 

[sTTevie]

yep ... it's a cool cross actually, raced in & around an old/cleaned up waste dump

I'll post the clip from the talk show as soon as I find it ... it's got some footage of Stybie's dad at the WC ...

 

[Echoes]

Enjoy it. Ths winter I was lucky enough to go and see a cross in my hometown (Namur). There's nothing like it. Cyclocross is the best sport to see on TV but going to it is really as good as it gets.


A cross on a waste dump reminds me of the WC in Oss , Netherlands, where Liboton got a fist on his stomach and still won.

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

He actually saif what Tom T said above, that is he's not made for ice and snow. I can't really believe a word of it. In Kalmthout he was rather good.

 

[BrandonT]

He actually saif what Tom T said above, that is he's not made for ice and snow. I can't really believe a word of it. In Kalmthout he was rather good.

I think it is more a lack of mental strength, he tells himself he isnt good at it and then gets a terrible start and then whines about it. Has anyone else noticed that he gets some really bad starts?

I also read that Kevin Pauwels said that he wasnt good in the snow and ice and thats why he was so far back. I think he had a pretty good first half of the race though.

 

[The Crusher]

I have a question about how the start order is determined. It looked like the two front rows were the entire Belgium team, the entire French team, and the entire Czech team. And lo and behold, these teams ended up with lots of riders in the top 20.

So was the start order based on team points only and not individual points?

It's my understanding that starting position is really important in cyclocross, because the races aren't long enough to catch up from a poor starting position. And in worlds this would be even more true, with the entire field more closely matched.

Or to be really blunt, if Tim Johnson had been on the front row of that race, I think he would have been on the podium. As it was, he had to pass a ton of world-class cyclists to reach 14th place.

Wouldn't it be better for the starting order to be based on individual points? Or to put all the National Champions at the front?

 

[eric_vv]

I have a question about how the start order is determined. It looked like the two front rows were the entire Belgium team, the entire French team, and the entire Czech team. And lo and behold, these teams ended up with lots of riders in the top 20.

So was the start order based on team points only and not individual points?

It's my understanding that starting position is really important in cyclocross, because the races aren't long enough to catch up from a poor starting position. And in worlds this would be even more true, with the entire field more closely matched.

Or to be really blunt, if Tim Johnson had been on the front row of that race, I think he would have been on the podium. As it was, he had to pass a ton of world-class cyclists to reach 14th place.

Wouldn't it be better for the starting order to be based on individual points? Or to put all the National Champions at the front?

The starting order is decided by individual point not team points. To be blunt Tim Johnson simply isn't good enough to start on the front rows. You need some results in the world cups (the big point earners) to get on the front row.

Even starting on the front row wouldn't get Johnson on the podium he just isn't at the same level as the top riders. (nothing against Johnson but when has he ever been competitive in a strong field?)

Putting the national champions on the front wouldn't be fair to the actual contenders since most national champions just don't belong there. The reason the Belgians are all up there is because every single one of them had better results during the season than Johnson in big international fields.

It's still posiible to be competitive fom the back of the field and have good results, look at Nys at the start of the season after he pulled out of the first world-cup and Wellens who missed the first halve of the season. But mostly there is a reason why someone starts at the back row, they just aren't good enough!

 

[Echoes]

I think it is more a lack of mental strength, he tells himself he isnt good at it and then gets a terrible start and then whines about it. Has anyone else noticed that he gets some really bad starts?

Actually, he didn't start that bad that time. He was 5th or 6th when he entered the field but he lost many places in the first hairpin bend where he made a mistake. But it's true that he's not the fastest starter of the field.

Anyway he just won Malderghem. So he's back on track.

I also read that Kevin Pauwels said that he wasnt good in the snow and ice and thats why he was so far back. I think he had a pretty good first half of the race though.

That's right. Kevin hasn't had great results on ice and snow this season. On Sunday he started great but then he fell 5 times and seemed to suffer a lot just after finish.

 

[BrandonT]

Anyway he just won Malderghem. So he's back on track.
QUOTE]

He did have a good ride, out to prove something... Sven didnt have a typical race either from what I saw.

Is Sven ever going to win another WC?

 

[Echoes]

I'm also afraid this was Sven last chance but we never know. He's still competitive and maybe will focus on this event by now, as he's become the 'underdog' in the different rankings. Next year we'll be back to Sankt Wendel where he became World Champion and Styby won the U23 event.

It will however certainly be more and more difficult for him but as Vanthourenhout said on Sporza, the way Nys is riding now shows he's still a candidate.