Cross 2015/2016 *Spoilers*

ddraver

*Wyman & Cant exchange positions after start and open a gap together from Vershoen (or something like that)

*Cant keen to get the hole shot, Wyman repeatadly chases back then sits on the front

*Verscheuren has a genuine clipless moment - amateur cyclist everywhere feel better about themselves...


*Cant and Wyman distance whole field, Van Looy chasing but looking knackered already


*First time through the Sand Pit, Cant goes straight through, Wyman fishtails then grinds to a halt. Cant now a long way ahead - race probably over before the first lap has finished...

Cant
Wyman - 6
Van Looy - 10

*Van Looy catches Wyman and goes into second (by a second). Cant miles out in front...

*The gap closes after a lap but Cant then puts 5 seconds into them in the sand pit...

Cant
Van Looy - 10
Wyman - 15

*early in Lap 3, Cant laps first back marker, looks like she's making the first attack

*Verscheuren moves up into 4th with her characteristic, little sister riding big brother's bike style

Cant
Van Looy - 10
Wyman - 24
Versheuren - 45

*Fair play to Van Looy, the gap is not growing but she doesnt look anything like she's going to catch Cant

*Some sticky cleats here - another clipless moment for (I think) Femke van something :shock:


*Cant continues to ride the sand like it's not there, she is gaining serious time very lap just on this short section. Versheuren is slowly catching Wyman but balls up the sand section that time

Laaste Ronde

Cant
Van Looy - 14
Wyman - 36
Verscheuren - late 40s (subtitles were covering up the time)

*Verscheuren has very nearly caught Wyman but the englishwoman is putting up a good fight...

*Catch made, tired mistakes by both riders now, Verscheuren all over Wyman like an excited puppy - makes a pass and stays ahead, opens a gap over a technical section where Wyman is forced to run.

*Distances Wyman - fair play Jolien

*Cant - bearing an uncannily similar style to Chris Froome - has stamped all over this race, it was over by the end of the start loop...

*Last time into the sand for Cant - looks better on the last lap than most did on their first

*Verschurn is struggling with the sand. Don't think she has the raw power of the others

*Voila, een bocht for Cant and a dominant victory.

ddraver

"Eenvrowenshowe, het sand is voor Cant"

deejay

I think at start of last lap ???
Pauwels has been leading Nys & Van Aert by 18 secs to then punctuire for the other two to sort it out.
Van Haar last noted in 6th place.

deejay

I can't see it, but

Kevin has won this one

greasedscotsman

That was a very strange crash. Not sure what happened there. Don't think it would have made much difference, Pauwels looked very strong.

deejay

Superprestige #3 - Ruddervoorde
1.Pauwels,
2.Van Aert,
3.Nys,
4.Vantornout,
5.Meeusen,
6.Van der Haar,
7.Van Kessel,
8.D.Sweeck,

ddraver

Van Aert chased back from a long way behind. Not a strong start for the younglings (after yesterday probably), Van de Haar got the hole shot then pretty much gave up after 200m...

LeePaton

Hoping for a big Sven win today.

disgruntledgoat

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19740355#p19740355]LeePaton[/url] wrote:

Hoping for a big Sven win today.

1 year to the day since his last one!

deejay

Come on, Kevin.

deejay

11 November 2015 Jaarmarktcross Niel Bel
1.Kevin Pauwels,
2.Tom Meeusen,
3.Sven Nys,
4.Laurens .Sweeck,
5.Tim Merlier,
6.Jens Adams,

Van Aert and Van Haar, did not enter this C2 race

ddraver

Was faffing about and missed the start but it appears that this weeks race is playing out much as last weeks did

After 26 mins (2 to go)
Cant
Verscheuren - 12
3rd place (Harris??) - 36

*Yes - Harris

*Verscheuren appears to have some advantage on the super muddy hills given her tiny size but Cant can power off over the flatter/stickier sections

*Poor Helen Wyman appears to be having a nightmare day at the office

*JS riding the hils where others are running (I say running, more like trotting painfully)

Cant win s - appears to have been a procession again. JS not too far behind in 2nd. Harris a minute behind in 3rd

ddraver

so watching the hightlights it appears that Wyman and Van Looy broke away early but Cant and Van Looy made the gap stick. When Cant attacked and distanced Van Looy, she faded and was overhauled by Verschueren and Harris for 2nd and 3rd

Some poor bloke has just snapped his chain in the start...

ddraver

*Sven and vdH off the front after the first lap...youth vs experience

*WvA is pretty much across, Pauwls (or Vanternhaut??) closing but struggling

*All together over the line

*Whilst I was making my bidons up, Sven has attacked and got clear, /Pauwls/Vant and LvdH chasing, ?P/V lookin the stronger of the two

*again all together over the line - pretty sure it IS Pauwls now

*Now VdH has a go up the long hill has aout 4 secs at the top...WvA leading the chase, opens a gap to Svendog

*Sven and Pauwls overhal LvdH - WvA still in front, now by a long way. Likely race over...

*WvA now away, LvdH has overhalued Svendog, Pauwls just clinging on

*Again, all togehter over the line but LvdH goes again

*LvdH loses an insane amount of time in the pits - goes from 1st to a long way 4th - WvA now putting the power on, Svendog chasing

EDIT - last 2 updates got lost ?!?!

*WvA miles ahead now, Pawuls and Sven chasing, LvdH got back, went into second but has died now

*Paulws has just attacked Sven

Laaste Ronde
WvA
Sven and Kev - 24 but now watching each other
LvdH - 41

WvA wins, Sven outsprints Pauwls in some style, a very pissed off LvdH will take 4th

deejay

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19742894#p19742894]ddraver[/url] wrote:

WvA wins, Sven outsprints Pauwls in some style, a very pissed off LvdH will take 4th

Thanks,
Superprestige #4 – Gavere (BEL)
1) VAN AERT Wout BEL 56:52
2) NYS Sven BEL 00:16
3) PAUWELS Kevin BEL 00:17
4) VAN DER HAAR Lars NED 01:00
5) SWEECK Laurens BEL 01:55
6) VANTORNOUT Klaas BEL 02:00
7) VANTHOURENHOUT Michael BEL 02:04
-8) MERLIER Tim BEL 02:12

rick_chasey

It's a bit like Russian truck racing this, isn't it?

ddraver

You re going to have to help us there RIck...

deejay

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19743004#p19743004]Rick Chasey[/url] wrote:

It's a bit like Russian truck racing this, isn't it?

Yes the Television dosn't get hold of the excitement that the spectatators have.
Truck racing, car racing or Motorbikes are no different when only one or two vehicles are followed around the course on TV and I personally think that cycle racing and cyclocross are better value.
Even for couch potatoes.

Edit
Valentino Rossi put some life into this years GP motorbike series and only came up 5 points short. :roll:

PuttyKnees

I was there with some youth and junior racers - our first live experience of Belgian CX (and theirs of actually racing in Belgium)! It was a great day and a really busy atmosphere, very much enhanced by the presence of massive beer tent with DJs cranking out high tempo versions of oompah songs and other euro classics.

Van Looy indeed went off fast, and then joined by Cant and one other for a short while. Basically Cant has strength and was able punch her way up hills (either running or riding) when others can't. Verschuren seems to lack technical ability (or strength to handle her bike?) but has legs to peg Cant back. Harris crashed early, but was never going to catch either of the leading 2 - she doesn't seem to have the change of pace you need to win, despite obviously have a great engine. I wonder if she will get the kind of coaching input from Boels-Dolmans she will need to step up to the top step.

Men's start was carnage, big crash, snapped chain, the guys carried on. I guess they probably didn't want to be beaten by the hot sauce guy!

What we realised after a couple of days of racing in Belgium is that UK CX bears no resemblance to Belgian. Better/harder courses and spectators willing to pay to watch, possibly attracted by cheap beer and frites but also the entertainment. It's also pretty clear that van Aert could probably ride off on lap 1, but understands the value of providing entertainment and suspense by riding in an attacking group for most of the race.

ddraver

I read during the race that Verschueren is a whopping 1.57cm and 46kg. Her biggest problem is that she has no start whatsoever so despite starting 2nd, ends up in about 15th by the first bend. She is just lacking in power!

She and Cant are the same age -25 - but whilst Cant looks like a grown (young) woman, Verschueren looks like a child. If she has to come from so far back, she clearly has the sticking power to win races, so if she grows up and...ahem...fills out a bit more I suspect she'll be fantastic. If not then a swift switch to being a climber on the road could prove fruitful. However being Belgian and coming 2nd in Superprestige is not a bad way to make a living...

PuttyKnees

Her stats on Fidea Telenet say 162cm, which means she is pretty underweight if correct, whereas Sanne Cant looks like a healthy, defined athlete. Typically, such low weight can't be maintained in a healthy way, particularly for women, and I suspect she'll burn brightly and be unable to sustain her performances.

ddraver

OK, they may be numbers from when she was younger then, I mean she's clearly small but 46kg does seem insanely low...

deejay

Today - 21 Nov 2015
SOUDAL Classics - GP Hasselt Hasselt BEL C1
Tomorrow 22 Nov 2015
Koksijde (BE) World Cup C1

deejay

Belgium - Hasselt Grand Prix - Soudal Classics
1. Sven Nys in 59'30"
2. Tom Meeusen - 7"
3. Kevin Pauwels - 12"
4. Diether Sweeck - 33"
5. Laurens Sweeck - 35"
6. Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) - 46"
Sven Nys, First win since November last year.
Van Aert & Van der Haar did not enter.

blazing_saddles

A busy day of live cycling for Sporza ahead.

Eurosport 1 have coverage today's action at 6-30pm.

deejay

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19747241#p19747241]Blazing Saddles[/url] wrote:

Eurosport 1 have coverage today's action at 6-30pm.

Sorry, Saddles but on British Eurosport the schedule states Valkenburg Round 2 highlights at that time today

B,E. have Round 3 Koksijde World Cup (BEL) Highlights on Monday 23 Nov at 1300 GMT (1pm)

Edit - On twitter
Mathieuvanderpoel @mathieuvdpoel

Starting my cx season today at the same place were I became worldchampion for the first time. #motivated

PuttyKnees

Didn't manage to see the elite women's but the men's race was incredible from start to finish. So too and fro!

deejay

Sven Nys, 2 wins in 2 days.
Google Translate :- Sven Nys has won the Duinencross in Koksijde. He knocked Wout van Aert, the leader in the World Cup, in a muddy sprint. World Champion Van der Poel was at his comeback in the third field.

1. Sven Nys in 1u02'39"
2. Wout van Aert +4"
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) +1'06"
4. Lars van der Haar (Ned) +1'12"
5. Laurens Sweeck +1'19"
6. Tom Meeusen +1'31"
7. Toon Aerts +1'34"
8. Kevin Pauwels +1'46"

FJS

Is Van Aert going to have a Nys-season? Dominant most of the year but downhill at the time of the world champs?

deejay

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19747462#p19747462]FJS[/url] wrote:

Is Van Aert going to have a Nys-season? Dominant most of the year but downhill at the time of the world champs?

I don't think so yet but maybe. ?

Wout van Aert wrote:

"I had to settle for second place", (but remains the leader in the World Cup). "After the puncture I had to work hard to get back to Nys. I was not at my best today and the technical strips I made some mistakes. I had expected that Nys would be slower after his victory yesterday. A lot of respect for him, for today and throughout his career."