Who is your rider of 2020?

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  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    That's some going.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Started from second row on the grid as well. Never put a foot wrong, nailed all the technical sections. You could see MVP head start to drop as he started to make a few errors. Great race to watch if you can.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    I watched the race, it was excellent though I think Van Der Poel was tired after yesterday's effort.

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    Not sure winning a cross event puts him in the running for rider of the season 2020 in a road race poll tbh ;-)
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    It was just general chat.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    As there is a dearth of road racing at the moment I thought I would raise just for folks interest. Also TP did beat a few peoples rider of the year at the discipline where he has generally left everyone else floundering in the mud.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    webboo said:

    As there is a dearth of road racing at the moment I thought I would raise just for folks interest. Also TP did beat a few peoples rider of the year at the discipline where he has generally left everyone else floundering in the mud.


    He did. It was an excellent performance
    But then Aston Villa thrashed Liverpool 7-2, but no-one's awarding them the league just yet.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    He also beat anyone who is anyone in Cyclocross apart from WvA.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    webboo said:

    He also beat anyone who is anyone in Cyclocross apart from WvA.


    So 50% of the people who are anyone in cross.

    I'm not knocking him here, he did well, I'm just a cross skeptic.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    Cross skeptics are nearly always perpetually disappointed romantics - or people who aren’t sure about cyclocross.
    MVDP said that Pidcock killed him in the running sections.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    ocdupalais said:

    Cross skeptics are nearly always perpetually disappointed romantics - or people who aren’t sure about cyclocross.
    MVDP said that Pidcock killed him in the running sections.


    I actually watched the last three laps of the race as twitter was saying it was an epic battle. But the gap between them barely changed. And the skidding looked more risky than it probably really was. I can understand being at the course with Le Chouffe on tap and frites mayo in hand, but it's never engaged me.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Ride one it’s a great way to get your a*se handed back to you on a plate.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    webboo said:

    Ride one it’s a great way to get your a*se handed back to you on a plate.

    As noted above, I am more at home drinking beer and eating chips than racing. But I can absolutely understand that they are great to ride.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    I think the majority of riders within the first lap are thinking why am I not drinking beer, eating chips and just watching this.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,444
    RichN95. said:

    ocdupalais said:

    Cross skeptics are nearly always perpetually disappointed romantics - or people who aren’t sure about cyclocross.
    MVDP said that Pidcock killed him in the running sections.


    I actually watched the last three laps of the race as twitter was saying it was an epic battle. But the gap between them barely changed. And the skidding looked more risky than it probably really was. I can understand being at the course with Le Chouffe on tap and frites mayo in hand, but it's never engaged me.
    I've never really been able to get into watching it either, although perhaps I just haven't tried enough. I'm sure road cycling didn't grab me straight away.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    bobmcstuff said:



    I've never really been able to get into watching it either, although perhaps I just haven't tried enough. I'm sure road cycling didn't grab me straight away.

    Oh, I haven't tried enough. And my first road race on TV was stage 13 of the 1986 Tour, which would still be in my top five Tour stages ever, maybe still at number 1. I got lucky.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    I’m inclined to agree in terms of not taking cross seriously. Which is why it’s the perfect fill in for the (more) normal road off season Nov-Feb. But now the best cross riders are winning the biggest races on the road, so we got to pay attention, innit.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    That '86 tour was brilliant. 'Slaying the Badger' was available on Youtube but looks like its pay for download only.

    Back to Cyclocross.

    Tom is only 21 and that was a helluva ride.
    The thing I don't like about some of the cyclo cross courses, is the artificial ramps and steps. Some of the courses are far too contrived; soul less.

    Namur 2019. Mud fest.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DjFy6SIViI
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,262
    I just think 'It's a Knockout' from my youth and Stuart Hall* shouting 'And here come the Belgians'

    *Yes, I know
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    edited December 2020
    Namur 2020 is on Sunday and young Tom was saying post race win that’s what he’s been training for.
    However I have probably cursed him by posting this.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    But it is very hilly and the commentators yesterday said that it favours TP.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,730
    edited December 2020
    webboo said:

    Namur 2020 is on Sunday and young Tom was saying post race win that’s what he’s been training for.
    However I have probably cursed him by posting this.


    Another niece of mine will be racing Namur on Sunday, as she has for the past few editions.
    Will I watch it?
    Mmmmm maybe, maybe not, because as with all cross races, you never get to to see 95% of the field after the first section or two of the first lap.
    A great pity because more often than not, any drama that takes place is missed by the cameras.
    The only way to watch cross is to be there.

    So I am afraid it's another thumbs down from me, too.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    webboo said:

    Namur 2020 is on Sunday and young Tom was saying post race win that’s what he’s been training for.
    However I have probably cursed him by posting this.

    Should I be posting this in the conspiracy theories thread.
  • ocdupalais
    ocdupalais Posts: 4,317
    blazing_saddles said:

    webboo said:

    Namur 2020 is on Sunday and young Tom was saying post race win that’s what he’s been training for.
    However I have probably cursed him by posting this.


    Another niece of mine will be racing Namur on Sunday, as she has for the past few editions.
    Will I watch it?
    Mmmmm maybe, maybe not, because as with all cross races, you never get to to see 95% of the field after the first section or two of the first lap.
    A great pity because more often than not, any drama that takes place is missed by the cameras.
    The only way to watch cross is to be there.

    So I am afraid it's another thumbs down from me, too.
    What a shit uncle! At least pretend you’re going to/have watched it...
    No wonder kids these days are so confused... one minute someone explains about Santa - the next, they’re riding ‘cross in Belgium and their uncle can’t be arsed to watch... where’s my “shakes head” emoji?
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    edited December 2020
    I can do better than an emoji.


    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,692
    I too watched Tom's win. I'm cross-curious.

    Impressions so far are that while it's a relatively harmless way of spending an hour in front of a telly it lacks the intrigue and slow build of a good road race. It's basically the methadone of cycling until the pure heroin of the road season starts again.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,501
    I guess like indoor cycling in winter, this was a method of earning a living as historically, cycling wasn't a well paid sport.
    And now, it's a way of maintaining fitness.
    Regardless of how things pan out during the cyclocross season, for the likes of the road riders such as Van der Poel, he'll be flying come the spring classics.
    On top of that, there's probably enormous street cred in winning the major cyclocross events.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    blazing_saddles said:

    webboo said:

    Namur 2020 is on Sunday and young Tom was saying post race win that’s what he’s been training for.
    However I have probably cursed him by posting this.


    Another niece of mine will be racing Namur on Sunday, as she has for the past few editions.
    Will I watch it?
    Mmmmm maybe, maybe not, because as with all cross races, you never get to to see 95% of the field after the first section or two of the first lap.
    A great pity because more often than not, any drama that takes place is missed by the cameras.
    The only way to watch cross is to be there.

    So I am afraid it's another thumbs down from me, too.
    I'd agree - cross looks great fun if you're on site, really struggle to get into it on the TV.

    Good fun to ride as well although been a while now! Always keep saying I'll do the local leagues again. Would need a CX bike again tho....

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