CX Season 2021/22 thread...

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  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    I don't quite understand the seeding because why should the TP's, MVDP'S and the WVA get front row above the regulars doing the whole CX season?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    I don't think they do; the World Cup grid goes on current standings - so when they return they'll be on the 4th row?? As there is (a fairly recent rule) for top ranked riders from road/MTB to enter on the 4th row - otherwise they'd start at the back, and they'd not bother to turn up.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    andyrac said:

    I don't think they do; the World Cup grid goes on current standings - so when they return they'll be on the 4th row?? As there is (a fairly recent rule) for top ranked riders from road/MTB to enter on the 4th row - otherwise they'd start at the back, and they'd not bother to turn up.

    They were more or less front row starters last season.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    I think that would have been based on the UCI rankings, and due to Covid, taken from the end of the 2019/20 season.
    They've all dropped down the rankings, so I imagine they won't start at the front.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    pinno said:

    andyrac said:

    I don't think they do; the World Cup grid goes on current standings - so when they return they'll be on the 4th row?? As there is (a fairly recent rule) for top ranked riders from road/MTB to enter on the 4th row - otherwise they'd start at the back, and they'd not bother to turn up.

    They were more or less front row starters last season.
    They weren’t in their first couple of races but as they started winning and getting high places, they moved up the grid.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,822
    Yeah Pidcock started way back on his return race last year (the Tabor World Cup). Then as the season went on and they won more, they moved forwards.

    I think the small fields is because the support races are separate now, rather than lumping the U23s in win the Pros which they've done for the last year
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    Yes, the men's U23 field meant about 37 in the Elite race; whereas, the women are raced together.

    As we've already had 6 World Cups, I doubt they'll get near the front row; but they probably don't need to.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    The smaller fields are probably better because beyond the first 15, there's not a lot of points to scrap for and the time gaps at this point are huge.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-aert-to-beat-van-der-poel-to-cyclo-cross-season-debut/

    https://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/marianne-vos-hervat-crossseizoen-medio-december-in-val-di-sole/

    Both Jumbo-Visma riders have announced their short programmes for the rest of the season; though Wout (and the team) will decide later if he does the Worlds in Fayettville, USA.


    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    Another weekend, another World Cup, this time the sand classic in Koksijde; wins for Annemarie Worst & Eli Iserbyt.

    Which means after 14 races (7 each) only 3 countries have won; Netherlands, Belgium & Hungary.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,700
    THREE countries??

    Cross is truly going global!!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    Well yes; there's always a chance Honsiger might win one, if she can get a better start, and gets her conditions; mud & climbs. And in the men's Pidcock if things go his way; so that's two more.

    It looks like a few riders won't make the trips to France/Italy for the World Cups in Besancon, or Val di Sole.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,700
    edited November 2021
    Facebook reminds me I was in Koksijde a few years ago. Wonder what happened to these 2 youthful fellas...




    (not the best photo, hands were still shaking from the 6 day hangover 🥴)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    I do like the effervescent Worst. She has a new fan.

    I just wonder if Hermans is starting a little quick. He's always there or thereabouts but seems to peter out. I did like Koksijde.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Did anyone else have no commentary this weekend on both days races. Although I like having it was good to hear the fans cheering the riders on.
    Annemarie seemed to get a lot of support, didn’t seem to be a lot of support for Denise Betsima.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,700
    Even Belgians think Frisians are weird.... ;)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    Yes, same here; I could get ambient sound, French/Dutch commentary, but no English commentary. Don't know why.......

    As I've often said before, I think we're being short changed in regards to CX World Cup coverage; on air 5 mins before the start, no previews, etc No 'on site coverage'.
    The Red Bull TV MTB coverage is in another league.

    Even the new Track Champions League get better coverage, with presenters at the venue; with analysis afterwards, etc Discovery/Eurosport obviously feel that's more important.....
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    webboo said:

    Did anyone else have no commentary this weekend on both days races. Although I like having it was good to hear the fans cheering the riders on.
    Annemarie seemed to get a lot of support, didn’t seem to be a lot of support for Denise Betsima.

    No commentary on the live coverage but commentary on the highlights?!

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553
    GCN offer two streams, the one with the live show and another which just shows the race. For some reason the latter was without commentary this week, probably due to a technical issue on their side.
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    Another double header this weekend. The Urban Cross in Kortrijk today, then the next round of the World Cup in Besancon, France; though some riders are missing it.....

    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,700
    Interesting read from Pidcock...

    https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tom-pidcock-in-the-cross-fire/
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    More technical issues today. No commentary on the first bit of the woman's race. Then on catch up there was 15 minutes of no mens race. Found the mens race in the on demand bit but the half the first lap was missing.
    However the racing was pretty good.
  • pollys_bott
    pollys_bott Posts: 1,012
    webboo said:

    Did anyone else have no commentary this weekend on both days races. Although I like having it was good to hear the fans cheering the riders on.
    Annemarie seemed to get a lot of support, didn’t seem to be a lot of support for Denise Betsima.

    I work weekends so watched these in the evening on catch-up and stumbled across a solution for the missing commentary - the WC races were on the UCI YouTube page but the picture quality was pants, so minimised that page keeping Ant McCrossan's commentary whilst watching the muted HD stream on Player. Took a bit of jiggling to get them synched but worked ok :-)

    Lack of support for Betsema may have something to do with her doping conviction..?

    Women's race today was good, nice to see Alvarado making her way back to form after injury.
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    edited November 2021
    The missing commentary and other blips are annoying but, what can you do? Wout was interviewed, but no sound....
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    andyrac said:

    The missing commentary and other blips are annoying but, what can you do? Wout was interviewed, but no sound....

    To be honest given how many races I can get to watch, a few blips isn’t really that much of a big deal.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    edited November 2021
    ddraver said:

    Interesting read from Pidcock...

    https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tom-pidcock-in-the-cross-fire/

    "I jumped off my bike, slipped straight on my arse and slid straight towards a cameraman. As I got up, I said, ‘Did you get that?’ He said, ‘Of course!’"

    lol
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    edited November 2021
    Referee!

    That was a good scrap between Eli and Toon - rest were no where to be seen. No LvdH?
    Brand is head and shoulders above the rest of the girls.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    pinno said:

    Referee!

    That was a good scrap between Eli and Toon - rest were no where to be seen. No LvdH?
    Brand is head and shoulders above the rest of the girls.

    Lars crashed warming up for Saturdays race and injured himself I think.
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,198
    LvdH didn't travel as he hurt his back the day before - and Alvarado didn't travel either. Hermans was another who didn't race. It's that time of the year when riders are missing races. Sadly, quite a few are missing the snow Cross race in Val di Sole, for a training camp......

    Brand is in really good form, and is now a lot better technically than she was - she's still not the best, but her power is more than the others, and in mud allows her to dominate.
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 52,356
    webboo said:

    pinno said:

    Referee!

    That was a good scrap between Eli and Toon - rest were no where to be seen. No LvdH?
    Brand is head and shoulders above the rest of the girls.

    Lars crashed warming up for Saturdays race and injured himself I think.
    I missed that - probably because the coverage/commentary on ES was dicky on the Saturday.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!

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