CX Season 2022/23.......

andyp

daniel_b said:

Dorset_Boy said:

Normal service resumed today, with MvdP showing who is the real boss, ahead of WvA and Pidders as distant third.

A good race worth watching would you say?
or a bit processional?

I'd say @Dorset_Boy 's summary tells nothing of how good a race that was. Definitely worth a watch, as is the women's race.

daniel_b

I did watch it this morning, and despite knowing the result, thought it a thoroughly enjoyable and non processional race

Dorset_Boy

MvdP blew it today. Small mistake when ahead, and then pulled his foot out in the sprint, gifting WvA the win. Very evenly matched today.
Pidders only managed 4th.

seanoconn

Is there a course/conditions where Pidcock could beat the big two barring crash/mechanical?

m.r.m.

Would need longer climbs that the big two can't just power over.

daniel_b

seanoconn said:

Is there a course/conditions where Pidcock could beat the big two barring crash/mechanical?

He managed it last season did he not?

Could it be his training focus for the upcoming classics/road season is simply not lending itself to optimise his performance in these races?

It could even be he is using these races as specific training ahead of the road season.

It's evident from his Sa Calobra time that he is carrying some serious form.

seanoconn

m.r.m. said:

Would need longer climbs that the big two can't just power over.

Only been watching CX for the past couple of seasons but there doesn’t seem to a course WVA and MVdP can’t power over 🤷‍♂️ Not a criticism of CX or courses, I love it/them. Just wondering if I talent like Pidcock will settle for 3rds/4ths and where his future lies.

seanoconn

daniel_b said:

seanoconn said:

Is there a course/conditions where Pidcock could beat the big two barring crash/mechanical?

He managed it last season did he not?

Could it be his training focus for the upcoming classics/road season is simply not lending itself to optimise his performance in these races?

It could even be he is using these races as specific training ahead of the road season.

It's evident from his Sa Calobra time that he is carrying some serious form.

Which brings me to my next point/question.

MVdP only raced once/twice last season and how many times did Pidcock beat Van Aert? I seem to remember WVA riding away from everyone without MVdP there to compete.

Maybe Pidcock is the kick of guy who just can’t churn out the miles on the road through boredom and needs the different challenges of CX and XC, but he has too much talent to settle for podiums in CX, wouldn’t he be better off climbing a mountain somewhere warm while turning himself into a GC contender?

andyp

Pidcock himself has said that if he had to drop one discipline, then it would probably be cross, so I can't see him continuing to ride it unless he can work out how to beat MVDP and WVA.

I don't think he's as far away as recent results suggest. His aggressive riding at Gavere on Boxing Day was probably too early, if he'd saved that for the last two laps the result may have been different. Yesterday he had a poor start and, by the time he got up to the main group, MVDP had gone and dragged WVA with him.

I think Baal on New Year's Day could be a good one for him, the course is very technical and suits his skillset.

andyrac

I've said before, that CX is the discipline that suits him the least; there aren't too many courses that suit him. Long climbs, tricky descents where he can put pressure on the others....He's done it to MvdP at Albstadt & Nove Mesto in MTB.
In CX, Gavere is one, however, the long climb wasn't really rideable due to the thick mud....Baal last year, large sections of mud requiring power.

My one criticism of CX is the paucity of courses for lightweight/climbing types....It's a discipline where power is the main requirement.......having skills is a bonus. Which is why I suspect we never see any of the top male MTB racers.....the sport was set up for road racers, and still is, rather than MTB-ers, who seem to be off in warmer places or XC ski-ing.

orraloon

Night races ! That's my evening sorted. Gone back to watch from start. Puck is back 😊

webboo

orraloon said:

Night races ! That's my evening sorted. Gone back to watch from start. Puck is back 😊

Sh!t, sh!t, sh!t How did miss those, I was sure I’d seen some races today but I only looked as far as this afternoon on today’s schedule. I thought it was wishful thinking.

andyrac

Another nice win for Puck; demonstrating her superior skills.....she's always great to watch.
PFP with more chain/ rear mech issues....why they don't use the GRX which has a clutch baffles me. Saying that, her forms looks miles off....but I think we saw the same 5-6 months ago.

Her XCO World champion predecessor returns to CX soon for a handful of races.....

m.r.m.

seanoconn said:

m.r.m. said:

Would need longer climbs that the big two can't just power over.

Only been watching CX for the past couple of seasons but there doesn’t seem to a course WVA and MVdP can’t power over 🤷‍♂️ Not a criticism of CX or courses, I love it/them. Just wondering if I talent like Pidcock will settle for 3rds/4ths and where his future lies.

Yeah when you look at MvdP's win rate in CX, his body type + technical skill (the latter which Pidcock equals) makes him immensely hard to beat. In comparison to MvdP, WVA has the power, but slightly lacks the technical skills, Pidcock has the technical skills, but lacks the power. MvdP has both hence his dominance in the discipline.

In cross Pidcock tends to win when the other two aren't there (probably the only reason he is WC). That is not criticism of Pidcock. There simply isn't more he can do due to being so slight and there just not being enough longer climbs.

m.r.m.

Oh and just to be clear. Pidcock is an unbelievable talent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sZc87S7zcg&list=LL&index=24&t=356s

MvdP is a god, but at 5:05 in that video Pidcock takes a corner to win the race that I don't think anyone else in the world can manage. Not even MvdP or Sagan.

r0bh

What a race that was!

seanoconn

Helluva race. A bit of consecutive day fatigue adding to the excitement.

orraloon

Good race. No spoilers 😊 well worth a catch up watch.

pinno

Just caught up with this so I have avoided this thread (obviously needlessly, thanks guys). Super racing.
Gotta love Puck Pieterse enthusiasm and skill.
TP must be proud of beating MvdP into 3rd even though he missed out on the win.

seanoconn

Just a couple of tiny slips and getting the wheel caught in the mud while running, lost TP momentum when he had a slight gap towards the end.

pinno

seanoconn said:

Just a couple of tiny slips and getting the wheel caught in the mud while running, lost TP momentum when he had a slight gap towards the end.

Pidcock got his front wheel caught in a dip on more than one lap in the same place but I think that last incident was in a different place.
I have little doubt Pidcock has gone up in WvA's estimation.
I'd love to know what they were talking about before the podium.
The long hill on that course suited TP and the way he took the sand points to 2 things - his ability to read the course and his improved power.

r0bh

seanoconn said:

Just a couple of tiny slips and getting the wheel caught in the mud while running, lost TP momentum when he had a slight gap towards the end.

I think the key point was a bit before that final mud pit when TP couldn't get his feet clipped back in.

Interesting that in his interview he said he rode the right hand line through the sand every time in practice but switched to the left hand line after watching the women's race

seanoconn

Hopefully a good start again from TP this evening,

orraloon

The 3 are on the start list. Big fields as well, 100 on start list for WE and 97 for ME. According to PCS anyway.

daniel_b

seanoconn said:

Helluva race. A bit of consecutive day fatigue adding to the excitement.

orraloon said:

Good race. No spoilers 😊 well worth a catch up watch.

Wowsas, just watched it now, what a race, great to and fro, looked like the race was done and dusted several times, and what a thrilling finish.
I've not watched a raft of cx races, but I'd say that was the most entertaining one I have seen.

I did suspect who the winner would be, but didn't think it would be that incredibly close.

Is todays race worth watching?

gsk82

daniel_b said:

seanoconn said:

Helluva race. A bit of consecutive day fatigue adding to the excitement.

orraloon said:

Good race. No spoilers 😊 well worth a catch up watch.

Wowsas, just watched it now, what a race, great to and fro, looked like the race was done and dusted several times, and what a thrilling finish.
I've not watched a raft of cx races, but I'd say that was the most entertaining one I have seen.

I did suspect who the winner would be, but didn't think it would be that incredibly close.

Is todays race worth watching?

Today's race was another good one.

seanoconn

gsk82 said:

daniel_b said:

seanoconn said:

Helluva race. A bit of consecutive day fatigue adding to the excitement.

orraloon said:

Good race. No spoilers 😊 well worth a catch up watch.

Wowsas, just watched it now, what a race, great to and fro, looked like the race was done and dusted several times, and what a thrilling finish.
I've not watched a raft of cx races, but I'd say that was the most entertaining one I have seen.

I did suspect who the winner would be, but didn't think it would be that incredibly close.

Is todays race worth watching?

Today's race was another good one.

Cracker!

dabber

Yup, the three of them are making it quite a spectacle. Excellent racing. Tough racers.

seanoconn

dabber said:

Yup, the three of them are making it quite a spectacle. Excellent racing. Tough racers.

daniel_b said:

seanoconn said:

Helluva race. A bit of consecutive day fatigue adding to the excitement.

orraloon said:

Good race. No spoilers 😊 well worth a catch up watch.

Wowsas, just watched it now, what a race, great to and fro, looked like the race was done and dusted several times, and what a thrilling finish.
I've not watched a raft of cx races, but I'd say that was the most entertaining one I have seen.

I did suspect who the winner would be, but didn't think it would be that incredibly close.

Is todays race worth watching?

I’d say I’m enjoying these CX races as much if not more than most road races. Hardship, cold, mud rain or snow and a crash/mechanical never far away. All wrapped up neatly in an hour package. Awesome 🤩

seanoconn

seanoconn said:

Hopefully a good start again from TP this evening,

Yup I said evening. I seriously need glasses. I missed the start because I can’t see the start time and had to watch the replay.