Glasgow Worlds 2023 *spoiler thread*

daniel_b

"Mathieu van der Poel may receive a welcome windfall towards the World Championships mountain biking next Saturday. The Dutchman from Alpecin-Deceuninck should normally be on the very last row, but it could just be that he ends up on row four through a loophole. And that could theoretically make his catch-up race a lot easier in Scotland...

In mountain bike World Cup races, riders who are in the top ten ranking in another cycling discipline are allowed to take a seat further in front. Van der Poel is currently sixth in the UCI World Ranking for road cycling and fifth in the same ranking for cyclocross, so he falls under that special arrangement in World Cup races.

A small problem: the technical guide of this year's mountain biking World Championships does not indicate that riders have a special arrangement based on their performance in the other disciplines. There we simply read that the riders are lined up at the start in order of the UCI Ranking.

The World Championships organization in Glentress Forest, Scotland is currently looking at the possibility of adjusting this, so that the technical guide largely corresponds to competitions in the World Cup and Van der Poel can therefore start a few rows further from the front. That would then be in the fourth row, In de Leiderstrui reports. But will the other riders fighting for an Olympic starting ticket be so happy about that?"

Do we know where Pidcock will start, or how many rows will there be?

bobmcstuff

TheBigBean said:

ddraver said:

TheBigBean said:

Does anyone know why MvdP doesn't use a dropper post? I've never ridden with one, but I can see the advantages.

For a long time the reason for most of them was weight. I can't think of a better one.

They are game changing even to mere mortals.

The world of mountain biking is very different from the one I used to play around with. I used a rigid...bike.

I got a rigid (carbon) MTB during 2021 as there wasn't a great deal of choice during COVID - first thing I changed was to put a dropper on. Makes things like that steep rock drop/roller way more achievable.

I now have a 120mm fork on there as well, plus better wheels/tyres, but the dropper makes a massive difference to rideability especially on anything steep (obviously the fork makes a big difference on rough stuff, but I wouldn't say it makes things that weren't rideable before rideable, just a lot faster...)

I know some very good riders don't use them when the course is relatively non-technical for the weight saving. But this course isn't that!

TheBigBean

bobmcstuff said:

TheBigBean said:

ddraver said:

TheBigBean said:

Does anyone know why MvdP doesn't use a dropper post? I've never ridden with one, but I can see the advantages.

For a long time the reason for most of them was weight. I can't think of a better one.

They are game changing even to mere mortals.

The world of mountain biking is very different from the one I used to play around with. I used a rigid...bike.

I got a rigid (carbon) MTB during 2021 as there wasn't a great deal of choice during COVID - first thing I changed was to put a dropper on. Makes things like that steep rock drop/roller way more achievable.

I now have a 120mm fork on there as well, plus better wheels/tyres, but the dropper makes a massive difference to rideability especially on anything steep (obviously the fork makes a big difference on rough stuff, but I wouldn't say it makes things that weren't rideable before rideable, just a lot faster...)

I know some very good riders don't use them when the course is relatively non-technical for the weight saving. But this course isn't that!

I'm in no doubt that they sound good and would definitely want one if I took up mountain biking. All the other stuff, I'm less excited by.

andyrac

World & Euro Championships are gridded according to the most recent UCI ranking (released every Tuesday). World Cups are entirely different; but we know that. There is a reason he is carrying No 101 - that's where he is meant to be gridded. Any other position is just last minute rule changing to suit the UCI, as I doubt the rider has requested it.

I've seen a tweet from a road journalist that doesn't seem to realise World Cup ranking/ rules are not the same as World Championships.

No_Ta_Doctor

Didn't see any of you mention this yesterday, do I need to set homework?

No_Ta_Doctor said:

No_Ta_Doctor said:

https://twitter.com/UCI_cycling/status/1687846798784606208?s=20

Hope you were all taking notes

No_Ta_Doctor said:

Another name on the "one for the future" list

16 year old Albert Withen Philipsen, JNR DK TT and Road champ + MTB and Cross titles

https://twitter.com/LosBrolin/status/1672932362194149376?s=20

He can add the World's Jnr MTB XCO title as well now, so it seems that as far as Jnr's go he is "all that"

andyrac

Yeah, I mentioned it elsewhere; he's a first year junior, and is setting times U23 riders would be pleased with. Can he complete the set next year at the CX Worlds?

I saw a tweet from a Danish fan trying to dampen enthusiasm; remember Simon Andreassen??....Junior World Champion XCO x2, and CX in 2014/15. He's now 'merely' a Top20 Elite rider...though he has had plenty of injuries.

I may be wrong, but I do think Philipsen is a generational talent.....in any discipline. Time will tell.

No_Ta_Doctor

andyrac said:

Yeah, I mentioned it elsewhere; he's a first year junior, and is setting times U23 riders would be pleased with. Can he complete the set next year at the CX Worlds?

I saw a tweet from a Danish fan trying to dampen enthusiasm; remember Simon Andreassen??....Junior World Champion XCO x2, and CX in 2014/15. He's now 'merely' a Top20 Elite rider...though he has had plenty of injuries.

I may be wrong, but I do think Philipsen is a generational talent.....in any discipline. Time will tell.

It's always difficult to know if young talents are just early developers that will get caught later. There are a lot of people right now trying to make sure Philipsen doesn't get too overhyped and pressured - particularly because the Danish definition/perception of success is currently spectacularly high thanks to Vingegaard, Mads P, Asgreen and Cort. I wonder if the cross-disciplinary factor is an indicator though?

DeadCalm

Ben Wiggins just gone 3rd fastest at the first split in the Jr TT.

No_Ta_Doctor

DeadCalm said:

Ben Wiggins just gone 3rd fastest at the first split in the Jr TT.

The wind has picked up though, this probably means a bit of tailwind home

Pross

No_Ta_Doctor said:

andyrac said:

Yeah, I mentioned it elsewhere; he's a first year junior, and is setting times U23 riders would be pleased with. Can he complete the set next year at the CX Worlds?

I saw a tweet from a Danish fan trying to dampen enthusiasm; remember Simon Andreassen??....Junior World Champion XCO x2, and CX in 2014/15. He's now 'merely' a Top20 Elite rider...though he has had plenty of injuries.

I may be wrong, but I do think Philipsen is a generational talent.....in any discipline. Time will tell.

It's always difficult to know if young talents are just early developers that will get caught later. There are a lot of people right now trying to make sure Philipsen doesn't get too overhyped and pressured - particularly because the Danish definition/perception of success is currently spectacularly high thanks to Vingegaard, Mads P, Asgreen and Cort. I wonder if the cross-disciplinary factor is an indicator though?

Probably less likely to be the case when he's beating those a couple of years older at present. I think it's a bigger issue in the slightly younger age groups too. I suppose it is also a much smaller pool racing in a two year age group than when you end up with the best of a much wider age range though if that makes sense.

bobmcstuff

Just caught up on the short track, looks like it's dried up a bit since I was there last weekend...

No_Ta_Doctor

Oscar Chamberlain (AUS) goes fastest by 34", absolutely flew up the climb

No_Ta_Doctor

Wiggins comes in 2nd, 24" down

No_Ta_Doctor

Final top 3

CHAMBERLAIN Oscar
28:29.62
WIGGINS Ben
+24.78
LEIDERT Louis
+34.11


Meanwhile, u23 MTB XCO is onto the last lap with a GB, France, Swiss front three group 30-40" ahead of the next best

No_Ta_Doctor

French guy attacked on the start climb, Charlie Aldridge countered, they dropped the Swiss guy and then Aldridge gained 5-6 seconds on the descent

No_Ta_Doctor

Aldridge takes it comfortably

andyp

No_Ta_Doctor said:

Aldridge takes it comfortably

Pleased that a Scot won on home soil.

andyrac

And adds an U23 World title to his Junior Worlds won in 2019 in Mont Sainte-Anne....

Lanterne_Rogue

Eldest has just seen the semi-final for the trials riding.

"Dog agility for bikes" was their somewhat scornful summary.

bm5

Simon Brotherton is back on commentary for the men's tt.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

WvA has just set off in the mens TT.

No_Ta_Doctor

Kasper Asgreen fastest at the first intermediate.... Hmmmm....

No_Ta_Doctor

Tarling even faster

Pross

Tarling currently leader at CP1 by 20" over Asgreen, Wout approaching so I suspect that will change very soon.

kingstongraham

The difference in shape between Ganna and Pog sat next to each other.

r0bh

WvA only 6th at first split, 27s down on Tarling

Pross

Actually Wout is 27" down!!

blazing_saddles

Oh dear WVA.

Pross

Has Josh gone out too hard?

kingstongraham

Remco