Cyclocross 2023/24 **Contains spoilers**
Comments
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MvdP in the type of form we saw in 2018/19 and 2019/20 when he looked to be able to win almost at will; yesterday was like Koksijde in 2019, when he came from last to first in one lap......and then just rode away from everybody.
His form is probably better than ever in CX, and the perfect combination of power & technical skills.......
Wout admitted he's not got the form to race hard for an hour, and Tom was ill in the week - and a flat, sandy course is never going to suit a lightweight XCO World champion.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."1 -
Wout was stronger in the Christmas period last year. MvdP won the WC. Maybe Wout is intentionally trying to peak later. Question is just whether that matters and if MvdP can keep this form for the entire campaign.
I also wonder if MvdP may have possibly made a general step forwards like Wout did at the Tour 2 years ago. The increased gym strength work (which should not make any difference to his FTP) has certainly optically changed his legs. His calves are bigger now. Gym work helps with explosiveness, but not really with maximal oxygen consumption. Maybe it's down to longer training periods free of injuries.
PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20230 -
Wout is also juggling a young family with 'work'.
seanoconn - gruagach craic!0 -
So, Fem's winning streak is over - and I suppose it had to be Puck; on that course Fem never looked as comfortable, technically - and crashed during the recce.
Wouldn't surprise me if Wout got a bit closer today.....a harder course may suit him better than the previous tracks.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
I thought Wout wasn’t planning on riding the worlds this season or is that just TP.
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Good battle for podium 3rd between Pidders and Joris. Though pity the tv director was more interested in showing Wout rolling over the line
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...though Newhousing punctured and I suspect had he not, he would have given TP a hard time in a sprint.
seanoconn - gruagach craic!0 -
I’ve been enjoying watching the cross the last few weeks (except the snow race). I normally forget all about it. Having Field and Wyman on comms has been good. Would like to see Alvarado win this one.
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Looks like she’s missed an opportunity with Van Empel crashing but getting back and opening a gap. Hard to see where Alvarado gets an advantage without another mishap.
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Alvarado didn't do a lot wrong but Van Empel just has a massive engine.....and can get away with any technical limitations/ crashes.......
Which doesn't happen when she rides on the MTB. I'd guess her summers will be spent more on the road, than MTB.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
I assume it is a night race today? Should be fun as I’ve not watched one before.
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And after the sandpit.... who takes off again and leaves them all for dead?
“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
That was mighty impressive by MVDP. He'd sussed them out and knew he had the power in the sand. As soon as he saw he had the smallest gap he dropped the hammer and Pidcock just couldn't get back to him.
Nice ending by Pidcock as well, Dukes of Hazard style dive bomb into the last corner to get 2nd
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The 'pure' cyclo cross rider bumped down the list when the big 3 arrive. How many times has he finished ahead of WvA, MvdP and TP?
"I won the Superprestige overall but...". It must feel hollow.
seanoconn - gruagach craic!0 -
Not the first time he's done that this year; did similar in the last corner of the XCC Worlds in Glentress to get 3rd place - which upset Luca Schwarzbauer who complained; Eli is a racer, and just got on with it.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
Interesting entry for the next few Kerstperiode races; Swiss champion & MTB World Cup Overall winner, Alessandra Keller.....a rare entry from one of the top MTB racers. Most of them no longer bother, especially in the men.
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
Women's Hulst race is a good watch, particularly the final lap.
Now moving on to the men's. The 'big' 3 all there. Though Pidders looks bigger than Iserbyt....
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The "Big Three" has ended up a bit of an anti-climax unfortunately.
“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
Cataclysmic start from Pidcock - crashes on the first corner and wrecks his bike.
MvdP makes it seven in a row with ease, Van Aert struggles to 5th, Pidcock fights back to 25th having given literally everyone a minute's headstart.
MvdP possibly in trouble for flobbing at some gobby fans (reports they threw beer and urine on him)
Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Especially when they get an advantage with the gridding.
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Could have been. But bzzzt... Hulst is in the Netherlands, just.
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Holland. Which makes the booing slightly inexplicable in a 'home race'.
Like Oz, he didn't deal with it very well. The commentator had said that urine had been thrown at riders historically but there's no mention of that here.
seanoconn - gruagach craic!0 -
Why does Pidcock get gridded further back than Wout? I get that WVA and MVDP get gridded on the second row due to not doing many of the races but not why Tom gets then sent another row or two back. The quality outside the top 10 or so doesn’t seem great, Pidcock seemed to almost decide to quit after his mechanical before deciding to run a large part of the first lap to the pits yet managed to overtake 40-50 riders in the rest of the race. Really challenging circuit today though.
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The top eight in the World Cup standings are on the front row, then the rest are gridded according to their UCI ranking. Wout Van Aert is currently ranked eighth by the UCI, Pidcock twenty-ninth.
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I think Row 4 is for other discipline riders who are ranked in the Top 10 of that discipline; which is why Keller was gridded high up, having not raced CX since the Swiss Narionals in January.
Multiple World Cup wins in CX & MTB for Puck, and only 21 years old; I don't think enough is made of how rare that is......
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
Updated heads on a calendar shot:
Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
It has so far agreed, and to be fair unless MvdP is ill, or has a crash/mechanical I can't see anyone challenging him.
3 more races with all in attendance, would at least like to see Pidcock and WvA having a battle.
Felt F70 05 (Turbo)
Marin Palisades Trail 91 and 06
Scott CR1 SL 12
Cannondale Synapse Adventure 15 & 16 Di2
Scott Foil 181 -
I wonder if all these races over the Christmas period also play into the hands of the big road names as they are more used to racing several days back to back?
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