Hoogerheide / Zolder CX world's thread

[harryblack]

here's men's Hoogerheide--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr_r5H8NAf4

Sven back on cantilevers for good it seems, hot streak winner on discs, true; I'd make snide comment about the reigning U.S. Champion maintaining his Asheville 'peak' but...

if you're going to be bumped aside within the first six seconds of the race, might as well be by the best.

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, I defy you not to laugh in awe at the stairs, first lap run-up @ 8:35 -- no bunny hoppers allowed.

[livingminimal]

can we just ����ing please have this thread relent from disc discussion.

Please.

Ahem.

I don't see any way MVDP doesn't repeat. That said, he only nipped KP by two seconds last month, but he beat a guy who this course was made for, LVDH, by 40 seconds.

its MVDP's to lose. Too good, too much form. Interesting that wout was terrible (by his standards or what were used to) and sat in for 8th, getting beat by folks like Merlier.

On the women's side, Zolder is a tougher one to predict, but it's hard to bet against Sanne, Lechner did not have her best race here in Dec. I would love to see Katie win but something is still seemingly going on with her allergies or something that's limiting her, and she's gotten really bad starts at the last couple of world cups.

I am hopeful Anthony Clark will be the best placing American. That would make me ecstatic.

[chiasticon]

can we just ｷｷｷｷing please have this thread relent from disc discussion.

I don't see any way MVDP doesn't repeat. That said, he only nipped KP by two seconds last month, but he beat a guy who this course was made for, LVDH, by 40 seconds.

its MVDP's to lose. Too good, too much form. Interesting that wout was terrible (by his standards or what were used to) and sat in for 8th, getting beat by folks like Merlier.agreed, no disc talk. :no:

I agree it's MvdP's to lose. seems maybe Wout peaked a bit early this year. that said, they've both been doing training camps lately...

note that LvdH lost by 40 seconds at Zolder partially because he flatted. at that point, it may have just been damage control to keep 3rd. also note that LvdH was well-placed to get 2nd last year at worlds, while Wout was having all his troubles. he lost it right at the end.

[harryblack]

fave LVDH video--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE4tWHXf6o8

see comments if not immediately evident. I also like Lars because I'm a happy Giant TCX rider (albeit with Centaur + Paul's) AND he runs, doesn't hop, most barriers.

otherwise, MVDP tough to bet against at present though I hope falters enough to make it a real race.

[livingminimal]

agreed, no disc talk. :no:

I agree it's MvdP's to lose. seems maybe Wout peaked a bit early this year. that said, they've both been doing training camps lately...

note that LvdH lost by 40 seconds at Zolder partially because he flatted. at that point, it may have just been damage control to keep 3rd. also note that LvdH was well-placed to get 2nd last year at worlds, while Wout was having all his troubles. he lost it right at the end.

Aside from just being the best, MVDP's knee was maybe a good thing to have happen in the sense that, he has used four straight WC wins to essentially train up for Zolder. That...is pretty remarkable. I'd forgotten about LVDH's flat. You make an interesting point, indirectly, that LVDH may be building to this race. The course suits him so well. It's just hard to see how anything but bad luck kicks MVDP to the curb.

Talk about the women too, guys. It might be a better race afterall.

[livingminimal]

AND he runs, doesn't hop, most barriers.

Lars is not any sort of purist. If he thought he could hop barriers and do it cleanly and with as much smoothness as he runs them, he would.

His ����ty technique in remounts has been covered ad nauseum by Adam Myerson and the like though.

[chiasticon]

Lars is not any sort of purist. If he thought he could hop barriers and do it cleanly and with as much smoothness as he runs them, he would.well I was going to theorize that maybe his height had something to do with it, then I realized that Meeusen is only an inch or so taller... speaking of which, I'd love to see him do well at Worlds. think the track suits him pretty well. I don't think he has a gold in him, but a podium is possible.

Women's race... if last month is any indication of where it's headed, it's going to be exciting. a showdown between Cant and Compton would be unreal, and is likely. Cant only won by 7 seconds last month. I'd love to see either of them win it, but obviously Compton a little more.

[choke]

Cant is the obvious choice, but I wouldn't discount several others - Harris, de Boer, de Jong and Lechner being the obvious pics. I don't think Compton will be on the podium but I suppose anything is possible.

[wallymann]

Sven back on cantilevers for good it seems, hot streak winner on discs, true;

interesting...wonder what the rationale or "event" led to that change...any rumours?

dont want to start a disc war, just wondering what sven is thinking!

[livingminimal]

Cant is the obvious choice, but I wouldn't discount several others - Harris, de Boer, de Jong and Lechner being the obvious pics. I don't think Compton will be on the podium but I suppose anything is possible.

I would LOVE SdB to win gold...Cant's just too strong right now. She played it so safe last weekend and was breathing through her nose...

Cant/MVDP...hard to argue.

[chiasticon]

btw, regarding the LvdH/barrier thing. I totally forgot that he actually crashed on them a few years back, hence the reason why he doesn't hop much anymore. from cxmag after cross vegas 2014: "With so much of this race seeming to be dictated by one set of barriers, we asked van der Haar if he ever practiced hopping the barriers: 'Yeah, I train on it, but there's still a little bit of trauma when I crashed two years ago, and there was a tear in my calf, and I still don't dare to go full-on.'"

sven on cantis: he's gone back and forth for a few years and even has this season. I'm not aware of an "event" causing any decisions there though. let's keep it at that. :cool:

[harryblack]

Lars is not any sort of purist. If he thought he could hop barriers and do it cleanly and with as much smoothness as he runs them, he would.

His ｷｷｷｷty technique in remounts has been covered ad nauseum by Adam Myerson and the like though.

Who implied anything about purity, or cares? I'm against disc propaganda and for courses difficult / lumpy enough hopping isn't a crucial factor. That Lars has great strengths and relative weaknesses is one the things that's likable about him.

I like Adam too but he's a loudmouth, a hothead and a crybaby- in addition to being a generous, supportive and sincere advocate of ethical cycling. That Adam with all the technique in the world hasn't placed high in a cross race that matters since ??? makes him a curious authority to cite, however.

Sven who can choose discs or cantis switching back to the latter is very interesting, not right or wrong but interesting, and of course the masters crowd including myself would love to Sven have one more awesome day.

[livingminimal]

. That Adam with all the technique in the world hasn't placed high in a cross race that matters since ??? makes him a curious authority to cite, however.


Wow.

I dunno.

A very successful coaching business and someone that's respected as a person that has actually done substantial things for US and in particular, NE Cyclocross, for one. tell me, my fair boy, how many significant podiums has Geoff Proctor netted? His palmares isn't brimming with victories. Would you disparage him the same way?

You're kind of a ����ing dick, actually.

[nooneline]

WThat Adam with all the technique in the world hasn't placed high in a cross race that matters since ??? makes him a curious authority to cite, however.

I'm trying to figure out where to start with this comment, but there's just too much ridiculous to unpack.

[gavingould]

here's how it's going to play out...
MVDP rolls off the front with a half-hearted push about mid way through lap 2, blows by a fading Laurens Sweeck, never to be seen again except in the highlight reel doing x-ups and showing off.
Gianni Vermeersch does something to piss everyone off again.
Hyde and Anthony Clark go bananas. Powers, same as it ever was.
Wout if he has a good day and doesn't goof around chilling in 5th to 10th spot when the move goes. Meeusen could surprise, but probably not.

The women's race should be a lot more of an actual race. Like, competitive?
Nikki Harris could have a shot if she's having a great day. Antonneau might be up there with a little luck. Mani definitely if she gets a good start and the race tends to go longer, she def comes on late - if there had been a 5th lap at Hoogerheide she would have been on the podium, but it was only a 40 minute race for De Boer. Cant, Compton, Van Loy are safe money to podium.

not going to get into the disc/canti baloney or guys who are retired. LVDH's little froggy remounts make me laugh, but it looks like zero effort for him, and he grew up in gymnastics. generally i don't question technique of people who are a million times faster than i will ever be

[chiasticon]

generally i don't question technique of people who are a million times faster than i will ever bewhich also includes Myerson for most of us, fwiw.

love the "fading Laurens Sweeck" bit, btw. totally accurate. :p

[nooneline]

i definitely agree that Mathieu Van der Poel is the favorite for World's. I can't help but wonder if Wout was hiding his form at last week's World Cup. He was so good last year and so pissed to miss worlds, and he was so dominant for much of this year, that I have to believe that he's playing things smart. Lars is good at Zolder but not good enough; K-Pau and Meeusen may do well but still, not well enough. The list of medal contenders is long and familiar but I don't see a bunch of those dudes really threatening for the win. It would have to be a very clean, fast race to let one of those guys slip away and turn the race into a tactical affair... which can happen at Zolder... just probably not for the World Champs.

For the women - I don't see anybody beating Cant. As I see it, she gets beaten in heavy, highly technical mud where she makes lots of small mistakes that she can't just power through (Spa-Francorchamps and Hoogerheide come to mind) - and I doubt that Zolder's conditions will be like that. I see Cant winning solo but a very exciting battle for the remaining medals - there is definitely a huge host of women who could podium this race - in fact I think the women's int'l cx scene has had one of the most exciting, dynamic, and competitive seasons i've ever seen.

Worth noting that there's a U23 women's race for the first time, and everybody's excited to see if Ellen Noble will win it.

[bcroslin]

wow, it didn't even take 2 pages for this thread to go sideways....

anyhow, I just wanted to comment that I don't think I've ever seen so much mud on a course. there was maybe one or two sections for recovery. crazy.

[livingminimal]

wow, it didn't even take 2 pages for this thread to go sideways....

anyhow, I just wanted to comment that I don't think I've ever seen so much mud on a course. there was maybe one or two sections for recovery. crazy.

Would be rad to see a power file from the race. The spikes to get through the mud section would be amazing followed by looonnnggg segments of running.

[livingminimal]

Worth noting that there's a U23 women's race for the first time, and everybody's excited to see if Ellen Noble will win it.


completely spaced on this. admittedly not sure who the euro competitors for this would be.

Dang, too bad Kaitlin Antoneau is aged out too...imagine a USA 1-2 going for the top spot in the podium with both of them. Is Emma White contesting it as well?

[gavingould]

Re: W u23 I think Emma White is out due to illness? Emma Swartz and Laurel Rathbun are in - I have absolutely no idea which euros are u23, so not sure what Ellen's chances are.

We might get an American on the juniors podium? U23 men's I doubt unless Logan Owen has a great day. Scott Smith is fun to watch, who else is in there, Dillman? Curtis White?

[livingminimal]

Re: W u23 I think Emma White is out due to illness? Emma Swartz and Laurel Rathbun are in - I have absolutely no idea which euros are u23, so not sure what Ellen's chances are.

We might get an American on the juniors podium? U23 men's I doubt unless Logan Owen has a great day. Scott Smith is fun to watch, who else is in there, Dillman? Curtis White?

I think Dillman is going. Curtis could have a real chance.

Gage Hecht might have a shot at doing something special...

[crankles]

Cant/MVDP...hard to argue.

well, I won't argue...at least with MVDP. I love watching that kid race. He looks like he's always having fun...Woot always looks like he's feeling the weight of that Belgian CX torch.

I don't think Cant is as much of a given....the weather is calling for rain.
I agree she dominates on the fast courses...much like Woot, but Harris, De Boer and Van Loy have all showed some good form...not as consistent as Cant, but I think this could prove to be another great race.

Then again, last year I ran into Katerina about week after Worlds. She said people brought a different "gear" to that race relative to the world cups. She said she was pinned from the gun and was pretty much seeing spots the entire first lap.

I guess all that means is that previous world cup race results don't carry as much weight as I may have 1st thought.

[chiasticon]

Woot always looks like he's feeling the weight of that Belgian CX torch.are you calling him "Woot" on purpose? if so, I like it. should be a thing :banana:

side note: Britlee Bowman isn't racing worlds but is going back to Europe for five more races after it. hopefully that means Hyde is staying over there with her (they're dating). I love it when americans go do euro races that aren't just world cups. great experience for them, as those races and courses are much harder than stateside ones.

[crankles]

I should have quoted it.."WOOT"

[JStonebarger]

I'm a fan of both, and I look forward to years of epic battles between Waut and MvdP, but this week I'll be cheering for Sven.

If that doesn't work I'll watch a rerun of Koksijde.

[chiasticon]

I'll just leave this here...

http://i68.tinypic.com/3d2yb.jpg

[Bruce K]

Has nobody been paying attention to Caroline Mani?:banana::banana::banana:

Bad start at Hoogerheide but fastest Elite Woman on EVERY LAP after that - ended up 4th or 5th.

If she gets a good start she could be the spoiler.

Compton seems to be fading from peak and there are rumors of health issues that may be in addition to her asthma coming back.

Mani has beaten Van Loy recently as well as Lechtner

BK

[JStonebarger]

Has nobody been paying attention to Caroline Mani?:banana::banana::banana:

BK

Good point.

Mani was amazing at Jingle Cross this year, which was crazy muddy... and it looks like rain this weekend...

[crankles]

True...Mani has some form, timing her peak well..

Flounder said it best....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arZdeg_fL-I

[gavingould]

Good point.

Mani was amazing at Jingle Cross this year, which was crazy muddy... and it looks like rain this weekend...

I mentioned Mani in my treatise on previous page. Speaking of Jingle Cross, see y'all at the World Cup in the fall. Hope it won't be dry, but if it is it's going to be crazy fast.

[Bruce K]

Yes, you did.

It has actually been two bad starts (Hoogerheide and the previous one) for Caroline had her coming back from around 20th in the middle of the first lap at both. Podium at the previous race and a near miss at H.

Watch her "War Face" if they get a close-up. Nobody with more intensity, drive, and grit.

I think she is trying to make up for last years disappointment where she was riding with a broken wrist/cast.

Fingers crossed.....

BK

[Veloo]

https://www.youtube.com/user/ucichannel

[JStonebarger]

Speaking of Jingle Cross, see y'all at the World Cup in the fall. Hope it won't be dry, but if it is it's going to be crazy fast.

Yeah! Mt. Krumpit or bust!

[baker]

How the hell do I watch this on my smart tv? Cyclingfans? Steephill?

[baker]

Got it to work briefly using Hola.org, but they stream keeps stopping with an error.

[Veloo]

I'm watching on YouTube live. See my link above.
But my buddy on Cali is saying it's blocked for him. I'm in Canada.

How the hell do I watch this on my smart tv? Cyclingfans? Steephill?

[Formulasaab]

Blocked here in the USA. Has anyone ever gotten one of those country obfuscators to work?

Any other stream links? Everything on cyclingfans shows as prohibited.

[baker]

I got it to work by tunneling Hola through another layer of VPN. Maybe Comcast was blocking Hola?

[Formulasaab]

I got it to work by tunneling Hola through another layer of VPN. Maybe Comcast was blocking Hola?

Methinks you are a more advanced user than I.

[ptourkin]

How the hell do I watch this on my smart tv? Cyclingfans? Steephill?

VPN like Hola or Tunnelbear and UCI Youtube channel from a country where it isn't blocked.

[Bruce K]

The Hola thing and YouTube Great Britain get the UCI feed

Works fine with Comcast

BK

[ptourkin]

Blocked here in the USA. Has anyone ever gotten one of those country obfuscators to work?

Any other stream links? Everything on cyclingfans shows as prohibited.


Yeah, perfect with Tunnelbear from the UK. Free download with enough free hours to watch all the races.

Counting down to Elite W right now - no stuttering or anything.

[ptourkin]

Four Euros off the front, looks like to stay but Antoneau solidly in the top ten.

[camchris1]

The UCI youtube link is blocked for me. Anyone have another source??

[ptourkin]

[spoilers]

Huge move on the last lap by De Jong. 8th for Antoneau.

[Bruce K]

Almost called it.......

Super ride by Mani. :beer:

Really happy for her

BK

[chiasticon]

let me be first to say: Sanne Cant was on discs!!!

seriously tho, never seen her on em. surprising. why change what you're used to for worlds?

oh and I watched via sporza (Dutch).

[camchris1]

let me be first to say: Sanne Cant was on discs!!!

seriously tho, never seen her on em. surprising. why change what you're used to for worlds?

oh and I watched via sporza (Dutch).

Wow!!!

Sporza through Cyclingfans or?? Trying to get my ducks in a row for tomorrow...

[ptourkin]

Cant looked destroyed pre-podium. Mani looked satisfied.

Chris, just download Hola or Tunnelbear (saw your Q on Grimpeur Brothers Instagram)

[Veloo]

Those 1/4 zip jerseys look awfully awkward when putting on.

[camchris1]

Cant looked destroyed pre-podium. Mani looked satisfied.

Chris, just download Hola or Tunnelbear (saw your Q on Grimpeur Brothers Instagram)

Thanks so much!!!

[chiasticon]

Wow!!!

Sporza through Cyclingfans or?? Trying to get my ducks in a row for tomorrow...i believe Hola was on. wish I could've gotten the UCI channel to work for English feed.

[dolface]

I got it to work using Chrome and Hola and setting the country to France (on OS X).

Cxhairs.com also did simulcast commentary that was quite good.

[Lewis Moon]

My heart goes out to Sanne Cant. Some have called it "poaching". I don't know how I feel about it. On one hand, as a competitor, you want to beat the best on their best day, but my heart breaks for Sanne. She is full bore CX, from a CX family. She races the full season, week in and week out hammering on wet, cold, muddy courses. To have someone who can be pretty much classified as a pure roadie inserted in the World Championships (I couldn't find where she had raced CX this season, please correct me if so) and grab what Cant had been working so hard for seems uncool at best.

https://www.facebook.com/sporza/videos/10154013432649271/

[jdp211]

To be fair, Lewis, Cant was also beaten by Mani who's been racing a full cross schedule since Crossvegas. Cant has definitely looked less dominant in the past few weeks; compounding a long season, illness a few weeks ago, and a rib injury added up to her struggling today.

[Lewis Moon]

To be fair, Lewis, Cant was also beaten by Mani who's been racing a full cross schedule since Crossvegas. Cant has definitely looked less dominant in the past few weeks; compounding a long season, illness a few weeks ago, and a rib injury added up to her struggling today.

Agreed. But Cant still must feel like Sisyphus.

[choke]

I couldn't find where she had raced CX this season, please correct me if soThalita started racing CX in Oct; she was 4th at the World Cup in Zolder (3 seconds off the podium), 2nd at Hoogerheide and won the Dutch Women's CX Championship.

[Lewis Moon]

Thalita started racing CX in Oct; she was 4th at the World Cup in Zolder (3 seconds off the podium), 2nd at Hoogerheide and won the Dutch Women's CX Championship.

Thanks for the correction.

[livingminimal]

re: watching...

Get Hola, I run it through Chrome or through the native Hola application. I choose Netherlands, Belgium, or the UK for my country. Today was Netherlands. UCI feed works perfectly.

Bill Scheiken/CX Hairs is doing an interesting commentary thing during the race. Follow him on Twitter/IG (@CXHairs) for more details. It's a live audio listening thing.


re: the race...

Holy smokes. The men have a lot to try and live up to yesterday Appreciate Wyman's effort to soften it up early and sorry she couldn't hang in there longer, but this was always gonna be someone elses baby. same with de boer.

mixed feelings on the Cant/de jong thing. I feel for Cant, she keeps getting used and abused by multi-disciplinary folks, but look, that's the game. That's cyclocross. It's the best person on that day, on that course. The road segments were always going to be great for de jong, and let's face it, Cant has been successful in mud, but the worse the course looked, the less of a "gimme" this race became.

Now, all that said, do I think there is a better mechanism possible to determine who gets to ride worlds? Yes of course. I don't really care what Lars Boom's palmares in cross is, the fact that he's toeing the line tomorrow is a bit absurd and sort of detracts from the build up to the season...now THAT being said, two years ago, Nys vs Stybar (I am a huge ZS fan on the road and in cross) was an AMAZING race and not something the fans should be deprived of...much like today....

so I go back and forth, but a better mechanism to determine who is/isn't eligible for the race might be good. I don't know.

[nooneline]

What an incredible race. The battle at the front was amazing, and de Jong rode a crazy race to catch the lead group and then blow them out of the water. I think she rode negative splits for the entire race.

Gutted for Cant a little bit - she obviously wants it, but she has a difficult decision to make: be on form all year long, or have a strong run at Worlds. That's the CX conundrum. The past two years, she's chosen wrong.

Mani rode a terrific race. She never looked like the strongest but she certainly did a lot of work. Harris's bid for gold cost her a podium spot at all. For a while I wondered if De Boer, quiet in that lead group, was keeping some powder dry, but nope - she was just surviving.

Meanwhile in U23 news, Femke Van den Driessche was found to have a motor in her bike.

[gavingould]

well that was a wild ride.

i feel bad for Sanne Cant, but she's got a few years of lower-podium before she can reach Compton "almost" status.
speaking of Compton, unfortunately her time as a frontrunner on the worldwide scene is over. not taking anything away from her, i'm a fan, but the last few trips to Europe have been disappointments for her. twelve national titles in a row, numerous big wins, UCI titles etc notwithstanding, she's not as dominant as in days gone by. could be a specific health issue, could be something else but it's been going on 3 seasons now.

Mani rode well, not quite well enough when it counted, but she looked happy. Donn's going to have to get her a raise...

Nikki Harris was looking good in the early stages, as was De Boer toward the middle.

Thalita De Jongh definitely not out of nowhere, if you've seen the last few races. Zolder is definitely to her strengths as a mostly-roadie, but she's been dabbling in 'cross the last few years and took Dutch nats. She placed ahead of Compton at worlds in Louisville a couple years back. she's also 22 years old and like Vos and Ferrand-Prevot, a product of Rabobank development.

I was surprised to see Lisa Jacobs of Australia out so early, and she didn't look hurt.

if you think the Belgie press is hard on Cant, it'll be interesting to see how they treat Van den Driessche for the motor...

[gavingould]

oh yeah... as much as i love Lars Boom (at least up until he went to Astana) i don't think he should be racing Worlds. the Dutch don't need him there, that's for sure.

[JStonebarger]

Yeah, what's the prize for a motor in your bike? DQ, obviously, but will she be banned?

[KonaSS]

I sort of get the sentiment that it sucks when someone who doesn't race cross, or raced very little comes in and takes the title from our favorites who we have watched all season. But I can't get anywhere close to the sentiment that they shouldn't be in the race.

It's Worlds, best on the day. If someone can show up out of the blue and beat all comers, Chapeau!

[Bruce K]

Not out of the blue

She had to accumulate enough point or get an invite from her National Federation

Even that doesn't always do it as the U-23 Villifane girl ended up racing for Argentina instead of USA as the UCI decided her dual citizenship and a whole season in the USA didn't cut it

BK

[Veloo]

NNNOOOOOOOO!!!!
U23 rider Adam Toupalik doesn't realize there's still a lap to go and celebrates early.

Gets back on but loses the final sprint to Belgium.

[oldpotatoe]

Yeah, what's the prize for a motor in your bike? DQ, obviously, but will she be banned?

UCI rules say 6 months..ought to apply to team, anybody who knew about this bozo-ness..really dum.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-confirms-motorised-doping-uncovered-at-cyclo-cross-world-championships

[ptourkin]

Perfect stream right now via Tunnelbear as UK on the UCI home page Youtube link. Call ups happening now.

[ptourkin]

Selection made on the blazing first lap - over 2 minutes faster than the fastest lap yesterday. Wout v the two Dutch. Chase group with Pauwels and the other Belgians is about 15 seconds back.

[noonan1970]

Perfect stream right now via Tunnelbear as UK on the UCI home page Youtube link. Call ups happening now.


or too late?

[gavingould]

So much to discuss after that one.

[ptourkin]

Great last lap! Waiting to find out what happened to MVDP.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBNTfR6vCim/?taken-by=pink_fairy_armadillo

[livingminimal]

Great last lap! Waiting to find out what happened to MVDP.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBNTfR6vCim/?taken-by=pink_fairy_armadillo

Yeah that fade was weird. Cameras were glued to the front, so no idea....


LVDH...technique...burned. Sucks.

Really happy with KP. Really, really happy. To get third for him is pretty amazing and remarkable. Super stoked.

[Veloo]

That was an awesome weekend of races!
So worth getting up at 5am.

[Elefantino]

No motor needed. What a last lap. What a win.

Too bad for Nys. Would have loved to see him with a swan-song podium.

[livingminimal]

No motor needed. What a last lap. What a win.

Too bad for Nys. Would have loved to see him with a swan-song podium.

At the same time, he went out like a true champ. Blowing kisses, clapping, no resentment over the podium miss. 4th against dudes two decades younger...that was one hell of a swan song at worlds.

[ptourkin]

Interesting that one of the guys not riding 1X had it cost him (dearly):

Van Aert’s winning effort came on the final uphill run. Van der Haar attempted to ride the incline, but stopped midway to dismount his bicycle. After the race, he admitted he was in the wrong gear for the climb.

“I made one mistake, and that was the chain wasn’t on the small ring but on the big ring,” Van der Haar said. “And yeah, that’s a bit sour going home.”

[chiasticon]

Interesting that one of the guys not riding 1X had it cost him (dearly)well it was Wout's turn to have 1X let him down last year at worlds AND nationals. so I guess it's only fair :D

[ptourkin]

well it was Wout's turn to have 1X let him down last year at worlds AND nationals. so I guess it's only fair :D


Ha. True. They both rode it on the lap before. Van der Haar must have been pumped after that crazy descent. So much going on on that lap.

[jdp211]

[QUOTE=ptourkin;1908320]Interesting that one of the guys not riding 1X had it cost him (dearly):

Van Aert�—� winning effort came on the final uphill run. Van der Haar attempted to ride the incline, but stopped midway to dismount his bicycle. After the race, he admitted he was in the wrong gear for the climb.

�š„ made one mistake, and that was the chain wasn�š on the small ring but on the big ring, Van der Haar said. �„�nd yeah, that�—� a bit sour going home.�[�/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure Van Aert could have ridden the climb too, but was aware that he'd likely lose a sprint to Van der Haar. In knowing this, he dismounted and forced Lars to run, which ultimately broke him and set up Wout for the win.

[livingminimal]

I'm pretty sure Van Aert could have ridden the climb too, but was aware that he'd likely lose a sprint to Van der Haar. In knowing this, he dismounted and forced Lars to run, which ultimately broke him and set up Wout for the win.


Yeah, exactly. Has nothing to do with the gear he lined up with. LVDH is on di2. getting into the correct gear would not have been an issue.

Brains and technique won that duel, not sram vs. shimano.

[crankles]

"Brains and technique won that duel, not sram vs. shimano.

This...

Lost count of the times that tactic was used...not to mention blocking...with bodies, barriers, bikes... whatever was at hand. Sven did that at least twice to help Wout get a gep once he'd caught LVDH. That was a CX clinic for sure.

[chiasticon]

I'm pretty sure Van Aert could have ridden the climb too, but was aware that he'd likely lose a sprint to Van der Haar. In knowing this, he dismounted and forced Lars to run, which ultimately broke him and set up Wout for the win.I'll have to watch that part again. you can certainly ride when others are running in that section; it's wide open and Wout and MvdP rode while everyone around them (including in front of them) ran for at least the first lap. and Lars is well aware of this tactic, yet by his own admission he says despite riding half of it that "I screwed up by being in the wrong gear" not "Wout made me run."

not claiming Sram vs Shimano or 1X versus 2X (they're both on double rings, fwiw) or that tactics didn't play heavily into this last lap, etc. just saying it doesn't add up for me for this specific situation, at least until I watch the clip again.

[crankles]

I'll have to watch that part again. you can certainly ride when others are running in that section; it's wide open and Wout and MvdP rode while everyone around them (including in front of them) ran for at least the first lap. and Lars is well aware of this tactic, yet by his own admission he says despite riding half of it that "I screwed up by being in the wrong gear" not "Wout made me run."

not claiming Sram vs Shimano or 1X versus 2X (they're both on double rings, fwiw) or that tactics didn't play heavily into this last lap, etc. just saying it doesn't add up for me for this specific situation, at least until I watch the clip again.

I don't think anyone would ever say "so and so made me run it". That's just CX racing and everyone does it all season long. That section had several lines, but the center line was the one everyone chose if there wasn't a ton of traffic. I was surprised to hear LDVH say he was in the wrong gear for that hill, especially on the last lap. However, I've been so hypoxic during races that I've forgotten how my shifters work so I totally get it...

Wout just owned LVDH on the run ups. He catches and retakes the lead on the run up just prior to that climb...then just watch the difference in then leg speed after they dismount. Wout is just killing it. As much as I wanted LVDH to win, his legs just didn't have it.

[livingminimal]

(they're both on double rings, fwiw)

That's right, forgot about that. It was highlighted when GCN looked at his bike.


I am still reeling from how ����ing good both elite races were. I just hate that its being overshadowed by cheating.

[ptourkin]

I thought it was a tactical choice by Wout as well - good thinking after turning inside out to get back on.

I saw this today - things like this don't go over well on here but some interesting perspective, including :

(Btw, let me put it out there that if you slagged Zdenek Stybar for being an absentee CX World Champ then you gotta sit out slagging Sanne Cant for her criticism of 菟art timers.?

http://californiastreaming.tumblr.com/post/109939539108/cant-she-live-why-sanne-cants-bitchface-helps

[gavingould]

I still take issue with Thalita de Jongh or Ferrand-Prevot being called "part timers" as both put in decent cross seasons leading up to their Worlds success. Maybe not doing every possible race also left them a lot fresher than Sanne, who does pretty much every race she can.
Also, if a part-timer comes out and smokes you, what's that say about you as a full-timer? Vos could have been deemed a part timer too and she cleaned up for a long time.

[gavingould]

After one of the more running-intensive races earlier this season, pretty much everyone admitted that Wout was by far the strongest runner. Smart of him tactically to force a foot race at that spot.

[pdmtong]

I don't think anyone would ever say "so and so made me run it". That's just CX racing and everyone does it all season long. That section had several lines, but the center line was the one everyone chose if there wasn't a ton of traffic. I was surprised to hear LDVH say he was in the wrong gear for that hill, especially on the last lap. However, I've been so hypoxic during races that I've forgotten how my shifters work so I totally get it...

Wout just owned LVDH on the run ups. He catches and retakes the lead on the run up just prior to that climb...then just watch the difference in then leg speed after they dismount. Wout is just killing it. As much as I wanted LVDH to win, his legs just didn't have it.

^ this. easy to armchair this one but based on the times I've pinned a number on, yea I get that.

[weisan]

http://www.wk2016.be/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/homepage20161.jpg

http://i.perezhilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/michael-jackson-disgustin-secrets-revealed-former-maids1.gif

[crankles]

I still take issue with Thalita de Jongh or Ferrand-Prevot being called "part timers"
.

agreed. they raced a full road season, which ends just as Cant starts the cross season at the end of September. They rightfully need to take October "off", start CX training through November, then start racing in December.

On the flip side, TdJ and PFP probably have contracts and CX is a side gig.
If Cant misses races, she gives up start money.

discuss.

[nooneline]

It would be great if some of the sport's talent would race a full season - but it's their prerogative to race what races they want and skip what they don't want; it's their prerogative to pursue the career that they want.

We can hope that PFP, de Jong, Stybar, Boom, and others return to the sport but I've occasionally heard this hope bleed over into an idea of making races only open to those who are "committed enough" - and I think that is foolish. Ultimately it's a way of hoping that certain races are less competitive so that people can win them based on commitment rather than by being the best of those willing to toe the line.

Consistency versus targeting is one of the difficult demands of bike racing, and our sport would be less exciting if we took that aspect away.