#61
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At the European Championships in Italy today it was MVDP vs. 5 Belgians on a difficult, flat course. It was dodgy until the last lap when MVDP ripped legs and only Iserbyt could follow, but not close enough.
Another statement victory.
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©2004 The Elefantino Corp. All rights reserved. |
#62
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I think the Belgians had the right idea, just not enough horsepower to get the job done. M |
#63
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#64
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M |
#65
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#66
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that was quite an exciting race. Belgians raced strong and smart but I also think it was a course that was just very tricky to get away on. there were really no spots that were game-changers, for anyone. it was also very tight and that's before you factor in that they cleared a two foot path for the elite races, which you'd be insane to ride out of (super thick mud would slow you way down). mvdp couldn't really take the big sweeping lines through the corners at his speed, which is faster than other racers and wears them down very quickly. still, quite an exciting one.
but WOW did they mess up the sight lines for that course. it was almost unwatchable in parts. there was about a full minute every lap where you couldn't see any of the racers through all of the fans because the cameras weren't up high enough. didn't seem like they had any cameras on booms or cable cams, etc. or just didn't lay out the course with cameras in mind at all. last week at Ruddervoorde there was literally a camera that followed the riders the entire way around a muddy, 180 degree, off-camber turn. striking contrast. |
#67
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Great race to watch, but I couldn't help notice that MVDP didn't even look distressed right after the finish when taking his glasses off etc.
I had a chuckle when I saw a ROTOR components facebook ad highlighting the #2-#4 Belgians for doing something like "giving Mathieu VDP a good race" at the Euro champs on their components. Looks like everyone else is racing for 2nd place as usual. |
#68
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Road season 2020
Damn:
March 8: Strade Bianche March 11-17: Tirreno-Adriatico March 21: Milan-San Remo March 29: Gent-Wevelgem April 1: Dwars door Vlaanderen April 5: Tour of Flanders April 12: Paris-Roubaix April 15: Brabantse Pijl May: UCI Mountain Bike World Cup July 27: Olympic Games, cross-country mountain bike August 14-September 6: Vuelta a España https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van...2020-schedule/ |
#69
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damn, no Liege and Amstel...
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#70
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and CX worlds on Feb 2. |
#71
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Koksjide, yesterday. Our boy gets caught behind a crash on the first corner and falls to 5 from last. Beasts like Iserbyt, van der Haar, Toon Aerts, Laurens Sweeck are on the front trying to get a gap. MVDP is back to second by the end of the first lap.
Wins going away - 33rd straight in CX. He may not win everything forever, but it's hard to imagine him losing at this point. |
#72
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yeah the commentary last weekend (when he started 3rd row, like yesterday) was "let's just move him back one more row every race to see if he can still win." answered that question! could start last row and it doesn't matter!
dude is just next level insanely good. also, he's great at everything, but he's truly exceptional in the sand. and loves riding it. so if there's one race where he could pull off such a fantastic feat, it's this one (or Zonhoven). |
#73
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from cxmagazine: “That is for sure one of the best first laps of my career. I wanted to take my time for it to ride back to the front, but I felt immediately that I had very good legs,” he told Sporza after the race. “Before I knew, I was back in front. Especially on the long dune I ran very good and passed a few people. After that I have ridden my own race. That’s always a good idea in the sand.”
How unexpected that he finds himself back in the lead...with very good legs. I wonder what he thinks great legs are? He should really take his time riding back to the front, no? He might blow up and come in second....or third (loser).... if he is not careful. |
#74
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also the longer you wait to move through traffic, the more potential you have to get stuck behind (vastly) inferior riders, bleeding time. |
#75
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Too bad Wout is on the course to really push him. Seems you can almost assume he'll win a big classic on the road this season. He's making Sagan seem over-the-hill. His cross victories can seem boring, but I think it's more boring watching a cross race he isn't racing.
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