the unofficial Cyclo-Cross Races thread

[kosmonooit]

Namur this weekend! This is a biggie bros, not to be missed. Everyone who is anyone will be there except MvdP with his knee problem and I think Wout is on a training camp. Piddles will be there, New re-minted USA Champ Clara, Brand, and Blanka!

[Eldron]

Piddy for the win!

[Eldron]

Piddy coming into form nicely: https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/uci-cyclo-cross-world-cup-10-rucphen-2021/elite-men/results/

[kosmonooit]

Yeah that win by Mr Piddles was sensational, his first UCI World Cup win and first for a Brit, great racing. Lead change many times. Eli took some effort to beat.

And in the ladies as well, Vos shows she is the boss, the only one that seems to really be able to challenge Brand's power. But Denise rode well to come back from a bad start, don't know what she can do about Vos and Lucinda.. except tactics.

 

Namur today! Fresh off camber section apparently. Muddy cobbles. Bring it on!

[shaper]

Piddy takes his second WC race! https://www.velonews.com/news/cyclocross/tom-pidcock-fends-off-eli-iserbyt-in-hulst-to-score-second-elite-world-cup-win/

[kosmonooit]

Thomas Pidcock MBE mind you ....

Although Wout did have some seriously bad luck with that stuck chain, but a win is a win.

 

Great course today in Hulst, I love how a seventeenth century fort has been repurposed as a cyclocross track.

 

Brand is just something else. true champion.

[TheoG]

Without Wout and Mathieu there, Pidcock always have a realistic chance of winning .... 😁

Edited January 3, 2022 by TheoG

[kosmonooit]

2 hours ago, TheoG said:

Without Wout and Mathieu there, Pidcock always have a realistic chance of winning .... 😁

Tom has beaten them both before, but yeah those boys haven been dominating, although MvdP seems to still have some time still to recover now from what looks like some deeply embedded injury. I don't think he will make Worlds. If Wout goes, it could be said and done but he hasn't committed, Tom has.

Wout is just exceptional now BUT Tom is perhaps the only one who can really challenge him, it was close on Saturday as well. Wout just has the power to come through later in the race (if he was not in front to begin with), much like Lucinda. 

 

[justinafrika]

Two 19 year olds, van Empel and Puck, leading!?  I’ve spent three times longer on the planet and absolutely appreciate their excellence.

Edited January 16, 2022 by justinafrika

[Frosty]

Woman’s 🌈 jersey race on, currently.

After Lap 4/7
🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇮🇹 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 🇳🇱 🇧🇪

Edited January 29, 2022 by Frosty

[Frosty]

Final result:

🥇 🇳🇱 MV
🥈 🇳🇱 LB
🥉 🇮🇹 SP

Followed by
🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 🇫🇷 🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇺🇸 
 

Not the most exciting track; some power ascending, but nothing too technical.

Edited January 29, 2022 by Frosty

['Dale]

13 hours ago, Frosty said:

Woman’s 🌈 jersey race on, currently.

After Lap 4/7
🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇮🇹 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 🇳🇱 🇧🇪

Final duel between two orange jerseys. Marianne Vos claims the rainbow jersey after  her first 16 years ago. Wow.

[NotSoBigBen]

Am I the only one a little disappointed by the course? Like a high speed gravel short course race 

Exciting stuff anyway though

['Dale]

14 hours ago, Frosty said:

Final result:

🥇 🇳🇱 MV
🥈 🇳🇱 LB
🥉 🇮🇹 SP

Followed by
🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇳🇱 🇨🇦 🇫🇷 🇳🇱 🇧🇪 🇺🇸 
 

Not the most exciting track; some power ascending, but nothing too technical.

Those steps were technical, but overwise dry, like a lawn in Beaufort-Wes. The Dutch dominance though, incredible.

Edited January 30, 2022 by 'Dale

[Frosty]

20 minutes ago, NotSoBigBen said:

Am I the only one a little disappointed by the course? Like a high speed gravel short course race 

Exciting stuff anyway though

Not the most exciting.
No mud, no soft sand, no power climb, no swapping bikes, etc.

I saw am image, but can't remember where, that looked like a shopping trip through Walmart.
 

[Frosty]

I certainly won't be staying up to watch the mens race. Will rather catch up in the morning, and stay away from mainstream social media.