Cyclocross World Champs

25sean

Cyclocross World Champs on this weekend:
Women and Juniors on Saturday, elite men off at two Irish time on Sunday.

UCI have it streamed live, with average commentary, on youtube.

Looks like Nys is the man to beat. Mourey moving up with good form of late, is Alberts sick? Was Van der Haar holding back on Sunday, happy to win the World Cup? Will Stybar be on the start line? Nys thinks so

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nys-completes-worlds-homework-in-mallorca

Peeters, Meeusen, Pauwels, Vantournhout, even Van der Poel(how do you spell those names) are in the mix... and sure why isn't Aiken there CI?!!!

answers please.......

ednwireland

remember going to this ! 1992 ffs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u162EEjwKjE

eoghan84

Nys will probably do what he did ahead of the Belgian championships and do a race simulation the day before. he always is better on the second day of a weekend or so he says. he really blew them all away at the Belgian nationals and he's never shown this focus yet being calm and confident before. Missing Nommay was a departure too for him.
Van der Haar will be motivated but those who win the World Cup rarely win the Worlds (Stybie being the exception in 2010 but he came good at the end of the season and his win in the World Cup may have more to do with Albert getting the rib fracture). Maybe I'd tip van der Haar for silver.
Mourey and Meeusen are both interesting. Wonder how it will go. The weather will be a factor. If it freezes before hand, that levels the playing field, if it's a mud fest Nys could be gone on the first lap. Albert is completely off the radar but maybe that could work to his advantage.

For the U23 I actually see Wout Van Aert bettering Van der Poel. Unless Teunissen shows the form he displayed last year and comes good and works for Van der Poel.

The women - well I presume Vos has the upper hand but we didn't get the showdown on Sunday between her and Compton.

Juniors - Yannick Peeters or Toulpalik. Toulpalik took bronze from Peeters last year in a move on the stairs.

Chips Lovell

Stybar is starting

Raam

If Albert wins then he is probably going to do it from a long way out like he usually does. If it comes to a sprint and he is there then you can almost be certain that he won't win it. Remember he came back from a hand injury for the 2012 Worlds in Koksijde only to ride away from everyone. But then, he is the sand specialist so that course suited him in every way.

25sean

We have answers!!

good site for cx, confirms last post

https://www.facebook.com/captaincyclocross

LCD

Nys doesn't have a great World Champs record. He first won the UCI Cross Cup in 2000, same year he was first Belgian Champion, however he has "only" 2 World Championships in 05 & 13. He has also won the Superprestige 12 times from 99 - 13. So while is no doubting his class, it just shows how hard it is to win a 1 day race. You need the right form & luck for 60mins.

Raam

Klass Vantournout would have been my outside bet based on his finishing form of last season and his earlier form this season. He finished 2nd last year and also took the Belgian champs. However, he hasn't been present at the pointy end of races for a while now if memory serves correct.

Kevin Pauwels has been nowhere near the form of a few years ago. He also tends to crash a lot and experience more than his fair share of mechanicals. That said, he took a couple of nice wins this season.

eoghan84

when Albert won before, he went in with more confidence. Particularly for Koksijde he showed a huge dedication to performing in the sand.
This year I think he has already said he doesn't expect to win, so if he pulls away in lap one like in 2009 and 2012 then it'll be a surprise to everyone. However the week after he got back last year he pulled away from everyone in the GvA trophy race to wrap up the series.

Vantornout had great form all of last year starting with Ardooie and going right up to the end of season. He really showed he deserved the Belgian jersey. He started off this season similarly if not better, taking the superprestige after Ardooie, but he's just been nowhere of late, pulling out of the Belgian nationals.

Pauwels is a funny one. he just seems to be having a bad year but yet he can kill it sometimes. He pulled himself up to go to Rome. I didnt notice him in Nommay. I don't know what he'll do.

Nys is no longer the nervous Nys. He used to be burned out before the Worlds. with age, he has become much better tactically, he can pull away in the first lap or leave it to the finale, his nerves don't get to him. His trainer claims that its easier to hold on to form if they are focused rather than chasing form like Albert and Pauwels...but Im sure they should have known that in all the years before. Louisville could really have been the key; Nys' lead up was unusual and unplanned - he lost the lead in the world cup (and maybe the GvA) and the Belgian Nationals after getting a cold from his son and his focus shifted to the worlds. Off the continent he didn't get as stressed and the race being the day earlier suited him down to the ground as he needed less recovery from the intense thursday ride before the announcement. I think he learned alot from that experience.

If Meeusen hangs in to the final lap, that could be interesting too. Who would win a sprint between Meeusen, Mourey and van der Haar anyway? I know Meeusen won against Mourey last week but I didn't see the finishing straight there - if first around a corner was decisive etc If vdH banked on a sprint, and came out of his cleat like in Gieten, it'd be ah boss...

Raam

Typing from memory here, so might not be accurate... in Nommay Mourey had tried to jump earlier in the final lap. I think Meussen came out of his wheel to win. Mourey started his sprint from a long way out.

Raam

Nys definitely has everything in his tool bag. He can win from a bunch sprint, he can win from a long way out and he has the tactics totally dialled. If it is sticky mud then he has to be big favourite, more so.

eoghan84

I don't know if I think Stybie can win but I think him and Walsleben can influence how the race unfolds with a series of attacks... thats if Nys isn't in complete control....

interesting regarding Mourey v Meeusen sprint thanks

what do yous think - can Stybie just turn up and take the biggest prize in cyclocross? (and keep it out of sight for most of next season)

Raam

I don't think Stybar will win it. He will probably animate, but I think the others will be too strong given that this is the pinnacle of their season. He has a few more months to go before his season's goal.

25sean

Styby is a motorbike.. he appeared at one of the mid-season races and blew it apart on the front, then van der haar came round him in the end to take it.. he could make the podium and should animate the race.. he would probably have the best sprint of them all if it came down to it.. and if he keeps his line..

cross is so much about focus, you have to 110% ready to go from the start, not out front or anything, but just have your game plan down, Albert is fast and smooth when on form, but gives up when he's not into it, a bit moaney!

Pauwels has been off all season, Vantournhout off of late.. VdH seems to be simmering, he's still got his holeshot down, but chose a while back to ease off a bit during the race and attack later in it.. he has great focus..

At the top level, Meeusen has been good, as has Mourey.. Walsleben, forgot about him... he's a good attacker but tends to fizzle out

I'd like to see Mourey get on the podium, he's really a man alone being French.. Belgians, Dutch and Germans, there are plenty, not that they'll be helping each other out toooooo much... I like Nys, how cant you, but it would be good for it to go to someone else...

My forecast
1 Nys
2 Mourey
3 Vantournout

and Styby not far behind!!!

Raam

http://www.cyclo-cross.info/cyclocross/2014/01/31/wk-parcours-droogt-verder-op/

Course set to be fast. Bit of rain on Saturday but dry for the elite men on Sunday.

Might make for tighter racing or an Albert super breakaway if he has good legs.

Anyone know how technical the course is?

This shows how serious the Belgian media take cross... they are reporting the riders sleeping arrangements.

http://www.cyclo-cross.info/cyclocross/2014/01/31/belgische-profs-slapen-apart/

No one is sleeping with anyone.

Th Belgians are not renowned for their team work. In the past Nys refused to chase when he was on the Rabbobank team and Mario de Clerq, his national teammate, was forced to chase Nys' domestic team mate, Richard Groenedaal, himself. He never caught him.

Raam

Other sources reporting a likelihood of rain and so a muddy course.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gallery-more-course-recon-of-cross-worlds-venue

25sean

Juniors' just finished, a Belgian 1-2-3, course looking slippery and sluggish in parts, but the big boys, and women, will make easier work of it..

Women on at 2 today.. KFC in good form, but Vos is Vos.. Lovely(Irish) day for it!

Not sure if I like the new Belgian kit, not my kind of retro...

belgian kit.jpg

nak

Brilliant race; heartbreak for the Dutch kid. Course will be destroyed by the time the senior men get to it. The season here is like a distant memory now. Sad times.

25sean

Distant memory.. true.. shame it all ends so suddenly after the nats when many are in top shape...

I wonder what people would think about a small NDCX-style league after the nationals... bring us into February.. a fuller calendar...??!!

Amz

Vos is a machine, Lechner looked like staying with her. Pity we didn't get to see a proper showdown with KFC.

Here is a clip of Compton's tangle in lap one, but didn't see how they ended up like that.

Raam

Very pleased for Helen Wyman taking third.

Darkglasses

Fantastic bit of racing, well done Stybar.

The tax man

Cracking race to watch.

eoghan84

Wow I missed this and I'm fierce surprised at the result. Must download it soon, it's supposed to be a thriller!

Darkglasses

eoghan84 wrote: »

Wow I missed this and I'm fierce surprised at the result. Must download it soon, it's supposed to be a thriller!

It's available on UCI's Youtube channel, well worth a watch for sure.

Raam

I enjoyed that.

GMCI

What an amazing atmosphere here in Hoogerheide. Each race was a nail biter for some part of the podium.

Didn't think the Belgie's would get nasty when The winner got away. The boo'ing was harsh but the throwing of beer at him as he powered onto the finish was childish. The course held up really well after a dry and cold Saturday night. The Elites were riding with ease on areas the Saturday races could not.

Even though no Irish starters, this is such a worthwhile trip and one to recommend to anyone , whether your a pisshead or not.

Roll on Tabor, Czech Republic 2015

nak

Best race I've seen in a while. Hopefully Stybar will race more next season and Nys gets to wear the Belgian champ skinsuit (much nicer anyway).

Raam

GMCI wrote: »

Didn't think the Belgie's would get nasty when The winner got away. The boo'ing was harsh but the throwing of beer at him as he powered onto the finish was childish.

They have quite the history of this. Even their own come in for harsh treatment.

This is my favourite CX picture.



They did disqualify him later though.

Here it is in a vid, ffwd to 1min.

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

Raam

The telly pictures did not do this descent justice.

Bikerbhoy

Raam wrote: »

The telly pictures did not do this descent justice.

Think that picture does a fair good job tho. .

AstraMonti

Amazing race! The amount of crashing was crazy, it even makes me feel better for myself

Raam

Don't click if you are squeamish.
Ryan Trebon got a wee gash on the back of his leg.

25sean

Stybar will animate the race

Stybar did animate, as well as dominate and some might say infiltrate..

Still hasn't sunk in that he won it... great racing, not only with the 2 up front but some good ding dongs behind, VDH and Mourey fading, and Pauwels of all people getting up for 3rd!

Great weekend of it, watching the course change and spotting where people struggled and got away!

So what's Stybar going to do next year.. he'll must honour the jersey!!

eoghan84

In Hoogerheide in 2009, Boom said he'd do ten races if he was world champion. In the end he had a virus, came something like 22nd and completely faded away for the rest of the season, he followed it up with a late entry to the road season but had possibly his strongest season with victory in the Tour of Belgium and a stage in the Vuelta.

Stybie could really dominate Roubaix and then you'd wonder if he'd bother doing any more than the five races at christmas. If it rains at Roubaix, you'd think he'd excel more. That could be good to watch but I'll be doing the Roubaix challenge the day before and boss I'm hoping it doesn't!

They are all saying he will definitely be at the Worlds in Czech Republic next year. And I hope he is after seeing the race.

dastardly00

Raam wrote: »

Don't click if you are squeamish.
Ryan Trebon got a wee gash on the back of his leg.

Holy fcuk!!

nak

Brilliant photo set here http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/cnt/dmf20140202_029#photoset