I'm too Cxy for this cross - 2020/2021 Cross thread

lennymc

Well, It's that time of year again. Cross is officially back. Kinning GP this sunday in Belfast - anyone else riding in it?

JazzyJ

Any dates and venues for other races published yet?

lennymc

https://eventmaster.ie/event/VrBnCERTwv

cuchulainn cx league

Eamonnator

CX in the dark!!
That sounds like a lot of fun.

lennymc

Eamonnator wrote: »

CX in the dark!!
That sounds like a lot of fun.

it really is. LOL

Eamonnator

Years ago, a few of us used go mountain biking at night with good lights.
It was just wonderful, the sense of speed was amazing, you had to concentrate hard. Mad.

JazzyJ

Eamonnator wrote: »

Years ago, a few of us used go mountain biking at night with good lights.
It was just wonderful, the sense of speed was amazing, you had to concentrate hard. Mad.

Plenty of people still do! Always a good few lights all across the Ticknock mid week. Great craic alright!

The Supercross Cup in Greystones a couple of years ago was a night race too.

crosswords

Season at this point looks reasonably ok.

Full Ulster and Munster Series going ahead, starting in October.

Leinster Series is also looking likely.

Really looking forward to Kinning GP again this year.

Weather looks dry for the week, so we can expect a peanut butter type course in places. Temp forecast as 16 degrees which sounds pleasant.

The velodrome section really adds a bit of speed to the lap.

First race always hurts so much.

lennymc

by god i forgot how hard cross is. Lack of fitness and a dodgy back had me well down very early on, even after being gridded in the top 20. Ah well, there is always (hopefully) next time.

Had the pleasure of catching up with Caroline_ie and meeting crosswords, which was nice.

lennymc

Munster cx dates just posted on bookface

crosswords

The Youghal race is freakin awesome.

Cross on the beach.

Super fun, ups and downs, grassy chicanes, fast tarmac, a boardwalk section, 2 run ups.

Suit you sir... Oooh !!

crosswords

The Ulster dates are up here

https://ulstercyclocross.com/

Everything is going ahead for now except the Shimna Race on the 18th October.

woody1

have to assume that any races in next 3 weeks are now gone

lennymc

woody1 wrote: »

have to assume that any races in next 3 weeks are now gone

not sure what will happen with the Ulster rounds.

crosswords

Ulster race is going ahead in Lurgan this weekend.

CramCycle

crosswords wrote: »

Ulster race is going ahead in Lurgan this weekend.

I presume that CI will, correctly though, not allow entries from outside of Northern Ireland

woody1

youd have to imagine no entries from republic alright
connacht was due to start on the 18th ,theyl probably aim to just change the schedule a bit and make the first race the last race, if we get away with 3 weeks,

im actually not especially bothered for meself but the young fella is starting to show a proper interest, was hoping to get him through the series and get him hooked

crosswords

CramCycle wrote: »

I presume that CI will, correctly though, not allow entries from outside of Northern Ireland

Apparently CI have been sending emails out to riders telling them not to travel.

lennymc

CramCycle wrote: »

I presume that CI will, correctly though, not allow entries from outside of Northern Ireland

I would assume so, and wasn't suggesting that people outside of ulster travel to ulster and break local guidelines. I know the gravel grinder is going ahead, but with entrants with an address in the south pushed out to 2021.

lennymc

How would an individual cross/gravel time trial work?
Find a route, ride it, post it on strava, and compete for bragging rights?

crosswords

lennymc wrote: »

How would an individual cross/gravel time trial work?
Find a route, ride it, post it on strava, and compete for bragging rights?

Isn't that how cyclocross started out back in the early days?

Village to Village, via the most direct route possible?

lennymc

crosswords wrote: »

Isn't that how cyclocross started out back in the early days?

Village to Village, via the most direct route possible?

I bow to the level of cx specific history nerdiness of this post!!

woody1

lennymc wrote: »

How would an individual cross/gravel time trial work?
Find a route, ride it, post it on strava, and compete for bragging rights?

leave course set up all day time trial it or groups of 15 ? with the small entries we have in connacht we'd nearly get away with 15 and id still be 15th

western lakes going ahead with training race on wednesday just limiting it to 15

crosswords

This was Armagh last Sunday.

Soooo Muddy, but 99% rideable.

https://belgianproject.cc/2020/10/05/armagh-is-known-for-his-apples-and-since-yesterday-also-for-his-mud-the-cathedral-cx-promoted-by-square-wheels-sunday-4th-october/

This will be the Nationals Venue in January (Covid willing).

lennymc

https://fb.watch/2SPNGYyN0K/

oldskool cx - facebook video, but should be watchable without account/login

i love the guy at 1.52 who just unceremoniously chucks the bike into the river

woody1

jeez boys giving the bikes dogs abuse there , i cant see anyone firing their carbon cross bike across a fence and bouncing it off the ground these days

fairly tough going too makes todays courses look fairly handy

fat bloke

Much interest in the world champs tomorrow?

I was very surprised to see its not live on eurosport. Thought it'd be a flagship event for them. I'm currently debating whether it's worth 39.99 for a eurosport player subscription for the year for it.

Paddigol

Can't wait. Hopefully Pidcock, Iserbyt (although his crash put a dent in form just as he was starting to get on terms with MVP and WvA coming back in) and maybe Vantournhout/ Sweeck/ Aerts can can give it a good rattle. Much as its unlikely to see any of them win, would be nice not to turn into a procession for the other two.

Heart says WvA on home soil (and sand!) and with momentum after last week. Head says MVP... save for neck high mud and mechanicals he's looked untouchable.

Been loving the CX this season and it's short enough to keep the kids interest too.

Plenty of ohhh no's when people come off.

Head says MVP for this weekend but I'd love to see Iserbyt pull off a win. Was crazy watching him get carried off after that crash, the guy picked him up and carried him like a child. He must be tiny.

I'd say for the women it'll be either Alvarado or Brand, and I'm leaning more towards Alvarado, Brand was possibly in better shape in the earlier races and might be paying for it now. I'd love to see Betsema sneak it though or the young Hungarian who's name escapes me now but she could be racing U23.

CramCycle

fat bloke wrote: »

Much interest in the world champs tomorrow?

I was very surprised to see its not live on eurosport. Thought it'd be a flagship event for them. I'm currently debating whether it's worth 39.99 for a eurosport player subscription for the year for it.

I presume its on the GCN racepass?

That bridge and the sand sections look brutal.

I think Betsema has a decent chance with the sand in the women's.

No spoilers but drama from the off there. That sand looks like hell and there is a lot more of it than I was expecting.

TheBlaaMan

Deleted User wrote: »

No spoilers but drama from the off there. That sand looks like hell and there is a lot more of it than I was expecting.

They'll be lucky if a wave doesnt get one of them.........

Would lie to see Brand win, but anyone but Betsema for me, I'm not into dopers.....

TheBlaaMan

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

They'll be lucky if a wave doesnt get one of them.........

Would lie to see Brand win, but anyone but Betsema for me, I'm not into dopers.....

I'd completely forgotten about that and it was only this time last year I think ? She was also allowed serve the ban in the off season as far as I recall.

TheBlaaMan

Its getting tasty now!

velo.2010

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

They'll be lucky if a wave doesnt get one of them.........

Would lie to see Brand win, but anyone but Betsema for me, I'm not into dopers.....

Twice popped for steroids and only a 6 month ban that was served retrospectively in the off season... that's a great advertisement for clean sport, not!

Suggestions of a different attitude towards doping in Dutch cycloscross, and the willingness of fans to accept explanations like this. Apparently, her pharmacist was making up her supplements and there was cross contamination. As Katie Compton put it, 'who gets their pharmacist to make their supplements for them?'

TheBlaaMan

Fantastic race . And a just result after a real battle on the last lap.

lennymc

Coming 1st would be great, but coming 2nd is Worst.

Not much between the big 2 tomorrow but I think Sweeck will go well in the fight for third.
Am curious to see how Stybar will do, he must think there's a possible podium in it.

TheBlaaMan

red_ken wrote: »

Not much between the big 2 tomorrow but I think Sweeck will go well in the fight for third.
Am curious to see how Stybar will do, he must think there's a possible podium in it.

But Stybar hasnt had a decent result all year......he's hardly going to do so on this terrain. Lars van der Haar for 3rd..... but not sure which of the big 2 will win? MvdP if he is free of mechanical issues.

JazzyJ

red_ken wrote: »

Not much between the big 2 tomorrow but I think Sweeck will go well in the fight for third.
Am curious to see how Stybar will do, he must think there's a possible podium in it.

Can't see Sweeck competing for the podium. Best he's done this season is the holeshot.

Pidcock and Vanthournaut probably best placed based on form.

The men are getting wet on the beech

De Bhál

It's class seeing them cycling through the waves

Puncture ffs

De Bhál

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Puncture ffs

In fairness, could've been race over without it

Yeah certainly adds to the drama and excitement. The kids a roaring come on blue at the telly here

De Bhál

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yeah certainly adds to the drama and excitement. The kids a roaring come on blue at the telly here

Kids here shouting for vdp and laughing at cardboard crowd

nak

TheBlaaMan wrote: »

But Stybar hasnt had a decent result all year......he's hardly going to do so on this terrain.

First race of the season, started last man, up to top 20 and had fun doing it - not a bad result.

Great racing all weekend.

fat bloke

Who needs crowds when we have disc brakes to sound the klaxons in their stead eh? .

What was the story with Van Aert's "Jumbo Visma" frame. A rebadged something or other? Amazing a major manufacturer isn't supplying him with a bike.

Plastik

2021 sponsors Cervelo don't make a CX bike, had to hide that 2020 Bianchi celeste!

fat bloke

Plastik wrote: »

2021 sponsors Cervelo don't make a CX bike, had to hide that 2020 Bianchi celeste!

No way!

Wow. That's gas. I'm convinced the camera guys were in on it as well because we got loads of zoom out panning shots of the Canyon but all the side shots of Van Aert were upper body only so you couldn't see the bike. Took me ages to figure out what it said in it at all!

I thought Cervelo did have a cx bike but it's a gravel bike actually.