Haven't raced all year, and not going to (I'm claiming it's due to CO-viddley but probably just inertia now)
Anyway, in answer to the poster above asking about cross bikes and mud, hrere's one I stole from our league's facebook last year:
Did my first muddy one on Sunday. Managed on one bike*. It wasn't too bad and a couple of runs gave you opportunity to pull lumps off. It was nice to have something that wasn't a grass crit. Line choices that weren't obvious, easy or required a bit of luck.
Missed too many so need to do the last two for a league place. Currently feeling grotty so bit worried I won't make Sunday 🙁 Form is best it's been in years.
*Managed = won the seniors!
Well done @jonba - suprised at seniors though, for some reason I had you pegged as an old bloke 😆
39 1/2 so at the old end of young. Vets next year.
Anyone catch this evening's pro race - superprestige at Diegem? Absolute classic, best race I've seen for years - defo worth a look if you can catch a replay.
No spoilers for the result, but each of MvdP, WvA and TP looking like the strongest person in the race at different times, and some proper shoulder to shoulder racing on the last lap.
Yes, tonight’s race was a classic with shoulder-to-shoulder racingright up to the last corner
Yup, rewound and re-watched the whole last lap again, brilliant racing.
Just catching up on it this morning, what a race!
Epic racing. The cyclo-cross stuff can ba fantastic to watch.
Backstead did really well!
That race just epitomises why I love MVdP. He races the same way everytime, 100% all in for the win. Feeling good, make the race hard, attack early, feeling bad,make the race hard, attack early, feeling so so,make the race hard, attack early, shit or bust for the win. WVA is far more considered and happy to follow but it's not as much fun to watch. Pidcock is also pretty good at firing his shots when he gets the chance.
I thought Pidcock was done and dusted 3-4 times, showed a lot of grit.
I also thought Wout was done at one stage.
WVA is far more considered and happy to follow but it’s not as much fun to watch.
Controversial! 😎
Wasn't it MvdP having to defend himself against accusations of making racing boring after an entire season of attacks off the front followed by 55 minute solo time trials to victory?
Plus WvA is probably tired of doing all the leading out after a season of towing the JV team (and half the peloton at times) up and down the road at the TdF 😂
Wout doesn't have the ability ( in this cross season at the moment) to drop those watt bombs that MVdP can, although MVdP doesn't seem to have the legs to hold gaps he creates (at the moment). When MVdP attacked through the sand last night it was a proper raise a glass and cheer moment.
Tom said in an interview that the road climb was a head wind that kept neutralising everything yesterday.
Another race another series of beast mode attacks from MVdP
Great race again - superb to see them so closely matched. Probably some tired legs there after this week's racing.
Big shame Pidcock won't commit to the worlds - he's shown a superb level so I was kinda hoping he'd have a wild change of heart. But postrace interviewer gave him a chance to talk about the remaining races and he just said he'd show his face in Benidorm for the WC race as he was training in Spain anyhow.
