and hasn’t been having fun for the last few years, which means she isn’t as good. But she always reacts REALLY well to crowd support, and yesterday was incredibly good – I really expected Meares & McCulloch to win the team sprint, but Vicky rode like she was inspired, and was super-excited afterwards, so…. I am generally cheering for Meares, because Vicky is really annoying with her miserable down-time & pre-race interviews – but really can’t call it.
Funny, though, them meeting in the semis – when that happened in Worlds last year (I think) Meares was saying it was a harder race than the finals!
Very sad, especially about not gettting to see any of the track – especially if the gossip that about half the tickets have gone to corporates is true…
It’s a race that’s very tricky, with some technical sections where you can make mistakes if you’re in someone’s wheel. The only one who really duelled with me was Niels, and he had bad luck twice. And then there was Klaas but I had that under control, I could see that he had to go into the red to catch up, so that wouldn’t have been a problem. Albert was very strong, I would’ve had more trouble with him. I’m very happy with my season. I’ve got one classification and a really nice Belgian jersey. I’m proud of my season.
I had a very good day today. I was less for two weeks cause I couldn’t train much. I think I was as good as Nys, but if you have two mechanicals that’s it. Ha, I think the guys who didn’t race today will have something left in their legs tomorrow. A podium spot today, another podium tomorrow and I’ll be happy.
Can we go ahead
and get rid off Hoogerheide for this one please?
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
This looks pretty nuts, no doubt.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
nuts is good
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Heh! One of the newbies broke his bike in two!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
No footage yet on Exqui
and I don’t have tv limburg
broerie - February 18, 2012
it's streamed on sports livez...
the race is quite fun. Way better than the normal Dutch races. Also, MUD MUD MUD
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
yeah looking at my laptop now
broerie - February 18, 2012
Look like there won't be a shortage of mud
attackagain! - February 18, 2012
First it rained, then it started freezing for two weeks
It started thawing this week, so all the water from thrree weeks ago is still in the ground. The amount of mu is terrible everywhere
broerie - February 18, 2012
Yay, mud! It's been too cold for much mud this season.
Allright, tgsgirl, who are the “mudders” in CX in the race?
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
Sven Nys is pretty much synonymous for HTFU
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Also, Lars Boom
though it’s a bit of a mystery how good he is. Not Kevin Pauwels, really.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Orange glasses Sven?
WTF?
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
carrot fan?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
pleasing the home crowd?
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
blending in with the fence
Uphill - February 18, 2012
supporting friso
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Orange is the new black.
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
so Ruth, where is your LON?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
LON?
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
Little Orange Number.
I am sure it will do wonders on the dance floor.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Slip-sliding away!
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
this looks very good.
General shitty conditions. Game on.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Ending the season on a high
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Boom Boom is pretty far back
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
First =
De Knegt! Can you believe it!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Oh, that was a fun descent
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
This course looks harder than the Koppenberg!
broerie - February 18, 2012
its brilliant
Uphill - February 18, 2012
We should start a petition
Fuck Hoogerheide, give us Caubergcross!!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
+1
broerie - February 18, 2012
+ 2
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Hooger was terrible
Uphill - February 18, 2012
it usually is
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
+1
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Oh, a big Mud Bump. Perfect!
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
So, Boom is here
cause he can’t go abroad for road races anyway, cause his wife is about to give birth to their first kid.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
almost back in the front group
impressive!
broerie - February 18, 2012
Aw!
I like it when they stay home – the ones who just carry on racing, you wonder why they bother with partner & kids at all!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Aw, that's sweet, a little Baby Boom!
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
neigh, splosh.
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
Wow Meeusen!
broerie - February 18, 2012
What a save!
attackagain! - February 18, 2012
Deep mud ride, almost in the fence
Uphill - February 18, 2012
WHOA
Tommeke Meeusen, that was awesome!
(and also a little lucky)
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Chaos!
Uphill - February 18, 2012
This looks like a steep steep bit
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Situation
Nys
Albert
Meeusen
Aernouts
Klaas VT
Peeters
De Knegt
Pauwels
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Albert looks strong!
broerie - February 18, 2012
And I think Peeters has crashed
broerie - February 18, 2012
Styby's bike dead?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Styby not there
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
hello!
can I just say its still sort early here.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Stybs has been wearing those stripes for so long
it’s a bit odd to think of someone else in them
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
lets just hope I don't make the same mistake when the next season starts
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Albert in the stripes these days
Looks like a flat front
attackagain! - February 18, 2012
Albert puncture
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Klaas
very god at muddy races
broerie - February 18, 2012
stilts for legs
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Nys trying to crush everybody here.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
He's been lucky so far
Albert flat and Boom seems to have mechanical trouble too.
broerie - February 18, 2012
part luck,
but he was leading before that too
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Lots of bike changes
lots of mud. lots of mechanicals. lots of crashes. This is real cyclocross!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Lots of spectatorsbroerie - February 18, 2012
maybe Belgium should claim this part of the world
Uphill - February 18, 2012
It's like 20km away from the border
broerie - February 18, 2012
I would make an advance using beer.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
It's close enough
about 40 minutes by car to the Cauberg from where I live, I think
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Invasion!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Is there a limit on how many times you can change your bike?
Or is it “as needed?”
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
As much as you want
broerie - February 18, 2012
TY!
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
as needed
two pits per race. if you enter the pits you have to either change, or jump on and off your bike.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
New bike for Nys? (the black one)
broerie - February 18, 2012
Boom already tired
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Tough race for a mostly-road guy
attackagain! - February 18, 2012
he would've kicked ass here a few years ago
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
guy dreaming of the rollers infront of the TV
Uphill - February 18, 2012
He did 260km on thursday
broerie - February 18, 2012
= he started tired already
broerie - February 18, 2012
not enough for MSR
Uphill - February 18, 2012
I think 260 km on your own in the wind is a lot harder than riding MSR nicely sheltered in a peloton.
broerie - February 18, 2012
tell that to a guy who always rides solo.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
you should try grouprides
super fun!
broerie - February 18, 2012
used to, many years ago.
Prefer solo.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
I hope that's not what she said
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
it was almost like a record.
Should I stay or should I go.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Oh noes
another puncture for Albert
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Aw, and a mini bike chuck :)
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Now the race is over
broerie - February 18, 2012
Bike throw coming?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Good to see a ce sloppy mudrace!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
so
is this the worlds TTT course?
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
Man, that would be super awesome
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
would give an entirely different meaning to whole team rides into a ditch...
Ed K - February 18, 2012
It would be beautiful!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
DING
we’re halfway through.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
This is suuuper hard
These are steep steeps
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
This long hill is just ridiculous(ly beautiful)
Ed K - February 18, 2012
This race has everything, except for that little fight at the front.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
they're catching up!
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
Klaas VT
broerie - February 18, 2012
wheel fight?
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
He is in Oman or Algave
Uphill - February 18, 2012
why it should be world cup!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Most technical race all year, really...
…with the partial exception of the specialist course at the worlds.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
and koksijde wc
and zonhoven. or namur. or koppenberg.
but it’s up there.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
ok I missed most of those...
…it was a rough winter.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
Heh, the unofficial CX Monuments
Koksijde, Zonhoven, Namur, Koppenberg, Schedecross & Caubergcross!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Oh yes, Scheldecross
Damn octopus
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
If it's good in any weather, it's real CX!
Loved it in the ice last year, but it was even better this year, even if it didn’t quite flood…
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
which other courses are always good?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Hofstade used to be my favorite
broerie - February 18, 2012
(gone now)
broerie - February 18, 2012
Tervuren was fun too, especially in the snow
(gone now)
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Tervuren was great!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
I loved Roubaix...
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
that one's back next year
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
which is the one early in the season with the crazy-lovely
bouncy duckboards?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Loenhout
broerie - February 18, 2012
I like that one
Partly because it’s CX at last, but I’d love those duckboards wherever they are!
Bedankt
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Baal is always good as well
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Yes, even if it is a foregone conclusion who wins!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Maybe next year we should have a CX Monuments post too!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Ronse of course, how could we forget
broerie - February 21, 2012
Oh yes
True that
tgsgirl - February 21, 2012
Rob Peeters tumble
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
wonderful
(sorry, Peeters)
Uphill - February 18, 2012
It's great seeing mud crashes
when we don’t have to worry about them!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Legs are hurting all over
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Klaas is catching up!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
damn!
The missing link.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Nys playing cat & mouse?
broerie - February 18, 2012
Giving the crowds a good race?
or at least the illusion of a battle? ;-D
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Peeters puncture
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Klaas Vantornout back
broerie - February 18, 2012
Hey broerie, there should eb 2 hours of track streamed tonight
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
I know
any interesting events scheduled? Or do they save the biggest events for tomorrow (Sprint men, team pursuit)
broerie - February 18, 2012
erm, women's sprint, men's keirin, end of men's omnium,start of women's omnium, women's IP
tomorrow men’s TP & sprint, women’s keirin & omnium – hopefully streams all day then, cos it’s on E/sport as well as BBC
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
ah cool
I was afraid it was going to be qualifiers all evening long
broerie - February 18, 2012
No, they doing all the qualis in the day
they’re happening now – I know Meares & Pendleton meet in the sprint semi-final – can’t wait for that!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Is Pendleton as good as 4 years ago?
broerie - February 18, 2012
well, she looks wonderful on a bike.
My money is on the Pendler.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Really hard to tell - she's very tempramental
and hasn’t been having fun for the last few years, which means she isn’t as good. But she always reacts REALLY well to crowd support, and yesterday was incredibly good – I really expected Meares & McCulloch to win the team sprint, but Vicky rode like she was inspired, and was super-excited afterwards, so…. I am generally cheering for Meares, because Vicky is really annoying with her miserable down-time & pre-race interviews – but really can’t call it.
Funny, though, them meeting in the semis – when that happened in Worlds last year (I think) Meares was saying it was a harder race than the finals!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
that sand is nothing
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
good thing the hill makes up for it
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
no doubt
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
bet it combines nicely with the mud for extra bike-clogging fun, though!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
End of race, just throw out chain, cogs, chainrings, and probably your rear deralleur too.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
Klaas is getting tired
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Two laps to go
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Which part is actually the Cauberg?
and will they be riding any of these roads in the worlds?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
I think the start/finish
but it’s hard to recognize the area
broerie - February 18, 2012
Super twisty turny
The round building is the spa / thermae I think
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Resembles
the AGR map
Chris Fontecchio - February 18, 2012
Those Dutchies seem to be unable to race in a straight line
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
explaining the dutch / belgian rivalry to my gf this morning...
…this is now the paradigmatic example.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
It's not rivalry
as much as a big brother, little brother thing I think.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
aka. sibling rivalry.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
ha; yes
you are correct
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
broerie - February 18, 2012
try ride a bike with that thing
Uphill - February 18, 2012
white shorts, totally wrong for cross.
Ed K - February 18, 2012
footon servetto designer
Uphill - February 18, 2012
I worry about the cape getting caught in the spokes, too
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Wij willen Willem weg,
wil Willem wijzer worden,
wij willen Willen weer
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
William I of the Netherlands
The Dutch were the last ones to occupy Belgium
broerie - February 18, 2012
I think the Germans might disagree
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
ahh right, a minor historic event.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
two!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
.. for more than 4 years
broerie - February 18, 2012
which is which?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
we are totally little brother
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Heeeeeeeeee!
I want to go to the Cauberg spa!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Come on over for worlds this year!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
I am planning to!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
how many worlds have you been to?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Just Copenhagen Road & Koksijde CX!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
(the "local" ones!)
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
adding the Olympics as well?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Can't - no tickets
unless i can get some in the April round….
Not sure I fancy the RR, if there aren’t screens, and with Box Hill being charged for, not sure I’ll be able to get there
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
planning on selling your house?
Uphill - February 18, 2012
I think it would take that...
Very sad, especially about not gettting to see any of the track – especially if the gossip that about half the tickets have gone to corporates is true…
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
That's... one more than me :)
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
I really, really, really recommend the fun of the Worlds RR in real life!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
nys
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Love the off-camber section!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Klaas koprol!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
acrobatic-ish!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
what's tomorrow's course like?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
sand
broerie - February 18, 2012
great!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Put those hands together!
Nys FTW
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
WHOA
I just noticed, he’s wearing his white helmet!
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Chapeau.
Fitting win to end the season.
Uphill - February 18, 2012
One more tomorrow for him?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
plus Hasselt on wednesday
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Sarah was talking about 'real' cross
broerie - February 18, 2012
I know
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
They're not doing that indoor thing this year?
broerie - February 18, 2012
Oh, I always think that looks hilarious!
Even if it is, what Nys & Vos for the win, pre-fixed?
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
They are, they are
but that’s all for fun
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Outstanding win, totally dominated from almost the first lap. Wow.
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
2. Klaas VT
3. The Unfortunate Niels
4. Yoah
5. Rob Peeters
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
They all look exhausted.
Ruthann - February 18, 2012
lets ask them to do a victory lap
Uphill - February 18, 2012
Ha!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
HARD race
and over an hour too
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
You could hear Peeters say "ik ben helemaal kapot'
“I’m completely exhausted”
broerie - February 18, 2012
Boom boom 17th
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Sven Nys
It’s a race that’s very tricky, with some technical sections where you can make mistakes if you’re in someone’s wheel. The only one who really duelled with me was Niels, and he had bad luck twice. And then there was Klaas but I had that under control, I could see that he had to go into the red to catch up, so that wouldn’t have been a problem. Albert was very strong, I would’ve had more trouble with him. I’m very happy with my season. I’ve got one classification and a really nice Belgian jersey. I’m proud of my season.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
and he should be
broerie - February 18, 2012
Niels
I had a very good day today. I was less for two weeks cause I couldn’t train much. I think I was as good as Nys, but if you have two mechanicals that’s it. Ha, I think the guys who didn’t race today will have something left in their legs tomorrow. A podium spot today, another podium tomorrow and I’ll be happy.
tgsgirl - February 18, 2012
Nice!
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
Video of the women's race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rayx6BRYvp8&feature=youtu.be
Sarah Connolly - February 18, 2012
You must Login with your SB Nation account and be a member of Podium Cafe to post a comment.