Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

Yeah, but if you already own one and it’s a quick job to swap between bikes then I don’t see any reason why not?

Sorry for being a bit stalker-y Ed, but the thing I noticed from Strava was that your power seemed low. NP for 30 minutes of cross was a little over 230 when I’d have thought your ftp must be nearer 300? Is it normal for power metrics in cross to be far lower than othe disciplines, i’d have thought all the micro efforts would inflate Np?

Obvious caveats about power meter calibration and Strava messing up data etc etc.

Is it normal for power metrics in cross to be far lower than othe disciplines

Yes. Lots and lots of zeros.

I ran one for a bit. It's pretty pointless to have it for races and you run the risk of breaking it. Obviously more so when it gets really wet / muddy.

I found HR is pretty useful if you want to pace yourself.

Clubmate runs his PM during races. Comes out with a higher average power than normalised.

Yep, it wasn't going to be doing much on my TT bike...

It’s a while since I wore a skin suit for cross, ever since my last one went all Liz Hurley on me and @biarittz couldn’t hide his excitement finishing his race early just so he could perv at me.

@Sainsburys_Ed biggest gains are from 1x thick thin chain set and clutch mech. Since making the switch I’ve only dropped my chain on a spotting lap when trying to suss an obstacle, never in a race.

Disc brakes are nice but not a massive gain unless really muddy when it’s only the additional rim clearance not braking power that helps.

Learning how to get off and on the bike at pace is the biggest gain you will get. Then learning not to grip the bars but to let them float under a loose palm is a biggy.

The one thing I have yet to try is something called, lose weight and train more. Sounds border line cheating to me.

If all else fails, pedal harder.

NP according to training peaks 272, avg power 230, FTP is about 290 on my quarqs in road position, so NP wasn't a million miles off.

look forward to racing again, when I can in November/December, and was a good recovery week bit of fun.

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will take the last two points to heart, that losing weight thing weight might have something to it, i'd been putting it on specially for riding down hills in TTs though!

Got me Vittoria for mud tubeless and rim, anybody has a 28h front hub non disc so I can get this built?

I have a pair of michelin jet. Doing nothing. Does anyone want to give me money for them or have I missed the grass crit window?

Dt 350 BNIB, £30?

This might be worth a read;

https://openventio.org/ventio_new1/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Physiological-Response-to-Cyclocross-Racing-SEMOJ-3-152.pdf?platform=hootsuite

SPOILER ALERT

Conclusion: The study shows that cyclocross is a high intensity sport characterized by sustained
elevated HR responses and high post [La-] values

Am I missing anything by not reading on? Seems they proved a fairly straight forward hypothesis.

Yeah, basically TL;DR cx is a high intensity sport that uses the anaerobic system more than other cycling disciplines. Elevated HR is due to repeated short bursts of anaerobic effort.

Can someone put me out of my misery?
My brain, after watching some zondhoven today, vaguely remembers a race from last season or the season before. It had a really sandy or rutty mud descent (it was wet) and I think Van Der haar and either van aert or vdp going at each other and vdh smashed the descent held a really tricky line but got dicked at the finish.

Am I imagining a race?

got dicked at the finish.

coz a chain fell off?

Maybe. Was it the worlds? I am not sure if there were national jersies involved.

There was a duel last year that was super amazing then Wout lost his chain on the final corner or something stupid. Can't remember the race name though.

yeah, I think it's the 2016 World Championships you're talking about. Heusden-Zolder.

I just remember Lars (if it was him) taking a line on the descent that was insane and not budging even though he was clearly going to lose a pushing contest.
#wetdream

Thanks. I'll have a look later.

https://youtu.be/IPY41hSd2pQ?t=1h14m00s

at 1 hour 14 minutes. Great race! need a few more of those battles this season.

spaffs everywhere

I'm hoping by November van aert will be in form again.

https://vimeo.com/148756834

Koksijde World Cup this weekend. Here's another classic duel there a few years ago.

books sofa time
Gets told there's something in the diary

ever since my last one went all Liz Hurley on me and @biarittz couldn’t hide his excitement

Mmmmmmm