Cyclocross - CX and SSCX races and training

ooft some finish

tiny coke ✅

I thought Van Anrooij might do it on that course.

Only just realised there's no hurdles. Why's that then?

I think 38 (or 39) steps is plenty of off-bike action.

rooting for @JonD here but he's not been shown on GCN's live images yet so fear the worst

Go Puck!

The race I did today had a series of 5 uphill hurdles. Ouchy legs.

Win

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That's what I call a photo finish .

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for me, this guy won...

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I agree, can only think of two plausible explanations: 1, the UCI was seriously hoping there would be snow to reinforce the Winter Olympics case (there was snow on course up until a week ago judging from some GCN video). 2, they did a featureless fast course hoping to give the US riders a chance to do better.

Also agree that all races but Elite and Junior women were great. Junior men was good.

I think the course was probably harder than the cameras suggested. European cross film crews are well practised and camera locations have been perfected over the years (along with the fact that sight lines have been largely uninterrupted by spectators over the past few years).

Definitely could have done with more technical sections and it was a bit power and tactics heavy, but it mostly made for decent racing. Everyone seems to find something to complain about World's courses, but I think it's better to have variety from year to year that suits different sorts of riders than just stick to the classic locations.

Shucks, you guys…. Thanks for the support. I did alright, even managed not to find out the elite mens result until I’d watched it at lunchtime today. #mistakenidentity

Cameron also nailed 5th at worlds.

Could not happen to a nicer kid!

Given he, by his own admission, didn't have the legs on the day, 5th from the group contending for 3rd, was a great result.

He's had an outstanding season, a real breakout into the upper echelons of the sport.

especially after his injury issues over the past couple of years.

(he smoked me going up one of the local climbs last year - breezily chatting away to his mate as I sat in zone 7 trying to hold his wheel)

Yeah he has really kicked on physically and mentally. He has always had the bike handling and skills in abundance.

Weird to have such pride for someone you only met in passing through a few seasons but here we are.

Nathan Smith (3rd in Junior men) was riding a Trek loaner bike...his CX team seems to ride Ribble and the commentators were saying his regular bike wasn't "UCI compliant", they mentioned it more than once. Anyone have the insider info?

The list is here, and Ribble doesn't appear (their cx bike at least)

Pretty significant oversight really https://www.uci.org/docs/default-source/equipment/liste-des-modeles-de-cadres-et-fourches-homologues---list-of-approved-models-of-frames-and-forks.pdf

Ribble don't want to pay to have thier bikes uci approved is my guess. Its not cheap and is charged for every frame size.

It's a bit odd though, as he rode the Euros plus various World Cup races without it being an issue previously.

True, I guess it must have been a real punisher of a commissaire

Tormans CX team is being bought off Wanty by Quick Step. I wonder what that means for Hermans next season

He rides for Quick Step on the road apparently.

wow okay

hermans is hiking atm