Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the Oceanic Continental Championships. The first riders are arriving at the start, here we have Tanē Tarawhira of Fonterra-Genesis. Tell me Tanē, how are you feeling about today's race?
Yeah, it seems like a nice course, the forecast is sunny so the race will be fast. I could be in with a shot if it ends up in a sprint, so I'll try and stick with the favorites.
All the pros here today are on one team, what do you think that means for the race?
Honestly nothing bro, um, we all agreed we won't work together, every man for himself. Great to see all the amateurs turning up, some of them have real talent and will be sure to stick up there.
Thanks for talking to us Tanē!
A pleasure mate!
Now we have one of today's favorites joining us, Josiah Bennett. Josiah, how do you think the race will go from your perspective?
It looks like it could suit me, there are a few hills here and there and I'm ready to prove I can keep up with Lachy and try grab the title!
Obviously you were an instrumental part of Lachy's recent win in Japan, what did you make of that?
It was a race we as a team really targeted, the plan was for me to attack and when the front group caught me to just help Lachy get away by all means possible. As you saw we executed that to perfection and won our first cross!
Who do you rate for the other races?
In San Diego I think Power should see off all the others, but I really rate Goldenberg and Markson after seeing some of the amateur races, so they could pose a threat. In Africa some of the amateurs are good I've heard but it looks like the Mustafa Moli show, but never discount Ali Acord on his own turf. Then in Tabor it looks to be frozen over, so it could go to any of the big ones. Matt is a dark horse to earn his first victory in the Conti Champs but I'm picking Dries. An outside chance could be Rik van Fleming, the race isn't too hard, or Christian Schiltz, he looks in top shape. Hafthor Eldfjasson is another great rider and the course looks icy so that only adds to his chances. In fact, I don't see why he isn't listed as a favorite.
Wow, a comprehensive view from inside the pack, you heard it here first folks! Now we have Ronnie Hira. Ronnie, what are your tactics coming into the race?
Just ride my heart out for the jersey on the flats and the technical sections. I know I have a great shot at it and the race could be won there.
Favorite for today?
Undoubtedly Michael.
Edited by jandal7 on 28-02-2015 21:03
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
Welcome to the summary of the Continental Championships. The last race has finished, and so we can take a look at the very first Continental Champions. All the jerseys have been distributed.
The Championships were off to a bad start when a press conference was held, where the UCI stated that the Continental Championships would not be worth any UCI points after all. They changed the rules after protest from several riders and team leaders. However, there were only 50 points to be earned for the winners, so most riders didn't let it get to them. Faizullah summarized it perfectly: "In these races, you ride for that jersey, nothing else." The biggest surprise of the entire Championships, was at the start line of the African race, though.
African Championships
Race Summary
Open mouths as Amadou Bakari walked casually up to the start line, in full outfit and with a new cross bike. Nobody had heard from him in months and there he was, ready to race. It must've had quite an impact on some of the riders, because the overall pace was extremely low. A rather disappointing race. Halfway the race, Bakari even lead the front group for a few moments. In the end, Mustafa Moli was the better man, riding away from Ali Acord, Muller and upcoming talent Farai Olujimi in the final lap. Amadou Bakari finished 6th, staying ahead of Tembi and Sow and the 9 abandoned riders.
Full Result
1
Mustafa Moli
47'31
2
Ali Acord
0:12
3
Farai Olujimi
0:18
4
Frederick Muller
s.t.
5
Nathan Starc
0:32
6
Amadou Bakari
1:15
7
Ketso Tembi
2:14
8
Mohuti Sow
3:52
Oceanic Championships
Race Summary
This race was basically every man for himself, as the Fonterra-Genesis Cross team decided not to use their full team strength against the poor U23 riders. There were a lot of starters, but the laps were short and only 6 managed to finish in the end. Ronnie Hira was the victim of a bad fall and had to abandon for the day. Len Leye and Peter Christianson impressed by keeping up with the professional riders from Fonterra-Genesis Cross for a very long time. However, in the finale, Lachy Bauer and Michael Bollinger proved too strong on the hills. Lachy Bauer managed to shake off Bollinger on the final hill and crowns himself first Oceanic Champion.
Full Result
1
Lachy Bauer
52'40"
2
Michael Bollinger
0:04
3
Josiah Bennett
0:21
4
Len Leye
s.t.
5
Peter Christianson
0:34
6
Tane Tahawira
1:12
American Championships
Race Summary
Max Power was the man to beat on this course. As the only professional cyclo-cross rider, he had the advantage. But young guns Fred Markson and Eddie Goldenberg are extremely talented, and have been dominating the American U23 cross scene all season. Goldenberg failed to deliver today, though. He finished on the podium but was bitterly disappointed. Max Power took Fred Markson to the line and found himself beat by the 18 year old New Yorker. Power will remember this day for many years to come. Markson, on the other hand, can start dreaming of a professional career.
Full Result
1
Fred Markson
49'22"
2
Max Power
s.t.
3
Eddie Goldenberg
0:51
4
Teddy Westside
1:23
5
Mark Johnson
2:01
6
John Markson
2:32
7
Bob Swarleymon
s.t.
8
Swarles Barkley
2:40
Eurasian Championship
The Eurasian Championship took place in Tabor, Czech Republic. The night before the race, the weather changed completely, turning the route into a real snow-ploughing adventure. This increased the chances of top favorite Francis Vague. But starting as a top favorite can be a curse more often than a blessing.
Race Summary
The start was extremely fast. Hafthor Edlfjallsson made his trademark move from the front line. Francis Vague was quick on the draw and the two soon found themselves at the front of the race, leading over Rudy Verboven with 5 seconds. Through the snow and ice, they increased their lead slowly. Riders were hitting the floor left and right. Many riders abandoned, finding themselves in a lost position.
Halfway the race it was obvious that the two ice specialists were absolutely gone. Vague tried to put the pressure on Eldfjallsson, but the rider from Iceland refused to crack under Vague's immense pace. In the background, the battle for place 3 was exciting, with Cornelis, Welling, Schiltz, Cook and Hammarling. Cook fell out of the running, literally.
Only 18 riders finished, almost all ice specialists. Faizullah rode a pretty neat race, but came short on power on this profile. Mazzarelli did all he could but found himself more on the ground than on his bike. Lipawsky never really got in the race, he cramped up completely near the end due to the snow and the cold. Elliot Cook finished 7th.
For place 3, Cornelis, Hammarling, Schiltz and Welling were left. Welling could sit in the wheel, with team mate Vague up front. Schiltz was victim of an acceleration from Cornelis. Welling cracked in the final round. An exciting sprint saw Hammarling take the bronze medal ahead of Cornelis.
For the first place, Eldfjallsson and Vague went into the final lap together. Eldfjallsson placed an attack on one of the steeper slopes, but Vague made it clear he wouldn't get dropped today, by nobody. Vague overtook Eldfjallsson and dictated the pace. He went into the final corner first and started the sprint from afar. He was very confident.
It turned out he was too confident. The last 50 meters, Vague lost speed and Eldfjallsson managed to come next to him. Hafthor Eldfjallsson crossed the line as the winner, half a wheel ahead of top favorite but oh-so-young Francis N. Vague.
After an unannounced media break, Dries Cornelis has finally been willing to give an interview again after the Eurasian championships. But first he wanted to explain his media silence. 'I understand it came as a shock to many of my fans. However, I felt I needed a break from the media. I felt like being stalked and just ignoring it felt good for a while. However, I decided to not let my fans down and here I am again.'
The continental championships are over now, with Dries coming 4th in Eurasia. 'That obviously is a bit disappointing. I understand my career won't last much longer, and given that this was the first edition of such a grand race, it being on my palmares would be very good. That said, Eldfjallson is a great rider who deserves it a lot, and surely he'll honor the jersey throughout the rest of the season.'
Shanghai may just have noticed the definitive breakthrough of Iranian cross. Naveed Alinejad came at a very strong 4th place, just 3 seconds behind the winner. 'I had already had some good results this season, but of course nothing comes even close to this. Beating legends such as Dries Cornelis and Matt Mazzarelli is obviously a great achievement for me, which I hope to redo in the future.'
The Eurasian championship did not go as planned. 'Saying that I had an off-day may be correct. I don't like snow, I don't like ice. I don't like frost, I don't like Tabor. Nevertheless I'm a bit disappointed I did not make it to the line today, but luckily there's enough chance for me afterwards. After all, I've got a long career ahead of me.'
You ride into the finish with young prospect Len Leye. What did you make of him?
Yeah obviously, ah, Leye and Christensen were great, and we rode very very well to keep them off, but Leye stuck with me and there you go!
You must be happy with Lachy's win?
Well, not really *laughs*. We were all competing against each other to give people like Leye and Christensen a very good run.
You successfully called or half called all three other championships, how do you do it?
Well Moli was a safe bet, and Markson was always going to be up there. But Eldfjasson, I'm surprised how underrated he was in the build-up, many people weren't watching him and his usual attacking at the start turned serious.
Did you see Amadou Bakari is back in the African Champs?
*Facepalm* Yes I did *chuckles*. I think th e upcoming cobbled races were too good to miss for him.
Thanks for your time!
No probs.
Lachy Bauer
Well, I guess I'm officially the best CX rider from Oceania over that particular course. Well you don't feel like it when you collapse on the ground.
After I freed myself from Michael I didn't feel too good, the jet lag really affected us, even though it was only from China. He gave me a run for my money but I knew I was best over the hills. Kudos to him and especially Lenny Leye and Peter Christensen, they really put on a good show.
Also for the record, good to see Bakari back!
Anyway, on the plane now to start training for my next race, over in Sweden! I feel a lot better now and ready to showcase this jersey in style!
Ronnie Hira
Just wanted to update you on the crash: Not serious at all, just a couple of cuts. I'm ready and raring for Torku, I've got to do well here!
Edited by jandal7 on 01-03-2015 20:17
It's hard to deny the disappointment in Vague's glance when he stepped on the podium. A huge belgian crowd travelled to Czech Republic, they gave him amazing support throughout the race and cheered for him loud and louder. In a thrilling race, he lost yet again the European Championships. Just like in the Junior days. This time around, Eldfjallsson got the better of him in the end.
Eldfjallsson and you have done a race of ourselves today, I imagine?
It worked out pretty great for us, indeed. I had imagine that he'd look for a fast start like usual, and with him being upfront, the other ice specialists from Odfjell didn't chase initially. This gave us enough breathing room for the remaining laps fortunately. I tried to keep the pace high all the time, since I figured that Eldfjallsson could have problems the tougher the race gets. But he did an amazing race, hats off. He's a very worthy first Elite European champion.
You've seemingly raced only for the win today, lots of pace-setting and action. Is this a result of your new found confidence since your low point in November?
I enjoy riding in those conditions and the more other riders have problems, the better it is for me. I try to force my conditions on my opponents when the race gives me opportunities like this. I may have been too eager to take gold and the jersey today. But with the performance we put in, it's hard to be disappointed or to regret something. In the end, it just wasn't enough anymore. I'm good with silver, once again.
This sounds actually like a race winning strategy for both you and possible Odfjell.
I doubt that very much. I reckon they see me as one of their toughest opponents? Neither I nor Eldfjallsson rode as friends, but we do share common goals so of course there's harmony and understanding. I respect him of course very much, he's an incredible rider. But it's still a race and everybody wants to win.
Many riders faced enormous difficulties today, what about you?
Tabor was another extreme edition this year, the snow fall gave it a special, magical atmosphere. Bit of a Christmas Carol. The climbs were difficult alright but it was really tricky in the descent. I had to really be careful now and then but it all worked out fine. I don't know about the total crash count of riders, but I imagine that some landed on their butt.
The final descent was a real cracking showdown with you and Eldfjallsson fighting each other in the descent man-o-man, taking the turn and coming to the finish...
Yeah, it was dangerous that downhill. Slippery, icy. And me and Hafthor not giving each other a single centimeter. We were elbow at elbow and the people were running past us, to see all of the finish on the big screen. Insane action, brutal pace. For several hundred meters down into that field. High risk, high reward-mentality. It has been of one my season hightlights so far. I may put on too much pressure, in the closing meters I was just empty. I couldn't even punch my handlebar [laughs]
Any insights for the World Championships?
Hm, for me the race turned early on into a 1 vs 1, so I couldn't take much new wisdom from this race in regards to that. The only thing I know is that the belgian support will be incredible in Valkenburg, but we all knew that before anyway.
What's up next for you then?
I skip Finland of course, I imagine it'll be a complete Odjfell showing. However I hope to be up there in Sweden then the next day. Ukraine later should suit me well enough in Coca-Cola Competition, it'll be a tough hilly race between the three top men. It may suit me more than I initially thought, but we'll know more once we're there.
Edited by Shonak on 01-03-2015 20:21
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
With a 5th place, Sven Welling has once more proven that he is more than just the other guy on the team of BKCP - Powerplus. Though his teammate Vague took the silver medal, Sven Welling put in a great ride himself. Ultimately he only fell short in the last lap, when he couldn't follow the attacks of World Champion Cornelis.
"I had the luck of just having to hang on", said Welling, and immediately shaking his heads. "But hanging is on is easier said than done. Hammarling and Cornelis were stronger than me. I think Hammarling could have gone faster or earlier, but was holding back because of his teammate. Me on the contrary, I couldn't do much different than today. For me, there was little chance of a medal today fromt he start but I'm pleased with my performance."
It's been an exception cold day with the snow coming down heavy on the riders. For Welling, it was surprising that his legs didn't hurt so much. "I used to be a fantastic rider in this conditions but sometimes the legs have a thing with this kind of weather. Then they really hurt and the injuries hit me hard. But today when I woke up, it was much different. I just wanted to race this course. Those are days and races, I'm still loving this sport. I'm glad I didn't crash this time around."
Of course, most attention has been on the winner and his runner-up. For both riders Welling had only praise. "Both of them were off right at the start, I havn't been close ever since. They were gone and we were left to ride for bronze medal. That put us under quite some pressure. When you know that two medals are basically gone from half-time of the race, you treat everyone as a rival. I care about a Top 10 ranking but truth is: Only the medals count. There's no room for alliances anymore [...] I heard that Francis did major work. It may not have been the result he desired but he can be really proud of this medal, the way he raced, his general attitude. He's a great professional and teammate. He deserves this medal, and was so close to the jersey. I'm sure it'll look fine on Hafthor though, Francis will win it someday, I'm certain of that."
Edited by Shonak on 01-03-2015 23:05
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
It's been a bit of a while since my last rantings and ravings, I have been a little under the weather if I am being honest with you. Just trying to shake the bad feelings out of my legs and the only way for Cookie to do that is to keep racing. There is a race in Finland next weekend which even old UCI speccie man may struggle to get me out of bed for. I mean all respect to the ice dudes but Finland in January are you freaking kidding me!
I fell at Shanghai and battled on not sure if that was the best idea perhaps I should have just eased back a bit. Had virtually zero motivation for the EuAnal championships though have to say it was nice to see the chief Ice Maiden take the win - suitable winner considering the conditions were right up his alley. To me medals, jerseys and that crap really doesn't fly and you know the worst I had some tatty UK jersey to wear. Call me mad but I dunno whether I can really do the worlds this year. Still getting a lot of grief from the dirtsheets from so called fans from back home.
The crowds are getting their moneys worth out of us this year anyways some very entertaining racing I must say. Just been taking a bit less time on the rollers and just watching over some of the racing this year - you know Vague is good but some of these other guys have come on immensly. Mazzerati impresses me on some terrains, fair plays the Italian slick cannot tolarate the cold I don't much like it either. Bauer though for me is certainly one of the most improved riders around - now a real player on the circuit. There are few faces on the front row who are probably upsetting the establishment - lets stick it too em boys.
Gotta say i was not expecting such a good performance at the Continentals. I have been on a much better run of performances and results with the weather having turned cold and this shows some real improvement since the start of the season. A really big result for almost any rider and i was delighted.
A huge confidence boost i will take forwards with eyes still firmly fixed on Torku and the icy cobbles. I'm also a lot more comfortable about staying at this level of CX. I had a big confidence wobble for a period but these results are showing me i can compete, and just have to pray for cold winters.
TDF
I am talking with my team about lodging a complaint with the UCI about the Continental Championship. There was obvious widespread collusion amongst the amateurs to prevent me from winning, to the extent i was often beeing dangerously squeezed off the course. I've had one big fall this year so i gave these guys plenty of room in the end, it was that or crash again.
Still i managed to get a 2nd place finish. My CX has come on a long way from the start of the season and i am only getting better and stronger through the season. The Christmas break certainly had a role to play, allowing me to rest up and recover somewhat. Now i've triggered a clause in my contract so next season i move up to a new wage bracket, very nice for me.
There's various rumors about a new American event next season. Central Park seems to be out, but the organisers are trying to get one set up in Battery Park. I give my support to this event over the others being discussed. It's a great location and the organisers know what they are doing, hopefully if i can throw myself behind it then it can become a reality.
A first chance for the new Continental Champions to show off their jerseys. The World Cup continues after a three-week break. We're starting an exciting time in the season. These 6 races in between the Continental Championships and the World Championships are important in all three classifications, but everyone will be watching each other for the Worlds, too.
Usually Torku is a decisive race for the World Cup, but with Cornelis leading the classification with 86 points, we'll see a different race than we're used to.
Race Information
Country: Finland
City/Place: Torku
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Mikel Hammarling, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Francis N. Vague, Ronnie Hira, Dries Cornelis
Record: 3x Jannes Vandewalle (1987, 1988, 1990)
Race History: The Torku race has been around since the 70s. The very first edition kicked off the start of the 1972 World Cup. Jannes Vandewalle won the race three times, with cyclo-cross legend Pieter Gasthuys on the podium on all three of those occasions. Torku has always been a breeding ground for true spectacle and since it moved up later in the season, it has been a decisive race for the World Cup more often than not.
Route Information
Technical: 2
Sand: 2
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 4
Torku is considered the Ronde Van Vlaanderen of the cyclo-cross. The route is filled with cobblestones, intertwined with sharp climbs and rough roads. The jumping bars have been removed from this years' course, along with several sharp corners.
The profile is suited to powerful riders. Don't underestimate the cobbles on this terrain, they're relentless. Riders will need to pick their tires carefully, because this race could be lost before you even begin.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 0° C
Precipitation: Sunny
Wind: 2 - 3 Beaufort
The season is still in full swing and gearing up one more for its hot phase. Recently the Continental Championships gave the signal for the closing months, with spectcular racing waiting each new week to happen. And of course, the big season highlight is just around the corner. Superprestige and Coca-Cola competitions are still fairly within reach for BKCP - Powerplus, whilst the World Cup has been a slight disappointment point-wise, although Sven Welling did some great racing there.
But this is also the time of the month for Cyclo-Cross teams when they already need to do start their planning for the remainder of the year and the new season. Riders will need to get some training done throughout the year, whilst also being competitive in either road racing or cross country. For example, it's still wildly dicussed if Vague will end up doing some road racing in the U23 ranks or pursue some success in cross country during summer.
But most importantly, it's that time were the first settlements have to be pursued for a strong roster in the next year.
At BKCP - Powerplus, the team has been surrounded by several rumours. Christian Schiltz is an upcoming future great, with several promising results this season already. Since he is largely unsatisfied on his current team, as long as he'll be riding with countryman Bernard, there's a fair chance of him switching teams this season. But is the team interested in starting up a potential team-intern rivarly with their leading horse Francis N. Vague, similiar to Bernard-Schiltz at his current team? Another name that has been intriguing for the team is Nicky Van Drenthe. As a member of Koga, he enjoys home support but BKCP - Powerplus may have the right arguments to persuade him over. What certainly seems appealling is the signing for a new powerhouse, especially if this one can help Vague in some occassions but also being able to score points on his own. Ronnie Hira, currently second in the World Cup, may be too expensive for BKCP - Powerplus, but what about lonestar Shay McGormley or Timi Kokkonen?
Of course, all are rumours still and most of it has been largely uncommented by the team manager or simply referred to as "a look a bit too far in the future".
What has been announced very recently is that Sven Welling will continue to ride for at least two more years for BKCP - Powerplus, after he has extended his contract. His solid results and occassional helping services to Vague have certainly rewarded him the trust and security of the team. Meanwhile, Francis N. Vague has not shown any interest in negotiations. Whilst the contract is still running for one more year, BKCP - Powerplus have signaled recently that they want to plan in the long-term with him of course. But with Vague not having shown any interest so far, belgian tabloid media is spinning its theories already: May the youngster actually be on the jump from BKCP - Powerplus? And if so, where would the 19 year old want to go in the year after: Lotto-Fidea as a replacement for Cornelis in two years then? Team Mapei to form a super alliance with Italian Mazzarelli? There are rumours of a new super team to be launched at some point. To gain back belgian dominance in this sport of theirs.
But clearly, it's more likely that Vague just wants to concentrate on his racing, and doesn't want to concern himself with money and contract issues in those vital weeks. Smart decision of a so young professional mind, and team manager of BKCP-Powerplus supports this: "There's no base for rumours, he still has a contract for one more year and he is purely focused on racing right now. He has an iron will and a strong focus. We will sit down to talk in spring."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Hey guys, I'm in Sweden and training hard. I'm perfecting every corner, hill and technicality. I'm hoping to know it like the back of my hand when I line up at the start. The ground looks hard but not icy, which is great, I'm adjusting to the cold by now, it doesn't worry me. Same with the jet-lag. Overall I feel good as gold.
I'm pretty sure Franny can say pretty much the same. He's also skipping Torku and boy, does he look ready. He's definitely my favorite to take this one out.
I know there's been a few rumors around, but they don't affect me at all. I've got another year with Fonterra-Genesis and I'm sticking with CX, I'm 100% committed.
Ronnie Hira
Pre-Race Interview
I'm here on the course with Ronnie Hira, second overall in the World Cup and one of the hot favorites for victory tomorrow. Ronnie, how do you feel?
I'm fine, the course suits me to a T, it's really just the Ronde of CX. It looks like hard ground but not icy, I don't think the ice specialists will get a huge advantage, except Eldfjasson who'll be keen to show of his jersey and if he survives the cobbles he's got to be considered a big threat, especially with his fast start and being in the front row.
Many rumours have swirled about your future, including a move to BKCP-Powerplus to join Francis Vague?
Yeah I've heard that, I'm definitely interested in negotiations with any team, obviously I want a leading role. BKCP could definitely suit me.
The other rumor that seems to have traction is Lotto-Fidea and a future replacement for Dries Cornelis?
Yeah, as I'm just 24 I think I could, but not yet, Dries seems to be sticking around for a while and I want a leading role. Give it 3, 4 years and I'd definitely listen.
Thanks for talking to us Ronnie!
My pleasure.
Edited by jandal7 on 04-03-2015 23:18
To this day, the race of Torku 1987 remains one of the most talked about in history. It was the ultimate clash between two archrivals Jannes Vandewalle and the greatest cyclo-crosser of all time, Pieter Gasthuys. Two legends, one story.
January 1987
It's January 1987. Pieter Gasthuys has been dominating the season so far. With 10 victories on his name, he is the top favorite for the World Championships. Usually earlier in the season, Torku was placed one week after the National Championships for the first time. In the World Cup, Gasthuys had the upper hand on Vandewalle. With only two manches left, nobody thought twice about Gasthuys winning the World Cup.
Vandewalle was a true cobbles specialist. Even on the road, he achieved some success, finishing 8th in De Ronde Van Vlaanderen in 1989 and winning Dwars Door Vlaanderen in 1986. At first glance this seemed to turn into one of the many battles fought between contemporaries Vandewalle and Gasthuys. Gasthuys usually came out on top in these battles, and the Belgian was building up a reputation of being unbeatable. 'Iron Man' was only one of his many names.
Vandewalle was very nervous at the start line, which was very unlike him. He had crashed out of the National Championship just a week earlier, where Gasthuys had managed an easy victory. The weather was bad and the race had almost been canceled, so the riders were tucked in fairly well. Vandewalle was the only rider in short pants. Nobody took real notice of it. Until the race started...
From the word 'go', Vandewalle went like a madman. Gasthuys, always cool as ice, dug himself in Vandewalle's wheel. In round two, the two riders already had a minute on the rest of the field. The pace was so fast, only 6 riders would finish the race in the end. Meanwhile, the falling snow turned into a true snow storm. And then, in round 4, a cameraman was in the exact right spot to take on of the most iconic pictures in cyclo-cross history. Almost exactly like the picture of Poulidor and Anquetil, Vandewalle and Gasthuys were shot on photo in the midst of their battle. They rode side by side, trying to take the upper hand.
The entire race was a constant battle, Vandewalle launched a total of 14 attacks, Gasthuys a modest 7 attempts. The maximum gap gained was only 4 seconds. These two gentlemen wouldn't budge for one another. In the end, it came down to a sprint. Both riders were soaking wet and had decimated the rest of the field to tourists. They came into the final 100 meters as they had fought the entire race, side by side.
They crossed the finish line shoulder to shoulder. If you look carefully at the picture taken, you can see Gasthuys looking at Vandewalle's steering wheel, and vice versa. Well, for as much as you can make out on the blurry photo taken in the snow. Either way, they were so focused on each other, neither knew who had won.
In the end, it took the officials more than an hour to figure out the winner. Because of the snow storm, it was extremely tough to call. Jannes Vandewalle was pronounced as the winner of the day. Both he and Gasthuys had already gone home, and the podium ceremony was canceled. But to this day, nobody knows for sure who had crossed the line first. Vandewalle always said: "I won many races, I lost even more races, and I was given one race."
Vandewalle gained back some points on Gasthuys, but it wasn't enough to win the World Cup. After Torku, the two didn't meet again until the World Championships, where Gasthuys took his third World Title with Vandewalle suffering from an off-day and finishing fourth.
Torku 1987 will always remain one of the ultimate battles between two cyclo-cross legens Pieter Gasthuys and Jannes Vandewalle.
Welcome in Torku, Finland. Torku has the tradition of tough and exciting racing, so let's hope to see a nice battle today. While the World Cup is long gone, the battle for the remaining podium is still quite close. And, of course, the victory of the day is still open for any rider.
Start Line: It's cold, and the sun hasn't been able to push through the clouds, so it feels even colder. There is a sharp wind, which cuts right through the bone.
There's an impressive list of non-starters here, with Francis Vague, Elliot Cook and Lachy Bauer as the biggest names. Let's see how this affects the race.
Lap 1: Eldfjallsson with his trademark start. Sven Welling is moving right alongside of him here. The ground is frozen hard and the corners are extremely slippery, so this should suit Welling, who will have a free role with Vague not here.
Dries Cornelis, leader of the World Cup, has taken a terrible start. He's in 25th position or so. This profile does not feature a lot of wide roads so he'll have to be patient if he wants to move up again. Not a thankful position to be in.
Sylvain Lipawsky wants to make the most of this race, but you can clearly see the ice isn't his thing. He goes down, going in the corner too eagerly. Slow it down, Sylvain.
The crowd here in Finland is possibly as famous as the race itself. They're not disappointing us today, either. They are renown for cheering for every single rider. And look how happy they are to see the last man in the race, we're happy to see him back, too. Amadou Bakari is enjoying himself, despite the terrible surface for him.
Lap 2: We'll have 7 laps today. Local riders Hakinnen and Kokkonen should be favorites here, but they're watching each other so closely, they're terribly behind in the race. It's almost pathetic to watch, oh dear.
So who is at the front? At this moment, Eldfjallsson is leading the race with Bernard and Welling. Schiltz and Hammarling are chasing. Hammarling has the team mate up front, so he sits at Schiltz' wheel. Schiltz shouldn't be riding either, with Bernard up front, but he doesn't seem to care too much about that.
Lap 3: Torku is not providing the exciting racing we're used to, but maybe we'll have to be patient. At this point, though, the race is being fought in the back. Many riders are abandoning. We can relate, though. In this weather, you're better off abandoning and taking a warm shower than to finish 40th and be freezing.
So let's take an intermediate check of the current situation.
Where is Dries Cornelis? He seems to be more than a minute behind already, now in 20th position. He's moving up slowly, but steadily.
And I think the race can finally really start now, with a monster acceleration by Eldfjallsson. Who will react to this? It's Schiltz who jumps on the opportunity. Oh and this is just terrible - Bernard riders hard to close the gap on his team mate, he's bringing Welling and Hammarling with him.
Eldfjallsson sees he's not made the gap and keeps his legs still. This is a sign for Bernard to attack now!
Bernard is off on his own. Hammarling realizes he can't let him go and ups the pace. And - unbelievable - Schiltz relays and hunts down team mate Bernard. Those two are as water and fire. Well, this race hasn't been the most exciting so far, but it might end up to be a memorable edition after all!
Lap 4: Bernard is caught and everything is back together again. Christian Schiltz attacks, now! Team mate Bernard jumps on his wheel. Welling has to pass, and so they're off, the two of them!
This is turning into quite a spectacle, and the crowd is enjoying it. Schiltz and Bernard are wearing the same jersey, but don't let that fool you. They should be riding hard now, making it a small team trial, but that's the opposite of what's happening. Neither wants to work for the other. And so Bernard tries to shake off Schiltz. It's going very hard, now. Schiltz counters Bernard easily and tries to pass him.
WHAT'S THIS?! This is just terrible, did you see that? Bernard with an extremely dirty move and Christian Schiltz is down on the ground! This is unseen; you can't pull another rider's handlebars, especially on this tricky terrain. What a terrible move! Has it been caught on camera? We've seen it happen right underneath our noses, but we're not sure the camera's have caught it.
Bernard is now alone at the front. Thank God, Schiltz seems to be all right and is back on the bike. Hammarling, Eldjallsson and Welling fly past him as he's clearly still getting over the fall.
So far, the cobblestones are doing the damage we expected. We see lots of riders with flat tires - or worse. Cornelis is fighting his way back to the front, but cobblestones have never been his favorite ground, so he's not doing so hot today.
Lap 5: Bernard has been caught, he's went too early, too strong. It surprises us he's still in the race, but I guess the officials didn't see the dirty manoeuvre. I'm not exactly sure what I saw myself, but it wasn't by the book, that much is certain.
We're getting ready for the worst cobbles. Every lap we see riders suffering hard on them. And there goes Hammarling! This has force on it, you can count on it. We can hear the other riders' legs cracking. Bernard is the first victim, he has to pass.
In the background, Shay Gormley is making a good impression, it's been a while since we've seen him. His sheer power is a great ally in today's race.
We're past the cobbles, and Hammarling is off alone. Eldfjallsson won't hunt down his team mate, obviously. So Sven Welling is alone, now. He has to chase down Hammarling, or wait for Bernard, but how big a help can he be at this point? No, no, waiting is no option now. It's Hammarling against Welling. And Welling is very annoyed with Edlfjallsson on his wheel, waiting to strike if he would catch Hammarling. It's a tough situation to be in.
Lap 6: Hammarling has about 7 seconds. Welling is a strong rider, he's not giving up at all here. Eldfjallsson is making him very nervous, though. This is perfect team work. Odfjell can be proud of its riders today. Speaking of Odfjell, what the hell are Kokkonen and Hakinnen doing? They're not even in the top 25 at the moment. Maybe the cobbles have made a bigger impact than we imagined.
Hammarling bends over his steering wheel, he's putting everything on this attack.
We are pleasantly surprised by Welling today. He's strong, not only on the bike, but mentally, too. What a performance. So far, the only problem is that there's one rider stronger. Hammarling has 10 seconds, now, the gap is increasing.
Lap 7: Mikel Hammarling heads into the final lap with a 15 second lead. What a wonderful display of strength. Welling looks behind him, Eldfjallsson continues to make him nervous.
And speaking of mentally strong riders, Christian Schiltz is back in the running and is chasing down Gregory Bernard. He's 10 seconds away from his team mate and rival. Ronnie Hira is in sixth position, with a comfortable lead over Arda Akdeniz, who's surprisingly in seventh here.
And now the big moment. Mikel Hammarling leaves the cobbles behind him to raise his arms. He's coming into his first professional victory. He's waited a long time for this, too long if you hear him talk about it, but he's got it now. Mikel Hammarling wins in Torku.
And there is Welling. Eldfjallsson easily sprints to a seconds place. But the Finnish supporters applaud Welling loudly. Welling himself seems satisfied to cross the line third. What a great man. Many would curse, but he's happy with his performance, that's how it should be.
Bernard is fourth, Schiltz fifth, he came close but came out short 2 seconds to overtake his team mate. We probably haven't seen the last of this rivalry today. Bernard will have to account for his strange move, was it intentional or not? Only he knows.
Hey guys,
Right off the bike and onto the phone! Got to say, very impressed with myself in 14th whoulda thought it possible! I managed to dig in for Ronnie and he obviously took points on everyone. Must say he isn't very pleased with his weather prediction, he's no Jim Hickey to say the least! No ice, bet he's kicking himself now!
Ronnie Hira
Post-Race Interview
Ronnie, could I have a quick word?
Yep, fire away.
You made some points on all your major competitors, how do you feel about the overall now?
Well Dries seems to have it in the bag, he slipped up today and I tried to take advantage of that. There is still a couple of big deciders, especially the Ardennes Cross, I'm really looking forward to challenging myself there. They haven't updated the points for us, though I expect them at the podium ceremony. I know I'm still a decent chunk behind, but how much we have yet to see. What's really important is how much I have down to 3rd, not up to first.
You had a good race, but in the end there was too much ice, would you agree?
For sure, I definitely underestimated the weather and I paid, though my plan was always ride for overall not the race. Well done to Odfjell and especially Mikel Hammarling, he has had a great season and all his hard work paid off. Sven Welling had a great day too, he's definitely another underestimated rider.
Edited by jandal7 on 06-03-2015 20:05
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
It's hard to overlook the look of surprise and enjoyment Sven had on the podium, despite being outsmarted and outstrengthed by the two Odjfell riders. The race was tough but obviously, Welling is happy with what he got out of the race.
Sven, fantastic showing of you today. Walk us through it will you?
I managed to get a good start and just did the Francis-move you know. Follow Hafthor and see where it leads you. The legs were fine and we quickly got a group together. Surprisingly some names were missing we expected at the front, so this really upped my chances here today. Later when Bernard and Schiltz were riding away, Odfjell did some strong pulls to get them back. I was riding hard throughout the race, Torkus is never easy ground but I'm glad I managed to hang on there. It was worth it. When I saw Christian on the ground and soon after Bernard being caught, I knew I could get a podium, maybe even win here today. That gave me wings. In the end, riding against two Odjfell guys in these conditions is a tough task. Hammarling was exceptional strong today. I knew that Hafthor would outsprint me but I also rode to secure the podium. I'm really, really happy today.
Did your recent contract extension give you extra energy?
[Laughs] Maybe. It was a good time for me, those last weeks. I had some great results and it's nice to see that BKCP - Powerplus counts on me, and is satisfied with my performances. I like being teammate and helper of Vague, a bit of a training partner, but it's also nice to see that I can still achieve top results on my own.
You are a man with a history of injuries. Torku is a place where you have crashed hard several times in the past. Did this limit your performance and risk taking?
Hard to say. You don't really want to think about the failed attempts in races, you know. You don't want to imagine what will happen if you crash on the cobblestones or on the ice. I had some bad crashes here in the past, but they don't matter when your legs are fine and you feel good on the bike. You are in the heat of the moment in a fucking cold place. You focus. Keep a shortened view of things that happen. Your mind is clear, so, well... Maybe I was at the start a bit worried but those worries disappear as soon as you ride.
More performances like this to come in the future?
I work hard for such races, and for those goals of mine. I've won in the past races, I work to make it happen again. To win a race is always a goal for me, and for every other rider. That's why we race. Of course, there are million things against you in those races but I wouldn't count out a win sooner or later. This is certainly a boost in motivation for me. I look forward to the Superprestige race tomorrow already.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
After Vague's small coup in Rasterhoff, the Superprestige is still open to much speculation. Cook is leading the classification and he certainly packs enough punch to defend this lead until the Kwaremont Cross, but his rivals will be putting the pressure on him here in Sweden. Here's to an action packed Hagfors Cross!
Race Information
Country: Sweden
City/Place: Hagfors
Classification: Superprestige
Starting Time (Elite Men): 14h30
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Lachy Bauer, Gregory Bernard, Dries Cornelis.
Record: 3x Pieter Gasthuys (1983, 1984, 1988)
Race History: Hagfors is, just like Torku, a race with a history. Several intense battles have been fought out on this profile over the course of the years. Cyclo-cross has really benefited from these Scandinavian races. Hagfors was first raced in 1967 and hasn't missed a single edition since then. Pieter Gasthuys leads the victories here with a total of three. Six other riders have managed to win twice. Upon winning, Dries Cornelis could add his name to Pieter Gasthuys' one.
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 1
Uphill: 5
Cobblestones: 0
We're in for a hard race. The profile has included a few more bridges, but also the famous Ahlgren-climb, which returns to the profile after a ten-year absence. The climbers will be happy with this year's route.
They say the Hagfors Cross is an ice-cross 9 out of 10 times. Yet the weather predictions point towards a thawed route. Snow seems very likely, but ice seems less likely. Tomorrow we might have that 1 in a 10, clear, race. The downhills are very tricky and so the riders will need their bike handling almost just as much as their climbing ability and engine. It takes a strong rider to win here, but also a clever one. Strike at the right moment, but mostly, stay upright!
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Snow
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Relief is the overwhelming emotion at the moment. My whole season was about winning this race, as no other course sutied me as well. I pulled it off, with some great team support, and can now relax and get back to enjoying the racing rather than tolerating it.
The race itself was almost spot on. Myself and Eldfjallson showed why Odjfell is probably the best team as we really worked well as a pairing. I love racing with Hafthor, he's got a similar attitude to me which is very much professional. We also benefitted from the in-fighting of Bernard and Schiltz, it's really poor to see teammates acting like that.
Safe to say Kokkonen and Hakinnen will also get some serious talking to's from their bosses. But not for me! I can kick back and take it easy in Sweden and just enjoy the rest of the season. Ease back and focus on my skills in racing. Very early but time to start looking ahead as well. Contract negotiations get easier, hopefully staying with Odjfell. I can start celebrating properly soon once it's sunk in a bit more. Just f*ck yes!
A quick word from me: I keep refreshing the weather cast but the weather men ain't sure with what we will come up tomorrow. Either way, I prepare for a day of great racing. They called me a bit of a dark horse now in the Superprestige Classification, and frankly, I enjoy this role very much. For what it's worth, I will try to make it as tough for everybody as possible.
Since I didn't take part in Torku, I already had a chance of visiting the current course. It's a great parcour for a real traditional race, Scandinavia really smells of Cyclo-Cross history in this winter season. I appreciate tese places of heritage in our more and more modernized and globalised little Cyclo-Cross world.
They say there's snow likely but we may have end up missing the ice. That's unfortunate, since I hoped to really take advantage of that tomorrow. If there won't be snow and ice tomorrow, than this will change little, luckily. The race itself is tough enough, especially with the Ahlgren-climb. I know where my strengths lie and just try to put my opponents under pressure. Maybe I can find some allies in the race tomorrow as well, I'd probably need them.
Congratulations to my teammate Sven's third place, great race today. Hope you feel similarly strong tomorrow as well and we can give 'em hell!
Edited by Shonak on 07-03-2015 09:31
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Hey, and welcome to my first ever article on the new website. Basically this is my take on CX, and I know that may sound generic, but if you haven't noticed ever since the sport came back from the brink, there's only been one major full-time journalist, Ian Butler. He is a great writer, heard he picked up some gong for it. But as with anything with only one reporter, you're only getting one view, one opinion. And with Ian, it's usually right. But it's still only what one guy thinks, from where he was watching. So I'm not here to undermine him, but to provide and express a second opinion.
World Cup
Torku was a jam-packed race which left plenty to discuss for us CX nuts, from Odfjell dominating again, Sven Welling proving that BKCP actually has two very good riders, Ronnie Hira and his epic weather cock-up, and Cornelis finally cracking. That's where I'll start.
Overall the World Cup is aforementionedly wrapped up in a nice little bow for the World Champ, but with Eldfjasson's marginal gains and Lipawsky's ability to bite back in the Ardennes Cross, the battle for the two lower podium steps looks to be one of the most entertaining battles left to unfold this season.
Hagfors
The Hagfors Cross looks to be another action packed race, with three of the four very top favorites (weather dependent) skipping Finland for extra training. The three are all in very different positions, with Cook, of course, in the lead, Vague a very dark horse in fifth, and Bauer with a licence to kill down in 10th place.
Our Top 10 - Favorites - Analysis
1. Francis N. Vague - Out and out my favorite for victory, looks in a very good position to go back to back in the Superprestige.
2. Elliot Cook - Has a lead to defend but never discount the Cookie Monster.
3. Dries Cornelis - Looks motivated to join the legendary Pieter Gasthuys on three Hagfors victories after a Torku he'd rather forget.
4/5. Lachy Bauer/Hafthor Eldfjasson - We can't seperate two continental champions, though unless snow comes to ice, Bauer should have the beating of Eldfjasson.
6. Mikel Hammarling - A definite outsider, but rejuvenated with a win and now racing at home, the crowds could spur him on to do well. His punching has come a long way since its humble beginnings and he may pull something off.
7. Gregory Bernard - Hit or miss for the Corsio rider, the course suits him but he could end up not featuring at all with a media backlash and possible UCI disciplinary action after his controversial behavior in Finland
8. Sylvain Lipawsky - The bad weather may not suit him, but the hills will and he's got a podium spot to protect against one of the top favorites, Dries Cornelis
9. Matt Mazzarelli - The Italian's chances really depends on the weather, if it's only snow don't count him out for his first pro win.
10. Timi Kokkonen - I finish with an outsider if things get icy, but the hills may still prove too much.
Honorable Mentions - Rudy Verboven and James Carlisle.
That's all I have time for, I won't be back for a while (crappy hotels in Sweden and Ukraine) but I'll be back soon enough!
Edited by jandal7 on 07-03-2015 10:42
Hammer Time
TDF
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Torku - Preview 
