Christian Schiltz is thrilled by the news that Luxembourg will have a professional cyclo-cross race this season, with the Luxembourg Challenge featuring as part of the Coca-Cola Trophy at the end of January.
It will be a great opportunity to ride in front of all of his local fans, in a race that is sure to be one of his main targets of the season. Former cyclo-cross pro Jempy Drucker was involved in the design of the course, and it is sure to lead to a great race.
April and May looking good after a successful Tirreno, a stage and the KoM is definitely a boost to the morale, it's satisfying to finally get the win after only a couple of weeks. Quick recap, after a crash in the TTT which brought our team down to four first day out and left us all for dead on GC, I started to hunt points and one day, a medium mountain stage win a flat finish, I went in the early break and gave my all for the stage, which I got in a two-up sprint after attacking over the final hill.
Anyway, I've also been meaning to give my thoughts on the new calendar. More climbing looks good and trophy-wise, I'm looking at unconventional tactics to say the least, especially with Mikey and young gun Milan with me, Josiah too. Then Len and Peter have signed up too, both decent prospect.
The coke trophy is once again somewhere I can aim to surprise, I'm left off the bookies list but that's the way I like it. I haven't seen much of the Lux Challenge but I think it could be interesting, and it's yet to be seen how it is for me compared to the UAE.
Superprestige looks like a place I could put into place some strange tactics, I surely can't compete overall but we should be able to keep things tricky for the big boys.
World Cup is where they think my chances are, but I'm sceptical despite no more Excel or Suhar. I just think despite not good than bad my losses could be too great, but again some experimental tactics could come off.
The World Championships could suit me, I've top 10'd in the Strade Bianche before, but as ever, at the end of the day the road and the cross are totally different worlds.
Hey chicas and chicos, El Presidente Vargas has asked me to keep this blog report in the Robledo Cycling Academy forum up to date so that you can all follow me on my adventures of around the world! Keep following all the coaches advice, work and race hard, and maybe you can get a chance too in a few years. Thank you so much to everyone who turned up for my departure celebration last night - Hernan has told me that nobody eats Patacon Pisa'o in Europe, so I made sure to have two massive helpings, my belly is still sticking out so much - I look pregnant . I made sure to get the recipe from Mrs. Vargas, I'll try and see if I can make some for myself - maybe my Belgian host family will like it too. It is very odd to have packed up my life into a single suitcase, but then again, I didn't have much to leave behind. I've returned all my bikes back to the academy, and sold the mountain bike I won last year to pay for today's flight. Good news is that my new sponsor bikes are supposed to be all ready waiting for me over in Belgium - can't wait to try them out.
After getting the train to Bogota today, I fly all the way across to Europe tonight. Hernan has arranged with a friend of his to pick me up and I stay with him overnight, he says Mr. Jiminez was the first Colombian cyclist to make it big in Europe, so I have lots of questions for him about his experience back in the day. Then I will move across to the home of the family I am to stay with for the next year in a town called Zottegem. I've looked at it on a map, but it doesn't really mean anything yet. Hernan says that Mr. & Mrs. Boekmans have twin sons about the same age as little JP - hopefully they don't make as much noise as JP at track league, ha, ha.
I told you all that I was interviewed by Jose from Mundo Ciclistico at the weekend, it has now appeared online, so see the link below.
Next time I post, I'll be half way round the world - take it easy, Robledo Rules!
Spoiler
Mundo Ciclistico speaks to up-and-coming Camilo Osorio, destined for great things in the future. Camilo has just signed for the Ittehad Chemicals cyclocross team, and is shortly heading for a new base in that other cycling heartland of Belgium. We thought we would catch up with him before his departure to get the low down.
Q: Camilo, please introduce yourself, and tell us a little about your cycling achievements to date.
A: Well, I've been riding and racing on the road, track and mountain bike since I was 8 or 9 years old when I first joined the Robledo Cycling Academy. Most of my focus has been on road racing, but I've had more success in Mountain bike racing. I won the Junior mtb championships as a first year, but couldn't defend my title as I was injured at the time during my second year. I also won the Espoir mtb champs this season, although I had a bit of luck as the strongest riders were away at a World Cup race in North America somewhere. On the road I have many top 10 results, but never made it on the podium since I was a youth. I was though a medallist at the Madison championships as a youth and junior, but never managed to get the gold.
Q: We understand that you will be joining the professional cyclocross circuit, you don't mention cross in your history.
A: Well that's because until a few weeks ago I'd never even heard of cyclocross! If there are any races here in Colombia, I've never seen any. I have been looking at the highlights of lots of races from last season online, and it looks similar to mountain-bike racing, but different. I am coached by Hernan Dario Munoz and he thinks that I will be well suited to cyclocross racing with my mountain bike skills and road strength. We'll have to wait and see, but I think it will be a while before I get good results!
Q: Your right, there is not much cyclocross in Colombia! Maybe people will pay a bit more attention when you start racing in World Cup races and World Championships. It is an unusual path to take though - why not sign for one of the top Colombian road squads and stay at home?
A: Well, to be honest there were not too many offers! Although I do well on the road, so many guys here just fly up the mountains, and every race seems to finish at the top of the biggest hill the locals can find. It doesn't help that I am not as well 'prepared' as some of the competition too - Hernan has been trying to find an opportunity for me abroad for a while now so that I can avoid getting caught up in that circus.
Q: OK, em, I think we should round things up at that then. CAmilo Osorio, a young man not afraid to speak his mind. Good luck representing Colombia in the world of cyclocross.
A: Can I just say a quick thanks to the many people that have helped me on my way to here, and forward on this new journey. My coach Hernan, and all the brilliant volunteers at the Robledo Cycling Academy, the Medellin Chamber of Commerce for awarding me one of their 'young achievers' scholarships, Postobon for financial support, and of course my new team Ittehad Chemicals
Ah amigos, sorry I couldn't get back to you all after G-W like I promised. But now I have four and a half big races to fill you in on. FIVE RACES! And three of them are part of the cobbled quadruple.
So Paris-Nice was good fun in the end, I got most aggressive overall rider but I did lose the KoM by four points on the final road stage, chapeau to the winner though, he was super strong and his team did amazing work to block me in.
De Panne was fruitful, my first win in the final time trial but I missed out by 10 seconds in the end after a sprinter won two stages and the overall - a sign of things to come perhaps?
E-3 was suprisingly quiet, I went with the final move but so did that bloody sprinter - a wily sprint not good enough, beaten into third.
G-W was crosswinds galore until the final hour, I attacked over the Kemmelberg but tagged along - not that sprinter but some wheelsucker who I hadn't heard much of - checking later his best result was 5th at DDV and a decent result in the RVV espoirs a few years back. I shook him though, but he came back, I played cat and mouse and surprisingly he had seemingly expended too much energy, finally my big win for the road season and I raised my arms in relief.
The Ronde van Vlaanderen was an interesting affair: plenty of attacks to go around sand Dan overcast forecast with mild showers in the morning meaning a damp day ahead.
I stuck to any attacks from 60km like glue and I was pleased to see the young Belgian I went with in Omloop I think, I've grown quite fond of him and he went and I followed, a selection formed. I tried to shake some of the sprinters over the hills and cobbles sections but it wasn't good enough- a second place after nearly outfoxing him.
See you after Roubaix then, let's hope for another win!
You may have seen my name on one of the recent rider-lists published by the UCI so I figured I'd better introduce myself. Though if you have ever been on vacation in San Sebastian you might already dislike me a bit...
First of all: Yes. I'm Basque and yes I'm a cyclocrosser.
I grew up in and around San Sebastian and as so many Basques I rarely parted with my bike. Though where most others mainly used it to go out and climb the big climbs further away from town I mainly stayed inside town. Sometimes I earned a bit of money as a courier and sometimes I just rode for fun. Anyway those small explosive trips around town and up the smaller hills along the coast made me into a different kind of rider as to the heroes of my home country. To much dismay for my father I might add as he would definitely have preferred to see me battling Alpe d'Huez over some Belgian ditches.
That brings me on to why you might already hate me. Since much of my riding have been transporting small packages and letters with some urgency I found all the good shortcuts. In rush hour that means over the beach. Something that have made me rather good at racing in sand as well as avoiding the many tourists have really improved my bike handling skills. It's actually been three years since I last hit someone!
That should give you some kind of idea as to who I am and how I ended up in professional cyclocross.
Professional obviously indicates that someone is actually paying/sponsoring me which this year is the French outfit Vittel. There I will get some help from Carlisle to get into the pro curcuit as the team want me to take over leadership from him gradually as James appears to be declining a bit.
~ Iban
Spoiler
Name: Iban Etxeberdea
Nationality (region): Spain (Euskadi)
Date of Birth: 1995-05-01
Height: 179
Weight: 68
Specialty: Fast start
Weakness: Impulsive rider
Stats:
Bike Handling (technical): high
Sand: high
Uphill: high
Cobblestones: very low
Sprinting: low
Explosiveness: high
Flat (TT/riding hard): low
Power: medium
Running: low
Snow/Ice: very low
Jumping: medium
Since my managers phone call I worked a lot to be competitive in my first ever cyclo cross season. I went back to Denmark living with my parents for a while. I got into contact with Joachim Parbo, one of Denmark's best in CX.
He gave me lots of tricks and training programs so that I feel far more confident.
I am back in the USA now having a team meeting later today. I am going to ride for the only US team this season: Blue Bell CX.
I don't know my three team mates yet but I only heard positive things yet.
Racing will start soon. So let's see what my recent training and road experience are good for.
Heya amigos, its-a me, Milan-io! Ok, I won't do that again.
Anyway off-season was cool, I just chilled and trained with Josiah, he took me on the Kiwi MTB and CX circuits, he took silver in the U-23 & Elite MTB (to the same guy) whilst I took 6th in U-23 and 12th in the elites, I hadn't done it before but the mud, ice and whatnot was barrels of fun, he's a good guy and it was nice to spend winter with him. We took 2nd and 3rd in the NZ National CX Championships, obviously not for the UCI races so we let a local win it to take on the amateur circuit. We did similar in the circuit series we competed in, just taking modest top 10s to keep the fitness up and have a laugh.
I can't wait for the new season, Santos-ASB seems a top team and I can't wait to continue my development there!
Edited by jandal7 on 25-09-2018 01:00
Welcome to the final season 2015 - 2016 preview. In just over a week, cyclo-cross is back on the calendar! Starting a week earlier than usual, the races now build up more slowly to double weekends and eventually the already famous "American Week", followed by a busy racing schedule.
Below we'll present every of the 17 professional cycling teams that'll compete in the 2015 - 2016 season. In some races, U23 or even amateur riders may compete with the pros, and will ride for a temporary or their own team. Still, these are the 17 licensed teams for all the UCI events of this year.
#1: Team Lotto-Fidea
The team of the former World Champion Dries Cornelis. Does the World Champion still have it? Last season, he won 6 races, so you can't count him out. Still, there are those that say his off-season has been too quiet and the age is getting to him. He'll turn 36 in a month. Still, with Alinejad and Visconti on board, the team's building towards the future. Van Fleming is a newcomer. After trying to lead a team for several years, he seems to have welcomed his fate as a lieutenant, finally. Not good enough to win often himself, he can provide an invaluable service.
Riders: Dries Cornelis, Naveed Alinejad, Guido Visconti, Rik Van Fleming
#2: Team BKCP-Powerplus
A powerhouse team. Francis N. Vague is tipped as the next Gasthuys, a future legend of the sport. Be that as it may, Vague has lots left to prove. But his debut season was a smash hit, with 7 victories in total. Sven Welling is a perfect team mate, while Christian Schiltz is a great addition for this 3-man team. If Schiltz and Vague can agree on a battle plan, we're in for some domination in some races!
Riders: Francis Vague, Sven Welling, Christian Schiltz
#3: NamDeb CycloX Project
Not a team we'll expect to ride for a victory, but the team is ambitious nonetheless. They'll be aiming for a top 10 in any classification. The sand races should suit them, too. Newcomer Mutahi is difficult to read and may surprise us at times.
Riders: Mustafa Moli, Frederick Muller, Estifanos Mutahi, Ketso Tembi, Mohuti Sow
#4: Glasgow City Council
British cycling has taken a hit. Last season, they were with many, and two big teams, too. The two teams merged into Glasgow City Council and many riders have been let go. Ironically, the only two British riders to ride descent results are Cook and Carlisle, the two Brits not in a British team.
Riders: Thijs Van Lookeren, Andrew McLaughlin, Robert Wells, Vladimir Stoyevski, Nic Hashir, Marcus Flinch
#5: SAP - Bianchi
The World Champion Sylvain Lipawsky's team. He has his brother Pierre as superdomestique. But the management realized he would need more support. So He'll be helped by Munoz and Stolz along the way. A one-leader team, the success of the team will stand or fall with its leader, Lipawsky.
Riders: Sylvain Lipawsky, Pierre Lipawsky, Jannik Stolz, Alfonso Munoz
#6: Vittel
We're not sure what to make of this team. Carlisle seems to be on the downhill. Comparable to Philippe Gilbert in 2011, Carlisle once had a super form, but has been struggling to ride good results since. Still, he looks motivated to make something of this season. Etxeberdea is new. He comes from the Basque Country. Basque and cyclo-cross, it's an idea we're still getting used to!
Riders: Matthias Barthez, James Carlisle, Iban Etxeberdea, Pierre Lavigne
#7: Team Odfjell
No team made a greater impression last season than Team Odfjell. Counting only three riders, they raise to the occassion as soon as the winter hits Europe. In the snow and ice, they are to be feared. With Hammarling, Eldfjallsson and Kokkonen, you couldn't ask for three riders more suited to the icy conditions. Eldfjallsson is slowly evolving to a very strong all-rounder, though, and may lead the team in the non-ice races. His second place in the World Cup last season asks for more. A team to watch out for!
Riders: Mikel Hammarling, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Timi Kokkonen
#8: Team Santos - ASB
Santos - ASB is a team from Australia and New-Zealand. Bollinger seemed caught between Hira and Bauer at the start of last season, but throughout the season he developed into a strong rider and came out on top of his team. This season, Hira left to team, and so Bollinger and Bauer will co-lead. Bennett is a strong uphill rider, ready to do domestique duties, while Listerijn was once named in the same breath with Vague and other top U23 riders. He's disappeared from our radar, but now he's back. The question will be: how will he do?
Riders: Michael Bollinger, Josiah Bennett, Lachy Bauer, Milan Listerijn
#9: Bauknecht-Author
Now here's a team that could be more dangerous than you'd expect. IF you look at the names, there are two new faces (Soucek, Konva) and an old but washed up great name: Dobransky. Put those together, though, and you have a dangerous combination. Dobransky has taken it to himself to be the ultimate mentor for two talents Konva and Soucek. With his guidance and experience and their talent and eagerness, things could look good for the Czech team.
Riders: Blazej Dobransky, Karol Konva, Jan Soucek
#10: Randstad
Another team with one obvious leader. Elliot Cook will defend the Randstad colors for at least another year. The Brit is one of the strongest riders in the peloton and is probably the most colorful character in the entire peloton. This year, he'll be hoping to prolong his Superprestige titel, helped by Van Drenthe, Van Hennep and newcomer Kloet.
Riders: Elliot Cook, Ferdi Kloet, Nicky Van Drenthe, Lars Van Hennep
#11: Team Mapei
Mazzarelli will lead the Italian team to new heights. At least that's what's expected. Scoring only one victory last season, every feels Mazzarelli scored below his talent. There's no way around it: this year it has to be better. He'll be supported by two young bloods Lorenzi and Accostella.
Riders: Matt Mazzarelli, Fabrizio Lorenzi, Dirk Accostella
#12: Ittehad Chemicals
For a long time, the team has struggled to survive. It almost fell apart when Faizullah finally decided to save Ittehad Chemicals. One of the most promising riders of last season, Faizullah hopes to take another step in the right direction this year. Osorio comes all the way from Colombia and will spend his first year learning the ropes. Lack of experience in this team might be compensated by their eagerness to show themselves.
Topsport Vlaanderen realized it should do better. They have a rich history in cyclo-cross and they have produced multiple champions. This year, they hope to return to glory with punchy sprinter Verboven, Vermeulen, Lejeune and debutant Van Overberghe.
Riders: Rudy Verboven, Milan Vermeulen, Stan Van Overberghe, Lars Lejeune
#14: Torku Åžekerspor
This team banks a lot on Bernard. The rider from Luxembourg will hope to shine in at least a few races this season.
How fast things can go. Last season we had but one American cyclist. One year later, we present the first American team! Power has made the move to America, logically. Super talents and winners of plenty of U23 races last season Goldenberg and Markson have both signed with Blue Bell. More friends than rivals, they get along surprisingly well, seeing as how they spend years battling each other on the bikes. The Danish Baris Dao seems the strange one in this company, but Blue Bell has signed him for a reason. Once a good name, he's disappeared into obscurity lately. Still only 24 years old, Dao has lots of potential left.
Riders: Baris Dao, Max Power, Eddie Goldenberg, Fred Markson
#16: Icorda Racing Team
Icorda is a strange tale. Starting up as a development team, mostly, they ended up with a two-man team only. But those names are respected and feared by the entire peloton. Gormley is an Irish powerhouse. Who dares to challenge him in the sand may end up flat on his back, begging for mercy. Hira came to the mainland and hopes to shine in the cobbled races.
Riders: Shay Gormley, Ronnie Hira
#17: Team BAKARI
And, finally, we have Team BAKARI. The Gabonese rider has earned himself a place in history, but not because of his brilliant results. Bakari is a fan favorite and can be found at the back of the peloton more often than not. He has now decided to use his relative fame to support young riders with his team. Team BAKARI will support young African riders in their development. Bakari will play the fool a bit longer and bring in the money. His big goal of the season is probably Arenberg Classic, the only race where he can actually race for a top 10 place.
Rider: Amadou Bakari
2015 - 2016 Peloton
The peloton counts 60 official riders. That's only 4 less than last year. There are quite some neopros in this peloton, too, about 13. We expect an exciting season, with the usual suspects and a few new names thrown into the mix.
UCI #
Name
Nation
Team
1
Dries Cornelis
Belgium, Flanders
Team Lotto-Fidea
2
Elliot Cook
Great Britain
Randstad
3
Sylvain Lipawsky
Switzerland
SAP - Bianchi
4
Matt Mazzarelli
Italy (Apulia)
Team Mapei
5
James Carlisle
Great Britain
Vittel
6
Shay Gormley
Ireland
Icorda Racing Team
7
Francis N. Vague
Belgium, Wallonie
Team BKCP-Powerplus
8
Hafthor Eldfjallsson
Iceland
Team Odfjell
9
Michael Bollinger
Australia
Team Santos - ASB
10
Christian Schiltz
Luxembourg
Team BKCP-Powerplus
11
Lachy Bauer
New-Zealand
Team Santos - ASB
12
Ronnie Hira
New-Zealand
Icorda Racing Team
13
Mikel Hammarling
Sweden
Team Odfjell
14
Arda Akdeniz
Turkey
Torku Åžekerspor
15
Gregory Bernard
Luxembourg
Torku Åžekerspor
16
Tariq Faizullah
Afghanistan
Ittehad Chemicals
17
Rudy Verboven
Belgium, Flanders
Topsport Vlaanderen CX Team
18
Sven Welling
Belgium, Flanders
Team BKCP-Powerplus
19
Naveed Alinejad
Iran
Team Lotto-Fidea
20
Timi Kokkonen
Finland
Team Odfjell
21
Thijs Van Lookeren
Netherlands
Glasgow City Council
22
Nicky Van Drenthe
Netherlands
Koga Cyclo-Cross Team
23
Rik Van Fleming
Belgium, Flanders
Team Lotto-Fidea
24
Mustafa Moli
Namibia
NamDeb CycloX Project
25
Andrew McLaughlin
Great Britain
Glasgow City Council
26
Max Power
United States, TX
Blue Bell CX
27
Josiah Bennett
New-Zealand
Fonterra-Genesis Cross
28
Jannik Stolz
Switzerland
SAP - Bianchi
29
Matthias Barthez
France
Vittel
30
Frederick Muller
Namibia
NamDeb CycloX Project
31
Blazej Dobransky
Czech Republic
Bauknecht-Author
32
Robert Wells
Great Britain
Glasgow City Council
33
Alfonso Munoz
Spain
SAP - Bianchi
34
Pierre Lipawsky
Switzerland
SAP - Bianchi
35
Milan Vermeulen
Belgium, Flanders
Topsport Vlaanderen CX Team
36
Guido Visconti
Belgium, Flanders
Team Lotto-Fidea
37
Bohdan Honchar
Ukraine
38
Lars Lejeune
Belgium, Brussel
Topsport Vlaanderen CX Team
39
Nic Hashir
Great Britain
Glasgow City Council
40
Marcus Flinch
Great Britain
Glasgow City Council
41
Lars Van Hennep
Netherlands
Randstad
42
Pierre Lavigne
France
Vittel
43
Mohuti Sow
Botswana
NamDeb CycloX Project
44
Vladimir Stoyevski
Russia
Glasgow City Council
45
Lue Khamse Khamphan
Laos
Ittehad Chemicals
46
Ketso Tembi
Botswana
NamDeb CycloX Project
47
Amadou Bakari
Gabon
Team BAKARI
48
Ferdi Kloet
Netherlands
Randstad
49
Milan Listerijn
New-Zealand
Team Santos - ASB
50
Fred Markson
United States, NY
Blue Bell CX
51
Eddie Goldenberg
United States, NV
Blue Bell CX
52
Baris Dao
Denmark
Blue Bell CX
53
Karol Konva
Slovakia
Bauknecht-Author
54
Estifanos Mutahi
Kenya
NamDeb CycloX Project
55
Fabrizio Lorenzi
Italy
Team Mapei
56
Iban Etxeberdea
Spain (Euskadi)
Vittel
57
Jan Soucek
Czech Republic
Bauknecht-Author
58
Camilo Osorio
Colombia
Ittehad Chemicals
59
Stan Van Overberghe
Belgium, Flanders
Topsport Vlaanderen CX Team
60
Dirk Accostella
Netherlands
Team Mapei
Season Protagonists
Who will keep us entertained this season and will fight for the title of best rider in the peloton? Below are a few of the best riders in the world and our analysis of them. Each rider gets a score, too. This score represents our expectation of the rider for this season and is based on his strengths, weaknesses, off-season performance, form...
Francis Vague
The prodigy from Wallonie has not disappointed. He missed out on the Superprestige and the World Championships last year, but showed us all how beautiful cyclo-cross truly is with his exciting racing style, his already legendary duels with Cook and his breath-taking victory in the Ardennes.
Vague can do anything. He's handy on the bike, strong, can sprint and ride solo. He climbs with the best, too. The cold can't hurt him. Only the sand proves a difficult objective for the young Belgian. His off-season has been good and he seems more than ready for an even better year than last season. More than 7 victories? We'll see.
Our Score: 9.5/10
Elliot Cook
The Cookie Monster will strike again. Nobody doubts that. The Brit is coming a cult-figure, with his (feigned?) ignorance at times. Cook rather talks with his legs. He is practically unbeatable going uphill, and he riders through the sand like a master, too. It will be hard to beat him this season. A late bloomer, we haven't seen the last of him.
Our Score: 9/10
Dries Cornelis
The biggest active name in the sport. Cornelis is practically a legend. Last season was quite successful for the Belgian. But many fear this will be his one season-too-many. Let's hope he can step up to the occassion and prove them wrong. He shows no sign of slowing down so we're giving him the benifit of the doubt. Nobody handles a bike better than Cornelis. Technically, he's unchallenged. Vague comes closest.
Our Score: 8.5/10
Sylvain Lipawsky
The current World Champion. If somebody knows how to peak, it's him. Not strong enough to perform well throughout the entire season, Lipawsky might not perform on the level constantly, but we definitely expect him up there when it really matters. He's still learning and it catching up with the top quickly. His jersey can either be a curse or a gift. We're banking on the latter. Lipawsky is an all-rounder, with a love for short hills and descends.
Our Score: 8.5/10
Matt Mazzarelli
Mazzarelli has to do better than last year. Only one victory isn't enough for his talent. Mazzarelli can climb a hill with the best and is technically strong, too, but sometimes lacks the power on the flat roads and can make some questionable tactical moves at times.
Our Score: 8.5/10
Shay Gormley
The Irish strongman will be looking for another few victories. He loves the sand more than anyone and will be the top favorite for the opening cross, which he won last year.
Our Score: 8/10
Hafthor Eldfjallsson
How much can you grow in a season? Eldfjallsson didn't have the best season start last year, but he climbed the charts consistently and was rewarded with a 2nd place in the World Cup. He can climb, handle his bike and - most of all - loves a strong winter. Look out for him this season. The Eurasian Champion wants to score big.
Our Score: 8/10
Season Underdogs
These riders will be targeting a few victories, too. Watch out for them, they strike when you least expect it!
Michael Bollinger
The Australian is learning. He's a true sand expert and might actually ride through the sand as well as Gormley. He's still young, but he can read a race well.
Our Score: 7/10
Christian Schiltz
No victory last year, but nobody doubts it'll come one of these days. Schiltz is an aggressive rider, but also intelligent enough not to waste energy. He's an all-rounder with a nose for chosing the right break.
Our Score: 7/10
Ronnie Hira
Hira will score on the cobbled races, that's for sure. It's to be seen how Hira will manage with Gormley in the team, though. Gormley is a dominant figure.
Our Score: 7/10
Lachy Bauer
Bauer could be rated higher. But the truth is, Bauer is choosing more and more for road cycling. He'll be tired from riding a full road season and it might be unwise to compete an entire cyclo-cross schedule.
Our Score: 6.5/10
Mikel Hammarling
The Swedish enigma. Sometimes he rides so hard it's impossible to keep up. Other races, he's invincible. Hammarling will step up to his game when the winter hits Europe. Expect him to take a victory in one of the Scandinavian races!
Our Score: 6.5/10
Who Should We Watch Out For?
Finally, let's take a look at the newcomers in the peloton. It's impossible to predict how debutants will do, but here's who our money's on. Keep in mind that this is a risky game and the step to the pros is different for each rider. We're not liable if you lose money betting on these guys.
Their scores are not comparable with the above scoring. They are in their own league here.
Eddie Goldenberg - 9/10 Milan Listerijn - 9/10
Jan Soucek - 8.5/10 Karol Konva - 8/10 Fred Markson - 8/10
Ferdi Kloet - 7.5/10 Fabrizio Lorenzi - 7/10 Baris Dao - 7/10 Iban Etxeberdea - 6.5/10 Dirk Accostella - 6.5/10
Stan Van Overberghe - 5/10 Estifanos Mutahi - 5/10 Camilo Osorio - 4.5/10
Season 2015 - 2016
There's not much left to talk about. It's about time to let the riders do the talking. Only one week left and we start the new season in the Duinencross in Belgium. Keep an eye out for some of the press conferences. But mostly, we hope to see the riders let their legs do the talking. We're ready for another great season of cyclo-cross!
A new season for me. Of course it will be a lot of getting used to again after a tough season on the road, but I think if I do the same as last year, I
might be ok. It will be a matter of carefully choosing which race suit me the most, and then focus on them.
My strong points are of course the races that resemble a tough road race like Paris-Roubaix, Strade Bianche or Ronde Van Vlaanderen. I'm quite good on cobbles, take the uphill sections really well, and I'm really fast at the line. Any cross that features those elements, should see me finish quite high. Last year I won two races and even almost caused a huge surprise at the worlds, so the aim to do slightly better this year.
My weaknesses are of course the more technical courses. The sand will never be my friend and I absolutely hate snow and ice. Like last year, I will be skipping those frozen cyclocrosses, the risk of injuries is too high, and my Euskaltel manager will not like it if I return injured. The sand I will just have to endure and hope I don't crash too much.
The team is slightly different, but I think we will be ok. Of course we're not one of the big teams, but we have some talent to get something done. The UCI preview didn' tlook good for us, but as my good friend Kimi (who unfortunately retired) used to say, what do they know?
Just like last year, Francis N. Vague sits down for a special talk at the start of the season. Whilst in the previous year, Vague was still much a boy, confident of his abilities but unsure about the upcoming year, for the young Walloon the new season seems like routine by now. In a natural way, he has embraced his new role as one of the key riders in the first races last season and has since then stepped up to become one of the dominant figures in the sport. The same reporters like last year are present at the BKCP - Powerplus Media Day.
Pleasure to have you see you so fresh, Francis. How are you doing, so close to Duinencross?
I'm excited mostly for the new season. I've tried out a bit of that and a bit of this, but I enjoy Cyclo-Cross the most and it's where I belong right now. So, I'm really glad that the new season is upon us. Training has been good but we'll have to see in the first few races how my legs hold up. I've tried to improve but ultimately, the races are the places where one will be judged by.
Yeah, we've seen you in a couple of road races in fact. Some Cyclo-Cross riders have really shined this year. Have you followed Hira's victory in Paris-Roubaix let's say?
No, I havn't. I was in a training camp at that time. No opinion on it really though, good for him I guess? I saw how he got beat at De Ronde though. Myself, I'm okay with my rides on the road but they have been a bit of an adventure. I really felt the exhaustion at the end of the regular CX season, in fact I needed some weeks off the bike. So, I was feeling good then and happy to contribute a bit of action to the racing but well, the results speak for themselves, they don't highlight anything and I'm okay with that... I ride Cyclo-Cross, I focus on it, and for now I stay with Cyclo-Cross.
There was some transfer talk last season, have you heard anything from certain road teams?
There's always talk of course and when you meet some people at a race than you inform yourself or they inquire about you. Especially road teams look at you because they always want additional talent. But I'm happy with BKCP - Powerplus and have a good paid contract. It's also a team that supports me really a lot and that support can be felt. Coaches, staff and my teammates. Riding for BKCP - Powerplus has always been the right choice so far, I'd be stupid to switch.
Last season we asked you about your goals. Now, it's a pretty public knowledge that you aim for the World Championships and the Superprestige again this season. What's else highlighted on your calendar?
Hehe, it's true. World Championships suit me this year very much again. Siena is the finish of Strade Bianche. I think they'll feature the ascent up to the finish, through that narrow oldtown street? I'll be magical to ride through their 7, 8 times. Of course, Mazzarelli will be extra motivated but any rider really peaks for the World Championships, so it'll be tough competition again. You can have a perfect season and still have no chance in Siena, unfortunately. The Superprestige however delivers a great picture of the overall season one had. Especially for explosive, technical climbers like me or Cook it's a very, very interesting Challenge. I failed last year when I crashed in Lisbon and later missed the race in Great Britain but I still came - maybe surprisingliny - onto the podium. I defintiely want to challenge Cook in the best way possible this year. Lipawsky was close to it last year too though, so it'll be a thrilling competiton.
Looking back at your crash at the World Championships, are you even more motivated this year?
Believe it or not, but when I looked back on the last season and I watched a lot of races on some evenings, than the crash in Valkenburg isn't such a tragedy to me anymore. It happened and I'm fairly okay with it. There's really no reason to dwell on it. When the season was over, I was done with it. But the defeat in Oude Kwaremont is really something that still bugs me a bit, because I should have won that race in my opinion. And it's a race I still really much want to win. So, if I said last year that I'd love to win the Ardennes Cross, I'd love to do the same in Kwaremont this year. I just feel that as a belgian rider those races - Kwaremont Cross, Ardennes Cross, Blaarmeesen - those are the races that define a belgian rider career, and it's make or break there. The belgian fans give me a lot of support and those are also the races where it counts to, sorta pay them back for their cowbells and yeahs and Fraaanny-shouts.
World Championships & Oude Kwaremont, this sounds like plans of a uber peak?
[Laughs] No, no such plans. I'm glad I can perform throughout a season, or at least I believe so. Of course, if I'd have to name two races where I want to be in my best shape than yes, it's those two. It worked out last year really well, I think I've been in a great shape almost all year, however I did have a significant drop in performance around Antogfasta I recall. As Cyclo-Cross riders we are challenged by a tough fitness schedule. Quite different to other cyclists. We have to be in great shape throughout the months and race every week, every weekend, and sometimes it's hard to maintain this form and it's normal that there are two, three weeks per season where you are just not that good maybe. Of course the art of racing Cyclo-Cross is to avoid those drops in form and work against them.
There are several new races in the calendar and considerably less sand races. Which one do you look forward to the most, from the new ones?
Well, Alpe d'Huez obviously. It's a beautiful mountain and I think riding it in winter will be really special. I once watched a downhill race of Alpe d'Huez, which was incredible to see. Of course the CX parcour will be nothing like it, but it's such a mythical climb that can be used for so many cycling activities and can shine in a different spotlight each time. It'll be amazing. That a race like Abu Dhabi isn't on the calender anymore doesn't bug me of course but, uh... despite it being such a sandy affair, I have only good memories at it. It was the place I won the Coca-Cola Competition after all.
Speaking of, no interest in Coca-Cola this year. And What about the World Cup?
I definitely want to compete in another classification for sure. But I'll have to see how the racing goes and decide throughout the season where to put my focus. Right now, I lean more towards the World Cup, simply because I havn't won it yet. Being the first winner of the Coca-Cola competition was a fantastic experience and something I worked very hard for last season. Maybe it's time to, you know, look for other goals. The Coca-Cola races will be once more a thrilling ride though, I'm sure of that. They have been excellent for viewership and great racing.
Last year, you were a newcomer to the scene and we asked you which rider you look forward to riding. Now, with 7 victories under your pro season belt, we have to ask you: Which rider do you look forward to meet from the newcomers the most?
Phew, that's a biggie really. Uh, I think that there are some really, really interesting guys coming up the ranks. It's good to see two czech riders coming to Cyclo-Cross because Dobransky has been the only czech pro for, I think 2-3 years now? Overall, I'm pretty excited about Eddie Goldenberg, because he has some great technical riding and really breathes the CX sport as far as I can tell. He's been doing it for over 10 years and when you are of similiar age you sorta follow the other guys a bit and he has been really great on some youtube clips I've seen. He was sold really under value at the World Championships probably, so, I look forward to seeing what he'll bring to the table. Then there's of course Listerijn, don't know how he'll be riding but I remember well the Junior World Championships back then.
Last year, you missed the Top 10 at Duinencross. Do you want to crack them this year?
Yeah, I remember last year's race. I finished with Cook on 11th or 12th. The next race, I finished first and he second. Cyclo-Cross can change quickly. I also remember that I crashed so I reckon that the Top 10 should be possible. Sand may not be in my favour but I'm still very decent on it, I look forward to the opening classic.
And the winner?
Well, same name as last year, my teammate Sven Welling.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
It's been a good summer for me. I took part in some circuit races in Sweden to keep my fitness up and work on pack riding at speed. Picked up a few podiums but i wasn't pushing that hard to wins so i'm happy. I did take part in a Celebrity Relay Triathlon in Stockholm, run alongside the ITU event. I was teamed up with Christoffer Carlsen who would swim and with Isabellah Andersson who would run. Christoffer was decent in the swim but not great, whilst Isabellah crushed the run. Personally i did well on the bike making up good time. But we couldn't recover from the swim and finished 3rd.
Aside from that i've been spending time with family or vacationing or training. The usual kinds of off-season stuff. My running hasn't come on as i would have liked, it has improved but only a little. The jumping is a good amount better so hopefully i won't have to run that much. Bike handling is certainly improved after those races as is my base fitness.
No reason i can't start the season strong and push to get on the front starting row for when the weather turns icy. Last year i wasn't too far off a Top10 in the UCI ranking and i think i'll make that my goal this year. I don't have the specific skills to target one comeptition but by being consistent across them all, supplimenting with a win or two, i can certainly challenge for that position. I'm feeling stronger and better than ever and i really hope i can make that count!
TDF
Texas forever, baby! It's been an awesome summer for me. Some great days at the beach with old friends and with new friends. Soaking up the sun and just having fun. I've also been taking trips around the state to visit some places i hvn't been to before and just generally having a chilled and fun time.
But don't think i hvn't been training. Every day i'm at home, which is all but about two weeks, i wake up early to put in an hours work on the course and then put in another hour every evening. Each third day is a full training day of like 6 hours on the course or open roads. Either i'd be testing and working on my CX specific skills or going for normal road rides to build fitness and speed.
Radio and Goldie have been down a couple of times as well. They put the course to good use for training and yes we had some races between us but i'll let them tell you about those. They are great guys and i've put an animosity from Conti's long behind me. I think we can really prove something as a team with Blue Bell. Personally i'd like to get a win this year but i'll happily take 4 or 5 podiums on the sandier races.
Radio
New York isn't particularly fun in the summer. Ok i imagine parts of the state are great once you get away from the cities but NYC itself is hot, humid, hot, smoggy, hot, angry, hot, stuffy, hot and heavy. Booklyn isn't as bad as Manhatten itself but it's pretty rough. Roof-pools become the commodity of choice for down time and you do get a pretty cool view up high.
The heat does work to your advantage for training. Working up a sweat is not a problem at all and angry drivers mean you are constantly aware and moving around on the roads. Bursting from lights to lights is a perfect way to do reps training without having to think about it, and that really helps build speed and raw power in the legs. The others skills would be worked on when visiting TDF in Texas.
The homemade course down there is pretty damn good. You really can work on all the core skills but you do have to re-build the course every few days as you tear up the group. We had some practice races which were entertaining. Safe to say we all wanted to win and at some points we all used unsavory tactics to get ahead. All in good humor mind! My first pro season is almost here. The NES becons as a focus but i'm hoping to get out and show my Conti jersey whenever possible.
Goldie
TDF and Radio are amazing and i'm happy to call them mates. But their off-season isn't as focused as mine. They'd spend a lot of time relaxing and mucking about when i would be out working hard to make sure i'm fully preppared to hit the ground running. Though i can, and did, still have fun. Heck i live in Vegas it's pretty damn easy to find something fun to do!
Texas was cool, never been and the coast where TDF is is amazingly beautiful. People just don't realize Texas has a great coastline, i know i didn't. That said we were there to make use of the training course he'd built. Solid was how i described it, not going to hold up to European standards but good enough for training. My CX skills are a signifcant way ahead of those two so i mostly worked on that base stamina and fitness.
The hour long races and high speeds shouldn't get to me. Hitting the first races in good shape is key to a good season and that's what i'm planning. Every mock race we had as a trio i would win, even when they cheated... partly because i would cheat back. Radio and TDF have their special skills and have the ability to pop in some good results but i'm hoping i can go a step further and challenge for wins regularly
Well, it's the start of the season! In just two days, we finally kick off another season of cyclo-cross. And, even more than last year, this promises to be the season of the young guns. The 82th edition of the Duinencross will ring in the new season in the sand of Oostende. Last year's winner Shay Gormley will be motivated to start his season here in style.
Race Information
Country: Belgium
City/Place: Oostende
Classification: Classic
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h30
Favorites: Shay Gormley, Elliot Cook, Michael Bollinger, Christian Schiltz.
Record: 4 x Jannes Vandewalle (1984, 1985, 1988, 1991)
Race History: The Duinencross is the traditional kick-off of the season. For ages now, it rings in the new Belgian cyclo-cross season. For the riders, the sand in Oostende feels like an old arena, where they are prepared to fight to the death.
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 4
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 3
With a lot of sand falling through this season, the Duinencross decided to strike back with an adjusted profile. Some changes have been made from last year's profile. One noticable change is the long sand section late in the lap.
The route takes the riders through the sand fairly soon. There, the riders have to cross over a few dunes. They get out of the sand and almost directly turn onto the narrow, cobbled roads.
The most technical part of the profile is just over halfway, when the riders take a few U-turns before heading back into the sand.
Sand experts can make the difference riding on top the famous 'Cornelisduin'. The dune has been named after Dries Cornelis. The dune thanks his name to Cornelis after he won his third Belgian title there years ago. With Dries Cornelis returning there tomorrow, the question is: can he do it again? Last year, he was close, being only outwitted by Shay Gormley.
Besides being able to ride through sand, uphill and on cobblestones, it is expected that power will be the most determining factor. Riders lacking power might fall back in the final 10 minutes, with dramatic consequences.
Without having to worry about a classification, the Duinencross is always good for great spectacle and aggressive racing.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 11° C
Precipitation: Clear
Wind: 3 Beaufort
Preparations are far from ideal for Team BAKARI looking ahead to the opening Duinencross classic. The Team BAKARI management and media team have been talking a lot about the team's debut World Cup race later in the month in Melbourne, that they have completed overlooked the four races which precede it.
Amadou Bakari himself is here in Belgium. Nobody else in the Cyclo-cross world has seen him since the season closed in Dunkirk, but the Gabonese rider has a special 'Cyclo-cross' sense of smell - and simply turned up un-announced a couple of days ago, well aware that a race was about to happen.
The problem is that nobody else from Team BAKARI is here. No support crew or mechanics. And no bikes or team kit. Amadou is going to have to rely on the support of the Cyclo-cross community if he is to compete in this season opener.
Edited by SportingNonsense on 02-05-2015 16:43
Training is now well underway in the run up to the season. After joining up with my new team, the NamDeb CycloX Project, I was soon put on a training programme. With my strengths being on the flat and cobblestones, I have been put to work on some more hilly terrain to improve that aspect of my riding. Hopefully it'll benefit me in the long term, although it is tough at the moment.
At times it is hard to believe how far I've come since I was in Kenya - from being in a relatively poor teenager in Nairobi to being a professional crosser in front of thousands of fans in Europe. Now I can't wait for my first race to start.
That race is Duinencross in a couple of days. I couldn't be more excited, and I really want to showcase my talents there. However, I will probably take a cautious approach to begin with and help others in the team rather than myself, to help me to adjust to the pace in a pro race. Whatever happens I am sure it will be a great experience for me.
- Estifanos
Edited by FroomeDog99 on 03-05-2015 11:36
Hey chicas and chicos, homeboy Camilo in the Belgian house!
Things are all good here, getting used to my new surroundings and recovering from the travel. Been just over a week now since I arrived, and trying to get into a new routine. There is almost exactly a month now before this new cyclocross adventure actually gets started with racing, but my first bike race is actually tomorrow! Turns out there are road races all over the place in Belgium, pretty much every day except the winter, and you can just rock up and race, no need for postal entries or anything - the locals call these races ‘kermesses’. You wouldn’t believe the new digs that I have, the place is like a mansion, and I have my own room all to myself, it even has a big tv and everything in it. The Boekman family must be really rich, as there is also a big garden, garage, and they have two cars! All of Belgium seems really rich, I haven’t seen any favelas yet – maybe the roads don’t go there? The other thing is that this place is so damn flat, the locals have little climbs they call ‘bergs’, but they are like pimples compared to the mountains we have around Medellin.
The family I am with are very nice, and Mrs. Boekman speaks some Spanish because of her job which helps, but they are trying to teach me English to communicate. They have said that my team management have e-mailed them some instructions for me, but I can’t read them. They seem to want me to learn English as quickly as possible as it will be best for marketing and PR communication in the cyclocross world. Anyway, it is really hard, but all the family are trying to help, and they have lots of CD’s that teach you English in Spanish which is the best thing for practising at the moment – I have to spend two hours doing that everday. I think it will be easier to learn than the local language - everyone always sounds like they are spitting at each other when they talk here, but nobody seems to be upsetm so I guess it is just the language!
I’ve also got going with training after the first couple of days settling in, been shown round Zottegem, etc.. My team has sorted out a coach for me here, and we are working on a training plan, and already meet up sometimes for cyclocross skills training. I have to use all this fancy stuff measuring my heart rate and power on the bike every time I ride, and they have shown me how to upload this all onto a special web-site so that coach Jan can look at it every day. Coach Hernan can also look at this information, and has spoken to me on the phone already a couple of times. With tomorrow’s first road race, I am going to be racing every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday during September as this is the pattern that the cyclocross season uses during the winter to try and get into the groove. On Friday I am just supposed to have an easy ride to spin my legs, but Monday, Tuesday and Thursday have two-a-day sessions. On Mondays and Thursdays the afternoon session is a skills session on the cyclocross bike - coach Jan says he will come round for these. Tuesday evening there is a track league that we can race that is less than an hours drive away – Mr Boekman rides in the track league, so we can go to this together. Coach Jan says that I should also ride to and from most of the bike races as the distances aren’t too long in the races, about 3 hours maximum. It’s quite a heavy workload, but not too much more than what I would have to do in the run up to major events at home. What is great though is that for the rest of the time I can take things easy – no working in the market anymore, when I am training, I am working ; this new life is awesome!
Hope all is well back home - take it easy, Robledo Rules!
For young 24-year old Stan Van Overberghe a new part of his life kicks off in Duinencross. Unlike in previou seasons, he won't start in the belgium dress, but instead we'll wear the next best thing Belgium has to offer: Topsport Vlaanderen Cyclo-Cross.
Van Overberghe is aware that this has been the last chance for him to get a contract. He saw other belgian talents like Vague, Visconti or Vermeulen leave the Junior & U23 ranks behind them and to find a contract, whilst he was still struggling to score the results or convince the team managers. For Stan, this 2016 season is a chance to prove himself to the team and the world of cyclo-cross.
The quiet man however shrinks at the look of microphones, with his manager/dad insisting that Stan needs to focus on his training laps in Duinencross. However, "Stan is really happy to ride for Topsport Vlaanderen and he looks forward to this season. Rudy Verboven is a quality name and a just leader of the team but Stan will prove what a talent he is, surely."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Well the circus is back in town and this year Cookie predicts that we will have Francis Vague as its ringmaster. I am expecting the Kiwi lads though to really emerge to come along side us Eurozoners - Old Lippy and Mazarati will still fly the Blue starry flag but crusty old Cornelis - I just cannot believe that old codger is kidding himself.
First race though in the shyte - I have got to match up to Mikey 'Champagne' Bollnger and Shay 'the shyte master' Gormless.
Mikey really cam through at the back end of last year and has a knack for the dirty stuff - he seems to ride stronger in it then out of it. The Shyte master sort of sprung out when it came to rolling around in the crap too. Gormless your stereotypical Irish dude, he speaks dead slow and is very easy to get a joke on. Anyway these are going get going in the opener and I would predict will be thereabouts at the end. I need to hurt em on climbs. The real worry though with the opener is that we will get one of these noobies doing something stupid.
Credit to the bigwigs in charge for expanding the Cross world - but team Bakari really? We got some real show offs in the paddock. One more African twit and some Spanish guy who don't speak Spanish - I've been warned about him trying to get off early doors. My advice for these new dudes don't get in my way and learn the ropes a bit. If the first race don't suit just grind it and don't try and be a hero or a jerk off.
I spent a lot of the off season really relaxing and travelling all over the shop. I was particularly welcomed in South Africa and New Zealand - they like a bit of spunk in those parts it seems. I was surprised to see how big it is out in Kiwiland I think Lachy and Ronnie are really talented guys so great for them.
I stuck with the Dutchies who have expanded the team with two more Dutch quacks - they have backed me to become the number one Crosser in the pack. If Franny starts frigging around dropping out of races left right and centre I may have a chance of nabbing old Grandads number one ranking - that will stick it to the Belgian supporting bigwigs. No doubting I'd like to snatch the Coca Cola trophy off the sprog but I think we will have a bit more competition this year.
I guess Dirk needs an introduction, Dirk is me and I am Dirk. Dirk Accostella. I'm a young dutchie trying to make young dutchie's way to the top dog in the pack. But Dirk needs to start small. Dirk works for great Quarto Mazzarelli! Only until Dirk is better, Dirk has great plans, even a TEAM DIRK. That would please Dirk. Besides Dirk's great plans for Dirk, Dirk likes riding cobbles, flat, hills, technical, ice, everywhere but sand! Sand, sand that pesky sand! Rid of it, Dirk Says! Rid Of It! Dirk will add sand to his list of things to conquer. List now reads:
The World
Sand
Speaking of sand, Dirk's first race is at Oooooooooooostende! Dirk doesn't like sand but other parts of course please Dirk. Despite being last position Dirk attacks, attacks, attacks.
Dirk will see you after race. Dirk has special 'appointment' with podium girls now.
Edited by RockyRoad on 03-05-2015 21:15
The new season is nearly here, and with all new bikes, team kit and teammates - things are looking good for Christian Schiltz. It's unclear exactly what the start order procedure will be this season, but Christian is determind to put in some strong opening performances that will allow him to continue to receive the front row start that he worked hard to achieve by the end of last season.
The opening classics provide an ideal opportunity to do this, particularly on courses that should suit his all-round abilities. Especially those courses with a strong technical and uphill nature - a category that Duinencross certainly falls into. He may not have had much experience riding at the front in the opening races last year, but with course changes, it would be foolish to expect the races to play out the same way they did last time around.
Ola chicas and chicos, I am making my professional debut tomorrow, so super excited. The cross-training I have been doing for the last month or so now with coach Jan tells me that this is not going to be easy. Lots of the courses feature sand or cobbles, or even worse, sand and cobbles. I think I am starting to get a wee bit of a handle on the cobbles, as some are really just like some of the broken up roads we have back home. Some though are monsters, and particularly hard if on steep gradients - your whole body hurts after a training session on cobbles, being bounced up and down all the time - it feels like your teeth are going to fall out! The sand is terrible though, I just can't get much of a feel for it so far, even if it is nice to relax at the beach after training . Some of the technical stuff though is well cool fun, just as long as it is not on sand!
I have also been learning as much as I can about how cyclocross works, the calendar, and some of the recent history. One of the odd things is that the race starts with a grid position like in car racing on the tv - no more reversing into the front line just before the start . As a noob, I have to start right at the back until I prove myself worthy of being a bit further up. I am also going to do lots of travelling, cyclocross races are all over the world - I'll get to go to Australia, and even US of A has races. All my kit has arrived, and I will be leaving for the hotel to meet up with my team-mates, manager and support staff very soon.
Oh, before I go I should also provide some news about the kermesse road races I have been doing in training. These races are really cool, and a lot of the riders are really physically strong, but I am surprised how lacking in skill and strategic sense a lot of the riders here have - some of the riders in the races corner as if they have a double-puncture, but that is actually their best - you need to recognise these guys pretty quickly and avoid them as they cause lot of crashes, or at best mean you have to close lots of gaps sprinting back out of corners. There are some beasts though, and there are often riders from many different countries, even in small local races. One of the really cool things is that there are often extra prizes for sprints throughout the races, so I have been winning some money regularly, but not always placing in the races. I have a few top 10's with a best of 4th. A few local U23 teams approached me to ride for them in the bigger espoir races on the calendar, but I wanted to concentrate on training and being as ready for cyclo-cross season as possible - I might think about this for next summer season though. One thing that has been mega fun is the track racing - I am really only using it for training, as I usually have a long road session in the morning, but it is easy to have a lot of fun in the races. I have won quite a few of the bunch races, but they don't seem to do much timed stuff - I'd be interested in how my pursuite time is right now to compare to when I was doing this a year ago to try and track my progress. Whatever, coach Jan seems very pleased with all the numbers that the tech reports to him from my training efforts. He thinks I am in great physical condition for this new cross life - coach Hernan has said on the phone that becuase we live at altitude in Medellin, this gives us a big advantage in our body. On the other hand though cpach Jan has warned me that my lack of specialist cross racing experience will be a big hinderance to start with. He is also worried how I am going to perform in races with lots of sand - so am I! Hopefully I won't be last in my first races, but we will have to wait and see. The first goal we have set will be to get to the finish of races, because the organisers often remove riders who are about to be lapped- just like they do at mountain bike nationals, so often many starters don't get to finish the race.
OK, got to go now as Mr Boekman is packing my stuff into the car for the short drive to the hotel for my first race venue in Oostende, wish me luck!
Oh and I am interested to know who has inherited my Robledo race bikes - hope you look after them as well as they will look after you!
. I made sure to get the recipe from Mrs. Vargas, I'll try and see if I can make some for myself - maybe my Belgian host family will like it too. It is very odd to have packed up my life into a single suitcase, but then again, I didn't have much to leave behind. I've returned all my bikes back to the academy, and sold the mountain bike I won last year to pay for today's flight. Good news is that my new sponsor bikes are supposed to be all ready waiting for me over in Belgium - can't wait to try them out.
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)
Duinencross - Preview
Some Random 
