Just got off a skype call with my mum, she isn't with me this time around in the Americas but of course she's watching every race. In my village of roughly 2.000 souls, the people have built up a screen wall at the city center place, and she says that the people of the small village I live near are always filling the plaza to its maximum. That's not particularly a challenge, it's a small place and you can fill it with just some 200 people but it's great to hear that the support doesn't sleep even when you race overseas in the new world.
The third american race is behind us now and with it, I have reached my third podium step. So far, my results speak for itself, 2-1-3. The trip to the States was worth it, now there's one more race coming up in Lancaster.
In Seattle, the busy week hit a new high with the Coca-Cola trophy enjoying a bit of a media battle to Bakari's Pepsi. I didn't hear much ofi though, mostly spent my time shut away to reserve energies and get some sleep. The difficulty of three races in a week definitely lies in the recuperation time; I think I do fairly well in this regard. I sleep and eat enough. There's obviously hardly any room for training when your life consists of jet-setting for a few weeks. I look forward to how I cope with the travelling stress in the coming weeks.
Now, Seattle was a fun battle. BKCP managed to grab two podium spots after Listerijn escaped early on and I havn't seen him until like the last lap; people are quick to call Cook and me out on being always focused on ourselves, but truth is, we can't keep check of the entire peloton. When you are up against a formidable opponent such a Cook who is always out to "put one into you", there's just some race decisions on numerous occassions that you have to choose and stick with them. I like to think that by making the race difficult for both us, we can limit the potential rivals for the victory, but this only works out so many times.
I like to thank Sven Welling, it's great to see him back on the front. He has hit a bit of a rough patch recently, which I'm sure he'll let you know at some point. But he seems to be back just in time for the South American races; hoping he'll get some nice results too.
So, I was in a group with Cook and Goldenberg mostly throughout the race, I had the joy of sitting on Cook's wheel for most of the time until I sneaky outsprinted him. Goldenberg did the same due to Dao upfront, Blue Bell CX reminds me of Odfell in their camaraderie. Maybe they won't achieve the same notable cult statues as the Skandinavian guys, but so far Blue Bell outranks them in the racing I guess. But Odfell is famous by now for mis-timing the start of the season so really it depends on how both teams do until we hit about January, and by then season is almost over already. Goldenberg is really marvelous to watch on a bike; I've said before that I was really impressed by his riding in the youth ranks when I've seen his races on the internet and he's delivering it in the elite as well. Not sure if anybody would agree with me but he reminds much of a younger version of Cornelis. I am not sure though. It certainly means big things for his future though.
The benefit of not working due to Schiltz upfront was nice and to have this tactical advantage of times is highly appreciated, especially in these weeks when you have to be conservative with your spent energy. The course wasn't as tough as last year although it rained. This may be due to the fact that at some point during the race we noticeably reduced the speed in order to conserve energies. Coca-Cola Trophy isn't so much about winning then it is about keeping control of things and in this regard, Seattle was a good step. However, I would have liked to put more time into Cook especially, if not to say put any time at all into Cook; Christian and I tried on some occassions but we only had so much luck. I've made a quick start in the beginning and tried to shake things up a bit for the peloton, the tactical thing about a quick start; once you know how to do it best, there's really no downside to it.
Worth mentiong that Christian made a late surge in the second half for the win. I have heard our coach screaming him on and unfortunately the gained second were only so much. It was well the effort though and I imagine with us both well within the Top 5 seated, we will get soon out of the comfort zone. The Rio Cross is coming up soon; it'll be difficult enough to stay within boundaries. I hope Christian can usurp Cook's sandcastle throne. He will certainly have the freedom to so and I bet Sven Welling is willing to help him, too. Me myself, I will have to limit the damages. Only after the Rio Cross, I can assess the Coca-Cola trophy situation for me. I might be Top 3 in every competition so far, but this won't stay and I won't be making the mistake on betting on too many horses just yet.
I was asked after the race if I would like to see Listerijn in belgian national kit. A bit sarcastly, I replied that any winner should be riding in Belgium's kit and laughed a bit. However, Listerijn was quite successful in the most recent races and his great win didn't come as much of a surprise as some people may have thought due to his very young age. For someone skipping the U23 ranks almost entirely except for a few races, he has made a real impact so far on the Elite scene and has quickly caught up to the level. I don't know what rider he'll shape up to be, but I guess there's enough room for a hopeful Belgian - (Belgian) Kiwi rivalry along the way, one I might have to fear already and certainly in the coming years. I just hope that the belgian fans will be mature about it; I don't know the reasons for his decision and I find it perplexing, but apparently it's the best for him and so there's not anything that Belgium should be upset about. I've heard later that he got booed in the Belgium races, but that's not really anything new: Anyone who isn't belgian gets booed in Belgium. I know what I talk about in that regard unfortunately.
Not much time left fo writing now, Lancaster is already calling. I don't remember much about last year's race but my coach said that I should revisit the race on screen. During the travelling I might watch it a couple of times for the lack of better things to do (riding my bike). I will also certianly pick up the latest edition of The Scope to read, and you should do too. It might be tough to beat Cook in Lancaster, but my goal is to gain lead in the Superprestige there.
Edited by Shonak on 04-06-2015 10:24
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We're ready for the Lancaster Challenge. After the race, the riders will head down to Chile for the Antofagasta race on Sunday. It's the modern cyclo-cross way, the riders are constantly on the road. You can't underestimate the impact that has on the body and on the mind.
There are more and more voices for a return to the traditional way. More races in Belgium, France, The Netherlands... Along with a minor schedule in the United States. I guess we'll have to see how the UCI deals with these voices for the next seasons.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 0° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
Start Line: We're hitting freezing temperatures, but it wasn't nearly cold enough to put ice on the ground, so it's just cold. The route is hard, but not frozen. It's hasn't rained for about five days here.
The Superprestige is an open battle, but both the media and the fans are already talking about this Superprestige edition to be the ultimate clash between Vague and Cook. There's still a long way to go, but so far, the two aren't eager to give each other an inch.
Lap 1: We're off! Right off the bat, Francis N. Vague shoots to the front and takes the first corner with quite some speed and a sense of risk. Eldfjallsson seems determined to keep Vague's wheel, but you can see it's not that easy.
And Vague is really eager here in today's race. His recuperation is incredible. This is a tough week, but he's looking very sharp here.
The first climb of the Turnkey! And Vague attempts to get away, blast off right at the front. Eldfjallsson - wisely - opts to ride his own pace, rather than try to follow. Eldfjallsson is riding a good season but is having difficulties finding those extra percentages to get him on the podium.
Going down the Turnkey, Vague has a few seconds on a chasing group, including Mazzarelli, Cook, Lipawsky, Listerijn, Soucek, Cornelis, Markson, Dao, Bennett, Schiltz.
Lap 2: The laps fly by here, and as last year we'll have 12 laps in total.
The second climb of the Turnkey and Vague is increasing his lead. Cook realizes this and jumps away from the chasing group, now! He wants to catch Vague at any cost! Jan Soucek tries to follow Cook. Mazzarelli accelerates, too.
Soucek cracks. Mazzarelli is still holding on. 50 meters to the top. 40 meters... And Mazzarelli cracks, too! Cook keeps turning the pedals smoothly and reaches the top 3 second behind Vague.
Vague manages to increase his lead again in the descent. Going into the U turns, Vague has 5 seconds on Cook and 13 seconds on Mazzarelli and Soucek, who have teamed up to bridge the gap. Even further behind, Listerijn is trying to break away, but it's not easy. He probably still feels Seattle in his legs.
Lap 3: Vague reaches the foot of the climb with 6 seconds on Cook. Mazzarelli and Soucek lose ground, while the chasing group is not going fast enough by any stretch. Dao, Cornelis and Lipawsky do most of the work, but it's not going fast enough.
Cook gets out of the saddle on the Turnkey. You can see him biting down hard, this is hurting! But he reaches Vague right before the top! And so we have a duo at the front! The crowd has dreamed about this, and we have to admit we've been waiting for it, too. But it seems we have another already-classic Vague - Cook duel on our hands for today! Mazzarelli and Soucek are the only ones still close enough to compete for the win, they might profit from this today!
Lap 4: Cook and Vague are marking each other closely, but neither is attacking. Vague wants to control Cook by riding at the front on the Turnkey. Behind them, Mazzarelli and Soucek are relaying well together, but to no avail. The two leaders are simply turning the pedals faster than Mazzarelli and Soucek. It's as simple as that.
Still, the two chasers try to gain ground at every simple corner and they're not losing a lot of terrain at the moment. But they're not nearing the front of the race, too.
Lap 5: The second chasing group is falling apart slowly here, with some attacks from Dao, Listerijn, Lipawsky and Bennett on the one hand and dropping off the pace by Cornelis and Markson on the other hand. So let's see who's where.
Things are getting hot, here, despite the freezing temperatures! The top 3 of the Superprestige classification is in position 1, 2 and 3 at the moment.
Oh, Lipawsky takes the corner on the inside, taking Listerijn by surprise. The young Kiwi has to brake hard and starts slipping! He goes down!
Luckily, he gets up immediately, checks if his chain hasn't fallen off and gets back on the bike. He tries to get back his speed and he gets joined by Schiltz and Bennett.
Lap 6: The two leaders aren't attacking each other. If we didn't know any better, we'd say these are two friends working together well. However, they're probably trying to fend off Mazzarelli and Soucek instead of wasting their energy attacking each other constantly. It wouldn't be the first time they lost a race that way.
But it isn't as easy as it sounds. Mazzarelli and Soucek continue to keep the pace high and are only 15 seconds behind. It's a sizeable gap, but it stays stable for now.
Meanwhile, Eldfjallsson, Dao and Lipawsky are riding away from Bennett, Schiltz and Listerijn. Listerijn is having some trouble with his right leg, probably from the crash.
Lap 7: A crash! Max Power goes down hard! He puts his hand on his shoulder. No, he can't continue. It's game over. Let's hope it's nothing serious, with our eyes on the Rio Cross next week. We see him getting off the route. Okay, he gets on his bike and very slowly rides towards the team bus. At least he can still get on a bike!
Lap 8: And the many climbs of the Turnkey are getting to the riders. There are only 37 riders left in the race. We actually see a showered Bakari pass underneath our commentary box. He's trying to find a place to cheer on the riders. He started this race as a competitor and now he'll spend the rest of the race as a spectator. It's all possible for Bakari!
Lap 9: Mazzarelli and Soucek are still bravely fighting to decrease the gap to the two leaders, but it's getting harder and harder. They're now 20 seconds behind. They're fighting for every second!
We cut back to the front of the race! And we finally have an attack! We've been waiting a few laps for this! Cook tries to get rid of Vague on the Turnkey! What an explosion! He has one meter. But he can't keep up the acceleration and Vague manages to crawl back to Cook's wheel.
Vague now tries to overtake Cook, to put him under pressure in the technical downhill. But Cook moves swiftly and manages to cut off Vague and stay at the front, controlling a steady downhill.
They're down now, and Vague shoots past Cook! What does Cook do? He shakes his head! His attack on the Turnkey has cost his a lot of energy.
Further back, Eldfjallsson is letting Lipawsky and Dao ride. Dao is getting better and better in this race and now dictates the pace on the Turnkey. Obviously, the pace is a bit too high for the Icelandic rider.
Lap 10: Vague has 3 seconds on Cook. But Cook never gives up. He's found a second breath and now makes a move on the tarmac to reach Vague's wheel before turning back into the field.
And we're back to two leaders!
33 riders left in this race. This is brutal! We're pleasantly surprised by Mutahi, who's riding around in 20th position. In a race with this much climbing, that's real nice to see!
Goldenberg is doing well, too. This is not his terrain, but he's fighting hard for every spot. He doesn't want to disappoint before his crowd! Goldenberg is increasingly hot in the United States. His way of riding, his talent and his character are all very much appreciated by the American cyclo-cross lover. The United States Cyclo-Cross Federation are actually already making a bid for the next year's World Championships to host a cross in California. If we had to guess, we'd say they'd want a sand race for Goldenberg!
Lap 11: Only two laps remain! The Turnkey must look longer and steeper after 10 ascends, but the riders still have to conquer him two times.
And this time it's Vague who wants to put in the winning move! Cook hangs on for dear life, he doesn't give Vague an inch.
In the background, Listerijn tries to break away from Schiltz and Bennett. His team mate, Bennett, blocks Schiltz and so Listerijn manages to create a gap.
Vague realized he won't be able to shake Cook easily and so he moves to a more defensive tactic. A smart move, I think. Vague can take Cook to the sprint, he'll win it 9 times out of 10.
Lap 12: The final lap! We only have 25 riders left in the race, that underlines the difficulty of today's profile.
And now Cook goes all-in! He surprises Vague by going before the climb! On the flat, he tries to jump away from Vague. Vague has more explosivity, so he can react quickly. But Cook is so strong he can ride very hard for a long time, and now Vague is obviously hurting in his wheel. And now we turn onto the Turnkey.
Cook just grinds it out. He keeps the pace as high as he can, pushing his limits. Vague is shaking from left to right on his bike. His mouth is wide open. Cook looks behind... And he gets out of the saddle to accelerate, he can go even faster! He wants to get rid of Vague and this is the move to do it. Vague looks like he's cracking!
But by some miracle he hangs on to Cook's wheel! His head buried between his arms, shaking. His legs are turning the pedals and it hurts to even look at it, but he hangs on!
They reach the top of the climb. Vague went very deep, but he's managed to hang on. Cook keeps the lead going downhill. If he can't shake Vague, he can tire him out as much as possible so he can't sprint anymore.
And now Soucek cracks, too! Mazzarelli rides away from him with one swift attack! He wants that remaining podium spot!
The final 200 meters. Vague is still nestled in Cook's wheel. But he's not looking very hot. Cook has been sprinting for half a lap already, but he accelerates a final time! He's making a long sprint of it. He knows that's the only way to beat Vague. He wants to counter his explosivity with a long haul.
Vague forces himself to get out of the saddle. He stays on Cook's wheel.
50 meters to go and Cook is still leading! He seems tireless! But Vague has one ace left up his sleeve! He accelerates from behind Cook's wheel, now. With his mouth wide open, he passes Cook and takes the victory on the line! Only half a wheel difference, but Vague is today's winner!
Mazzarelli takes the third place, Soucek the fourth.
And here come Lipawsky and Dao for place 5. It's Dao who win't the sprint!
Eldfjallsson is 7th again. Listerijn just managed to keep in front of Schiltz and Bennet to take 8th.
What a race it's been. Cook looked like the strongest, but Vague showed immense mental power and resistance to stay with Cook and finish it in a close sprint!
And Vague manages to win his third race of the season and already has a victory in each of the major classifications, just like last year. Portland in the World Cup, Tekapocross in the Coca-Cola Trophy and now Lancaster in the Superprestige.
Vague and Cook share the first spot in the Superprestige now, with both a victory, a second place and a third spot. Incredible statistics. Vague gets the lead because he won the last race.
After the tough week in the United States, we visit South America for two races. Antofagasta is up to its second edition and we hope to see an exciting race here. The temperatures are way above what we were getting used to, so let's hope that won't affect the race too much. But in weather like this, the pace is destined to be slower and the action reduced. Still, let's stay optimistic!
Race Information
Country: Chile
City/Place: Antofagasta
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 18h30
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Elliot Cook, Sylvain Lipawsky, Matt Mazzarelli, Rudy Verboven, Christian Schiltz, Baris Dao.
Record: 1x Rudy Verboven (2014)
Race History: Antofagasta is up to its second edition. The first was a relative success and saw a (cyclo-cross) bunch sprint with Verboven, Carlisle, Smith, Cornelis and Mazzarelli. Don't expect the same names tomorrow, though. Verboven and Mazzarelli could do well, but the others are retired or out of shape.
Route Information
Technical: 2
Sand: 0
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 2
The ground is firm and quite rocky, and without any rain, we'll definitely see a fast cross. A sprint finish will be hard to avoid, so the ones with fast legs have the edge here. There are some technical difficulties, but they are restricted to some U-turns and the downhilling.
The climbs could be used to power away, but they are nowhere near the length of hills like the Blaarmeersen, or the Turnkey climb. They are short, steep climbs, which can be dealt with purely on power.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 16° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
Lancaster was the last american race and like any other in the States, Vague and Cook were taking over control and riding their own race. With much force. Firmly still exhausted, Vague remained at the podium to enjoy the top step of the Superprestige a little longer than usual. The smile a little bit softer than in other races.
Lancaster was a true show of strength of the undoubtley best two current Cyclo-Cross riders. Are you two pushing each other?
Thank you for the compliment; truth is, right now the races suit both of us and we are in some fine form. Of course I hops to keep the legs spinning like this and keep the opponents away from my current level. Winning is the best option in this regard. To have a rival like Cook in these races is amazing though, it's the thing you need to motivate you hard throughout the season and in the off-season. Every great athletes needs rivals like that, it's the key ingradient to becoming a future great I think. I'm really glad I could win today, it was a hard day's work without a doubt.
Talk us through the race, why did you start so damn fast?
The conditions really suit me and when it's a bit frosty I can really make the most out of it. You saw it with Hafthor on my wheel, too. There may not have been ice, but that's why I had to make the racing tough and get some confidence. A quick start was the best tactic today for me, get the most advantage out of it early on. Of ocurse it's risky and there's a chance of taking it too hard but by now I'm fairly experienced with this sort of efforts. Still, the total number of laps really came down as a bit of a hammer in the last few rounds, how many were there, 12? It's hard to keep track of it. I would have liked to solo to the win but of course it'd be very ambitious to keep away from someone like Cook throughout the race. Mazzarelli and Soucek came close to us and so we both understood that it was smarter to keep them at bay and cooperate. If I have the option of racing against a whole peloton or against one wild fury Cook, I have to choose the Cookie Monster [laughs] When it came down to the two of us, we both tried our best and at some point I had to hang on for the sprint, try my best not to crack...
And then you won the sprint. A surprise to you?
Normally, no. Many of our duels have been decided because of my faster finishing compared to Cook. So, I'm glad I got that over him. However, I was fairly empty after his two last laps. He put in a tremendous effort, where I profited largely from the slipstream in that case. I knew I had to keep on the wheel and just bite to hang on there. It was a question of the mind as much as it was of the legs. Just keep the wheel in focus. And don't crash you know. That I outsprinted him was down to, dunno... luck. It was certainly close.
You have started the season very strong, various top finishes. Now you have already won 3 races, each in one of the competitions. Are you on the way to beat your debut season?
I certainly hope so, but I will have to remain foucsed and work on my racing. Uh, most importantly in these weeks of stress is to recover properly. I'm lucky to have great staff behind me, a great coach and a sogineur. Thanks to them I am able to comepte here in Lancaster after three previous podium finishes. To win in all three competitions, already in November, is a great feeling but it's mostly just for the statistics. I have good feelings for all classifications. If I can end up on top at Antofagasta, I could lead just for some days all three competitons. It'll be very special to me.
Indeed, 2-1-3-1. This is an unbelieveable track record on American soil. Cook comes closet with two podium finishes but no win. Are the States your New Belgium?
[Laughs] Maybe, if they want to be. Why not. Let's found a cyclo-cross enclave here. Or a colony. I can be mayor and we should find some to play the jester. But truth is, the weather has been very good for my racing, I had great sensations in my legs. It helps a lot when you are racing on ground that favors your talents. I like the mud, the cold. I was successful last year here, too. Now it's time to follow up at the races where I have had my troubles in the last season; we can talk about it afterwards. My feelings for Antofagasta are surprisingly good though and I'm sure I'll handle the sand in Rio too.
Speaking of sand, there's recent talk of a sand World Championships. Goldenberg & Power could make a huge impact for american CX there, similiar to Cook maybe who has a big fanbase here. Your take on it?
Well, I'd prefer it if the ground was hard and the race was cold but if it's gonna be a sandy affair than yeah, I'll know what I'll train for. I don't think I'll ever be a sand specialist but maybe I can get close to the medal ranks if it's not only sand they provide us with. In theory. It's very hypothetical at this point. What's important for me in training off-season is that I also keep my strengths and work on them. As much as the rainbow jersey means to me, it's only one race at the end of the day. I wouldn't want to become a sandcrawler just for one single race.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
As he crosses the finish line Milan Listerijn spits out some dirt and rubs his right leg. He climbers off his bike and walks straight to his team doctor. His leg seems to be sore but not serious.
As teammates Josiah Bennett, Lachy Bauer and Michael Bollinger roll in they chat for a minute before laughing at a joke. It's obvious the adopted Kiwi has settled in and is happy surrounded by his teammates.
'Yeah it was an OK performance, a streak of top twelves since we left the Mainland has just been awesome. I think the leg and the effort from Seattle got in the way, it was agony uphill but I've got some cream on it now, she'll be right most hopefully.' Listerijn muses in his strange combination of rapid Belgian with a nasal Kiwi twang, 'It was a gutsy team performance and we all did great, unfortunately we got in a bit of a muddle in the middle, it wasn't our day but we all finished in a good position so that's promising.'
'Chile could be interesting, it's a course which suits many, I like the look of an attack to preserve my World Cup placing, and of course make some UCI points. I think what Rudy and Josiah did with luck could be something I try to imitate. The top ten in the UCI rankings could be a tough nut to crack, but I'm happy to be in second row and I'll always fight for anything I can.'
Edited by jandal7 on 11-06-2015 09:33
The season so far is quite disappointing for Dries Cornelis. He's still awaiting his first victory, and he got his worst result in quite a while. 'It's not my best season so far. I hadn't planned my peak for the early season, but to be so far down is not what I expected.'
The youngsters are picking up result after result, and it looks like some new names are breaking through. 'It's great to see the young guys getting results, and I hope this seals the future of cyclo-cross.'
Of course, the disappointing results have awaken the rumours about retirement. We could not get a clear answer from Dries. 'Of course the age is starting to tick, and my retirement is coming closer by the day. This may be my last season, it may not be. It depends on my motivation throughout the year. As it looks now, I'm still motivated to win, and still motivated to continue.'
After an excellent season start Naveed Alinejad has had some more disappointing results. 'I may have become a little worse so far, but of course it's still early in the season. I'm not worried at all, and I think I'll do better later on.'
It's not only Alinejad who's been disappointing lately, it's his entire team. 'It's of course disappointing we're not performing very well. However, earlier on we decided to peak later on in the season, and get the most out of the races then.'
We're all ready here for the third manche in the World Cup. We've been in Australia, the United States and now we're in Chile.
Dries Cornelis leads the World Cup but today we have a profile without too many difficulties. Fast riders will have the edge here.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 12° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
Start Line: Luckily the temperatures didn't rise too highly for today's race. We're not sure what to expect for today. The season has gotten off at an incredible pace and riders are bound to feel that. With all the traveling in between, we hear more and more about a reformed calendar - a return to the former European dominance on the cyclo-cross races.
But we're here for the race! Antofagasta turned out in a group sprint last year. It's a hard profile to stay away alone, but we see some riders strong enough to pull that off.
Lap 1: The start sign! And it's the young neopro Baris Dao who wins the opening sprint and turns into the field first. His career is definitely on the rise! Eldfjallsson and Vague follow on his wheel.
Dao is riding hard but definitely not 100% and so we have a slower start than the last few races. Guido Visconti moves forward smoothly, he seems up to something!
And, yes, Visconti shoots off at the front! There's no immediate reaction from the pack.
Lachy Bauer breaks away, now, too! He finds Visconti and so we have two leaders.
The pace isn't very high, and so other riders must see an opportunity to attack. Karol Konva moves to the front and tries to break away on a short hill.
Bauer and Visconti are riding hard now, but Konva manages to close the gap.
Lap 2: Three leaders, Konva, Bauer and Visconti. The chasing group - if we can call them that - are 7 seconds behind. We see Cook, Vague, Cornelis, Verboven, Dao and all the other top riders, waiting.
The breakaway group rides away to 14 seconds now. You shouldn't let them ride too far. Especially Bauer can keep up an effort for 60 minutes.
While Bauer is doing great, his team mate Listerijn is struggling hard. He's reportedly in 40th position or so. We wonder what's happened there.
Sven Welling and Christian Schiltz are now both coming to the head of the chasing group. Vague gets in Welling's wheel and they finally start chasing the three leaders. BKCP - Powerplus wants to win this race with Vague, that much is certain! If he plays his cards right, he can lead in all three classifications tonight.
Lap 3: And the gap is reducing, now! Especially with the cooperation lost at the front. Bauer tries to get Konva and Visconti to do more of the work, but at the moment they have a hard time matching Bauer's pace as it is.
And now Bauer tries to shake them off on a steep hillside! Visconti has to pass. Konva manages to hang on!
Visconti gets swallowed by the chasing group immediately. Welling and Schiltz are doing amazing work here. Riders are dropping off at the back quickly, now. It shouldn't be a surprise that many sprinters are hanging on here. They have the necessary speed in their legs to turn the pedals this fast. And - what's this - Cornelis has been dropped! The World Cup leader is lagging behind and is losing his World Cup lead this way!
And so Bauer and Konva's time seems limited, too. Only 6 seconds left.
Apparently Milan Listerijn is out of the race. He has abandoned with pain in his leg. That's too bad for the Kiwi.
Lap 4: Bauer attacks Konva again, he wants to get rid of him! But Konva is riding a strong race and won't be left behind.
It doesn't matter anyway, because here comes the BKCP train! Schiltz is leading the group and rides right past Bauer and Konva. The race can start all over again!
But there aren't that many riders left in this group. We have Schiltz, Welling, Vague, Cook, Dao, Gormley, Verboven, Goldenberg, Markson, Van Fleming, Eldfjallsson, Bauer, Konva.
Cornelis is already half a minute behind! The ex-World Champion is not doing well, this is not normal! For the first time in his career, he'll lose his World Cup lead.
Lap 5: The pace set by Schiltz is so high we don't have any attacks. But fatigue is building. We can see several riders making small mistakes. The cobbles aren't a great difficulty, but the more tired you are, the harder they are. Konva is the first now to let the group go.
If things stay like this, we're heading for a royal sprint battle. Just look at the names at the front, it's scary, actually. Verboven, Van Fleming, Dao. These are among the top sprinters in the sport!
But we'd be surprised if nobody tries to attack out of this group. For now, everyone seems content with Schiltz pulling the group, though.
Lap 6: Schiltz accelerates a bit. Probably his final effort before he'll give the wheel to Welling. Vague must be feeling good today!
And, as we thought, Schiltz now moves aside and Welling takes the lead.
We see a replay here, what are we looking at? Van Overberghe takes a corner too wide and crashes into the fence.
And, finally, we have another attack at the front! Gormley is looking to break away! Vague jumps on his wheel! The Irishman always seems to get back in form right on time for his races! Write him down for Rio, he'll contend for the win there.
Who will do the chasing now? Welling won't do it, because his leader is up there.
Lap 7: The two leaders have got a gap, but they're not riding away far. Verboven, Eldfjallsson and Goldenberg are doing most of the work.
Blue Bell CX is probably riding hard for Dao. He's proven before he's very fast and he could win against Verboven and Van Fleming, but it won't be easy. Still, Markson should be a good lead-out.
Gormley and Vague have been caught, and so Welling picks up the pace again. No harm done, you could say, though the brief acceleration of the group claimed some victims. Bauer and Schiltz are left behind.
And now Goldenberg and Eldfjallsson drop out, too. They spent too much energy in the intense chase.
Welling is feeling strong today, and he gets out of the saddle to push the pace even further!
Elliot Cook is down! Apparently, Lipawsky hit his back wheel and both riders are down on the ground! Cook is back on his bike again and is trying to return to the front with Van Fleming, who was hindered by the crash, and Eldfjallsson, who's found a second breath.
That leaves us with 6 leaders! We're approaching the final lap, so let's look at the time differences.
Cook is giving everything to return to the front. He's Vague's closest competitor in his World Cup, with Cornelis riding around more than 3 minutes behind. A terrible day for the ex-World Champion and a legend in this sport. Has his time come? Has age finally caught up with him?
Welling is doing everything he can do keep Cook from coming back. This way, we're heading for the royal sprint. Verboven and Dao are extremely fast. Vague can go fast, too, on a good day.
Van Fleming must be cursing under his breath at this moment. He was perfectly placed in the front group but got caught behind with the crash. With the finish drawing closer, he sees his chances at winning a race reducing by the second.
There is the finish line! We'll have a sprint with 6. Vague is in Welling's wheel. We have another duo here. -- Wait... Dao is starting his sprint. No, he's leading out Markson. This is an odd choice, we would've expected Markson to lead-out Dao. A very surprising move by Blue Bell CX!
Verboven takes Markson's wheel! Gormley is on Vague's wheel, but it'll be a miracle if the Irishman wins this sprint.
Dao paves the way for Markson. At 100 meters to go, Markson now gets out of Dao's wheel. Vague starts sprinting, too, but he's too far out after Welling couldn't produce another acceleration after his work today.
Markson sprints Verboven out of his wheel! This is incredible, amazing! Verboven just can't keep Markson's wheel in a sprint battle!
Markson crosses the line first, who would've thought? Verboven is second. Vague beats Dao on the line for the last remaining podium spot and - more importantly - 35 World Cup points.
Gormley is fifth, Welling sixth.
Van Fleming easily wins the sprint for place 7, but he seems very angry - rightly so. Who knows what could've happened if he would've sprinted for the win today? Cook limits the damage by finishing 8th, with Eldfjallsson 9th.
Eddie Goldenberg completes Blue Bell CX' perfect day by finishing 10th. Three riders in the top 10, three neopro's. Well, Blue Bell CX sure knows how to pick talent, you can say that.
And so we have Francis Vague leading the World Cup. He's now leading all three classifications. He'd better enjoy it, because Rio's next, where Cook will definitely try to put some time between himself and his big rival.
As I get into my room I hurl a bottle at the wall. I don't usually let it out like this but it's almost all too much. I can't get a break from it all. Struggling to find form, my road manager calling me after every race telling me I'm making it worse for myself, it's all just stirred up.
I honestly deep down know it's my fault for trying to ride both. I'm burning myself out. Road has been my passion for years, but I love Cross just as much after the last six years of following as a fan, amateur circuits and now this. Even earlier today I finally felt my old cross legs back and then I collapsed, almost literally. Christian bloody Schiltz in beast mode in the mid-race didn't help.
But then I realise. If I want a break, why not take one? It's now organised I'm going to relax, recuperate and train until Rasterhoff, where I'll rejoin the bunch.
Big victory today! After sacrificing my own chances in Perth for the team today the team repaid me. A lot of the pre-race talk for the team focused on Dao who has clearly been the overall better rider this year. But i had no doubts that i was a better sprinter than him and that if, like last year, this race was a sprint then i would be the one given help.
A bit of inter-team discussion and politics but as things set-up Dao moved himself forwards and gave me space behind. I could have let him go ahead and tried to delay the guys around me, i considered it but i felt too good. My first pro win and it comes in the World Cup. Just wow.
Now the question is what next? Once we get back to Europe and things start to chill TDF and I have been talking about taking a break and resting up. So that we can come back and finish the year strong looking for wins whilst others tire and think about overall competitions.
Big thanks to Blue Bell, especially Goldie for his work.
Goldie
Just TDF left to win now. Radio delivered on his word that he was the best sprinter and he made our hard work worth it. Terrific win in what is a deceptively hard race. Big claim but we might be the best team around right now. People keep talking about shrinking the calendar back to a more European focus, well we'll keep doing well and force the UCI to stay global.
10th place for myself i have to be happy with. I put in a lot of hard work to keep the front group clear and together so when i did crack i was able to stay relatively high up the order. It means i've jumped up a place to third overall in the World Cup standings. Being realisitc the win is way way out of reach.
The decision i have to make, with the team, is whether to focus on maintaining that podium challenge or focus on wins in events that suit me. There's no way i can go for the World Cup and still go hard in races that suit me outside that. Somethings gonna have to give but we've got just about enough time to think about it. The delightful pressures of success, can't complain.
Well we are almost through our tour of the Americas and I am feeling pretty frustrated I have to say. Been keeping off the airways because frankly I had little positive to say. Beginning to feel a philosophical about it all I guess, but I am beginning to have that sinking feeling that a certain someone has my number at Cross.
Of course this all sounds silly, I currently am sweing on the number two UCI bib and that means I am better than 60 odd of these other thrashers. But for the sport we are seeing one guy Old Bastard Cornelis fading and along comes a new bright shining squeaky star Vague. I bang on about him a lot and in Lancaster we saw the course of my dreams a real hilly affair - I was just about able to drop him but really destroy him and he came back an beat me in the sprint.
Basically I am just number two and this year - me aim was to get to number one and I have had that feeling around America that Franny is just on fire. You wonder if it will ever even burn out!
I haven't really been enjoying the best of times - falling in Chile just took the biscuit and really hurt my chances in my biggest goal of the year the World Cup. I have gotta pick myself up and just keep racing through it at the moment - we have a sandy one coming up and I enjoyed those shyte thrashers earlier in the year just maybe I can pick up some passion there.
As soon as I got the first sharp blast of pain I knew it was worse than I thought. I fell back gradually, riding until I either recovered or couldn't ride. My right leg kept hurting until it was almost impossible to move without spontaneous pain. I fell off in the end and had to be helped out by the medic.
In my hotel room later that day we decided I needed recovery. I'm going to see a doctor to see what's up with my leg and hopefully be back to use Struisbaai as a warm up for Johannesburg. Despite a good few weeks I'm still going to ride the NES out as I said, its prime opportunity to practice racing at the front and get some quick UCI points.
The most unfortunate effect of my injury is I'm going to miss two of my season-long goals, as well as the US races I was really hoping for good results in Rio and Port Elizabeth. This also puts me out of the running for World Cup and Coca-Cola top 10s which is a shame. But I'll bounce back. When I'm out of three trophies the eyes turn to the fourth...
BKCP Powerplus has shown the muscles down in Chile, when Christian Schiltz and Sven Welling gave their all in role of support for Vague. Antogafasta reminds you a dusty city crit-race, high speed, high intensity. Lots of crashes and a sheer chaos throughout the day, the force of racing dictated by the search for ideal slipstream over the rocks.
A third place and as such, your string of podium finishes continues still. Walk us through the race, will you?
Today worked really well, Christian and Sven were incredible; they kept such a high pace and were racing on full almost the entire race. I'm glad Sven has found such fine form. I tried to get away at some point but it didn't work out unfortunately. Right now, we have the pressure of team strength and as such, there's lots of responsibility on us. Especially in a race like in Chile; it's high speed, you can really profit from riding within a strong group. Quite a contrast to the usual set-up for a CX race... Of course it'd be nice if I had finished off today's work with another victory but I'm content with the third place today. It's not a course where you would usually say, I'm here to win it, guys like Dao or Verboven have the claim to do so. I don't.
Your main motivation to keep Schiltz and Welling riding when it was clear that faster sprinters were in the group; was it for victory or because Cook crashed?
Of course we got lucky there, it's part of Cyclo-Cross though. So, we continued to ride hard because in that way, Cook would certainly get less points if the group stayed together. And to keep him away from us, yeah sure. But it was also for us to have a shot at victory. I knew that there were faster sprinters within the group; especially the Dane Dao. It's always a bit of uh, tricky question you face in this race situation; you'd like to see others pace hard and waste energy but they also know that BKCP and I have goals beyond the single win. But like I said, it was worth the try. Maybe with a few changes, the win could have been ours. Sven was amazing in the last laps.
You are now leading all three classifications, how's that feeling?
Really good but you know me, I care about being on top at the end of the year. I know that next Rio Cross will be a bit of a knockback for me and that this feeling will last only for a few days. So yes, maybe enjoy it a bit but not more than that. Right now, I feel fine and the legs are great, I can enjoy the racing with much confidence and ease. Maybe it's because some of the rivals struggle a bit, and Cook had some bad luck lately and we are actually on the same level in Superprestige and Coca-Cola so not sure if it counts for that much actually, but all in all, I'm blessed with the current situation.
Cornelis has been said to have never lost a World Cup lead. It happened today though. Against you, and two more. Did you notice that Cornelis had an off-day today, and how do you rate the chances of a comeback in World Cup?
Yeah yeah, my coach said it in the third or fourth lap, we saw that he wasn't in our group but I reckoned he'd be not far behind. I don't know what was the issue, maybe an injury or some bike difficulties. This is sport on high level, and missing just a few percents can already knock you back minutes in a simple race like here in Chile. But the World Cup, it's uh, his speciality. He's always dangerous in World Cup, and although he had not a good season start, he was still leading the Cup. So, of course, I count on him to strike back in the upcoming World Cup races, just look at the way he dominated last year World Cup, he has plenty of races to turn the tide around and my point lead is really small... As for the record he held, that he never lost a lead. Uhh, I don't pay attention to these details. What's important is that I gained the lead, it's all that counts for me here. Cornelis gonna strike back but I'm confident I can keep up, I'm sure of that. And add to that, Cook who is my big rival in any race, and he's really close on the classification as well uhmm, Goldenberg, who is maybe a bit of a dark horse.
Your tactic for Rio Cross, looking forward to this race?
[Laughs] Ah... so and so. Of course, Rio is a beautiful city but the race will be tough on me. I can look for a Top 10 and speculate on that when I get lucky but it'll be important to limit the time loss on Cook, Lipawsky and the sort. I hope Sven and I can help Christian, to put him in a very good position for the overall fight. He's a fantastic allrounder and should be able to ride podium I hope. But yeah, after the race, we'll be a lot smarter and then we can talk about the next few months, which races to target and whatnot. So yes, I'm looking forward to Rio Cross because it's a bit of a season definition for me, Rio Cross as some sort of Crossroad in fact where you can decide on what to focus afterwards. Last year, I did well in Rio Cross, stayed within reach of Coca-Cola competition, I left Rio last year with the possibility to win the overall, and it worked out. I hope me or Christian can have similiar good feeling after the race this year. But I don't look forward to that "sandshizzle".
Edited by Shonak on 13-06-2015 13:03
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Ready for the second edition of the Rio Cross Challenge. A cross on the famous Copacabana beach, this one is for the sand fleas. Shay Gormley, Elliot Cook and Max Power have been looking towards this all year.
The Coca-Cola Trophy might look entirely different after this hour of racing.
Race Information
Country: Brazil
City/Place: Rio De Janeiro
Classification: Coca-Cola Trophy
Starting Time (Elite Men): 19h
Favorites: Shay Gormley, Elliot Cook, Max Power
Record: 1x Shay Gormley (2014)
Race History: Rio is a relatively new cross, only up to its second edition this year. Last year, we saw a spectacular last lap, with Cook losing the lead to Gormley and Acord. Gormley went on to win the race, using raw power to move through the sand.
It was also where Cook managed to put over half a minute on Vague in the Coca-Cola Trophy, forcing Vague out of the trophy lead. This year, Cook will be looking to go for the same scenario, only put even more time between the two of them. If Cook can get over a minute, it will be hard for Vague to claim the trophy a second time.
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 5
Uphill: 2
Cobblestones: 0
The race takes place on the Copacabana beach, so needless to say, sand will be a factor. In a classification on time, things could get interesting.
Coca-Cola has confirmed that there will be 3 additional bridges added to the route, to add some more obstacles than the sand. But don't let it fool you, the winner will be a sandflea here, nothing more, nothing less.
Just days ahead of the Rio Cross Challenge, Sven Welling finally seems to have got back to the top tier of racing. With an ambitious performance and a key role of support to Vague's 3rd place in Antogafasta, Welling has been a figure in the latest race.
This did not come all too surprisingly, seeing as how the races up north have helped me quite a bit. "It's true that I lacked a bit in training at the start of the season, I had to play some catch-up", says Welling and reminds of the tragic accident of his brother. "However, the races have helped me to build up the fitness, and regain the instinct, the joy of cycling."
He is eager to thank his teammates Schiltz and Vague, and considers both to be model athletes for the sport. At the Rio Cross Challenge, Welling will be eager to help Schiltz in whatever capacity he's able to. "It's the same for Francis. Christian deserves the shot at Coca-Cola Trophy this year. We'll see how the race works out, but of course BKCP Powerplus prefers if either Vague or Schiltz lead after that race."
Notably Elliot Cook will be the main obstacle and probably the main reason why this won't happen, but also World Champion Lipawsky is within striking distance. For Welling all the more reason to ride strong and not give their opponents an inch. "Cook has been incredible and really impressive most of the time, Lipawsky may be a bit more in the background so far", is the word of Sven's analysis.
Does he believe Vague can make the triple crown of the sport, winning all three classifications? "That's really difficutl. He is still young. Maybe some day. This year? I want to help, and if one rider can do it, it's him. But it's probably too early."
His goal for Rio Cross Challenge is a 10th place, certainly someone that could be accomplished by the routinier. And with Chile behind him, he might just feel the right uplift in form to dream of more. It's been some years since Welling was on the top spot of the podium, and he is quick to remind the audience - and himself, that's this always the spot he'll want to be. Despite his prominent support role in some races.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We're here in Rio and the view is fantastic. It's a nice sun, the start has been pushed back an hour and that really helps with the temperatures. It's now 16°C and we're about to start the race.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 16° C
Precipitation: Sunny, Dry
Wind: 3 Beaufort
Start Line: Coca-Cola time. Vague is leading all three competitions but today this could change. Cook missed out on the Coca-Cola Trophy last year with only 19 seconds. He knows, like no one else, how every second matters. He'll try to get as much time as possible into Vague today.
Lap 1: We're off for an hour of Rio fun! Short laps here in Rio, so we expect about 11 laps of racing today.
Vague is quick on the draw and takes the lead. But the sand is treacherous here, and so prominent. Normally not the best starter, Cook easily comes forward here. Moving along with him is Michael Bollinger.
And now here come Max Power and Shay Gormley. Power wants to make this race hard and accelerates in the sand! You can see how difficult the sand in Rio really is, half the field is already in the red zone trying to match this pace, they have to let go and ride their own pace.
An incredibly fast start here with Power's pace.
Lap 2: Things are tearing up. Gormley, Bollinger, Cook and Power are all taking turns and shaking up the peloton. Each for their own account; Gormley, Bollinger and Power want to win, while Cook wants to put as much time as possible between himself and his competitors.
And there goes Vague. With the World Champion, Sylvain Lipawksy, he has to let the group go. We had expected, or hoped, to see a better showing from Vague today, but he's dropping out of the group already.
Lap 3: We have a leading group with Gormley, Cook, Alinejad, Power and Bollinger.
Wait, Goldenberg and Listerijn, two young lions, know this might be make or break and do their utmost best to make the cut. They're riding hard to move forward and stay with the lead group.
Meanwhile, Vague drops further behind. He's not having a good day. Is it the warmth, the sand, or a combination of the two? We'll have to ask him after the race.
And more bad news as Dries Cornelis has abandoned. We don't know why, but he's out of the race.
Lap 4: Goldenberg and Listerijn are have caught the main group and so we have 7 leaders. A little over 10 seconds behind, we have Schiltz and Moli chasing hard. After this duo, we already wait 36 seconds until we see Faizullah. Vague is even further behind. This is dramatic for the young Belgian.
Lap 5: Baris Dao is really suffering today. He's having an amazing debut season but the sand really isn't his thing. The same could be said for Konva.
Sven Welling found his way to Vague and tries to get his team mate back at the front. They're not gaining any ground, though, but at least Vague is pulling through a bit, so it would seem.
An attack at the front! It's Cook, he wants to shake the tree a bit and see what falls off.
And the result is telling. Only Bollinger is hanging on, now! What an acceleration through the tough sand!
Lap 6: Bollinger can see the advantage in riding with two for the victory instead of 7, he relays.
Lap 7: Things are getting hot here! Verboven just took a tumble in the sand. But he appears to be all right.
And now the chasers start to disagree, too. Not everybody is doing as much work, Cook and Bollinger are riding away. Listerijn tries to attack but he gets countered by Goldenberg!
And Goldenberg is off on his own.
Lap 8: Alinejad sneaks away and looks to join Goldenberg. Though this is more than 20 seconds behind the two leaders. Bollinger and Cook are off for the victory!
Lap 9: Schiltz and Moli have been caught in limbo and are unable to connect with the chasing group. Schiltz is now riding hard to defend his classification. His team mate, Vague is reported a minute and a half behind the race leader.
Lap 10: Two laps left, and Cook is like a steam train, now. Bollinger is hanging on for dear life. It's Cook doing all the work now. Bollinger is just looking for the victory of the day, while Cook has to keep riding for the classification.
The Coca-Cola classification could look completely different after today's race. Vague, Lipawsky, Mazzarelli... All at the front of the competition but now running behind the facts.
Lap 11: Time for the final lap!
Bollinger has dug himself in Cook's wheel, hoping to survive there and jump out at the right time. But you have to wake up earlier to try and fool Cook this way. Cook is putting the pressure on Bollinger.
He's trying to force the winning hand... And Bollinger succumbs! He makes a small mistake in the sand and that's all Cook needs! He accelerated from the saddle and puts 10 meters between himself and Bollinger! Is it decided?
Yes, it is! Cook crosses the finish line, looking tired but quite content. Bollinger with his head between his shoulders, disappointed.
And here come Goldenberg and Alinejad, with Alinejad winning the sprint for the remaining podium spot!
Gormley, Power. Listerijn is 7th.
Here comes Moli, with Schiltz, this is 46 seconds behind. A small drama for Schiltz, who has ambitions to win this Coca-Cola Trophy.
Sow is the second African in the top 10, finishing 10th in 1:37.
Despite all the promises and the good intentions ahead of the Rio Cross Challenge, the Challenge was just a bit too much. Was it the heat? Just the sand? Or, more: The pressure, the psychological battle lost for another round against laissez-faire Cookie Monster. Rio may have become a bit of a Waterloo for Vague.
With a two minute gap to the british winner, Vague wasn't sure what to say anymore at the Interviews. His staff was already trying to proctet him from two belgian journalists who made their way to him. At least, a few answers could be spared.
Francis, you lost two minutes today. 15th place. How did it come, something the matter?
No, no.. Maybe I tried to push my luck today too much. I didn't imagine the sand to be so deep and this kicked me off at times. I've tried from the start to not succumb to being a mere punching bar today, but I went down pretty fast. Today was not a good day. If I was weak, I don't know. What is to say that Cook, Bollinger and the sand specialista have had a tremendous day of impeccable force today.. When they work together, you either stay in their wheel or lose time. Big way. I did today.
Christian your teammate is still in second, you've fallen down on fifth though. Some ideas for the coming races?
Uh, well today I tried to risk it and maybe I could have helped Christian if I had stayed longer upfront.. But we clearly saw that didn't work out in the least. Of course we will try to take on Cook and the others. Listerijn is very dangerous after this race, comparable to Goldenberg in the World Cup. I try my best for the Trophy or a podium in the classification, and try to help Christian along the way.. he is in a really good spot and I can help him if I continue racing the Trophy, but.. after today, I have to think 'bout my efforts and plans for the upcoming races. Rio has kicked me down the ladder unfortunately.
So, is it likely that you shift your focus entirely on World Cup and Superprestige. You won't stay to defend your title?
Nah, I can't say that after such a race... today, Rio looks beautiful but I feel horrible. Losing the lead in such a way is disappointing and a let-down, although I expected it and everybody who understands Cyclo-Cross knows that Cook is superior to me in the sand.. Uhm, I will see in the coming weeks. I refuse to just simply give up my chance to defend my title..
Edited by Shonak on 25-06-2015 20:52
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We have hit the African continent, for no less than 3 races! Last year, Struisbaar was canceled and offered a season low for the UCI. This year, things are going extremely well and we're here in South Africa for a new race, in Port Elisabeth.
It's an evening cross, mostly to avoid the high temperatures here in December.
Race Information
Country: South Africa
City/Place: Port Elisabeth
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 20h30
Favorites: Elliot Cook, Michael Bollinger, Christian Schiltz.
Record: New
Race History: Africa wants in on the cyclo-cross scene. Struisbaai was the first African race, but was canceled on its first edition. The UCI had to make up for this blunder and instead of staying clear of Africa, they launched an African conquest. Three races, starting with this brand new Port Elisabeth.
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 5
Uphill: 4
Cobblestones: 2
Port Elisabeth is a sand expert's wet dream. After the initial rush after the start, the riders turn into the sand. There they tackle a series of dunes, asking a great deal of strength, concentration and bike skill from the riders. They'll need to be able to ride through sand as well as go uphill. But what goes up, must come down. The dunes offer a soft landing if you fall, and you can be sure many will go down, descending those tricky dunes.
The middle part of the route is a time to recover a bit. A rockier part, with hard dirt underneath their tires. But it quickly turns back into the dunes. The finale is sand-free, with a 100 m sprint to decide the winner.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 13° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 3 - 4 Beaufort
Let's start from the beginning: Just as I was going to head to South Africa for some rest and training our manager got an urgent call pretty much demanding I come to Rio. Guess this is what it's like to be famous I really don't want to but yeah, they made me. I pretty much kept my head down and waited for the pain in my leg to kick in. When Goldenberg jumped from the chasing group I followed. Don't know why, just had that voice in the back of my head telling me anyone could get away bar him. Don't know why.
Then we traded some attacks but nobody would let me go, I'd find out why later. In the end I'd roll in 7th, still the underlying niggle in my leg but hopefully it can be cured by skipping Port Elizabeth.
After the race I was just leaving when I heard my name over the speaker. The announcer was saying I was now on the podium for the Coca-Cola trophy. Aw crap . It's gonna be hard to defend with Lipawsky and Vague on my heels but I'd be damned if I don't collapse over the finish line defending it.
Looking ahead I'm still returning for Struisbaai as planned, it's even more imperative now I'm in a decent overall position. Then to Johannesburg where I'll be doing what I can to steal away the NES lead.
World Cup leader Vague arrives to Afirca and Port Elizabeth with a lead of 19 points and recently a insufferable defeat at the Rio Cross Challenge; there he was not only beat by Cook all over the place but by 13 odd riders as well, besting him and showing him the deficits on a weak day.
Port Elizabeth is known rumoured in Belgium as the place of Vague's revenge, when Rio Cross Challenge may have been his little Waterloo this moment. We've come to known that Vague has one, two drops in performance in his season, but he has always been quick to recover, both in the Juniors as well as last year in the Elites.
But Vague remains illusive about his chances in South Africa, for him the points are what matter. "To defeat the World Cup lead is my number one priority", says Vague and further explains in a quick pre-race interview, "that there are many ways to ensure this..." Vague has been fairly cryptic at times but always outspoken on his chances. In South Africa, he doesn't see many: "Of course, you always believe in victory and think the best as a athlete, but I also have to be realistic."
Vague has had a tremendous run of form ever since the start of the season, the natural drop in performance may have something to do with early tiredness and exhaustion, or with an apparent weakness in the sand. "It's neither", he is quick to deny, "it's the third option: I had bad legs. I am no robot, these things happen." Whilst saying this, he glances over the floor, rubbing his neck. More hoping than confident statement.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Still nothing notable from Dries Cornelis, who seems to have a worryingly bad start. He himself starts to worry as well. 'I set off well last year, and managed to maintain it throughout the year. The feeling is getting better, but the power has been missing so far. The next race is crucial to me, and I think the power is slowly coming now. I feel victory is coming closer. The next race should at least be a perfect opportunity.'
While Dries himself seems to have a bad season so far, it's his team mate Alinejad who seems to be picking up good results lately. Of course, Dries is pleased about this. 'Naveed is a great rider to have in the team. We have very different styles, and I have the feeling we can learn from each other. I think he can win very soon.'
Naveed Alinejad picked up another podium, this time in the Coca Cola Trophy. 'I'm very pleased by this result. Although I had hoped to do a bit better, I suppose this is the max I have so far. With a bit better strategy or, more importantly, luck, I think victory isn't too far away.'
Lancaster Challenge - Report
Antofagasta - Preview 
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Rio Cross Challenge - Preview
Port Elisabeth - Preview 
I really don't want to but yeah, they made me. I pretty much kept my head down and waited for the pain in my leg to kick in. When Goldenberg jumped from the chasing group I followed. Don't know why, just had that voice in the back of my head telling me anyone could get away bar him. Don't know why.
. It's gonna be hard to defend with Lipawsky and Vague on my heels but I'd be damned if I don't collapse over the finish line defending it.
