Milan, you come here fourth in the classification with just three races to go? Do you have hopes of a podium finish?
Oh yeah absolutely, it would be a dream come true for my first pro year. The Stars have aligned luckily for me to have this opportunity, but they haven't been easy on picking my opponents. The three, even four riders that stand in my way are the best of the best, they'd be my top riders in the world with Vague and Cornelis. I'm just lucky I've got one in Mikey by my side. It's gonna be hard but I'm gonna go as hard as I can for it, skipping races is always an option to optimize my performance.
What do you make of the course, and the changes made?
For me in regards to Schiltz, Cook and Lipawsky it it definitely great to see less hills, I know Lachy is disappointed though! But it's an open and entertaining course, I can't wait to race.
Before you spoke about skipping races to optimize your performance, where do you do that?
Well we've been talking quite a bit, if I'm too tired here I can skip Korea, stay here for a week and train for the NES final. Then I guess ride some ice races depending on how I feel, Hagfors definitely. I'm probably skipping Contis then. But up to Lukembourg is as far as I have planned.
Your team has found success here before, do you hope to repeat the trick?
Haha yeah, this was really where the team came into their own last year, huh? Well we've already had good results this season, and we have a decent chance of doing it again.
Welcome in the FujiQ Theme Park for the sixth manche of the Coca-Cola Trophy. Does Cook's reign end here? The FujiCross was an amazing adventure last year, so let's hope for an equally good race today.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 8° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Start Line: Light rain was expected, but the weather gods have been kind on the riders today as it has remained dry so far. Don't look for Francis Vague on the front row, he's skipping today's race as well. But he's one of the very few, as most riders made the trip to the theme park to compete for today's victory. The FujiQ Theme Park has announced to give away a free Honda Civic at the finish line, at the end of the second lap. This may encourage riders to get off to a quick start and really make the race.
The FujiCross is very quickly turning into a major cross on the season and the organisation is doing everything they can to improve the quality of the race. It's great to see their enthusiasm and let the creativity flow! But now we want to see the riders.
Lap 1: And we're done waiting for the start as the riders are off! Baris Dao is the fastest of the front row. He wants to make something of this race. Maybe he's interested in that car, who knows. Who wouldn't be.
And here comes Lipawsky, winner of the Christmas Classic. Eldfjallsson comes strong from the second row. Listerijn follows in his slipstream.
But it's Baris Dao to turn first and now it's upwards. We take another turn here, and we see Cook coming. He's looking to defend his lead.
This weather is good news for Matt Mazzarelli. He's feeling a bit under the weather but he's showed up just the same. He's missed his start, though, and can be found in about 15th position along with Dries Cornelis, Lachy Bauer and Rik Van Fleming.
Outside the theme park, the terrain is rough and now Dao has to let Lipawksy pass, as we near the sand. Elliot Cook follows Lipawsky like his shadow.
In the interest of the trophy, where can we find Schiltz? Oh there he is, making up several places through the sand, now. And just in time, as it seems, as Elliot Cook now takes the active aggressive approach to defending his lead by going to the head of the race and setting the pace.
And now, with this sand, the pack gets shaken up quite bad. Lipawsky, Schiltz and Dao are able to hang on.
Lap 2: Four leaders, with six laps left. After his bad start, Cornelis has moved up. Mazzarelli wasn't able to follow the ex-World Champion and is still riding around in 15th position.
The first chasing group consists of Gormley, Eldfjallsson, Bollinger, Listerijn, Soucek and Kloet.
Does Cook not own a car? He is riding hard. You wouldn't think he defends a lead today, rather than attacking it. But Cook has his own ways, and we're happy to have a rider of that calibre in the cross.
Cornelis has now joined the first chasing group. He's taking a rest there, at the back of the group, where Bollinger is doing most of the work now, for Listerijn.
Approaching the end of lap 2, it's getting exciting. Who will sprint for the Honda Civic car? Dao is getting ready... He gets out of the saddle. Who wants to challenge Dao? Cook doesn't seem to bother. Lipawsky tries but notices Dao's too fast for him. Schiltz comes from behind now, though, quite fast!
Lap 3: But it's Dao who crosses the line first and can take home a Honda Civic. A nice bonus either way. Now let's focus back on the race of the day.
In the chasing group, Dries Cornelis comes to the front. He wants to get to the front of the race soon, now. Things aren't slowing down and he doesn't want to miss the cut.
And Jan Soucek decides to come with him. Listerijn tries but his legs fail him on this rough, ascending terrain.
They come back into the theme park. Soucek relays with Cornelis and so the two chasers near the front group. There, Cook has lowered the pace slightly and looks at the breakaway companions for help. It's Lipawsky who picks up on the challenge and goes to the head of the race.
Lap 4: It looks like it'll remain dry for the rest of the race, which is good news. The sun is even making an appearance now. Listerijn will care less as he looks frustrated to be picked up back by the bigger chasing group. He's lacking in form lately and he's trying hard to get better.
On the climb to leave the park, Cornelis and Soucek join the lead of the race. We have Cook, Lipawsky, Dao, Schiltz, Cornelis and Soucek at the front, now. Chasing them are Gormley, Bollinger, Listerijn and Eldfjallsson.
We're pushing the chrono right here on the bridge.
Well, with that talent at the front, it'll be hard for the chasers to catch back up.
Bauer, the winner of last year's edition, is just outside the top 10 at the moment. Not the best race for the Kiwi, he's seen better days.
Lap 5: Things are moving at the front, here. Jan Soucek decides to jump away on one of the bridges. Cook and Cornelis let him ride. Lipawsky, Schiltz and Dao are too far behind in the group and don't intend to counter attack.
Cornelis is the only one here not interested in the classification. He could've gone with Soucek but it's too late, now, and everyone is looking at each other a bit here, now. Soucek gets 10 seconds quickly.
Those 10 seconds turn into 15. Soucek, the U23 World Champion, is no immediate thread and hasn't performed very well this season, so there's no immediate thread from Soucek's attack. They must think he'll come back automatically in the final lap.
And so the group Listerijn can make up some time on group Cook.
We report a fall from Mutahi. An impressive tumble in the sand. Luckily it's a soft fall here.
Soucek's advantage is now 27 seconds and it looks like the chasing group are now realizing this advantage might be more than enough, so late in the race. Cornelis uses the rough terrain here to attack! He wants to go after Soucek alone. But Lipawsky is quick to react and follows him. Schiltz stays on both of them like a pit bull.
Lap 6: Dao was counting on Cook to close the gap now, but Cook isn't going fast enough to do that. Is he bluffing, waiting his time? Maybe he's having an off-day and blinded everyone by going so hard in the first part of the race. Either way, Dao sees the three ride away and now he passes Cook to increase the pace.
No luck for Bauer, as he gets a flat tire. Luckily it's close to the mechanical zone.
In the background, Listerijn is finally coming into a good rhythm and has now left his co-chasers behind. He goes looking for Cook and Dao. Maybe he can limit his damage to Cook after all?
Dao and Cook are just not going fast enough. Cornelis, Lipawsky and Schiltz are making up time on Soucek steadily. The gap is back to 20 seconds. Jan Soucek is holding on for dear life. Just one lap left, 20 seconds left and decreasing. Can he bring it home?
Lap 7: Lipawsky and Schiltz are in this chasing group with full enthusiasm. They're gaining back time on Cook for the trophy, and so the two ride well together. Cornelis stays in the background a bit more and can afford it. He's only thinking about the victory of the day.
But if he wants to win, they'll have to catch this Jan Soucek. He has got 16 seconds left. It's going to be a close one! This sand is merciless and Soucek knows it. He doesn't like the sand, but he's in this position now, he has to plough through it!
Schiltz and Lipawsky can now see Soucek up ahead. That gives them a boost. But Cornelis has been sitting there and he's always dangerous to take to the finish line.
Cook and Dao are not making any progress and are now around 15 seconds behind Lipawsky, Schiltz and Cornelis. The fact that it's not more time is mostly due to Dao, who's keeping the pace high. Cook is completely cooked. Don't mind the pun.
Listerijn is getting dangerously close to this group, and so the young Kiwi might only lose time on Lipawsky and Schiltz today. As far as Mazzarelli goes, he's doing relatively well, considering his condition, and is little over a minute behind the race leader.
A final offensive by Schiltz, now, who wants to shake his companions! But Lipawsky and Cornelis are focused and won't let him ride away! Soucek looks behind and is worried!
But the offensive has come to late! Jan Soucek sees the finish line and can't believe it. A finger pointed to his chest. He did it, in the Bauknecht colors. Dobransky must be proud of him today. A win for the Czech Republic.
Cornelis wins the sprint for place 2, ahead of Lipawsky and Schiltz.
Here come Dao and Cook. Listerijn isn't too far behind.
And Bollinger comes 8th. Gormley and Eldfjallsson come in together and complete the top 10. Goldenberg, Bauer and then we have Mazzarelli.
Interesting development for the Coca-Cola Trophy today. We're looking forward to the new Luxembourg Cross at the end of the month. Let's see what that'll bring!
But first, we have the new cross next Sunday in Pyeongchang. With our eyes on the Winter Olympics, where Cyclo-cross is making a bid for to be on the calendar, this will be quite interesting. See you there for the next manche in the World Cup!
Time to hit the Asian continent! Pyeonchang hosts its first cross and we're happy to present to you this new addition to the World Cup!
Race Information
Country: South Korea
City/Place: Dragon Valley Ski Resort
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Dries Cornelis, Francis N. Vague, Christian Schiltz, Elliot Cook.
Record: New
Race History: Several ambasadors of the cyclo-cross sport are doing their best to get cyclo-cross into the 2018 Winter Olympics. It's widely believed Pyeongchang is an important test leading up to a possible selection of the sport. The race takes place in one of the locations for the Winter Olympics and if things go well, maybe the UCI could sit down with the Olympic Committee. Pyeonchang offers the riders a chance to discover the beauty of South Korea and hosts its first and hopefully not last edition.
Route Information
Technical: 5
Sand: 0
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 1
The Dragon Valley Ski Resort is a mighty cold place. The original plans for the course featured two sand sections, but the organisers sensed the uselessness of sand here on time and so we have the fortune of not seeing sand providing an eye-sore here in this beautiful ski valley.
The course is extremely technical. The underground is frozen stiff and it snows regularly here, providing fresh snow daily. There are lots of twists and turns, but also two wooden stairs, dangerously slippery when it snows. There are a few improvised roads, made out of cobblestones and very dangerous with the frost. Of course, the route also uses the natural inclination here to take the riders up and down constantly.
The riders have to jump two ditches, but on this underground, only the most techincally skilled riders will attempt to stay on their bikes. Others will dismount safely and cross the ditch on foot. Besides that, there is one set of two jumping bars, near the end of the lap.
The final straight is 250 meters, so there's time to place the perfect sprint. The ground is treacherous, however. The snow covers the dirt and so bumps in the ground are impossible to see. You can expect flat tires here, along with several cases of near-frostbite. A challenging parcours in South Korea, to offer us plenty of drama!
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: -7° C
Precipitation: Snow.
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
World Cup, it's all-in again. No thinking about the NES race, it's all about the World Cup for me. Again it's also more about damage control than going for a win. The basic course i like, actually fits me very well. The struggle will be the icy conditions where my competitors have and obvious advantage over me. Go hard in Korea and rest-up before the Continentals.
Hammer Time
How Cold? Damn Cold! Ice ice and some more ice. A perfect race to test myself ahead of Torku in a couple of weeks time. Race fast and hard, yeah i'm going to go for the race win. It's about time we got some more ice and snow and now it's gonna settle in for a good few races. Here we go, my time to shine.
Another day, another lower top 10 finish. I can't pinpoint the last time I was in the top 5 or outside the top 10. In fact, I think in every race I have raced I've been inside the top 10 since the end of the Oceanic leg, excluding in Antagofagasta and the crash. But the last time I was top 5 was the last time I won I think, Johannesburg. It's in equal parts something to be proud of and something to be fustrated about. I guess it's because my legs don't feel good, I'm not in my rythym like I was in America and Africa.
So the taking breaks and continuous races both failed to pick me back up, I guess that it's gonna be a while before I can compete in all the races I would like to. So until the end of the Coca-Cola Trophy at least, I am going to go for rest and fresh over rythym but not enough energy.
What was even more frustrating about Fuji is that in the end I only dropped five seconds on Cook, I actually recorded the second-fastest time on the penultimate lap. But it's not good enough, I need to be able to do it at the start of a race, make that front group. I feel I can last an hour but too often I waste energy group-hopping. And I can't lay all the blame on being second-row, I want to improve on my start. It's definitely something I will work on over the course of the second half of the season.
So looking ahead now and I'm going to finish NES, Goldie is prioritizing World Cup and Contis so it's Dao, Soucek and Exteberdea as my three biggest obstacles for the overall. And after Fuji, they are big hurdles to clear. I'm gonna rest up and try to be ready.
Little was heard in the past weeks since Christmas of Francis N. Vague, who has skipped two races in order to be fit and in prime contention for Pyeonchang's debut. The belgian rider has said that he has recuperated well of the latest efforts and explained that the Superprestige December might have an unique challenge to look back on and to overcome. Now he feels he is ready for the ice and snow of South Korea, to hit his opponents where it hurts in the Dragon Valley Ski Resort.
"We are all called upon to give our best; this time not just for us or the fans or the team, but for the sport as a whole", Vague said at a pre-race conference, adding that "The future of the sport can be easily summed up by it becoming an olympic discpline or not. The difference between an olympic sport and not, from the global perspective to the financial benefits is enormous. The whole sport would profit from it being called up in this illustrous elite of sports. It's on us to show everybody that Cyclo-Cross will be easily a very wise addition to the Olympic spirit."
His race strategy is thereby easily explained: Aggressive, aware and maybe a bit for the show. "It's important to widen the lead onto Cornelis and the other riders", is one of the more simpler tactics. How to though? "By riding to my strenghts of course", and smiles. To show the people what Vague is made of, not that anyone in the peloton could forget the youngster. At least with the recent comments by Van Fleming, the belgian public has waited for a response by Vague who came for the first time to media attention again at Pyeonchang. "He said I'M a know-it-all? Well I know already more about the sport than he ever did - for example, I know how wind feels like, how to attack and entertain. Things this oldtimer hasn't learned at all yet, and probably won't manage to do." His reply was a bit unnerving, Vague was obviously trying to play it cool but still in some ways still a kid, Vague prefers to not have feuds over a pity arguments.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Welcome in Dragon Valley! Well, actually it's the Dragon Valley Ski Resort but saying Dragon Valley sounds so much cooler. And talking about cool, the temperatures here in Dragon Valley are way below freezing. Cyclo-cross weather here in South Korea. Ready for another World Cup race.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: -6° C
Precipitation: Snow.
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
Start Line: Well we've had snow before this season, but nothing compared to this. Freezing temperatures, underground completely frozen, snow in the air. It's winter all right! Will Team Odfjell pick up on the challenge? The riders going for the World Cup will have to endure an hour of this.
Francis Vague coming back after a small break. He took a break on a form high, what will the small break have done with his shape? Meanwhile, Cornelis has been waiting for a profile to snatch back his World Cup. Today, he finds a parcours to his needs, highly technical.
Don't look for Milan Listerijn here today, the young Kiwi skipped the World Cup race to prepare for the final manche of NES. With Goldenberg said to skip the final manche, Listerijn is close to an overall victory in the first NES trophy.
Lap 1: And off we go! Through the snow of Dragon Valley, the riders speed away for over sixty minutes of hard labour. And quick to make something of this race is Sylvain Lipawsky. Fifth in the World Cup, he'll want to move up some places. Cornelis, Cook and Vague have proven to be able to withstand the cold, but Goldenberg is right above him and Lipawsky is now making a move for his position!
A very fast start indeed, as Lipawsky is off on his own. A brave attack by the World Champion. But is it too early? Eddie Goldenberg is not panicking and is off to a good start himself.
Vague seems determined not to let anyone ride away just yet and closes the gap. He brings along most of the peloton, and so Lipawsky's early attack has ended. If this is how it's going to be this race, we're in for a treat!
The wooden stairs are dangerously slippery. The riders carry their bikes up carefully. Gaps start appearing because of the high pace. And now that Max Power has slipped on the stairs, half the pack has been held up!
We're missing Cook at the front. Let's keep the camera here for a while... And there he is. Roughly in 45th position. He completely missed his start. He's already fifty-five seconds behind the head of the race. Ouch. Game over for Cook. But he'll have to carry on, he's got a World Cup podium to defend!
With gaps appearing all over, we now clearly have a leading group. Lipawsky, Vague, Schiltz, Cornelis, Eldfjallsson and Hammarling are at the front of the race.
Lap 2: We'll have 8 laps today. At the front, Lipawsky is the main engine. With Cook and Goldenberg both behind, he senses an opportunity to jump two places in one race. On a profile like this, it doesn't matter anyway if you're riding in someone's wheel. There isn't much advantage to it since there is hardly any straight forward road to make a high pace.
So we have a BKCP duo and a Odfjell duo at the front. In these conditions, we would expect these teams to do well. Lipawsky is applying pressure, though. Hammarling and Eldfjallsson stay close together. Vague is in second position.
Elliot Cook is moving up places and is now 44 seconds behind the race leaders. The top 25 gives points so he can still manage to limit the damage somewhat. But it won't be easy.
Jan Soucek, winner in Japan, went down on the ice. He's not the first, he won't be the last.
And a mechanical problem for Vague! You can't see the ground with it being covered in snow and so he has hit a hole in the field. He's having problems with his gears. He dismounts and takes his bike on his shoulder. He'll have to run to the next pit.
Schiltz noticed his leader's trouble and moves to the front of the group, he'll do his best to lessen the pace. He goes to the head and slowly down for the next corner. Dries Cornelis could really profit from this situation, but the old lion doesn't insist and so Schiltz manages to slow the pace. Is Cornelis not well, or is he gracious and respectful about the situation? We'll have to ask him after the race.
Lap 3: Team Odfjell is keeping a low profile at the moment. They're at the back of the leading group. It's probably wise not to start too early this race. They want to see what the other riders have up their sleeves first, before making their move.
It's lasted long enough now, Cornelis must think, and so he passes Schiltz. With the chasing group nearing, they can't keep going at this pace. In cyclo-cross, there is no waiting for the enemy. Not too long, anyway.
Chasing the leaders are Bernard, Mazzarelli, Bollinger, Bauer and Goldenberg. They are followed by a quite young group including Faizullah, Dao and Etxeberdea.
It's noticable that the young upcoming generation is struggling in these tough, cold, technical races. They're fast and they're good, but they have much to learn in races like this. Well, we do count Vague already with the establishment, rather than the upcoming talent, despite his age. That's his credit.
Lap 4: Cook is no quitter and never will be. He doesn't skip races if he can help it, he never stops fighting. He puts his head down for an hour and gives it his all, in every single race, always. There are no two like him. Today he proves that again by an incredible comeback. Coming from position 45 and over fifty seconds down, he's now inside the top 20 and only 35 seconds down on the race leaders.
Francis Vague makes his appearance at the front of the race. With a new bike, he's back in business. Despite the pace set by Cornelis, Vague managed to return to the front.
Goldenberg is no fan of ice, but he's fighting for what he's worth. He's now left Mazzarelli behind. Bernard is his companion for the day.
And so we still have 6 leaders. Two duos, Cornelis and Lipawsky. We have the fight for the World Cup between Cornelis and Vague. Lipawsky is keeping Goldenberg and Cook behind him, or trying to. Team Odfjell is just here for the victory of the day. They haven't shown themselves yet, and that might be to their advantage.
And Cook has now left Kloet and Welling behind with a brutal pace uphill. The chrono says 32 seconds on the head of the race.
We've been keeping an eye on it and it appears only Vague, Goldenberg and Lipawsky jump the jumping bars on this terrain. And concerning the ditches, nobody has attempted to jump them so far. Too dangerous, we reckon.
Lap 5: And there come Team Odfjell! Like a jack-in-a-box the two appear at the front. Eldfjallsson and Hammarling. Hammarling sets off at the front. Eldfjallsson drops the pace and so Hammarling is off. This attack comes as a surprise. Cornelis looks behind him. Vague doesn't react. Lipawsky wants to, but it too far behind.
And so Schiltz moves to the front and starts chasing Hammarling.
Hammarling is now on the stairs. The chasers are at the foot of the stairs while he is at the top. Exactly on staircase advantage.
A short but tricky downhill now. Ooh and Christian Schiltz goes down! Team mate Vague just manages to avoid crashing into him. The others in the group all ride next to him. But Schiltz is down and stays down... He gets up now. He's hurt his hip, it appears. But he gets back on the bike.
Vague attacks! Cornelis reacts immediately! Lipawsky doesn't want to be left alone and follows. Eldfjallsson hangs on, too. The four reach Hammarling and so we have five leaders, now.
And now it's Eldfjallsson's turn! Team Odfjell playing the team game. The Icelandic is off at the front. No immediate reaction.
Lap 6: Well, Eldfjallsson has got a 10 seconds gap, now! He's an ice expert so they shouldn't give him too much advantage. Hammarling is playing the team game perfectly in the back ground and slows down the chase the best way he can.
The Eurasian Champion Eldfjallsson widens his gap. He's without wins this season, so this would be a big break for him and the team!
Meanwhile, Schiltz doesn't look like he'll return to the front of the race. His hip is bothering him and so he keeps riding between the group Cornelis and the chasers, Bernard and Goldenberg, who are gaining in confidence by the lap. A rider is coming up to them, though...
Lap 7: And there is Elliot Cook! Fantastic, the Brit is coming into the top 10, now! 29 seconds behind the head of the race. He's just passed Bernard and Goldenberg. Schiltz is next on his radar. Cook on some sort of revenge ride. Revenge on himself after that bad start. Revenge on the bad luck by being slowed down after Power's slip on the stairs.
Oh and Vague jumps the ditch, now! What a spectacle! He goes looking for Eldfjallsson alone!
This is the sign for Cornelis to go hard, he wants that World Cup and needs to gain points on Vague, starting today. Hammarling goes with him.
Lipawsky in trouble, now. He's left alone. He grabs his handlebars low and digs deep into his reserves.
Cook has got Schiltz in his vision. The Brit won't let go. He'll pick him up and leave him behind. There's no stopping Cook now. Just look at this. Elliot Cook is now in sixth position. Only five riders left to hunt down!
Lap 8: But those are off another calibre. It took everything he had, but Cornelis has caught Francis Vague, going into the final lap. Hammarling is staying on stand by for if they'd catch Eldfjallsson. Lipawsky still chasing them.
And in this large S-section, Cornelis and co actually see Elliot Cook riding. He's still over 25 seconds down, but they have seen him. They know he's coming. Still, 25 seconds in one lap, that might be a bit too much, even for Elliot Cook.
And Eldfjallsson is still at the front. Still 14 seconds. If he stays upright, he has a very good chance to take this race home!
Vague doesn't look interested in the chase anymore. He went his chance but failed and now it looks like he'll settle for as many World Cup points as possible, defend his lead. Cornelis won't chase full gas out of fear for a counter by either Vague or Hammarling. Hammarling is playing the team game. So it's Sylvain Lipawsky who's doing the work here.
Here he comes. Hafthor Eldfjallsson raises both arms in the Eurasian Jersey. Team Odfjell has its first victory of the season. They worked together perfectly and it payed off. Eldfjallsson had enough with one acceleration.
In the background, Hammarling had been keeping something in reserve. It appears he jumped away from the chasers and he crosses the finish line in 2nd position. A 1-2 for Odfjell.
Vague, Lipawsky and Cornelis sprint for the 35, 30 and 27 World Cup points! It's Cornelis who's got the most left in his tank. Vague, then Lipawsky.
And here comes Cook. His last lap was a bit less than the rest of this race, but that's just a side note to a formidable comeback. 6th, but arguably the strongest man in the race.
Schiltz is 7th. And here come Bernard and Goldenberg. Matt Mazzarelli completes the top 10. A good result for the Italian in these conditions.
And so the World Cup remains super close. With three manches left, the difference between World Cup legend Cornelis and challenger Vague is only 9 points, in favor for the young rider!
Everything is still up for grabs. We'll have to wait for Torku to find out more. But next, the Kitakyushu race will end the first NES trophy. However, for most riders, this was the final race before the Continental Championships! Eldfjallsson said goodbye to his Eurasian Jersey in style today and bombarded himself to the favorites for prolonging his jersey next week!
See you on Wednesday for the conclusion of the NES Trophy!
With three races left, the World Cup has shaped up to be belgian royale between defending champion Cornelis and current leader Vague. Though Vague's talent in the snow is well known, Cornelis' technical excellency matched and he managed to snatch some points away from Vague's lead. With three races left, the World Cup is completely different than last year, as 9 points separate the two CX stars.
Francis, your thoughts on the race, are you satisfied?
It was always going to come down if one could break the team spirit of Team Odfell and the ice specialists or not. Christian and I had excellent cards but both Christian and I had unfortunate circumstances; I had a flat, Christian the late crash. I should have hung onto Hafthor or Hammarling, maybe then I could have won but it's a big IF in that case. I also wanted to control Cornelis best I could and extend my lead, unfortuantely it didn't work out. It was an exhausting, freezing race, way below what we are used to. This made the initial first laps really important, since you started only with a few training rounds and you had to adapt quickly to the race. Someone like Lipaswky did that well, others like Cook didn't.
Indeed, Cook was noticably absent from the front of the race but made a strong comeback in the second half. Your explanation?
I take it the temperature got to him. I was also riding well defensively and not making too many pushes. When you ride below 0° it's always a greater challenge; at -6° even the breathing hurts when you go deep. Like many needle sticks. In that way, Pyeonchang and the Dragon Valley makes for a very welcome place to ride bike.
Do you think the race made a good bid for the Olympic Games?
I'm sure us riders and the UCI did well here and can look back on a reasonable event. It was good, solid racing. Surely there could have been more visitors along the line, but imagine the Dragon Valley flooded with fans of all nations, attending the Cyclo-Cross events of not only the Elite men, but also Women, Junior.. It'd be a fantastic scene. Do they have cowbells in South Korea? I imagine it'll become the next big thing then [laughs]
With three races left to go, all belgian eyes are on Cornelis and you. Is this a battle royale of the generations?
Uh... fancy words. Maybe? Surely, Cornelis made an impressive late run recently with amazing results. He did not start too well in this season but he quickly made up ground. It's his class, it's permament and he is showing that the World Cup is his terrain. But I definitely want to win the Cup and keep the Cup leader's jersey. I think I have good chances on the next three races to defend - and extend! - my lead and take the Cup home. Of course though, I could not ask for a tougher rival than Cornelis, I am well aware of that.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The professional Cyclo Crosser Lars Van Hennep was brought unconscious to the Amsterdam general hospital this afternoon with several severe injuries including a number of broken bones, a facial trauma and a bleeding in his lung. According to the responsible doctor his state is very critical and he was induced into an artificial coma.
Van Hennep came earlier home from the elite cyclocrosser's trip to east Asia, planning to skip the Continental championships in Kagoshima, Japan and prepare for the next World Cup race of Torku in Finland. On his way back home from his traditional cobblestones training route his season was cut short by an unknown driver, who drove away after the accident. The police is already searching for the suspect, according to the paint traces that were found on the scene it was a blue BMW. It isn't known how long Van Hennep was on the ground until finally a car stopped and called the ambulance.
The 24 year old dutchman was once seen as a big prospect of the sport, celebrating a number of wins and good results in the juniors and U23 scene, but only became a pro in the 2014/15 season after severe alcohol issues made him loose his first pro contract before it even became active. Since he became a pro his career was a letdown so far. His best result so far was a 15th rank at Lee Valley. This season so far was even worse, as the Randstad rider only finished 6 races of which his best was a 28th place. It remained to be seen if he would ever live up to his potential. Now it is not even certain, if he could ever again be able to attend a cyclo cross race.
We will of course update you on Van Hennep's situation as soon as we know something new.
Milan Vermeulen looking forward to Continental Championships
Milan Vermeulen, who had a underwhelming season so far after a not correctly treated flu in early October is slowly starting to feel better and get back into form. This season the uphill specialist only got once into the top 30, which was at the Coca Cola Trophy race in Seattle.
The 22 year old Belgian let us know, that his form is rising and his team captain Rudy Verboven can fully rely on him at the upcoming Continental championships in Kagoshima.
The last race at in the snow of Pyeongchang Vermeulen left still halfway through the race, but now he seems to slowly come back. Asked whom of his fellow countrymen Vague and Cornelis was his favourite to win the World Cup which is very close so far, Vermeulen avoided to give a clear answer: "Both riders are great. Of course Cornelis was my hero since I got into cycling, but also Vague is great being still so young and being the flagship of my generation of cyclo cross in Belgium."
With his returning form and a gain in confidence we might also see Vermeulen's Topsport Vlaanderen jersey with the number 35 in one of the next races.
With the UCI still trying to find the perfect formula for the World Championships start list, they have added a small 'amendment' to their current rule. The rules read as follows:
1. The participants at the World Championships Cyclo-Cross shall include the top 30 of the UCI Classification at the date of the Championship.
2. If not listed in the top 30, the Continental Champions also have automatic start right, as do the winners of the four main trophies (World Cup, Superprestige, Coca-Cola and NES).
More Changes Coming Our Way?
Meanwhile, the UCI just keeps on being busy to try and make cyclo-cross a global and world class sport. The calendar now includes basically all continents and the sport seems healthier than ever. But it's possible that more changes are coming our way. Out of a lengthy interview with UCI CX Committee member Roland Gaul, we have highlighted the following parts:
- One of the options is introducing time trialing into the sport. A one-lap cross, possibly before the actual cross to determine the start order. Or perhaps a time trial in the coca-cola trophy, which is raced as a time classification.
- We would love to bring some of the best road races to the cross, like the monuments or the Tour, but it's to be seen how we can do that practically.
- [..] by introducing 'fastest lap' in each race, which could result in a reward or perhaps even in UCI or competition points. The same could go for intermediate sprints, much like we have in the new NES trophy.
- More varied courses. I always feel the riders aren't challenged enough. We should introduce much more obstacles. People would want to see that.
The interview has received a lot of criticism already. UCI spokesman declared Gaul talked out of order and that most of these things are wild ideas and that they shouldn't be seen as changes coming to the cross. It's still waiting for reactions from the riders, but seeing as how the UCI was quick to defuse the situation, we can only assume the interview has come at a bad time and Gaul has probably not seen the end of it.
All politics aside, perhaps Gaul has grasped the future of cyclo-cross best with his final words in the interview:
Cyclo-cross is just such a beautiful sport. It's the battle of man against nature, of man against man, of man against himself. It's drama, comedy and at times even horror. It's so pure that it'll always be around. As long as there are bikes, people will race them. On the roads, through the sand, through the mud. That's the beauty of cyclo-cross. It's basically practiced by amateurs* who just happened to get payed.
*By amateurs, Gaul obviously means sport amateurs, those who compete a sport out of joy and love for the sport, without much remuneration.
The first NES Trophy nears its end. The race in Kitakyushu will decide the overall winner. With a maximum of 16 points still to be earned, we have five competitors left for the trophy. They are:
Milan Listerijn (21 points)
Eddie Goldenberg (19 points)
Baris Dao (18 points)
Tariq Faizullah (7 points)
Iban Etxeberdea (5 points)
Realistically, though, we have three contenders for the victory. Listerijn is the top pick. A big talent and he has his eyes set on this trophy. Goldenberg is a big threat, but might not even participate in this third manche, thus forsaking his chance to win the trophy. Dao is fast and can easily snatch up some points. He's only 3 points behind Listerijn, so the battle is wide open!
Race Information
Country: Japan
City/Place: Kitakyushu
Classification: National Event Series
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Milan Listerijn, Baris Dao.
Record: New
Race History: It's a brand new race. However, cyclo-cross lovers in Japan have made a tradition out of it to come here to compete in a friendly cross every year. This year, they will do their race on the same day as the first official race here. The amateurs will ride at 13h, with the professionals starting at 15h. A great atmosphere is guaranteed!
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 0
Uphill: 4
Cobblestones: 2
Kitakyushu offers a nice parcours to finish the NES Trophy. As a lot of things in Japan, this course is very modern. There are some tricky parts and some obstacles to cross, but also some nice lengthy sections where you can develop quite a speed.
The underground isn't particularly hard, though, so we should see quite a fast race. The profile knows no major climbs but instead is constantly up and down, from bridge to bridge. There is a more rocky underground near the end, though, where the riders will have to be careful.
The final 250m are straightforward and should it come down to a sprint, the road is wide enough to have an honest and fair sprint.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 4° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 1 Beaufort
National Event Series
1
Milan Listerijn
21
2
Eddie Goldenberg
19
3
Baris Dao
18
4
Tariq Faizullah
7
5
Iban Etxeberdea
5
6
Fred Markson
3
7
Jan Soucek
2
8
Karol Konva
1
Participants
Eddie Goldenberg
Baris Dao
Karol Konva
Estifanos Mutahi
Fabrizio Lorenzi
Iban Etxeberdea
Jan Soucek
Camilo Osorio
Stan Van Overberghe
Dirk Accostella
Amadou Bakari
Ferdi Kloet
Milan Listerijn
Fred Markson
Pierre Lipawsky
Tariq Faizullah
Mustafa Moli
Frederick Muller
Guido Visconti
Mohuti Sow
I'm here to confirm i will not be participating in the Kitakyushu NES Finale. Whilst i am in a position to fight for the series win, and on this course i think Listerijn would be beaten, i have bigger objectives coming up. There are the Continental Championships, where Blue Bell CX have a major obligation in the American race, and then there are some tough World Cup races also very soon after that. I cannot afford to use up extra energy here whilst i am still in a big fight in the World Cup.
This will open the door for Dao to go for it. He's a great teammate and a strong rider and he deserves some strong focus here. Then there's Radio as well to challenge for a race win i feel. There's been talk in the Blue Bell team of replacing my space with TDF, but Max will also be focusing hard on the Contis instead.
The NES just doesn't have the importance now. It's too new. The World Cup is a major series and the Contis are also very big, more so than the NES. The UCI Points are on offer in the NES but i'm pretty solidly in the Top10 of the rankings so i don't need them. It's a shame for the NES but what are you gonna do?
Whilst I do have goals far beyond the NES they aren't for weeks yet so full gas for the overall title! Goldie does raise some fair points but I came into the trophy to try and win it and when it's within my grasp there is definitely a snowball's chance in hell I will give up on my goals. Goldie leaving may not be as good as I first thought with Markson now probably working for Dao. The two favorites for the race win teaming up against me? Gimme a break!
In saying that though neither of them have skipped a race for ages, and they both just went to Korea to work for Goldie, and they didn't look like they were having fun there. And that dragon there didn't even give them minor injuries to help me! I'm now required to state that that was not true/a joke, in case you didn't feel my sarcasm.
Seriously though while they got their butts frozen I was scouting the course. My first thoughts? Miniaturize it and it looks like a BMX or MX course, all those bumps. There is no big decisive climbs, which helps, but they are small, sharp, constant and energy sapping. A couple of cobbled paths to negotiate and some bridges and jumps and that's it. No ice forecast which is a shame, hopefully the weather can turn south for me.
I'm definitely skipping Contis, it's not my condition or the course or even the trip there that worries me, it's the trip from New Zealand to Scandinavia that worries me. I'm only saving four hours by going straight to Europe but I'll have an extra week to get over the jet lag.
On the leaked ideas for rules, I really like some of the ideas that Gaul talked about, obviously Exteberdea, Dao or I winning the NES won't affect it as we are all assured qualification I am told but I'll be rooting for my man Josiah in his hometown to bring it home and secure a third or fourth spot, depending if Hira survives the fight down there. Fastest lap is a good idea for outsider who want to animate the race, I think as a reward or points thing it would be a good thing to try. Ditto time trials, not sure where they belong in the sport but in the Coke trophy next year it might hurt me but I think it could work. Maybe they could run a test event pre-season next year?
Pitfassteria. That's not the actual name of the bacteria I've just found out has been in my body for the last three years or so, but it's my little name now I found out what it actually was doing in my system. Go figure.
So it all began with a routine random drugs test after the race in Dragon Valley. They found traces of 3X1, a new bacteria doctors have found recently (apparently). But it's been festering in my, and many other's, bloodstreams and fluids and generally harming us in many a small way, but most noticeably for me my haemotocrit. I've never actually known my haemotocrit level for the simple reason that I didn't understand and I didn't care.
Well they tell me they just found a cure but that I'll be out for a while. They want to do it on all people caught with it soon so it doesn't spread or evolve to be more harmful. That's all dandy, in fact it's amazing for my career on the whole, but it's gonna inadvertently cause me to miss the continental championships, and a good couple of weeks of racing as well. I've already taken the drug to help under UCI supervision, and now I'm going to ask again to the UCI to help me out. I've applied for an exemption to the no-needle policy for the strict use of painkillers to get me through the next race, but it will slow down my recovery from the drug so I probably won't be back until Luxembourg. But I really, really want to win this. Hometown, for the World Champs spot, against the best in Oceania, on my favorite course.
I did, in my hospital bed, see the interview from Mr, Gaul from the UCI. Personally I think each and every one of those ideas are great, especially for me I like e fastest lap and intermediate points after what I have been saying recently.
So basically, if I don't win my season isn't over, just out of the World Champs for sure win the points I will lose bewitch my break. So I pray to the CX gods and to the UCI, help me out here.
Due to the latest statements, BKCP - Powerplus manager came to the front and was openly criticzing Gaul of the UCI.
"It is underbearable how people toss around their ideas and receive an open ear due to their position", was said response. "If they want to improve Cyclo-Cross fine, I can live if they want to make it to some time trial events. This will become fast a Super Mario Kart adventure then, but okay, that is their decision and they will see how it won't work out. But the intermediate points, fastest laps.. More course profiles? What does he want, to let them ride under the sea? There's a certain tradition with this sport and it has stayed with us for the past hundred years. At some point, I think it should still remain. So no, I am not interested in wish-washing this beloved sport of mine for the tv quota of the UCI."
His star rider Vague has also been ambivalent towards the time trial fights ahead of the race, calling it "a waste of energy." Most riders in the peloton do pre-training ahead of the race, to watch the course and warm up. Adding a competitive layer to this warm-ups is, so ague's worries, only going to harm the riders in their preparations. "It's not Formula One. And neither is a race a Grand Tour where we need Points, King of the Mountains and so forth..."
The only thing, so the team manager and Vague, that is important in a race is the win at the line. Anything that contractis this mission from the startline to the finish is taking away the excitement of the race. "There's only room for so much you can do in an hour of racing."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We're just 8 laps away from concluding the first trophy of the season. The NES is a new trophy and was aimed at young riders and riders not quite capable of following the absolute top. In a length interview with the organisation, we learned that they are considering expanding the trophy to 5 races next season and opening it up for more riders. However, the UCI might want to keep this trophy small, not to add to the already-packed calendar.
Even after we end today's race, we'll hear more of it. But back to the race. Listerijn seems to have taken a serious option on the win after Goldenberg decided not to show up today. Let's see if the Kiwi can hold his lead over Dao.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 4° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Start Line: The riders are ready for a final 8 laps in this trophy. It's the last race before the Continental Championships, too, so some riders will want to use this race as a final preparation for that. The Continental Championships are this Sunday. The Eurasian Championships are in Japan, so those riders can stay put. The Africans will have to travel to Windhoek, quite a far trip. Goldenberg is already in Canada for the American Championship, while the riders from Santos will have to go to New Zealand from here.
Lap 1: The riders are off! Etxeberdea with a fast start today. Listerijn follows closely, then Dao, then Markson.
Without any rain, this course will be even faster and actually resembles a criterium race more than a real cross. The pace is high, and it won't be easy to get away and especially not to stay away on this terrain.
Listerijn has a three-point advantage on Dao. The Danish sprinter has a decent shot of winning the NES Trophy, given his sprinting speed.
Pierre Lipawsky shows his face at the head of the race, now. The brother of World Champion Sylvain doesn't quite have his talent, but he has his moments and he is still young!
Lap 2: Short laps, fast laps. This race will be over quite quickly and that might be best with the Continental Championships coming up.
Markson told us in a pre-race interview he's going for the win of the day. This allows him to sit back at the moment and wait his moment. Listerijn will want to keep an eye on Dao and anticipate him for the sprints. I don't think Markson fears Dao in the sprint, though I couldn't say who'd be the fastest.
Pierre Lipawsky is already regretting his own increase of speed, as Dao has now taken over and it seems the pace might be bit too high for the Swiss rider.
Lap 3: This is the kind of profile that gets tougher by every lap that passes. The bridges aren't hard to climb, but the speed is taking a toll, now, and every bridge gets harder and harder to cross. With gaps appearing, we have six leaders. Markson, Etxeberdea, Listerijn, Mutahi, Visconti and Dao.
First chasers are Lipawsky, Bakari and Kloet.
Markson is still waiting for the perfect moment. There was a lot of talk before the race that the American would work for Dao's classification, being team mates. In this NES Trophy, the riders ride for their country. At this moment, though, it doesn't look like Markson is doing anything noteworthy for Dao. In fact, Dao is doing a lot of the work at the front himself, trying to get to the first sprint with this group so he can sprint for it.
Jan Soucek is out of the race. The Czech remains an enigma. He is considered one of the most talented riders in the peloton and he can do anything when he feels like it. But most of the time, it's just not the way it's supposed to be. Can he one day shapen up and become the top rider he can be? Or can't he get his head straight?
Lap 4: Attacking is suicide at the moment, and so we're powering forward with our six leaders. This plays into the hands of the sprinters. Dao in particular. He can already smell the 6 intermediate points. Listerijn is already in Dao's wheel, waiting to counter.
The other riders are taking advantage of this trophy battle and remain in the background.
Here comes the intermediate sprint. Only Dao and Listerijn can be bothered! A two-man sprint and it's Dao who takes 6 points, Listerijn 4. Markson picks up the remaining 2 points easily. And so Dao is only 1 point behind Listerijn in the virtual classification. It's up to Listerijn to shake off the Dane in the next four laps, or else he's screwed. Baris Dao has proved more than once it's not wise to take him into the final lap. San Francisco, the Twin Peaks cross, might be the best example.
Lap 5: And so we're halfway the race and it looks like we'll finish well below 45 minutes. That should be good with our eye on the Continentals for these young lads.
The pace lowers and we have an attack! Markson attacks! Listerijn follows. And so Dao is forced to increase the pace again.
Listerijn asks Markson to take over. And Markson does so.
But Dao is can develop a high speed and the gap is only 4 seconds. Dao is dragging along Visconti, Etxeberdea, and Mutahi.
It's now two against one, though. Markson and Listerijn both have a good engine. Dao is practically alone and now asks for help. Will it come?
Yes, it does. Visconti, Etxeberdea and Mutahi all line up and now we have a four-man relay. Bad news for our four leaders!
Lap 6: And so they bring it back together. Six leaders! In the background, Bakari has left his companions behind. Not intentionally, they just simply couldn't keep up. Bakari will most likely miss the World Championships. It won't effect the race much, but he is popular among the fans.
Lap 7: Not a lot is happening at this points of the race. It would seem everyone is saving up for the final lap. It will be an all-decisive lap, where the non-sprinters will want to launch their one big attack and the sprinters will try to hang on and sit tight for the sprint. Dao is the main engine of this group. He wants to avoid another attack like before. Dao must be feeling confident in his abilities. He's been riding full gas almost the entire cross now.
Lap 8: We're in the final lap! We have six riders competing for the win here. Listerijn is marking Dao while the Dane keeps the pace high. He wants that sprint.
But others want to avoid just that! We have an attack. Guido Visconti accelerates on one of the bridges! Estifanos Mutahi is quick to follow.
Listerijn looks at Dao. Markson hesitates. Etxeberdea has to keep a low profile if he wants to win and must feel bad he missed his attack.
Dao keeps the pace high.
But the gap keeps improving and is now 7 seconds. And now Dao sits up, this is the lap too many for him! Listerijn takes this as a sign to attack him! Etxeberdea and Markson follow. The three leave Dao behind.
The three have shaken off Dao, but they must be mad at theirselves for noticing Dao was empty so late. Is it too late now to chase the two leaders?
It is! Visconti is the first to launch his final sprint. Mutahi gets in his slipstream. He makes his move, now!
And it's Estifanos Mutahi who wins this third NES race! Visconti is just half a bike behind and hits his handlebars. A missed opportunity for him!
Markson settles the sprint for 3rd. Listerijn is fourth and Etxeberdea fifth. This means Listerijn wins the NES Trophy!
Here comes Dao. Sixth. Bakari finishes 7th.
And then three riders for the remaining top 10 places with Lipawsky, Konva and Faizullah.
Welcome UCI points for Mutahi and Visconti, though. Mutahi gets over 500 points now and is as good as certain of his place at the World Championships. Visconti takes 40 points and is now in 31th position. He is ready to challenge Kloet and Hira for his spot at the Worlds.
Listerijn wins the first NES Trophy ahead of Dao and Goldenberg. Now we're looking forward to the Continental Championships. See you on Sunday!
The Continental Championships are coming up. Last year, it was the first edition, since removing the National Championships. It's still sad not to see those jerseys in the peloton, but those Continental Jerseys have something unique, too.
Eldfjallsson, Bauer, Moli and Markson will have to say goodbye to their jerseys but get a chance to earn it back this Sunday.
These are the jerseys at stake. The American Championships will prove to be entertaining as all the professional American cyclo-crossers find temperatures below freezing, and none of them like one bit of it. Does this open the way for the U23 and semi-professional riders to snatch a surprising victory?
Eurasian Championship
Race Information
Country: Japan
City/Place: Kagoshima
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Dries Cornelis, Elliot Cook, Christian Schiltz
Record: 1x Hafthor Eldfjallsson (2015)
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 3
Uphill: 2
Cobblestones: 0
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 4° C
Precipitation: Sunny
Wind: 0 - 1 Beaufort
African Championships
Race Information
Country: Namibia
City/Place: Windhoek
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 09h30
Favorites: Mustafa Moli, Estifanos Mutahi
Record: 1x Mustafa Moli (2015)
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 2
Uphill: 5
Cobblestones: 2
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 14° C
Precipitation: Sunny
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Oceanic Championships
Race Information
Country: New Zealand
City/Place: Wanganui
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 10h
Favorites: Milan Listerijn, Lachy Bauer, Josiah Bennett
Record: 1x Lachy Bauer (2015)
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 0
Uphill: 4
Cobblestones: 1
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 17° C
Precipitation: Rain, light.
Wind: 2 Beaufort
American Championships
Race Information
Country: Canada
City/Place: Calgary
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 14h
Favorites: Fred Markson, Eddie Goldenberg.
Record: 1x Fred Markson (2015)
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 0
Uphill: 1
Cobblestones: 0
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: -9° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 0 Beaufort
After being hit by a car, cyclo crosser Lars Van Hennep was transported to the hospital in a very dangerous condition. Several internal injuries left the doctors unsure whether Van Hennep would make it back. Now a twitter update of Van Hennep's team Randstad finally brought relief. The dutch rider's condition is stabilized, but he'll stay in an medically-induced coma for at least another weak, as now injuries in the lung make it impossible for him to breath on his own.
In the next days Van Hennep will undergo a surgery to remove damages that were made to his face.
It might have been 'only' an NES event, but Raphael Visconti was seemingly proud of his son, making the podium for the first time on the Elite level.
"He has had his moments in the past, but today he has really stepped up his game. He rode strong and clever. I'm very proud of him", said Raphael shortly after the race. Quite frustrated was Guido himself after the race, seeing more the near-miss of the victory than the earned 2nd place.
"In a few days I will probably look back on it with some satisfaction, but right now I am really disappointed I couldn't get the win. Estifanos was simply stronger than me there", was the short comment of Guido, adding additionally a brief summary of the race: "Yeah, when I saw my chance I took it. Dao was really controlling of the whole situation but I hoped that in the last two laps I could get away."
With having his eyes on the World Championships, Visconti is giving himself not to any illusions. "I am still far down the table. What I now need is consistent point scoring in the Top 20 places. Maybe I can make a late bid to Siena in the end. The gap of couple of hundred points will be a challenge but after today, I really want this to happen!"
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
FujiCross - Report
Pyeongchang - Preview 
Goldie
Hammer Time
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
