Usually we are not ones to pay much attention to rumours. But some have interesting ones have been floating around lately. For once, there are voices whispering that Dries Cornelis is closer to retirement than we might think. While Cornelis himself has been keeping distant of discussing the matter, people have assumed him to make the 2016 -2017 season his last one. Others said he wants to see if the sport makes the Winter Olympics and go out with an olympic attempt.
But now there are those who are saying Cornelis might call it a day sooner than we would've known. Cornelis turned 36 last October. Where he would dominate an entire season years ago, he is now further down the food chain, with but 2 victories so far this season, 4 second places and 5 bronze medals.
About those Winter Olympics, we hear a decision is drawing nearer. It's about due time, too. The Winter Olympics will be held in February 2018. That's two seasons from now. We're approaching February 2016 so it'd be nice to know. Asking around, somewhat 85% of the people believe Cyclo-Cross will get the spot it deserves.
Where lies Francis Vague's future? The 20 year old boy is a gold mine for the sport and many teams are keen on signing him. Team BKCP will want to keep him, but apparently Team Lotto-Fidea is on the lookout for signing the 'next Cornelis'.
Icorda Racing Team will call it quit at the end of the season. That is, if we can believe the rumours. The team hosts two riders; Ronnie Hira and Shay Gormley. The irishman is not the best crosser, but the sand expert is always good for at least a victory every season so that has to count for something. Hira, riding a very limited cross schedule, might have bigger problems.
James Carlisle made an important tweet. It is not yet officially confirmed but the Brit is throwing in the towel. Only 23 years old, the Brit was once said to be the next future star. For one season, it looked like the real thing. But the Brit hasn't been performing well all season and after a memorable impression in the road race Tour of Yorkshire, the Brit wants to focus on the road. He'll most likely leave the cross peloton.
Many rumours and much to think about. But let's wait to see what's fact and what's fiction!
The Scope is more than just a magazine on cyclo-cross. It's also a site where you can find all results of the Elite men races, just as well as the women's racing, U23 and much more.
An administrator in the site has now posted the results of his latest research. He decided to look up all the official fan clubs of the professional and U23 cyclo-cross riders. Some riders had up to 16 different official fan clubs, while others struggle to have one. The Scope added the numbers of the official fan clubs together and so we have a nice little overview of the popularity of some riders. Note that this list includes U23 riders but not the women. They have their own ranking.
Ranking
Rider Name
Official Fan Club Members
1
Dries Cornelis
22.317
2
Francis N. Vague
17.945
3
Rik Van Fleming
13.054
4
Matt Mazzarelli
13.021
5
Hafthor Eldfjallsson
9.438
6
Elliot Cook
8.846
7
Sylvain Lipawsky
8.502
8
Adrian Van Niek
7.855
9
Fred Markson
7.693
10
Milan Listerijn
7.104
Dries Cornelis is an old timer and it shows. His fan clubs have been building up for over a decade. Vague's number is no less than impressive. Fan clubs are raising from the ground left and right. Vague is also known to go that extra mile for his fans, visiting the various fan clubs if he's racing nearby.
Van Fleming still enjoys the leftovers from his good old days, while Mazzarelli's fans probably choose their numbers carefully just to be 4th in this ranking. The Italian enjoys an Italian monopoly as he is the only Italian cyclo-crosser in the peloton. Well, besides Lorenzi.
Adrien Van Niek is the only U23 rider on the list. He enjoys a hype in Africa, now. However, most of the members in his fan club are European (5.224).
But then we have a quite different statistic. Almost all riders have their official fan page on facebook. Comparing their likes, we see another table.
Ranking
Rider Name
Facebook Fanpage Likes
1
Elliot Cook
83.107
2
Amadou Bakari
80.754
3
Francis N. Vague
73.021
4
Mazz Mazzarelli
42.305
5
Sylvain Lipawsky
40.586
6
Milan Listerijn
24.203
7
Christian Schiltz
23.975
8
Estifanos Mutahi
23.814
9
Baris Dao
23.655
10
Fred Markson
23.642
Elliot Cook tops the rankings. Apparently a lot of people respect his (on-bike) aggressive attitude and his reputation to never give up and start every race he can. It has earned him over 80.000 likes. Cook is probably the kind of guy that doesn't has a facebook account himself, so we don't think he really bothers. And the fact that he cares so little probably accounts for his (relative) low amount of official fan club members.
Bakari was once a hype and is still well loved. The numbers speak for themselves. Last year, you weren't really hip in the Benelux and some other parts of Europe if you hadn't liked Amadou Bakari's fanpage on facebook.
Remarkable is Estifanos Mutahi's presence. If the Scope had done this research three weeks ago, he wouldn't have made the top 10. But since the last NES Trophy and especially a peak with the Continental Championships, Mutahi's likes almost doubled. Africa got online.
You may wonder where Van Niek is on this list. Strangely enough, he only got an official fanpage three months ago and is at 18.422 likes now.
Things are close here, though. Looking at the number 20 in the list (Lachy Bauer), he has 21.736 likes, so that's only 2000 likes less than the number 10.
And that concludes our view on the modern times in cyclo-cross.
With Vague extending his lead in the World Cup, he'll look to do the same in the Superprestige. Last year, the Belgian left Sweden with the victory. With a lead of 12 points on Cook and 26 points on Lipawsky, Vague may just put all the cards on the table in Hagfors. Seeing how the winner gets 15 points, he could well be ahead an entire race after this race has gone down.
However, Cook came second last year, and is one to always want to improve himself. Add freelancers like Mazzarelli, Lipawsky and others to the mix and you're in for a treat!
Race Information
Country: Sweden
City/Place: Hagfors
Classification: Superprestige
Starting Time (Elite Men): 14h30
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Mikel Hammarling, Dries Cornelis, Sylvain Lipawsky, Milan Listerijn.
Record: 3x Pieter Gasthuys (1983, 1984, 1988)
Race History: Hagfors is, just like Torku, a race with a history. Several intense battles have been fought out on this profile over the course of the years. Cyclo-cross has really benefited from these Scandinavian races. Hagfors was first raced in 1967 and hasn't missed a single edition since then. Pieter Gasthuys leads the victories here with a total of three. Six other riders have managed to win twice. Upon winning, Dries Cornelis could add his name to Pieter Gasthuys' one. Last year, Francis Vague became the youngest ever winner here, being only 19 years old at the time. Of course, He is the youngest ever at most crosses he wins for the first time.
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 1
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 0
The course has known some significant changes since last year. While the famous Ahlgren-climb is kept in the profile, many of the bridges and other natural slopes have disappeared from the route. The climbers will still enjoy this, but it's open to adventurers as well.
They say the Hagfors Cross is an ice-cross 9 out of 10 times. Last year we had that 1 out of 10 times. For tomorrow, things get back to normal here. The downhills are very tricky and so the riders will need their bike handling almost just as much as their climbing ability and engine. It takes a strong rider to win here, but also a clever one. Strike at the right moment, but mostly, stay upright!
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: -4° C
Precipitation: Ice
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Hagfors is one of those grand old races you grow up on in Flanders, despite being in Sweden it's a great course and has a legendary background. I can't wait to ride it for the first time today. Especially with the refined (it is refined and improved from my point of view) course and ice. My birthday isn't for a couple of weeks, guys! Though since it's almost on the World Champs and this is the fortune I have two weeks away...
Anyway you probably saw how Bollinger reacted to my last interview. He said he was struggling and wanted my help. I'm sorry now and I didn't know that, if he told the mechanics they didn't tell me. He's not racing here, instead he's in Norway warming up. But he wasn't happy, for those of you who didn't hear. He's usually a good friend so this was new. But it helps me be a better teammate when my friends need it most.
Anywho just arrived here in Hagfors, and scouted the course. Unfortunately some protestors moved the railings back to the old ways with more hills, apparently. They didn't like the new course. I had to pitch in with the moving if I wanted to train before the night, so I did. It wasted time but helped me understand each corner better, where big rocks were and where the ice is appearing most. That's gonna prove important for everyone tomorrow, Cornelis or mere mortal it's a tough course.
Transfer rumors floating their way in as they do at this time of year. Mikey has resigned, and Fumeuax has a sponsorship deal even if he doesn't jump up to the elite, from the team's point of view. I haven't made any decisions just yet, but apparently I don't need to. Last time I heard I was going back to a Belgian license and riding as Cornelis' new apprentice at Fidea. They never tell me this stuff though.
Also some people on Twitter linked me to some stats about the fans. I never knew I has a fan club to be honest, nor have I ever felt the need to know. It's always a pinch me moment when you find out 7,104 have signed up for a fanclub in my name. As in, filled in forms. Really I don't want to know. I don't use Facebook or really know much about it so I don't know if 24,000 is good or not, and I'm telling you now I have never made any fanclub official, if you're my fan you are my official fan, I mean, what? Can't fans all be the same level of fans? More than the BlueBalls is good considering they are from techno-gadget-world and my self-chosen arch-rivals and 6th is flattering considering I am the 'blue-blooded traitor'. If I'm earning respect back then that's good, I never wished for a bad reputation in my own nation.
It's an open course here, ice means Odfjell and Odfjell means Vague isn't far behind. Vague being there means Cook, Cook means Mazzarelli and Lipawsky will also be somewhere and a cyclocross race being on means Cornelis is here! Fun times, fun times.
Lately the scene is on a high concerning the Odfjell guys and also the scandinavian team will be the guys to beat if Hagfors is the typical side riders have to know it. This plays also in the cards of Vague. The Superprestige leader looks to increase the lead, on a course where he has won last year against Cook and Mazzarelli in the bunch sprint. This time around, the weather and the course and the surface is probably even more in the favour of the young Belgian.
"I'm pretty calm. Of course Torku was just yesterday, and a solid challenge. But I have rested well and we travelled well from Torku thanks to a fast bus driver. He really flew through the country. Looking back, I might be happy not have to won in Torku... a victory beer would have been the worst idea... but not really, actually [laughs]."
But what will Hagfors be like? The last true challenging double weekend were seen in Great Britain for Vague, there he was certainly up to it. But Great Britian was a special case and caused some huge effort for all riders involved. It's not exactly that the snow and icey roads are any easier, but at least the sun is up there and that's already uplifting enough for most.
"It's still great how my legs are, I'm really fit. The better it goes the more I am motivated to keep my form good. I don't want to let it slide out of my grasp. Not when I'm so close."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Victory at last! That's one of the sweetest wins for me, keeping my jersey that I am now so attached to, proving to myself I still have capabilities in the cross and most importantly, showing myself why I don't want to leave.
Over the last week more and more things have reminded me why I love the cross. Meeting up with Sylvain again in Finland yesterday. Watching my young teammates progress to higher levels. Having the jersey of Oceania still on my shoulders. I've lowered my goals for the rest of the season to lower my road time and focus on CX. It all goes down to my own choice at the end, but I'd like another race podium if not win to show myself I belong. Obviously next season will hopefully be better as this season I was fatigued and stressed from the word go.
Hagfors now and it's my first race with just me and Milan, I've taken him under my wing off the bike and warned him not to drink too much in one go lest his reputation stutter. Sigh. He's an eager young energizer bunny, always bouncing off the walls and, by being almost a decade my junior, making this man still in his twenties feel old. But I've still got a spring in my step and a certain Sprog (what the hell it means) up my backside. Turns out from watching highlights and not just viewing from the back of the pack Franny is right about himself being able to own the sport. He's not number one in the rankings but I've a feeling it's a sacrifice, something he could've done something about.
It was good to see Sylvain again, and know there was no hard feeling about what happened before the Vuelta last year. But to all of you asking around about it: please shut your faces and go annoy someone else. If he doesn't want to talk about it he doesn't want to talk about it.
Hagfors today and Milan and I have been working on a way to stop Franny, The Ice Gang and Cookie turning it into a slugfest between themselves. Not that we don't appreciate that but, when you can't be in on the party, you never appreciate that.
The season is far from over but as the UCI start contemplating how the season has fared with the changes made, Cycling NZ have come forth with a change proposal of their own. Here was the statement released in an open letter to the UCI:
"We at Cycling NZ are very pleased with the rapid development of the sport here since Josiah Bennett was the first Kiwi rider to achieve a top 20 in any race at the top UCI level in late 2013. Since then our two most famous cycling icons have started too, we have had an Oceanic team, a bronze medal at the World Chanpionships, a series win, a podium in the World Cup and seven victories, putting us third in the table of countries who have had multiple winning riders.
"Today we state publicly, for those reasons and more, our intent for a second race. It may be hard to accommodate onto the calendar and especially to give [a second race] to such a small nation, but we believe we have earned it. Britain may have more history, a bigger star and more people, but if you are looking for variety we have a bigger land area than England. South America has one rider [in the elites] and two races. Japan, two races and no riders. South Africa, three races and one rider.
"If our proposal is accepted, we would like a fairly prestigious spot, preferably World Cup or Superprestige. We have a wide ranged of great courses in varied places from our amateur league, all of which with some work can accommodate the pros, as shown by our "exemplary" (Coca-Cola report, February 2015) work for the TekapoCross and, more recently, the Oceanic Championships in Wanganui. We believe it will further the growth of the new sixth biggest sport by participation in New Zealand.
"We hope our request is considered and we can work together on a means to get a second Kiwi race onto the calendar next season. We know it may not happen but we think we have a valid point here."
Close to the Top 10 was Guido Visconti in Torku. The young Belgian is clearly on the rise with minor results but they count for something. "It's going great really. I like the flandriennes atmosphere, the difficulties of this race... I tried to get out of my saddle more often and follow some groups, but it was also tricky to stay upright of course. I was really at my limit." Continueing: "I don't know if I have a gift for this kind of races but I really enjoy them when I'm in good form. I remember Oude Kwaremont last year, I was proud to finish that race back then.. and it motiavated me to increase my efforts for races like that."
The sudden rise should not be stopped. After the NES, the Conti Championships and the World Cup, Hagfors is the next sight of Visconti's full schedule season. He is certainly on the lookout for some of his first SP points there, but Visconti also honors the quest for UCI points. "For me it's really important to take on races and take each chance I get to score. If I manage to crack the next starting line order it'd be a great deal for me in my first full pro season."
A sport journalist has recently stated the question why Visconti is so interested in contesting the Top 30 for the World Championships, when he actually has a shot of winning the U23 in this form against the likes of Van Niek, Listerijn(?) & Soucek. His father Raphael is also criticial of a participation of Guido recently, stating that "he is likely going to be limited to working for Vague and Cornelis. At the U23, he could well contest for the podium in this form."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Welcome to Hagsfors, Sweden. It's cold here, and the ground is frozen solid. Some slippery portions, some less slippery. The downhill is very dangerous today, though. It could well be that the downhill of the Ahlgren climb will be more decisive than the ascent.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: -4° C
Precipitation: Ice
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Start Line: The Superprestige is at stake today. Vague has a significant lead and would need a disaster to lose the Superprestige. But one bad day can be enough. With 15 points between him and Cook, he would sleep much sounder. so Vague is going for that today.
While Listerijn is raising in form, Mazzarelli hasn't been performing at the top of his abilities all season. The UCI #4 last year currently sits in 8th position.
The World Champion, Lipawsky, is close to hanging in his jersey, or at least fight to keep it. He will want another day of glory in it.
Lap 1: So let's get going!
And a fast start from Eldfjallsson! We didn't even mention Team Odfjell yet. They'll want to make it a perfect weekend! Hammarling is the man to watch, but Eldfjallsson can strike too, if necessary.
Vague is awake, oh he is awake. You can see the concentration in his face. For him, this must be a dream coming true. A young Belgian, a burning passion for cyclo-cross, a life-long fan of the sport, so close to winning the Superprestige, the most inspiring trophy of all. He won't screw this up if he can help it.
Hammarling with a fast start. These are the crosses he lives for. While cyclo-cross is a sport of all-rounders, there is some specialisation and this Hammarling is a prime example of that. This means he has only a few races to shine in all season long, but in those races, it's hard to beat him.
The first climb of the Ahlgren. We see an eager Listerijn move forward, bringing along Etxeberdea. Meanwhile, Eldfjallsson still leads the race. Hammarling, his team mate and today perhaps team leader, in third. Vague in between.
Are we heading for a rerun of yesterday's cross? Odfjell versus Vague?
Lap 2: So far, no. The race is being made dead by Eldfjallsson's excruciation pace. Who would attack under this condition? Perfect for Hammarling so far. Moving over the ice by this pace is making a lot of riders nervous and the front group only consists of 9 riders anymore. The names: Eldfjallsson, Vague, Hammarling, Cook, Lipawsky, Listerijn, Etxeberdea, Schiltz, Dao. The most noticable name absent: Cornelis. Again.
Eldfjallsson looks behind him, now. He looks at Hammarling. The Swede nods his head and Eldfjallsson turns his head again. The pace continues. You might've missed it, but we saw it. Odfjell is playing Hammarling's card today.
Dao having trouble keeping up in the group. He wants to use the downhill to keep up. Better not take too many risks, young boy, th--- Oh it goes wrong! Dao's hit the ground. Too eager and he's down!
Nobody will wait for him. But the camera does, at least for now. He's getting up, that's good. But he's sore. He gets on the bike.
Lap 3: Eldfjallsson takes the 8-men group for another spin. Hasn't been away from the head of the race in two full laps. We'll have 9 laps here in Hagfors.
And it's Cook time, now! Here he goes! An attack on the Superprestige. He passes Eldfjallsson right at the foot of the Ahlgren climb! The perfect moment for a climber like him. Vague has to pass Eldfjallsson now, too, and try and follow Cook.
Hammarling wants to follow, but the acceleration is too brusque. If Cook and Vague play, not a lot can follow.
The two reach the top. Lipawsky, Listerijn and Hammarling are the closest followers.
Eldfjallsson is the victim of his own pace in the first two laps. He drops off. Schiltz and Etxeberdea are somewhere in between.
And now we hear Dao has quit the race. He can't continue after all after his fall. Too bad.
Lap 4: Lipawsky, Listerijn and Hammarling can see Vague and Cook up ahead. But the two giants of the sport don't make a habit of it to wait for those left behind.
Lipawsky and Listerijn are hesitant to bring Hammarling to the front, and so the Swede decides to set off alone. Listerijn is surprised by this move. The World Champion sits in Listerijn's wheel. Is he hoping for the Kiwi to bring back Hammarling, or is he taking a breather?
Vague isn't sure what to do now. Cook asks to relay and the young Belgian does so. So it's decided. You can't ride against your nature.
Lap 5: Oh, and Hammarling makes it! We have three leaders.
Lipawsky and Listerijn have found each other, now. But will it be enough? Let's take some chrono's.
It's been a while since we saw Vague and Cook together at the front of a race. But watch out for Hammarling. Don't underestimate him on a course like this!
Lap 6: No big attacks here, it seems everyone is in his right place at this moment in the race.
You can see Hammarling keeps up with Vague and Cook perfectly on this terrain. But the Ahlgren climb might become a problem later on.
And you just have the feeling Cook is toying around here on this climb. He can go faster. But there's no need to do that, now. Hammarling leads the climb and is happy to do so. He dictates the pace he wants.
And Vague gets ahead of Hammarling at the top. He wants to take the downhill.
Hammarling follows. Cook doesn't let go, either.
Lap 7: Matt Mazzarelli, Estifanos Mutahi and Fred Markson are chasing behind Dries Cornelis. This is at position 10, somewhat. Could be important for the Superprestige points.
Well, if we are surprised by one man today, it's Max Power. He just left Alinejad behind and is riding on 20th position. In a cross like this, that's an accomplishment for the Texan.
You can cut the tension in the front group. Hammarling rules supreme on the icy parts. He knows this course by heart, too. Vague is master in the downhills and takes the corners with so much ease. Cook toys with the others on the climb. They all have an advantage to play out, but who will execute at the right moment?
Lap 8: Two laps remain. Lipawsky and Listerijn won't contest for the win today. They're almost half a minute behind the race leaders.
No, one of these three will make it to the finish first today. Hammarling, Cook, Vague.
The home crowd is going crazy with Hammarling here. Vague applies pressure. He's turning on the heat slowly.
And we're coming up to the Ahlgren climb. We should watch Cook... Yes, he goes! Cook opens the finale!
Vague knows he has to react and does so, but it's damn hard. What an acceleration.
The Ahlgren climb isn't too long, but it's hard and it gets in legs. Hammarling has to leave a little gap. Those final meters are very hard, and he loses some more time.
Ouch it looks game over for Hammarling. Cook and Vague are way ahead with that one acceleration.
Lap 9: Ding, ding, final lap!
Cook and Vague are powering away at the front. Hammarling follows at about 8 seconds. The Swede isn't giving up yet, but his chance depends on the two riders at the front.
Lipawsky and Listerijn keep working together. They're doing their best to hold off Etxeberdea, who's riding a good cross.
Can either one ride away from the other at the front? We're yet to see a full attack by Vague. It's obvious Cook can't shake off Vague on the Ahlgren climb, though. This puts the ball in Vague's court.
And Vague applies pressure! He flies through the corners. Cook follows his every move.
The Ahlgren climb! Will Cook attempt another attack? Vague seems to anticipate and steps on the pedals. Cook follows, patiently. What is he up to?
We're in the final 200 meters. Cook didn't even try to get away this lap. He's taking Vague to a sprint. A daring tactic, what a risk. Vague doesn't want to lead out Cook and the tempo slows down.
Hammarling is riding like crazy. Can he surprise the duo? They are playing with fire with Hammarling coming closer!
Vague doesn't have the patience and he accelerates! Cook never left his wheel and follows. From the saddle.
Vague does his best to shake off Cook... And it doesn't work! Cook accelerates, still from the saddle! He passes Vague and... Victory!
Amazing sprint from the saddle from Elliot Cook. Hammarling completes the podium.
Lipawsky outsprints Listerijn for place 4. And on the 6th place we have Etxeberdea.
Schiltz and Eldfjallsson cross the finish line together. Cornelis is 9th. He can't be too happy about it. Another mediocre result for him. Has he lost his touch on the ice?
A nice sprint for the 10th place by Mutahi, Mazzarelli and Markson. But Markson is too fast and takes it.
We'll complete our Scandinavian trio in Trondheim. Vague is one race closer to overall victory of the Superprestige. See you next Wednesday!
Just some quick words from the side. Trondheim is already coming near just as I've left the podium. The last few days were a bit crazy and until Ardennes Cross respecitvely Oude Kwaremont, things will just get faster and crazier all the time. Hopefully I can cope with this level of pressure and stress. So far it all worked out.
Right now, I am really caught in between riding and mainting form and not freaking the hell out. I think of countless scenarios of what could happen but thankfully, each time I am at the starting line but head clears out, I breathe deep, the people cheer on and you know how to ride a bike and so you do it and it's all good.
The past two events were heavy on me and I'll take some time off the training to be fit for Trondheim. I might do Luxembourg Challenge to maintain the form and help Christian in his quest for the Coca-Cola Trophy, but no way I'll be seen in Ukraine at Lviv.
The race in Hagfors Cross was a fun event, the people really loved Hammarling there. But they gave us some cheers too, occasionnally. Cook turned up quite the heat there and I was glad to hang on. I couldn't make any moves myself. Fairly I have to admit that I was throughout the race on my limit. When he asked me to relay it was in hope of maintining peace. I didn't want to ride against an all-raging Cook who did acceleration upon acceleration just to set things straight. So I was glad that I could do a ride and hang on up Aghorns climb. In the sprint I was clearly lacking the power to match Cook and so I tried to play it tactical. It might have been due to the fact that I have ridden for the win two times in a row and it's already a long season at this point but with Cook the best rider won.
Next up is Trondheim. Good memories of this town and it was the place of a legendary duel between Cornelis and me. I hope to repeat my win of course.I have the feeling that if I can seal the World Cup now, it'll take things easier in the Superprestige for me as well.
Hope all is well with Baris Dao and to see him in Trondheim too. Get well soon!
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Alongside Visconti's surge into the Top 20 ranks, Sven Welling was quietly making good races himself. Consistent Top 20 results since the Christmas Classic show that the Belgian Veteran is on a late rise of form, just in time for the closing stages of the season.
Although no Top 10 result was featured yet, Welling is optimistic about his development. "Vague and Schiltz are both racing to win the classification, the team is right up there in all the classifications. It's exciting to be riding for them and it also motivates me to go the extra step deeper in training." The veteran's eyes shimmer in that way when he talks about his young teammates. He is seemingly proud of both of their performances and has high hopes for them: "Certainly if BKCP-Powerplus could make the triple of all three classifications it'd be amazing." The belgian superteam isn't one shy of ambitions but no one has yet declared their goal so clearly, not even their mouthy manager.
Welling meanwhile focuses on his own efforts. "There's only so much I can do right now. If I can provide help, I'll always try but normally I don't see them for the most of a race." Welling looks at Trondheim where he may be finally cracking the Top 10 and to help Vague secure the World Cup. "The Scandinavian races suit me. I feel comfortable. It's good racing up here in the North."
The established consistency in his performances lately is alright for Welling but he also hopes for some highlighting performances like last year. "I am a sportsman and athlete and as such you always tend to give your best and want to fight for top positions. Right now, a Top 10 is probably the best I can come up with, I am still troubled from an awful off-season but it's doable and I will work to achieve this goal of mine." Luckily his brother has by now recovered well enough and according to some swedish party photographers, Welling has also enjoyed some nice time in a quiet niche of a local club with some swedish bombshells. "No comment on that", he smiles but you see that the veteran is certainly no stranger to enjoying life and know how to handle these events during the season, quite different to the likes of Vague and Mazzarelli.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Just got out of the team debrief after the weekend and I think I may have done it. I said I wanted to skip Trondheim to prep for Luxembourg and Bollinger didn't take it too well. He said I owed him one after Torku and he is sick of me putting myself before the team. It hurt, that, because I never want to do anything like that. We all understand each other's goals and respect that, maybe I'm not doing everything for him but the way he's been moping around shooting me dark looks and sneaking in comments on how someone who isn't even a leader (a role I think I've earns) refusing to do domestique duties, I feel I owe him nothing. But it didn't hurt as much as what came next.
He turned towards our GM and made a pretty childish ultimatum. Him or me. I knew I was done there and then. Lachy and the staff tried to talk him out of it but he wouldn't back down and the Aussie team back the Aussie in the end. I'm off on my bike, so to speak. Who will take me? I don't know and I'm not going to stress out about it until after Worlds. Worst comes to worst I go freelance I guess. But like I said, it's not going to get in the way of my racing.
Sure I have won Trondheim, last year. I managed to go solo in a relatively weak field on ice, if truth be told. But the elites has an abundance of riders more suited to it, and I see no value of overdoing the rythym and taking away freshness for a top 5 bid. My legs are in peak shape, in rhythm and race-ready but not tired at all. Well, in a coupe, of days once I get this hellish weekend out of my legs.
Hagfors was another great race for me, another top 5 to break my 6-10th habit without dropping out of the top 10. The ice wasn't in as much demand as I'd hoped for but I still felt good throughout the course, only the brutal Ahlgren-climb I struggled on a couple of times but I still didn't feel bad. As things spread out I felt I was the fourth best on the day, at least I felt like it with Lipawsky apparently resting. On my wheel. The whole damn race. He was always going to finish me off but I only just managed to hold off Exteberdea so ere was no times for games. To be fair to him when Exteberdea started to come close he did take a few pulls but not for as long as I did, or so it felt. Big boys, including him have done this to me before and it's a habit I want to break before Worlds.
Hammarling particularly I was impressed by, he never struck me as a hilly guy but he's phenomenal in the ice, guess the new course helped him even more than me. Form, favorable conditions and nationalism are a dangerous mix for anyone, not least a guy such as him.
In the media recently, including from Visconti and some other riders, there's been suggestions of me riding the U-23 Worlds instead of just fighting for minor placing sin the elites. True I could fight for the win in the lower ranks but for me, why? Van Niek, Van Dyck and potentially Soucek are all good riders in the hills but what does it accomplish for me? Sure it's a rainbow jersey, but one I will never wear in a race. Plus, Lachy needs me. It's the thing he's been preparing for all season and with Bollinger's outburst I don't want to let my friend down too. Plus it's my big peak, these next three races I ride. Coke final manches and then Worlds. I'm 100% riding in the elites. But, Guido, if you want Listerijn, you can have Listerijn. Louis Listerijn.
Moved up in the calendar, Trondheim is now the third and final race in the Scandinavian trio of Torku, Hagfors and Trondheim.
Francis Vague has two races left to win the World Cup. Dries Cornelis has the experience and is still in the running for yet another victory. He's won it so much we even lost count of it! And then there is Cook, the outside bet for the overall title in the World Cup.
Race Information
Country: Norway
City/Place: Trondheim
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 14h
Favorites: Mikel Hammarling, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Francis N. Vague, Dries Cornelis, Elliot Cook.
Record: 8x Pieter Gasthuys (1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995)
Race History: Trondheim has been competed since the 50s, but it's only been World Cup since 1982, where Gasthuys won the first "new" edition easily. The profile is almost always frozen, cold and wet. Expect the guys who pack a few kilos more to come out on top here. This is no terrain for lightweights. Gasthuys tops the record here with an astounding eight victories. A record that might well stand there forever.
Route Information
Technical: 5
Sand: 2
Uphill: 0
Cobblestones: 2
Trondheim is a tricky parcours. It's pan flat, which seems a rarity in modern cyclo-cross, but that doesn't mean you can expect an easy ride here. True, the average speed will be quite high, despite the twists and turns.
The riders go through a tricky section filled with cobblestones, with an almost certainty of ice and snow on the ground. Stay upright and you have a good chance at winning, that's basically what Trondheim has to offer.
The riders move to the beach for the final straight, which is an amazing 700 meter long section right next to the sea. It's very wet there, with the sea usually smashing up to the rocks next to the profile. The riders will be able to sprint for the victory and the long straight offers the strong riders a chance to power away, but in the end, a more technical rider is expected to take this. Technical and - of course - well balanced on ice and snow!
If the trend is your friend, normally Vague should seal the deal for good in Trondheim. A comfortable lead of 40 points on Cornelis means that if both are to finish high up the ladder he might just do well enough with 1-2 places between him and Cornelis. And whilst Cook is only 50 points ahead of Vague, Francis has to ensure to not lose points, the rest will come naturally - at least that's the plan.
Of course there's the worry of a possible crash so close to their goal over at BKCP - Poweprlus. But Vague isn't quite the same hothead he was last year when he crashed out of Lisbon and the World Championships to ruin two of his season goals. This year around Vague has kept a cool head most of the time, wasn't irritated by punctures or minor happenings. Whilst there's always the worry of crashing or unfortuante incidents, Vague has the confidence & skill to avoid such nuisance.
Other than that, Vague has remained calm ahead of the race. His training schedule has been slimmed down to recovery and soft training, this is all too natural in this time of the year. With weekls races since October more or less, the riders are in a shape where recovery is more important than putting in additional training hours. At least it's the way for Vague. He still knows the course fairly well from his years in the Junior ranks and even from last year. Asked whom he considers a favourite, Vague is wary of the Odfell guys as usual but also sees a chance in them coming in between himself and his fierce rivals Co & Co. Listerijn, former winner of the U23 race here, also has proven to have a knack and certainly had stunning shape in the recent scandinavian races, snatching Top 5 results and showcasing his strength with the recent media rumble surrounding himself and Bollinger, it's a shame he doesn't start in Trondheim but it means easier competition as well.
Edited by Shonak on 20-10-2015 00:20
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Things have been rocking so far through Scandinavia. Perfect race and win in Torku. Pretty perfect race in Hagfors i think, not a win but up against such strong riders as i was i couldn't have asked for more. I'm riding this great wave of energy and right now it feels endless. The team is working well, Eldfjallsson and I can team up for the one-two attacks or both of us can give up our own chances to secure victory for the other. It's why i don't want to leave this team.
Trondheim comes back towards my skills a bit more. Cobbles are back and i can power through sand decently well. Technically i'm solid, if not great and either way it's a real power course otherwise. Lets have a go and see what happens, plenty of time to rest and recover before the next big cobbles races so nothing to lose.
Goldie
Another World Cup race and another challenge. The course is better for me, lots of technical challenges i excel at and some good sand as well. Cobbles not great and i'm still not good on ice. But it's no excuse, i've got to give it all again here as Eldjfallsson is rapidly closing in on me, whilst the podium is slipping away.
No i won't go down easily. I've sacrificed too much for these World Cup races thrugh the season. Dig deep and i'll have to take risks. It's going to be tough but i can make it happen. Not many opportunities left and every point will count. Top5 would be good, Top3 would be amazing. Amazing is always better than Good.
I'm pretty happy with Hagfors, I was mostly just conserving myself, although at the end I pulled a few turns, I think I owe Milan an apology, but I think he knows how it is with Luxembourg coming, he's a nice guy as well, so I hope he's alright with me.
I'm in Luxembourg preparing for the race at the moment, Pierre will take on Vague, Cook, Hammarling and co. in Trondheim. He's hoping for a top ten there.
As for the Coca-Cola classification at the moment I'm 34 seconds down on Cook, the courses left aren't bad for me, so why not go for it? Schiltz and Milan will be my concerns as well, I'm praying for rain to make things a little simpler. But it'll be a good challenge and some good racing.
The world champs are also approaching, so unfortunately I might skip some of the upcoming races, especially sand ones.
I'm quite excited, things are looking up at the moment.
Trondheim should be a good race, I'm not starting where I want to be, but I legitimately think I can top ten. So I'm hoping for a good race, although it'll really come down to my technical skills.
I've been in contract talks as well despite the end of the season being a while away, it's not looking good for the team and I've been in talks with another, we'll see how it all goes, I just want to focus on racing at the moment.
I'm also beginning to train to climb and work on my technical skills, I'm trying to make myself a more complete rider who can one day compete for classifications, I am still 22, I might even ride the U23 worlds.
The World Cup is coming to a conclusion. After Trondheim, we only have the Ardennes Cross left. That's a month from now. So a good performance today is important, to keep the moral high. If not, it can break you in a month and ruin your World Cup chances.
Who is still in the running for the World Cup? Let's see after today!
Start Line: It's cold here in Trondheim. It's snowing lightly here, and so we're ready for a very cold edition of Trondheim CX.
Baris Dao isn't here today. We are not aware of the gravity of his injuries, but his fall in Hagfors seems to have been bad enough to skip this World Cup race. Dao was 8th in the Cup so he wouldn't just skip the race for nothing. Let's hope he can get back before the World Championships!
No World Champion, either. Sylvain Lipawsky decided to take a small rest. His brother Pierre is here, though. Contrary to earlier statements, Listerijn is here at the start.
Lap 1: Let's go! No climbing today, just some flat, icy, turny, slippery, tough racing! Looking forward to it. Eldfjallsson with his trademark fast start. Hammarling sprinting for his life to get to the front with him. The Odfjell boys will be sad to see the Scandinavian adventure come to an end, but they'll be keen to make something of today's race!
Cornelis has not performed that well in the last few crosses, but today he's the second rider in the field. A surprisingly fast start by the multiple ex-winner of the World Cup trophy. He is far from another victory and will need to get past Vague to do it.
Vague is here, in fifth position. Both gentlemen with a good start. Let the games begin!
And here comes Lachy Bauer, he flies past Eldfjallsson and launches an attack. Alinejad goes with him.
It's Bollinger who comes to the front to do the chasing. The two attackers are a few seconds ahead.
And because of the ice, things split up quickly. Small mistakes makes lots of riders set foot on the ground and keep up those left behind.
This is a dangerous corner, here. not too steep, but slippery and with a slight drop in elevation and some deep tracks frozen in the mud. You better stay in them, or you're going down.
Sven Welling is making up places and now reaches his leader, Vague. Elliot Cook is a bit further behind, marking Vague.
The cobbles are in a decent shape here, but not to be underestimated. Hammarling looks comfortable and doesn't seem to worry about the two attackers.
And with reason, right before turning onto the 700 meter of flat, straight road leading up to the finish.
Lap 2: A rather large group still together, about 20 or so cyclists. Cornelis is on Vague's wheel, studying his every move. But at the front we have Fred Markson, leading the group for Eddie Goldenberg, who is using his remarkable bike handling skills to steer through the ice as best as he can. 6 laps remain.
Cornelis attacks! Dries Cornelis makes a move for the World Cup Trophy! Vague gets out of the saddle and answers the attack. But the old lion has attacked just before this dangerous corner and Vague has taken the bait, in his enthusiasm, his front wheel slips away and he goes down!
Things are moving fast, now! Hammarling and Eldfjallsson are quick to make the pace on this straight section to catch up with Cornelis. Listerijn wants to follow but makes a small steering mistake. He holds up Cook here, but he's staying upright.
A rather large group with Etxeberdea, Visconti, Vermeulen, Lipawsky... tries to keep up but that's no use. They have to ride their own tempo if they want to avoid falling.
Meanwhile, both Schiltz and Welling waited for Vague. He's got to chase, now. Schiltz takes him in his wheel. A fall is never good, though, shakes the confidence.
The two Odfjell men have caught Cornelis and we have three leaders. Torku all over again, except it's a different Belgian.
And much like in Torku, all three men decide this is could be a fruitful attempt and so they work together. Cornelis puts all his cards on the table. He raises two ice-specialists. Your turn, Vague. Follow, or fold?
Lap 3: Cook and Listerijn are no match for the three up front and so they don't near at the moment. They did leave the Blue Bell CX boys behind, though. Behind them are Bollinger, Vermeulen, Lipawsky... And behind them we have Vague, helped by Schiltz and Welling.
Oh but Vague goes down again! In that exact same corner! This is dramatic for his confidence. Terrible. Luckily he's quick back on the bike.
Cyclo-cross is not usually a team sport but we have a unique situation here today. At the front: Odfjell and Cornelis. Second chasing group are two Blue Bell boys, Goldenberg and Markson. Further down the field, BKCP-Powerplus for Vague.
Some riders here are looking to secure contracts for next year and so some can go the extra mile in races at the end of the season. Bakari is not one of those riders, and just went down pretty hard.
Schiltz, Welling and Vague reach the group ahead of them.
Schiltz' work is done now, as Welling moves to the front now with Vague.
Welling and Vague leave the group behind. They have no time to rest up. Those Blue Bell boys are no ice experts and can still be caught!
Cornelis realizes it's a dangerous situation he's in. With over 20 seconds in the lead, he isn't afraid to go too early. He attacks the Odfjell boys! Hammarling latches on. Eldfjallsson was surprised and tries to catch up!
We're approaching that dreadful corner with Vague... Look at that, he slows down completely, takes the corner, but he brakes too much and slips away! Can you believe it. Three falls in a row here. His morale is sinking below zero. He's a bit slower to get back on the bike. Welling tries to motivate him and picks up the pace.
Lap 5: We're witnessing a beaten down Vague here. A very rare sight. It's happened once before, last season. But the World Cup is at stake, so it's important that he keeps riding. He may be 40 points ahead, his main rival is at the front, fighting for the win, that's 50 points!
Listerijn and Cook work well together, but I have the feeling neither give full gas. They're in no-man's land, three riders way ahead, two Americans chasing way behind. With the World Championships coming up, they don't want to take risks on this profile.
Bollinger, Etxeberdea and Vermeulen now leave Schiltz, Visconti and Lipawsky behind!
Lap 6: Two laps remain, and the three leaders continue to ride hard. We've seen an attempt from Cornelis. The Odfjell boys are playing it more patiently.
Until now! Hammarling goes! And this is a genuine attempt, not just to test the legs! Cornelis has to react immediately, with Eldfjallsson playing his shadow. But on these cobbles, Hammarling is hard to follow. He's off!
Meanwhile, Vague approaches his nemesis of the day. He gets through the corner slowly, but he remains upright this time. That's two laps in a row he's remained upright.
Welling proves an invaluable team mate today. Some people ask why Welling is still on BKCP's payroll given his performances lately, but the truth is that Vague needs Welling. Not necessarily in the race like today, but for the head. Welling knows how to motivate Vague and is his close training buddy.
Lap 7: The final lap! Cornelis and Eldfjallsson are just 4 seconds behind Hammarling! Everything is still possible!
Vague is pulling through and leaves Welling behind. One final lap. The two Americans in front of him have quite a gap, though. Still, catching them would mean extra World Cup points.
And he'll need it, as Cornelis has now caught Hammarling! And he immediately attacks himself!
Eldfjallsson can follow. Hammarling has to pass! Ooh this is exciting racing here in Trondheim!
Listerijn tries to outsmart Cook but the Brit wasn't born yesterday. He keeps the young Kiwi in line.
And now Goldenberg leaves Markson behind. Markson did most of the work here for his team mate and is probably surprised to still be in contention for the top 10 here. Behind him, Vague is finally looking better again. He's remembered that Trophy he's doing it for, most likely. Markson will do his best to stay ahead of him, though.
Cornelis has Eldfjallsson at his wheel but he has no choice. It will come down to a sprint!
Eldfjallsson takes the lead and starts the sprint! Cornelis wants to come, but Eldfjallsson closes the door on him!
Eldfjallsson wins! Cornelis is second.
Here comes Hammarling, third.
Listerijn outsprints Cook for place 4. And here comes Goldenberg, what a result from him on this course. And Markson, too.
And then we have Vague. Cornelis' second place gets him 40 points, Vague got 20. That means he still has 20 points left in the lead.
Welling is ninth and Etxeberdea completes the top 10.
Well, that's it from us here today. The World Cup isn't over, yet. The Ardennes Cross will decide the winner of the Trophy. See you in Luxembourg!
[...]
[...]
At the news at seven pm: [...]And now: cyclo-cross. Dries Cornelis has won the Trondheim CX race in Norway earlier today. In a cold and hard fought for duel with Eldfjallsson and Hammarling, the Belgian originally lost the sprint to Eldfjallsson. But the jury decided Eldfjallsson's sprint was irregular. Eldfjallsson was placed to the end of the group and finished 2nd officially.
And so the Ardennes Cross will decide on an exciting World Cup Trophy. Dries Cornelis got back 50 points and is now only 10 points ahead of Francis Vague. More on this topic later this news.
Hello and welcome to Mythbusters. Yesterday we debunked the theory that Milan Listerijn can't top 5 consistency, but then we also confirmed the theory that he can't catch a break or finish on the podium...
So, let's clear the air. I was catching the 9am flight to Luxembourg via Belgium from Stockholm, when I was told the plane was grounded for another three days with repairs. My first reaction was, ok so I might have to wait for a few hours for the next flight, but it turns out it wasn't just my flight! So then I have to drive to a smaller airport and catch the plane to Trondheim to explain to the management what happened, and, because I may as well, ride the race.
I was always going to see where I was after a couple of laps and then see how I went, conserving energy for Luxembourg. I almost made the winning break with Cornelis but I made a small mistake dodging Vague and held up everyone, letting the Odfjell boys free. From there I was happy to go 80% but it still turned out as an almost repeat of Torku, me and Cook stronger than the pack but not as flash as the three leaders, two from Odfjell, one Belgian. We quickly settled into a rythym once we realised this, both working together this time but neither of us was giving our all, I think we both already had both eyes on Luxembourg. I did try to outwit him once or twice and did get a small gap, but despite my explosivity he was always too powerful to get a gap on for more than a few seconds.
The deja vu continued as I outsprinted him, again, for fourth, again. I leapfrogged Gormley in the UCI points to be 11th in the standings but I'm still 100 points behind Mazzarelli. With such a great climber in front of me, and with the ice races running out to be replaced by more difficult hilly races, I don't see myself being front row material just yet. But with my start improving I'm not too fussed at the moment. Next year that's definitely a goal of mine though.
Whilst in Trondheim I did get a couple of offers, unfortunately the one I am more excited about depends on the actions of another rider, but we did have a verbal agreement that I would join if it happened. Another offer did come in, not as interesting but still one at I would definitely be comfortable with if the other one falls through.
I did see Lipawsky say that he owed me an apology. What? He doesn't owe me anything, it's something I would have done and in fact something I have done before, it just aggravated me at the time, especially because I thought he would have some interest in trying to chase down his big rivals. But he seems to be following my lines of Coke and Worlds, but I found out he caught an earlier flight than me before all planes were grounded. He will be fresher but hopefully I have the edge in rythym and form over him. So now all I have to do is take time back on the World Champ, the Eurasian Champ and home favorite, and the UCI number one. No biggie, right?
See you then,
Milan
Edited by jandal7 on 20-10-2015 21:10
Whilst there was definitely some cursing going on throughout the race and afterwards at the BKCP - Powerplus bus, Francis N. Vague was seemingly content after the race. Although he crossed the line looking like a beaten dog, fairly exhausted and dug deep, Vague was eventually able to hold his World Cup lead to a slim 20... no, 10 points.. It took some time for them to find him but for the Evening News Vague was able to give a short interview.
Francis, really - what happened with you this race. Three times crashing in the same corner?!
Oh god, this question you know. [shakes his head with a smile] You tell me -- I tried to follow Dries and hit the ground. I tried to ride fast and I hit the ground. I tried to go slow and careful and.. hit the ground. Just do me a favour: Don't name this corner after me.
But you must have an explanation. Is it the nerves that are getting to you, do you succumb to the pressure, are you tired?
Really.. no. I felt fine at the start. What gets on my nerves are stupid questions. What do you expect? That I fly away after crashing and losing up to a minute. Get back on my feet and roll all over them. What happened, happened. I lost races in other ways, today was just a dumb way. When you crash you can't just go faster than anybody else. Sometimes it works, like Blaarmeesen. Most days, the body gives in before the mind does and it remains fantasy.
Do you think that Cornelis has a mental edge over you?
No, today he was better than me. Better than almost anyone except for Hafthor. Or maybe he was. I don't care. He was far below his usual type ofperformances in recent races so I take it he specifically prepared for Trondheim. I expect no less for him and I think he'll be incredible hard to beat at Ardennes Cross. Likely whoever will be on ahead there, wins the competition. It's still a month to go till then though, no reason to split hairs over that race already -- now, I want to focus on the Superprestige, the World Championships and next up is some domestique work up for me at Luxembourg.
In your home race you were seemingly unbeatable last year. Surely this motivates you and gives you confidence.
So and so. I had confidence, plenty of it before Trondheim. I am still good, today was a setback. It's important to recover from this and get on with it. Trondheim was the side of a World Cup win by me last year, and I also crashed here. Trondheim is my Waterloo, where I sink deep. But I always want to get back up. Thanks to my teammates, Sven and Christian were simply amazing and helped me push through when the legs hurt the most.
Your team manager already took to twitter to vent his anger at the UCI decision against Haftor and pro Dries Cornelis. He called the UCI a bunch of Cornelis-lovers. What's your take on the decision?
I don't really want to complain about that. If it was me who would have been pushed aside.. I don't know. It seems a weird decision definitely at a untimely moment. The UCI and Dries are close but I don't think that anybody would hurt the sport in such a way. What my team manager says on twitter is his own personal opinion, not the one of the team nor my own. Sometimes he needs to let some steam off and twitter is a good place for him to do that. It's better than smashing chairs in VIP tents.
Last question: Fellow belgian-new zealand rider Listerijn stated that he only rode with 80%, what's your take on such a claim. Is he nearing his potential, and what will this mean for a possible belgian comeback of his?
[Laughs] Really. Well I already fear him riding at 100% then, maybe then he'll win some more races. If he wants to return to riding under Belgium flag, he's welcome to do so. I'm sure anybody will welcome him back.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Hagfors Cross - Preview
Trondheim CX - Preview 
Goldie
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
