It wasn't meant to be for the young belgian World Champion, to achieve a feat of history. At least just not yet. Vague has gone well on a high into this season but others have caught up by now. With the Coca-Cola Trophy getting intensively closer between the three on top, Seattle may have been the footing stone for a season-long battle.
Second place today, how much does it hurt to have missed the fourth consectuive win?
Not that much, not at all actually. The media likes to have its numbers game going on and it looks good on your Wikipedia-website when it says, in year blabla he won four, five, six races in a row. But I've always been a man who's proud to hunt for bigger things, thus the classifications are my main priortiy, and today has been another step in a good direction despite losing the lead. We managed to distance a few more rivals and have narrowed down the fight to three riders, at least for now. It doesn't allow us to play it easy but with these opponents, it's anything but easy.
Schiltz did not start the race, any comment on that?
I can just say what I am told, he did not feel good enough. Anything more specific you'll have to hear from him. He's a great rider and I'm sure he'll bounce back all the stronger. He might have lost he's chance at a classification podium this season but he'll do well in the races regardless. If anything, this will make him only more unpredictable, stronger in the racing, I hope!
Your interpretation of the race. You looked to be quite getting nervous during the first half..
I wouldn't say that I was nervous, just cautious at what's going an, who's getting away. Dubous is coming up quick through the ranks but he's still sort of a wild card for us. We do not know how well he keeps up a pace throughout a full event. So, obviously with the win in mind, you can't just let him go as it happened last year with Listerijn. Hm. Lipawsky was a lot on my wheel, I don't know why he did it.. He is already half a minute behind me in the Trophy, the waiting game is just a lack of initiative on his part in that way, you don't make up time by being on someone's wheel. The roadies do a lot of wheelsucking, I didn't know it was part of Cyclo-Cross too. Until now. But I guess it wasn't so much about tactical advantage or being on my wheel, he just wanted to make me nervous by controlling my every move. Fortunately, that, too, is easier said than done.
Do you regret your comments in his direction, he said it doesn't look for the sponsor to not get mentioned?
No I don't, why should I. He wanted to be talked about, so I talked about him. Today, he tried to ride against specifically me for that, but it didn't work out. You are worried that I burn bridges? I don't. This is an individual sport. It's a sport where you ride against each other -- Lupus est homo homini! But you ride for your own results always - you don't ride for the fun against someone, it won't help you in the long run. Even when you are working together like Mazzarelli and I did when we had to catch Cook, there's always the knowledge that the race is about yourself, not someone else. That it helps your tactic, your racing, your cause. It's important to remind youself of that now and then: But maybe.. I don't know, he also saw it as he's best chance to win, to follow me, but who wants to be a shadow of another man.
Quite some harsh words, arn't you bitter about it then?
Oh well about the race? Maybe. Yes. But it didn't work out for him, and I still finished on the podium, and I did a good race I can be proud of. No reason to cry over spilled milk further.
Where you surprised that Mazzarelli did so well today, especially in the last lap he was strong like a bear, sneaky like a fox.
It's true, the way he pressed through Cook and me was probably the best maneouvre to be seen yet, at least so far in this season and showed his genius technical talents. He was a real sly fox there, chapeaux. But it was also a dangerous move, he's glad it paid off. He has had a very good season opening, it's not surprising that he confirms it with a win now, despite the snowy conditions. What is of more concern though is that Cook is seemingly back to his best level by now; we had incredible luck that he had a flat tire at the wrong moment, otherwise I don't think we could have caught him today. Winning is never easy in this field, always a tough task but it become the true challenge with Cook around -- which is good for the sport I might add!
Lastly, you made a nice little move whilst jumping the bars.
Oh, that? Yeah the fans love such a little bit of hip stunts. I do them often enough in training and what-not, so it's nice to show it in a race, too. You'd might argue that it looked dangerous or that I could have ruined my race, but I'm in control, and more importantly: Why not enjoy life a little here and there, especially when some kids see the cool side of cycling too?
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We're back in San Francisco for the third manche of the Superprestige. Vague leads the trophy with the highest possible points and returns to Twin Peaks, where he was only bested by Baris Dao last season. Now, Dao is Cook's team mate and both return here to keep Vague from winning. Or rather, to win themselves.
The early winter that's hit the West Coast is gradually disappearing. In Twin Peaks, we don't expect ice nor snow, but a clear sky and just above freezing temperatures.
Race Information
Country: United States of America
City/Place: San Francisco
Classification: Superprestige
Starting Time (Elite Men): 20h
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Elliot Cook, Sylvain Lipawsky, Matt Mazzarelli, Olivier Dubois.
Record: 1x Baris Dao (2015)
Race History: After a failed experiment with the Central Park cross in New York San Francisco stood up and claimed the void spot in the Superprestige. The first edition saw an exciting race between Vague and Cook, but where underdog Dao managed to stay under the radar and come out at the right time, winning the race.
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 1
Uphill: 4
Cobblestones: 0
Twin Peaks starts with a lengthy - yet not so steep - downhill. After the initial starting sprint, the riders take a sharp turn and go down one hillside gradually. Risktakers can definitely create gaps here.
Once down, the riders contour the Twin Peaks. A bit further is the first climbing challenge. As the name suggests, this race features 2 main climbs. They aren't of the usual short and steep kind we know in Flanders mostly, but these are lenghty climbs, comparable to a (less steep albeit at least just as long) version of the Blaarmeersen climb. Not for power punchers, but for real climbers.
They head down a bit more and contour again, this time with some sand thrown into the mix. Just a few dozen feet of sand, it won't suffice to determine the race.
The riders take the second climb, which looks like an exact copy of the first climb on the profile. The final kilometer is tricky, though. Once up the hill, the riders enter the 'Twin Peaks Maze', a carefully constructed kilometer full of twists and turns, with some small ups and downs. The riders' bike skills will be put to the test here.
Last season, the riders sprinted on skewed ground. This year, though, the UCI did not allow this as a sprint finish, and so the final 200 meters are found a bit below, on relative flat terrain. However, it's not a tarmac finish like in 99% of all races. It's on grassy terrain, so don't expect a high-speed sprint, rather a strength-sapper of a sprint.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Clear
Wind: 2 Beaufort
The peloton, with Francis N. Vague in the lead, is returning to San Fransisco bay, as the Twin Peaks are taken on for the second time. The Superprestige event was held last year in great esteem due to his challenging uphill course, which put the whole field under quite some pressure.
The both technical and climbing-intense route certainly suits Vague, as shown by his 2nd place previously. The World Champion has achieved a perfect opening by winning the first two races of the classification. Whilst just a couple of points separate Vague from Lipawsky, Listerijn and recent Seattle winner Mazzarelli, his long-time nemesis Elliot Cook holds fifth, already 11 points down on Vague. This puts the World Champion in a bit of a dilemma: The long Superprestige conflict may be fought out with Cook over the whole season and in 12 races, but Vague can not risk to let anyone of the three muskeeters dethrone him of his SP Throne.
Make or break the race is the question, but Schiltz probably still missing and Welling presumably being too weak of a climber, Vague also lacks the support of his much trusted teammates. Instead it may come down to instinctive, yet tactical racing, and just doing the laps faster than other riders. Easier said than done, Cardinal Vague, especially now that Cook and previous winner Dao are reaching more and more synched status and beneficial cooperation.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
What can I say? I’ve had a fun time of it since I last updated you all, American week has gone well so far, Unfortunately I couldn’t get away in Seattle and ended up burning myself out. I wanted to get an early attack in to try and remind guys that I’m still here, I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to go all the way but I wanted to test my endurance as I know it’s still lacking compared to the others. I was kinda hoping that they would underestimate how strong I was and let me get a nice gap so I could hang on for a top 5 that way but it wasn’t to be. I think I can safely say that I’m not a contender for that trophy, and now I’ve lost so much time I might be allowed a few more seconds to play with to go for an Individual round win later in the season if I can find another course that suits me.
I feel my form is up at the moment despite me lacking some stamina compared to the top riders. I think this is improving with very tough ride I do though and I’ve been deliberately training on hills and in bad weather/ sapping conditions to try and improve this aspect quickly. I’ll be honest though I’m not entirely sure how well it is working although it has meant the Ice and snow hasn’t affected me as much as I would have expected it to so who knows, maybe that is a nice unintended side effect.
Rolling back the clock a bit further it was great to support Alessio from pit side in Perth. Getting to ride some laps of the course with him there in practice sessions and after the event was good fun as I could try and show him some techniques I’ve picked up from the top pro’s I’ve been competing against in the early season and give him a different perspective on which lines to choose. I’ll be honest he seems pretty good at that himself though and I was surprised how much I could learn from him in that regard too, I guess he’s had plenty of chances to pick his own lines in Under 23 races so far this year whilst I’ve been busy battling away for UCI points. Who knows maybe this will end up being a strong point of his in the future, he’s certainly young enough to develop this skill further in future but it’s not necessarily one that I think I can help him with.
Speaking of UCI points it’s great to already be in the top 10 of the UCI ranking, I didn’t expect to get there so quickly in my first season after transferring over to Cross from Trials but starting on the front row makes me feel like I actually belong here and can make a real fist of it, trying to chase my dream. Now having anyone in front of me for the dash to the first corner is nice, even though I wouldn’t consider myself to have the best reactions not being blocked by anybody completely missing the start or getting an early mechanical/crash is a major bonus for me as it helps keep things under my control.
Anyway, roll on Twin Peaks where my technical ability can shine though again and where we take on some tricky climbs that seem too short get into a nice rhythm up them but too long to simply sprint up, at least the technical downhills should really play into my hands and allow me to either gain a small amount of time or conserve some extra energy whilst following my group.
Catching up those 100 points to Milan will be difficult but hopefully my consistency in the Trials world is something I can carry over here, although with it being more varied there’s likely to be more fluctuation in my results so I’ll just have to learn how to adapt and make the most out of a bad situation to limit the damage done when I’m struggling or on a course/ terrain that really doesn’t suit me.
On a final note I’m not sure how Christian is doing, there’s not been much from his camp on his condition recently but with him missing the last race in a classification he was targeting I’m guessing it must have been pretty serious. I can’t imagine anyone giving up their best shot at classification glory, especially in one they’d been tipped to do well in, by missing a race unless it was something serious. Hopefully we will get a proper update on him soon and he will be back racing again as his presence is missed from the pack as it does change the dynamic of races quite drastically on some of the routes we face.
Welcome for the third and final race of the American Week. Twin Peaks has survived its first edition in the Superprestige and is back for more. Vague did not win in Seattle, after a three-man fight between him, Mazzarelli and Cook. So it looks Vague's dominance is over, now. Or is it? The Belgian faces a hilly and technical profile in a Trophy he is unbeatable in so far this season.
Let the games begin!
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Clear
Wind: 2 Beaufort
Start Line: No snow, and that's a first on the American continent this season. Twin Peaks will be raced in dry conditions. It's cold, though, just above freezing temperatures. While Vague holds the maximum of points in the Superprestige, Lipawsky, Listerijn and Mazzarelli have all managed to stay relatively close. Cook is already 11 points behind, but with Elliot Cook, you're never done.
Last year, Baris Dao scored the highlight of his season here. Today, he seems so far from achieving this again. The young Dane crashed somewhere near the end of last season and hasn't really impressed since. Let's hope he can overcome whatever problems he faces and return to his former level.
Still no Christian Schiltz. We heard he might start in Antofagasta, though, perhaps even as soon as Cali.
Lap 1: Let's go! We have Lipawsky and Dubois sprinting to take the downhill first. Vague missed his start a bit, but is still in tenth position, so nothing lost. Cook is in fifth.
Dubois with a strong start, going downhill first. Well, a talent is a talent. We weren't sure what to expect of this man, making the switch from trial to cross on his 27 years of age, but he's done very well and we wouldn't be surprised to see him winning races before the year is done. Aged 27, he could easily stay in the field for another 5 years, maybe even more.
Van Dyck and Dao do their best to move up quickly. That will please Cook, leader of Randstad.
Lachy Bauer is not the world's best descender, and now you know, too. Luckily he has a good falling technique.
It's Olivier Dubois who sets the pace early in this race. Vague is moving up slowly, not rushing himself. Lipawsky holding his position.
Nice to see Etxeberdea back at the front, too. After a phenominal season start, he faded away rapidly. He's riding in the top 10 now, though.
Lap 2: Dubois sets the pace high enough to discourage early attacks, but after one lap we still have a relatively large group together. The usual suspects, but also Van Dyck and Hammarling.
Dubois has been pulling this group an entire lap and now leaves the work up to Mazzarelli, who is eager to take over. Vague is now in fourth position and looks ready to start his cross. There will be ten laps here.
Cook now comes up to third position. In one move, he passes Dubois and Mazzarelli, he attacks!
Rather unexpected, but Lipawsky is quick to react, he senses an opportunity. Dubois gets set behind a few meters.
Vague has enough points on Cook not to have to react straight away. He keeps his head cool. Mazzarelli keeps the pace high, he doesn't want to let them get away far.
Lap 3: Cook and Lipawsky have a few seconds, but Mazzarelli, Vague and Dubois are keeping them from riding away far.
Oh and Cook gestures. Flat tire, still a quarter of a lap to the pit. Bad luck for the Brit. Lipawsky decides not to push it and the two get caught by the chasing group.
Rosanski and Van Dyck now try their chance! No reaction from any of the top guys.
They quickly gather 10 seconds. Oh and now Vague goes to the head of the group, right before the uphill. He's going to thin out the group. There are too many riders here, he thinks. Let's see what this does... Goldenberg and Hammarling fall behind. Same for Vague's team mate Welling, who had just caught up with the chasing group.
Lap 4: And after one move, the two leaders only have three seconds left of their advantage. Vague now asks the others to cooperate. Mazzarelli is feeling strong and relays. The chasing group is thinning out, now.
Dubois relays as well. A strong start. But it's the last laps he should fear. So far, he has always faded away a bit near the end of a cross.
Van Dyck and Rosanski have been caught. A nice attempt but the favorites didn't want to let them go.
Cook with another flat tire! He has to let them go, too dangerous following them going downhill with this tire.
And that's the sign for the other favorites to give full gas. You could argue it isn't fair, but cyclo-cross is all about opportunity and chivalry is usually not rewarded. Mazzarelli attacks!
Lap 5: Who's still together here? Let's hit chrono!
But that's about to change! Vague throws a small bomb in the field! What an attack! Only Dubois was attentive enough to follow him! What an impressive move by Dubois. He's learning every day.
For the first time in the race, Listerijn comes to the front. He doesn't want Vague to escape. The Superprestige is over in Kwaremont, not earlier and especially not after only two races and a half. Listerijn has ambitions!
Unbelievable. Elliot Cook just passed the pit and broke the fork of his front wheel. Cyclo-cross rules state you can't go backwards so he'll have to run, with his broken bike, to the next pit, half a lap further. How much bad luck can you have in one race. Will he abandon? He'll be minutes behind, so it's not use continuing, really.
Lap 6: Vague made the gap and now looks behind him. What will Dubois do? Just sit in his wheel? No! Dubois relays. We have two leaders!
But they're not far ahead. Mazzarelli is leading the chasing group, but everyone is cooperating now to avoid them getting away. The pace is too high for Rosanski, though, he has fell behind and is struggling now.
Lipawsky increases the pace even further. Etxeberdea and Van Dyck have to leave a small gap.
Vague and Dubois work well together, but you can see they're not giving 100%.
And so they're caught. Or rather, they let them get caught. It's a faster profile than we expected and it's a bit soon to go off alone or with two. Wouldn't be impossible but the top is wide today. I have a feeling nobody's a class above the others and then it's hard to solo from halfway the race.
Lap 7: McLaughlin has recently expressed he wants to return to his former level, but he'll have to do better than this. Still, he's just come into the top 25.
Look at this. The cameraman has found Elliot Cook. The Brit is still in the race, but where is this? This is over 3 minutes behind the race leaders. The top 15 is minutes away, so he won't be taking any points from today's race. Still, all credit to him for still being in the race. He's no quitter, and he proves this once again.
Just as Van Dyck and Etxeberdea try to catch up with the leaders again, Listerijn launches an attack to increase the pace. But Dubois counters him smoothly. We have five leaders, and neither want to let anyone get away.
Lap 8: Five leaders, still. Mazzarelli, Listerijn, Vague, Lipawsky and Dubois. So little to split these riders. Who will try something, how and when? Van Dyck and Etxeberdea are not far behind but can't quite bridge the gap. If only the pace would drop a second at the front.
Rosanski is completely out of juice now. Goldenberg has him in his sights. A good race from Goldenberg, who is not usually a big climber.
And Dao shows his face. He and Robin Huser just left Markson and Faizullah behind. This is for a place in the top 15, at best.
Lap 9: Mazzarelli, Vague, Listerijn, Dubois, Lipawsky. We've seen attacks from all five of them, no one was strong enough to get away alone. And so, two laps from the finish, we're looking at a tactical game. Or does Vague still have something left in the tank? Or Mazzarelli, for that matter?
Dubois is going into the last 10 minutes of the race and that's usually the mark where he starts to fade. Let's see if it happens today. He's going strong, though.
Lipawsky attacks! Vague counters!
The two have a gap. Mazzarelli is the main engine of the chase. Dubois is sitting this one out, Listerijn just at his wheel.
Lap 10: It's the last lap! Dubois is looking strong and now closes the gap to Lipawsky and Vague. Who of these five can take the upper hand in the last lap?
It won't be Cook. The Brit is reported 3 minutes and a half behind the head of the race. He looks determined to finish the race no matter what, though. But you can see he's not riding 100%, far from it. Just finishing the race, that'll be enough for him. Superprestige is looking bad for him, though, with his main rivals still fighting for the full 15 points.
Half a lap left, and the pace drops. The tactical game has begun.
No! Francis N. Vague has decided the time has come! And this is his real attack! He's been toying up until now, this is an acceleration!
Only Matt Mazzarelli has an answer - sort of - to this attack! He gets out of the saddle and tries to keep up as best as he can.
Dubois has it hard, now, you can see. Lipawsky and Listerijn are once again bound to each other in the race. What will they do?
Vague gives a nod with his elbow. But will Mazzarelli answer? Or will he start bluffing already and let Vague do all the work... No, Mazzarelli relays.
Listerijn, Lipawsky and Dubois are not far behind, merely 15 meters. But Vague has put everything on this attack now, no way back!
And the two keep the gap! We're going towards a two-man sprint! Mazzarelli starts sprinting with Vague in his wheel.
We all know Vague's finishing speed. But it's harder on this terrain. Mazzarelli holding on!
But to no avail! Vague passes him, only just! If the finish had been 5 meters closer, though, a different story!
Vague wins, 3/3 in the Superprestige.
And Listerijn takes third. Lipawsky fourth. Dubois had no punch left but is a nice fifth. He played with the big boys today and survived. He'll take courage from that.
Etxeberdea is sixth with Van Dyck seventh.
Goldenberg is the first American. Rosanski is ninth and Bauer takes tenth, a good show from him despite not being in form lately.
Cali, Colombia. South America increases its grasp on cyclo-cross with another cross, this time in Colombia. Coming out of the winter in the United States, Cali offers a completely different climate. But the race is set around morning, so the temperatures don't run up too highly.
Race Information
Country: Colombia
City/Place: Cali
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 09h30
Favorites: Eddie Goldenberg, Francis N. Vague, Elliot Cook, Sylvain Lipawsky.
Record: New
Race History: Cali is new to cyclo-cross, but Colombia seems more than ready to host a major CX event. The amateur scene is thriving the last few years and Colombia is hoping to produce a top rider in the next decade. Let's wait and see what this race brings, first.
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 3
Uphill: 0
Cobblestones: 0
After an absence, the velodrome returns to cyclo-cross. The Velódromo Alcides Nieto Patiño was renovated in 2007 and is the big arena for the cross. However, the riders quickly leave the velodrome and go down to the running track. Long, straight sections, where riders can really get into their top gear and develop a fast pace. Then they turn into the grass, for more long, straight, sections.
Then, the race changes drastically. A few tricky turns, a deep ditch the riders have to go through. There's a running section through the wood, a rather long one.
The finale is quite spectacular, though. There is a BMC track next to the velodrome, and the riders go over the washboards, they follow the entire track. It gives us spectacular images on the television, but also a nice chance to see the riders handle their bike on this uneven terrain. From here, it's straight back to the velodrome, having to go up some stairs, and sprint for the victory on the velodrome.
A strange mixture of different disciplines into one cyclo-cross race. We have track, BMX, even running. Let's see how the riders handle it!
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 15° C
Precipitation: Rain, light.
Wind: 1 Beaufort
It is Mustafa here, lately I have been trying to avoid interviews and the media as I have been rather tired and jetlagged from all the flying I have done all the way from the far side of Australia to the States. This has seen my latest results be quite poor but honestly they were more recovery races than anything because I knew I was going to struggle anyway.
However, now I am feeling a lot better following these 'recovery' races. With a short flight south the next race is in Cali, Colombia. This race is both sandy and technical, so it suits me perfectly. This is the race I have been recovering and preparing for and I plan to ride hard and make the sand parts of the race difficult for my opponents and Sow should also be able to help with that. It is certainly a race where I hope to do well and use my experience and ability to achieve a great result!
The USA Week is so busy i have not had a single moment to write until now. We arrived early to meet various sponsor and media requirements. The highlight of which was a first look at the Worlds course. No secret i've been involved with bringing the event to Chicago and i met up with some Media to walk around and talk through the route.
Portland was the World Cup race. The course did suit me and i felt pretty good on the day, so 5th was a bit dissapointing. Nothing went wrong but the Top2 were too good and i was just beaten in the end. My legs were hurting in Seattle so only 10th and yeah my Coca-Cola focus is gone. Twin Peaks is the worst course for me so 8th was a nice ride and shows my progress in climbing. Overall it was a good solid week that i thouroughly enjoyed.
Cali comes next and it is a perfect World Cup race for me. Very technical where my jumping and general handling skills will shine. Good bit of sand and very flat. The only downside could be the run which is my weakest area i think. A Win here and my World Cup hopes are on, off the Podium and i might as well just go for race wins for the rest of the year.
It's a big moment in proving that i am able and ready to step into the top level of the peloton.
Markson
I love racing in the USA. The crowds are incredible and we've got three excellent races now. It'll be a few more years before i can try and win any of them though. That said this season is still not going well. A slow start is an understatement.
11th in Portland was ok but not great. 6th in Seattle i guess was a good result and it does mean that i'll get to be 'team leader' in the Coca-Cola Trophy from now on. 17th in Twin Peaks was a real letdown. To leave the USA only 24th in the UCI ranking is horrid.
Cali and Antofagasta are two great events for me. Cali suits me in that it's flat and power based. Antofagasta in that it's flat, fast and i won it last year. Certainly two Top10's is needed and if i can win in Chile again i'd be extatic.
Second season syndrome is looming on me and i need to sort this out soon, else i'll lose my position in the team to TDF!
I'm in Colombia for a cross race. When I was ripping up my backyard with Louis on our bikes that wasn't part of my daydreams but globalisation <3 for me and the sport right now. The atmosphere here, it isn't half bad but not huge, but the course looks good and the cycling fans who do follow a wee bit of cross look to be showing out.
Twin Peaks, wow, what an amazing debut for me there. Pitch perfect in my own opinion from me, as I was unhelpfully reminded it's the closest I've got the Vague ever this year. Mil4n Li5t3rijn was trending on sites like daily and twitter but i was pleased with my performance, none of us was really stronger than the other on the day but Vague and Mazzarelli are just naturally stronger and after three seasons had that little bit extra, sadly in my case the extra 20 metres at the home stretch. Banner still photoshopped then. Sigh. Good news, Superprestige my #1 season goal above Worlds and Coke now, managed to gap Sylvain () and keep equal with Mazzarelli.
After the race had a really constructive and intelligent conversation on twitter with some clued-up fans and journos who I don't mind. Mostly on my riding style during the race, I was out of the saddle a lot and they think it's hurting me. I agreed to disagree politely and we discussed that. I'm not as bad as Louis but it's a natural thing. Also talked about race tactics, I was talked to yes by Mazzarelli after taking maybe only two thirds of the turns i should have early on waiting for the pounce, but it was more a friendly "If you want to catch Vague off guard help us" than swearing at me. Second half I was more reactive which they were suprised by, maybe it isn't me but I was fighting for the overall and the win and the easiest way on a climbing-heavy course for me is that. Cali I will be back to attacking best, touch wood.
So tomorrow, it's not my exact cup of tea with a power course but as shown this season I've been improving there so high hopes to continue great form. Sand suits as well, just perhaps not the velodrome, give me a punchy sprint race organisers. Need to make myself more profitable so race orgainisers take it easy on me.
Still not really shipping LiLi (and wondering which Li is which),
Milan
24/02/21 - kandesbunzler said “I don't drink famous people."
15/08/22 - SotD said "Your [jandal's] humour is overrated"
11/06/24 - knockout said "Winning is fine I guess. Truth be told this felt completely unimportant." [ICL] Santos-Euskadi | [PT] Xero Racing
My season keeps going from strength to strength. I hvn't repeated the same level of result as in Belgium but my performances overall are massively improved on a wide varierty of courses. Plus i didn't complete freeze to death in the snow, which is new.
I enjoyed the look around Chicago with Goldie and Radio, it's given me a new perspective and motivation for the upcoming months. After the race in Rio i'm off back to the States for a few races there before returning to the Elite later in the season. But i won't be losing an ounce of myself over that time, i am going to be 110% for the Worlds.
No exceptional results in the USA but i'm still 12th on the UCI ranking! Going to flatter and more suitable races in South America, i certainly believe i can head home still in 12th or possibly even from the Top10 if Rio goes as i would like. I'm so pumped and feeling so good still, this season i just love.
TMM Sports Management (some of this update is slightly ahead of where the game is timeline wise, but it's better to write it now than not at all)
Just about a month until Chris Young joins us and makes his Elite debut. It's about time we gave you another update on his domestic season, and to say that he will properly introduce himself very soon now. We left you with news of his 2 wins and a podium in 5 races, so what now?
10th Oct, Waterloo WI. Sticking with the US-Pro Calendar Chris rode to 4th place on a challenging route. 17th Oct, Boulder CO. Mile-High and Chris was unbeatable. The cold weather and rocky terrain allowed him to cruise away to win #3 of the year. 24th Oct, Winnipeg. The biggest race in Canada was a wash out dominated by storms and mud. Chris was in his element but a late mechanical dropped him to 3rd place instead of a win. 25th Oct, Winnipeg. The second of the double-header was a chance for Chris to test his recuperation. Another mechanical issue however meant he was only 11th, but he didn't struggle with the back-to-back events.
1st Nov, Sherbrooke QC. Canadian Nationals and Chris was easily the best out there, the Canadian scene just doesn't have anyone else who could be Elite level yet. 8th Nov, Savannah GA. Back on the CXNC and even on a beach heavy course Chris still managed 5th. 14th Nov, Lakewood WA. US-Pro Calendar and win #5 for Chris on a course with a big running section. 17th Nov, Los Angeles CA. Another sandy course meant Chris wasn't comfortable and ultimately he crashed for his first DNF of the season. 22nd Nov, Stony Point NY. Chris's final domestic race and it's great for him. Cobbles and cold weather meant he was fighting to win. A dramatic final lap ended with Chris being outsprinted and settling for 2nd.
5 wins and 2 more podiums is a strong domestic season. A National Championship as well, plus he could win both the US-Pro Calendar and CXNC depending how results go with him gone. He's heading to Europe now and will be ready to debut in Lisbon at full fitness!
Over large parts in Twin Peaks race, Vague looked like a man waiting for his moment to bite. Whilst when it arrived, Mazzarelli was the single one to cling on, it wasn’t enough for Vague’s recently toughest rival to win yet again against the World Champion, and so Francis made it 1-2-1 in the American week. Next up, Cali.
Today you have achieved the victory you lost in the last meters of last year, going now 3/3. Your thoughts on the race?
It wasn’t so selective as when Dao won. Cook seemed to have a lot of trouble which made the racing in general a bit calmer, easier to control. But this doesn’t mean that it wasn’t active. Lots of attacks.. I tried it myself at some point but soon realized that the level was too equal today to have much of a shot from long-way out. Dubois was really notable at the forefront and has made some lasting impact already this early in the season; he raced very aggressively throughout, so this has put me in a bit of a defensive position in the first few laps. I also knew that Twin Peaks takes its time as a race, to develop, to come in motion, until the right actors are up there. Different to Whakapapa or Portland recently where you can make a winning move early in the race; here in Twin Peaks it’s raced under terms of select-and-eliminate, looking at how no group managed to get a significant lead. In this regard, I just made the right move in the last lap and I could win enough time to make it over the line first.
You mentioned Dubois who has done well in finishing just seconds after you. How do you rate his progress?
Yeah, obviously a man you have to look out for. A former Trials World Champion, he knows what it takes to winning, how to approach mentally a race nonetheless. It’s hard to imagine him not taking his first win rather sooner than later, his technical quality is also coming more and more to the surface. Of course also the presence of his sponsor Red Bull is welcome in the sport, since it’s a global company that takes pride in showing an active lifestyle, representing fun sports. Cyclo-Cross is a good fit for that, especially since the sport has enough tradition on its own; some commercialsm doesn’t hurt so much then.
Cook was in a lot of bad luck today, flat tires, even a broken fork. Do you think he can come back to the Superprestige classification?
Well, if there’s one man who can attempt it successfully, it’s him. But right now, it doesn’t look like that at all. Of course a classification takes a lot of races, going 3/3 is an amazing feeling to me; still, I’m just a few points ahead of the others, so even if I fail in a race or two then there’s still three riders who have well double the points of his score. Especially Mazzarelli is on some great form and an opponent of great quality. I guess Cook will favor the World Cup and the Trophy, it’s what any other rider would probably do at this point. Then again, Cook is anything but normal.
Speaking of the World Cup, soon there’s going to be the Colombian CX debut of Cali. Special mentio to the Velodrome. How do you rate your chances?
I’m glad that the Velodrome as a stage is back, it brings its own kind of flair and is always a sight to behold. I also think that finishing there could help me well due to my striking finishing. The course is in itself rather difficult to interpret since I have not seen it yet. From what I heard it seems to feature lots of change, how to adapt to this change will be a vital to winning. For me, it’s important to score well there, possibly in hopes of gaining first place in the rankings.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Hello and welcome to our small interview, today we have Daniel Brüggemann at our side, Hello Daniel, and firstly, how was the American week for you?
I would say mediocre. I loved the atmosphere there, and it was great to race, despite or in my case you'd say better because of the bad weather. Sadly, the results didn't show this. I felt great in the most races, but I just finished mostly mid-table. But not all races suited me much, it was often too climbing heavy and it looked also like I kinda unlearned some technical skills during my time at the road, you understand, so I'm not on the level where I once was. We understand this, so what's your outlook for the next races?
I hope for better results there, because the next races are the ones which suit me probably the most, because there aren't many climbs, and you need more your sand and cobbles class. I didn't focus on the races in my training and fitness preparation, because my goal was to be consistent and fit the whole season long, but I would say that they are my targets. The next one is Cali, a new race, with a rather unique profile. What do you like at the course the most?
That it's new. I think to have a Colombian cyclocross race is a good sign for the UCI, that cyclocross is popular. It's like an example for the growing globalization of this fascinating sport. Talking about sport, we had a strong dominance of Vague in the last races. What do you think, will his run go on?
I don't like to talk about the race of other riders, but I think that Vague is strong. I think he even isn't on his best form yet, but he's such a strong rider, that he's contesting for the win even with "normal" form. Are you afraid that the races could be boring with such a strong Vague?
No. I wouldn't even say that he's dominating, because he has some strong opponents in Lipawsky, Mazzarelli, who really surprises not only me this season, and Cook, who seems to slowly find his form. It reminds a bit on the situation about ten years ago, where we have three top riders, with Cornelis, Smith and Mark (d'Anvers), and some sub-top riders who could win a race when they had a good day. And the races then weren't boring too. Thank you Daniel for the interview and good luck in Cali!
It's good to relax and take sometimes a break, so I decided with my manager to skip the Cali race. After lots of stressful travelling, many exhausting races it's nice to slow down, even for a short time, and reload your energy. To be fresh is important for the oncoming races, which are important for me. That's because the coca-cola trophy is the last remaining classification, where I have chances for a top-10 result in the general classification, and Rio and Struisbaai are the races, which suit me the least of all. So I need to be extra good for them, to limit my losses on my opponents.
In Seattle I did a good job. I didn't missed the start and was in a group with the favourites right from the start. In the end I finished ninth and just lost a place in the overall classification.
Twin Peaks was then much more sobering for me. I hoped for another Top-10 results, because theoretically it suited me of all races from the American week the most, I ended up just as sixteenth, and so I am still without points in the superprestige classification. It's sobering because I hoped in this classification for my best results, and I even trained to be in top form for the December, because there are the most Superprestige races.
So I only focus on the coke-trophy, in regard of a good overall position, and that's why I take a break. I will join the circus in Antofagosta, to be in rhythm when we are in Rio. I'm now in north Chile with Michael, doing some sightseeing in the region of the Atacama-desert. Of course Antofagosta is also on our plan, I'd like to see the beautiful La Portada. But I'll watch the Cali race and cheer for my team mates!
Sooo ladies and laddies quick update from Cali, Colombia just before the U23 race, and therefore, the big guys’ one.
Apparently, I won’t be carrying home a wooden spoon this time around either, which is good news since we’re far from being even halfway through the season, and last year’s first win of mine came far later into the year, with Lisbon’s domination. The fact that it came at Seattle means that I’m very much still up for winning the Coca-Cola trophy I was aiming to, indeed, I’m for the first time ever in the lead of an individual ranking, so I’ll try to enjoy this trying to avoid the pressure. You newspapers have been warned.
Some of you thought I could never be able to live up to the expectations after the over par start of the season. I see your point, but look at me now: I can win and consistently podium races in much worse conditions than before. I know we still have to face the great cold and the seriously challenging crosses but I haven’t got one wrong yet. We’ll see though, we’ll soon find out who is right and who is wrong. I’ve got nothing to lose here anyways, bar any injuries or Trondheims, Nouvelle won himself all the other trophies anyhow.
If you think about it, in 2015 I’ve successfully dealt with the drinking addiction, the next summer I sorted out the cold issue, I’ll just need to work on my sprinting skills and I can beat the shit out of the WC guy anytime he isn’t 100%. So I guess it will take another year? No rush though Mattie.
Next up is Cali, a route I’m not too interested about so the aim is limiting the loss in the World Cup and UCI ranks, just now that I was climbing up on them. So mid top 10 it is. Bring up the action! I’m mostly interested to see what happens on Cookie’s and Lippi’s front, two riders that have had an underwhelming start to the season. I mean, the Brit not so much but you don’t know what to expect from that chap. He’s a bit quiet lately, right? Not sure what’s up with him! Also I’m predicting mouthwash Listerine to take a win here, will be nice to see whether he’s a real little champion or not.
Welcome to Cali, for yet another World Cup race. After Whakapapa, Cali is another new race on the calendar. A finish inside the velodrome, but plenty of racing in the sand, long straight sections and a triple washboard on the BMC course.
Plenty of opportunities for a great race!
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 14° C
Precipitation: Cloudy.
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Start Line: Well, the predicted rain has not come, yet. The sky is cloudy, though, so the rain might still fall. But for now, the terrain is dry and, more importantly, the sand is dry. Good news for sand experts, bad news for riders as Vague and Lipawsky, who thrive in wet conditions.
and it's those two riders who share the lead in the World Cup. Lipawsky wears the white world Cup jersey, though. Vague starts in his rainbow jersey. But Goldenberg and Cook are not far off and they find a profile suited to their needs. Eldfjallsson is a World cup racer, too. But the temperatures might be too high for him today.
Lap 1: We're off! Eldfjallsson no longer starting on the front row has really gotten to him. He's no longer the fastest starter. Instead, Vague wins the opening sprint. The riders leave the stadium and get out in the open. This is a spectacular shot, we have to give the organisers that. The riders have to jump a few stairs. The camera is positioned sideways, look at all those bikes floating in the air, beautiful shot.
We're on the running track. Vague wants to get a fast start, thin out the pack. It's becoming a habit and usually when he does this, he's feeling good. So watch out!
But here in the sand, he doesn't reign supreme. Goldenberg has known a great start and the World Cup expert now moves in the top position in the race.
A fall! Hammarling is the most prominent name. It looks like he won't continue the race. That's a bummer, coming here to Colombia for only a few minutes of racing.
Goldenberg loves the sand and it shows. He gets a small gap. Vague won't close it, he leaves it up to the others this time.
And so the pace drops a bit. Etxeberdea, desperately searching for his top form, uses this moment to attack! Nobody reacts. This could be dangerous.
Goldenberg and Etxeberdea are now together. The two create a decent gap early on in the race. It's a pretty long running section, here. But the two leaders handle themselves well.
Another stunning image as we see the riders go up and down on the washboard. It's real tricky to develop any speed here, but these are pros and they can do it.
Lipawsky has finally made it to the front of the chasing group. Not the best start but he managed to limit the damage. He takes Vague's wheel.
Up the stairs, here. And back into the velodrome.
Lap 2: Time check! The leaders have 9 seconds on the chasing group. There will be eight laps.
Vague and Lipawsky are leading the chase but they're not giving 100%. I don't think Goldenberg is comfortable with the situation. He rode away unintentionally and is now in the leading group, so far from the finish. He has to make a choice: go 100% for this attack or hold it in.
And something just flew past Vague and Lipawsky! That something is Elliot Cook. The Brit turned on his engine and now blasts through the sand, looking for Goldenberg and Etxeberdea.
What will the chasers do? Vague takes a quick look at Lipawsky. But here comes Sven Welling, just at the right time! He picks up the pace for the chasers. Vague knows that you can't spend too much energy too soon on a relatively fast track like this.
Cook has caught up with the race leaders. Now it's an important moment... Has he got 2 companions or 2 guys weighing him down? Goldenberg is prepared to take the chance and relays! Etxeberdea has nothing to lose and relays, too. And so we have three sand experts at the front of the race! And suddenly it doesn't look so good anymore for the chasers.
Lap 3: Listerijn seems to be playing bluff today. He keeps hanging at the back of the chasing group. But that's his right, of course. It's still Welling who's leading the chase. But it's not fast enough. 27 seconds already, Jesus. What a brutal pace up front.
Paul Rosanski is close to the front, too. But he doesn't have the responsibility Lipawsky and Vague have, leading the World Cup. And so the chase completely depends on Sven Welling. He's doing his best but, let's face it, it's three riders against one and Welling isn't the biggest talent anyway. Goldenberg is third in the World Cup, what are they doing?
I'm trying to read Vague's mind, what's he thinking? He doesn't quite look like his usual self, though. Can it be an off-day?
And here comes Pieter Van Dyck, Cook's team mate. He perfectly plays the team game and gets in the way of Welling. Beautifully played, right before the running section.
Lap 4: Goldenberg and Cook seem to be riding in another league today. Etxeberdea hasn't relayed in a long time and looks close to dropping behind. The Basque rider can't handle the pace set by the American and the Brit.
And their gap is starting to be dramatic for the chasers. 42 seconds. Unbelievable. They're from another world.
Here's the chasing group. Oh believe me, they know they fucked up. They realize it. They let them ride away way too far. The race win is gone, far gone. You don't bring back Cook from 42 seconds. Vague's face says it all.
Etxeberdea has to let the two others go. The pace is too high.
And now Lipawsky finally realizes he has a classification to fight for. He passes Welling and increases the pace! Listerijn and Mazzarelli jump on his wheel.
Running here, and Lipawsky can do that well. Welling immediately falls behind the group.
Lap 5: Let's take a look at the time differences, which are huge, considering the fact profile.
There aren't that many spectators here, but the images for television are a huge success. And Cali offers nice racing, too. But halfway the race, the victory seems to go between two riders.
And with this lead, they can try to manoeuvre a bit. Cook tries to drop Goldenberg here besides the running track! But the American is like a pit bull, not letting Cook go at all.
Not the level we've gotten used to from Dubois. He's way too far behind today. The transition to cyclo-cross has been a success so far, but he needs more consistency.
Now the big question: will Cook finally win his first race of the season? Or else, how will Goldenberg manage to stop Cook?
Lap 6: Vague attacks! Is he finally pulling through? Lipawsky and Listerijn follow immediately! Rosanski and Mazzarelli have to let them go, for now. Mazzarelli seems to suffer from the high temperatures.
Etxeberdea has accepted he won't win today's race. Instead he's concentrating on keeping off the chasers to try and finish third. He's got a good lead, for now, but it's still far to the finish!
Goldenberg is playing it smart, very smart. He lets Cook take the long, straight sections, where he has use of Cook's wheel. But coming up the the technical zones, he takes charge. Very smart, Goldie.
Oh spectacular fall in the background! Visconti goes down on the velodrome. Is he all right? He stands up and gets back on his bike.
In the replay, we see that it was Faizullah who instigated the fall with a dangerous manoeuvre.
Lap 7: Cook leaves Goldenberg behind! He finally did it with a blast attack in the sand! Goldenberg got caught in a wrong track in is left behind. This is an important moment in the race!
And Rosanski now leaves Mazzarelli behind, too. Almost at the same spot, but like a minute later!
Welling is dropping back further and further. A top 10 place seems unlikely, now. Gormley is riding steadily in 10th position.
And Bruggemann is finally making some headway. He dives into the top 20 and can aim for even higher.
Vague seems tired out. Lipawsky is keeping the pace high, trying to keep Vague from getting some rest. The fight for the World Cup is ongoing!
Oh Goldenberg showing incredible mental strength! He takes the washboard in style and actually catches up with Cook! This hasn't happened often, but Cook has been brought back! Two leaders!
Lap 8: Etxeberdea has to survive another lap. The three chasers are coming closer and closer, now.
And Vague has to let Lipawsky go, now. Listerijn can't follow Lipawsky's pace either and stays with Vague, out of necessity.
Goldenberg and Cook, side by side, through the sand. Determination on their faces, racing for the win!
Running, now. Neither wants to give up the lead!
OH This is the moment!! Eddie Goldenberg takes a few meters after taking a few beautiful corners in the woods! Cook has to bend over backwards to close the gap, but Goldenberg won't allow it. It's now a matter of keeping that gap to the finish!
And another sand section! Goldenberg is floating! Cook loses more time!
Over the washboard, the American cheered on loudly by the crowd here. He is on the second washboard and can look Cook right in the eyes, who's on the first washboard. The gap increases.
He rides into the velodrome. Looks behind him... and raises his arms. A World Cup victory for the United States in Cali! A beautiful winner, Goldenberg!
Cook has been beaten. Second. And Etxeberdea has saved his podium after a tough race. He showed real mental strength in that second half, keeping off the chasers.
Lipawsky is fourth... Does he lead the World Cup now? Let's see. No, Goldenberg takes the lead, with 2 points over Lipawsky!
Listerijn tries to outsprint Vague on the velodrome! But the Belgian is fast and takes fifth.
Rosanski is seventh. Mazzarelli 8th. Bollinger is ninth and Gormley completes the top 10.
Welcome to Chile for the third edition of the Antofagasta race! A welcome profile for most riders. Antofagasta is not the toughest race around and its record shows it's a fast race: Rudy Verboven and Fred Markson have both won here. You need to be able to handle fast parcours and a sprint finish never hurts to win here.
Another World Cup race. This classification is as close as can be! Can Goldenberg defend his lead here?
Race Information
Country: Chile
City/Place: Antofagasta
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 18h30
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Hafthor Eldfjallsson, Fred Markson, Rudy Verboven, Elliot Cook.
Record: 1x Rudy Verboven (2014), 1x Fred Markson (2015)
Race History: Antofagasta is up to its third edition. The first was a relative success and saw a (cyclo-cross) bunch sprint with Verboven, Carlisle, Smith, Cornelis and Mazzarelli. The second edition ended in a six-man sprint. So you understand it's hard to get away here in Antofagasta.
Route Information
Technical: 2
Sand: 0
Uphill: 2
Cobblestones: 2
The ground is firm and quite rocky, and without any rain, we'll definitely see a fast cross. A sprint finish will be hard to avoid, so the ones with fast legs have the edge here. There are some technical difficulties, but they are restricted to some U-turns and the downhilling.
The climbs could be used to power away, but they are nowhere near the length of hills like the Blaarmeersen, or the Turnkey climb. They are short, steep climbs, which can be dealt with purely on power.
The profile changed slightly, with less climbing. A very fast parcours with a big likelyhood of ending in a group sprint. You could lose many World Cup points if you lack that finishing sprint.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 13° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 4 Beaufort
It wasn't the best of races given Vague's recent string of performances but it was good enough for him to keep well in touch. Although Vague wanted to form the race to his will, as was his strategy lately, this time around, the young World Champion did not have the skill nor legs to hold the ground against superior sand riders Goldenberg and Cook.
Francis, your take on the race. What was tough, what is noteworthy?
It wasn't quite as we expected, the Velodrome was a great new addition to the track though but the multiple different race modes and strategies made for a difficult time to find your rhythm. I was going good mostly and I think I did a solid job at finishing in the Top 5. The sand was at times a bit of a nuissance; I wanted to do my own race, unfortunately I had to let go of Lipawsky at one point. I think I came back and finished just a few seconds later, it's a few points lost. No worries.
Goldenberg and Cook were a class of their own today?
Cook was definitely close to his top again today, which raises the question of how good Goldenberg was, apparently he has made a great leap in off-season and as the current World Cup leader, he is now in prime position. But there are still many races to cover in the World Cup and I am optimistic. Of course both riders have a great feel in the sand, they do particularly well there. Maybe guys like Bollinger and McGormley came a bit short today but the many different setttings in the course helped me too, eventually.
The next World Cup is right around the corner with Antofagasta. How's it going to be?
It's a really fast track, lots of danger with the stoney surface though. I finished second or third last year here, it suits me well. It's sorta pointless to go from far out, so I try to keep my cool and just go with the flow of the race. I have fast finishing abilities, so I can trust in a sprint, but of course if the opportunity for a solo win or a mano-o-mano arises, there's always the chance to feel go and go for it. The World Cup fight regardless is very open, 4 riders with chances to win the competition. It's exciting.
Is this a sign of the void Cornelis left?
Honestly, no. Those names were to come up anyway, regardless of his departure. Goldenberg was expected to make a step forward and to contend for the podium in the future, Lipawsky has added consistency to his performances additionaly to his ultrapeaks, and Cook is always a safe bet for a season-long classification. The name is maybe missing, of the Cornelis Lion, but the excitement is there nonetheless.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Well Cali was below par which is actually probably the best that could have happened if I didn't win, in my opinion. It helps me realign my goals to say, yes, even on a power-based course, I want a top five. It's exciting to know that I've accepted that and it's highly ambitious but I want to aim high whilst having fun as well. I'm still enjoying having Paul and Marco around when we're off-duty, especially as Paul progresses through the top ranks and we get some racing time together.
Superprestige is now the ultimate goal, next to Coke and Worlds, the latter probably higher. Coke I'm on course for a good finish but not competing for the title, I'm simply not good enough to solo away and take 50 seconds like Vague can. Speaking of Vague, I saw the interview yes, I know I'm the Jack, yes, I'm not striving to be the second Cornelis (bear with me on the cliche). Achieving what he did will be nice but I'm a completely different rider. We get on well and he's taught me a lot but I'm bouncing around, restless, out of the saddle and he's, well, freaking Cornelis, pure class.
So, back to goals, I haven't won yet and I'm not "a real little champion" but I'm not useless mouthwash either, hopefully. I'm not aiming high on UCI rankings as my small body and power isn't mature enough yet to last a fuller season, I raced Cali beause two weeks is ridiculous but Antagofasta is a miss for a big race in Rio, but I've got until mid-December before the pressure is on, obviously a title to defend and some races to hunt as I am, along with Cook, the last really consistently top 5/6 guy to go winless right? Not a good start to my real little championhood. Attacking will be my thing as the mind games are working well to get me into a top 5 but not victories.
And, some juicy news, Belgian licence rumours are starting up early, yes I've opened informal talks and it seems my UCI relationship is on the up, so as I have said previously perhaps some courses for me or is that too much for someone who can't win on somebody else's ? But apparently they don't want me to make things "awkward" by becoming Oceanic Champion. It's still a target, who doesn't want the picturesque win up on the lower slopes of Aoraki?
Stay tuned (to everyone else in Antagofasta),
Milan
Winner winner, chicken dinner!
From here now anything less than 4th in the World Cup Ranking is a massive failure. The podium challenge is well and truly on now. Added bonus, it took less than a year from Radio's World Cup win to get my own one. Cali was just a great route for me, and a good route overall with tons of unique and challenging aspects. I feel it will be around for a loooong time.
Antofagasta is next. I know it should suit me better than Lipawsky or Vague and i'm feeling great. So i will be out to try and extend my lead in the World Cup. Radio is the teams best chance for a race win so we'll have to balance to two ambitions, but Blue Bell is getting good at that now. Whatever we decide we'll be 100% dedicated to.
Hammer Time
It's never nice to take a tumble. It's worse when that tumble forces you to DNF and then lands you in a hospital bed. 7 stitches in a nasty gash on my left calf, got shredded by a chain-ring, and a concussion, my head got whacked by something. Cut up and bruised but nothing serious. Bit of waste of a trip but thank god it happened this far away from my goals.
I've been told by the doctors to skip Antofargasta and Rio. We'll have another check before the African races but i'm thinking i might skip them regardless now. The courses arn't the best for me, Struisbaai excluded, so it would allow me to focus and aclimatise back for Europe. I'll confirm that call as soon as i know.
I should of lost points to Vague yesterday, so even if Goldie has taken the jersey, I'm happy with that fourth place. Still, I have to make these warmer races count, because Vague will be hard to keep up with on the ice once we get into winter but for now, I'm happy.
It's no secret now that I'm targeting the World Cup and this is the first time I've been truly racing for points, which is an interesting experience.
Antofagasta is interesting though, I'll be the first to admit that Vague and Goldie should both be better than me, although it comes down to the fact that I don't have to do anything. I'm not leading but I see Vague as the bigger rival now (not that Goldie isn't a big rival) and it's his job to beat Goldie and me here, being the best can have repercussions.
Even so, I can have a go at the end of a race like this, we'll see how it pans out.
DNF, a 12th place in Portland and whole lot of lower half results have come to the surface from the season openings to the American week now. Visconti is still on the lookout for the magic spark, his form of previous second half of the year.
Well into November by now, Visconti is ultimately out of contention for each classification, and with the stamina lacking for the tougher racing of the Classics, it's unlikely that the young Belgian can take much out of this season anymore. So, it continues to be a learning lesson, and Visconti needs to be a good student.
His father is probably more confused than Guido himself; the explanation is lacking why Guido is hitting the low ends, whilst other riders continue to develop and achieve major results. To a journalist, Guido said lately: "Right now, maybe I can motivate myself more to ride in service of other guys on my team", his father in the background begrudingly nodded. It's not what you want to hear your son hear, when you are a champion yourself; but it's what keeps him under contract eventually.
With the lack of results, there's a growing pressure on the young one's shoulders. But Lotto-Fidea is keen to shove the interest to Listerijn and the comeback of D'Anvers, thus giving Visconti the room to develop. "Not every rider comes to the forefront like Listerijn, Schiltz or Vague", is the easy explanation. It's the correct and mostly true one. But will most riders ever reach their true potential, achieve the status of a Cyclo-Cross star? Will they, like their fathers?
Much can be seen in the unfortunate crash in Cali. Although Visconti was per se without fault, it were other riders who happened to inflict the damage on him. The racing is similiar to this. With your own performance you only get so far, but when you miss the punch in the open battle against them, there are naturally limits to your growth as a rider.
Visconti is no man for the fast lane, that much is known and certain by now. Thus Antofagasta is likely to be a no-show, but the young Belgian will have hopes for better results to come once the field hits Europe again, preferably accompanied by some snow. There he achieved his best results, it's likely he can then improve on the little he has gained so far this season.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Twin Peaks - Preview
Cali - Preview 
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
) and keep equal with Mazzarelli. 
Antofagasta - Preview 
? But apparently they don't want me to make things "awkward" by becoming Oceanic Champion. It's still a target, who doesn't want the picturesque win up on the lower slopes of Aoraki?
Hammer Time
