The World Cup in Koksijde was a pleasure to ride for me despite some early unfortunate accidents and it most certainly offered a gorgeous view. Thousand of fans were behind the fences of the route to cheer for their favourite riders.
Following the announcement earlier in the season of Stybar that the Czech Cyclo-Cross Superstar would focus more on the road in future seasons, he skipped the first of several races in this season. However, while Stybar was missing another Czech rider raised to prominence by taking charge. Tomas Novy rode an absolutely stunning race. His pace and skill were extraordinary as he fought his way from one of the last places up front. In a minute of confusion he slipped away with some other guys and was by the strongest in the last two laps. Albert meanwhile took 2nd place and is the new leader of the World Cup ahead of former leader Sven Nys.
I wasn’t sure if the course would suit me and unfortunately, things were off to an awful start, so that I had already lost quite some hope for a Top 10 finish to begin with. I got a flat tire and had to change the bike, after carrying for a while. My dad promised me to delete all pictures but he still kept the one where I just came out of the bike-station. Not cool, old man.
Anyway, I had to invest some major power to get back. I missed Novy’s moment of attacking, but rather pushed forward. With all the anger in my stomach, it wasn’t too hard to pedal like a mad man through the rows and alongside the spectactors who were either cheering or insulting me. Some of them just looked straight out disinterested and only had eyes for their Belgian stars. In any case, the crowds were insane and I made up quite some places as I overtook weaker riders. The many, small climbs certainly delivered a very bumpy ride. I enjoyed at times the up and downs but wished for a bit more mud. Unfortunately my attack was useless and I couldn’t hold up at the sprint. The finish was very hectic as Novy’s former companions caught and they took some places for their own. By this, they snatched away some World Cup points but I’m in a good positon despite the lousy start I had here…
I know it’s part of being a cyclist: To suffer a puncture. Especially as a Cyclo-Cross when you ride through the mud. You have stronger tires, but they don’ prevent you from anything. This is something everybody tells me I have to live with. Fact is: I believe if I come to accept and don’t get mad about, I’d lose the instinct for racing.
So instead, I’d prefer to be mad about it and write about it and in a few hours it will be all over. But for now: I give the middlefinger to Kokijde. Despite its amazing, truly incredible crowd.
Impressions
(click the spoiler for great images!)
Spoiler
Yeah tell me about it: The crowd was as I said amazing and just so many. It was impossible not to notice them, even while I was trying hard to catch up to the top riders up front.
Passing with some serious speed two Czech riders and nearly crashing into the fence.
Don’t you just love it when the peloton falls apart early on? The first laps of Cyclocross seem to be always some of the most intense moments of the race. Maybe even the most important.
Driscoll and me at around half-time. Holding up good.
Okay, dad. How about you take some more pictures of me and a bit less of the crowd? It’s getting creepy :- P
Pauwels and me trying hard to hang now as the final laps are up. Nys pushes hard.
You gotta take what you get. I think that could be the motto of young Me. In any case, when the suns shines, we won’t complain. That’s even so, when the sun is actually more hidden behind the clouds than its really visible.
That was the moment of Nys attack. And mine. I was trying to go right from him as I was coming with full speed from behind. He must smelled or just wanted to take the best route, but he went to his right and blocked my way. I was already thinking about complaining, when Nys started to accelerate and made his move of the day. Immediately, I was trying to take advantage of these lucky circumstances. I was feeling incredible well with so much luck. I had power again. I had lots of power again. I had power again… for about 10 seconds. Then I couldn’t hold on to Nys any longer.
Tomas Novy dropped his companions and now fights against Nys, Albert & Co. on his own. Go mate! He’s in the last lap and eventually he can raise his arms into the air.
Superprestige Gieten Kyzivat profits from favourites inactiveness!
Startlist: Lars Boom missing.
Cannondale: Driscoll, Johnson, Visconti.
Temperature: 10°
There’s obviously a change of attitude to be felt in the competitive professional peloton. Now, it’s not that anybody gives away the victories for free and a strong start is still probably the most important to Cyclo Cross, but there’s a higher chance of riders, who ain’t so famous, to slip away. That they actually can get through the lines of favourites and then get a big enough gap on the top riders such as Nys, Albert and Stybar – and actually bring home the victory. It’s comparable to classic breakaway win in road racing, except it isn’t: This is no tactic, this is just pure utter strength and power. The guys put in some huge, incredible effort sometimes into the race. I asked Simunek, who won the first Superprestige, how he felt after the victory, and he said that he actually couldn’t feel anymore because he was so exhausted. Well, he got rewarded with the win, so I guess that’s a suffering you happily endure. But it seemed obvious to normal riders such as me, Kyzivat or Simunek can’t just keep up such an effort in every race. That’s just one theory, I’ll think about it some more in the future. Considering these circumstances, that’s certainly a difference between the top riders and us mortals I’d say.
In any case, Kyzivat showed a stellar performance alongside local dutch man Van Empel and Superprestige Hagge-Zogge winner Vinnie Braet. Eventually on this sunny day, he was clearly the smartest and strongest as he attacked after the cobbles in the final lap and could ride the victory safely home, while Van Empel actually came dangerously close in the finish sprint. Notable missings included only Lars Boom, who apparently wants to rest now in December for the road season already.
I took quite some risks today and the thing with taking risks: You suffer too. I knew at a certain point that the stage win couldn’t be mine anymore and maybe freed from this prospect, I just wanted to take control of the race. I paced a bit at the front of the group, until I attacked in the second last cobbled passage. I kept a good pace and managed to increase my lead to up to 40 second. Cheerings from the dutch fans meant quite something for me. I didn’t hear myself breathing, it was so loud. I mastered the route and they carried you forward like a great crowd should do. They make riding easier, they make you ride a bit for them too. They share your enthusiasm with you, and you share your pain with them. I was having a lot of both.
Unfortunately Albert was really eager to score points today and thus didn’t let me go far. Since I’m also quite well ranked in classification, I even understand his reaction. I was still pissed off when they passed and I failed to score a single point. This is quite disappointing but nonetheless the race was an incredible experience in front of an amazing crowd and with some nice shots of yours truly
I’ll realize the disappointment later on. I’ll also come to terms with the performance I did today. It was a bit of a wild, oblivious gesture, a bit crazy maybe too. I attacked and attacked and rode on my own without gaining much. I could have given up but I wanted to ride on my own. It was worth it, but tomorrow I’ll probably look at it with frustrated eyes.
Impressions
Spoiler
A hectic start didn't quite help me to gain ground.
... but you improve over time and you learn to control the race step by step. Play it your advantage and gain positions.
Killing it at the cobbles and standing my ground as I attack. This is soemthing I really wanted.
The best feeling when riding cyclo cross: The crowds cheering and you are the only rider for whom they clap. I'm riding for points here, but it feels like I'd be riding for the stage win, which wasn't the case.
Well, but at some point you hit a wall.
And no matter how hard you want to break it down, the wall just keeps getting higher and higher. For today, you won't climb it, break it or dig underneath it.
World Cup Roubaix Viscontis always fought on their own
No time for bike changes, no time to admire Nys, no time to greet crowds…
… Just race…
The results rarely lie. After my crash at Hasselt I havn’t reached the Top 10 again. I may have suffered a fall back in my performance. Maybe I just can’t ride so easy as I did in the early races. Today however, I want to be better again. No race is presumably better when we ride alongside the Velodrome of Roubaix and eventually will finish in it after many tiresome laps. We hit the month December now in Cyclo Cross and with it, I hope to hit the jackpot.
Startlists: Boom missing.
Cannondale: Driscoll, Johnson, Visconti
Termperature: 4°
I’m exhausted, wet-soaken and talk gibberish. I breathe heavy and uneasy. My ribs fly up and down. I’m finished for the better part of a week to come. My fingers are just some bones anymore, I can’t skip a heartbeat. I look at the result and after many tough races, I can admit again: I gave everything.
I took racing into my own hands today as I left everyone behind me. For a while. I had a great start in which I rode together with Albert and Pauwels a tough pace to shake off any competition. Nys, Stybar and Van der Haar had consequently their problems, but they eventually came back to our little group. In one of the quieter moments Gadret attacked from the end of the group on the road, and I was quick enough to follow him. With multiple riders in our rows, we shared the pace making, but each of us gave his best. There’s sometimes not much energy you can save when you relay with other guys in Cyclo Cross but today I felt like I could save up worlds.
We hitched up ourselves on the climbs, helped in the flats. But Nys, Albert and the others were catching up to us. The early rain had to stop but the mud was still a deep and difficult to ride. When they finally caught us – or so they believed they did.
I attacked once more and managed to gain some lead. But there were still 3 laps left and I pushed myself maybe too hard. Not much remorse by now, but the rounds in Roubaix all by myself gave me a special thrill I intend to treasure.
I kept riding on the lines of the spectactors. The cheering helped my mind but it didn’t move my legs. I was slowly losing energy bit by bit. Then I was losing energy in huge bulks. I kept breathing though, kept riding. It’s the only thing our kind is good for.
In the last remaining lap, they eventually caught me. Lars Van der Haar pushed himself passed me and accelerated. I actually blocked the road a bit as I couldn’t hold up and thus Nys and Albert lsot contact. The Dutchman brought the victory home in the Velodrome as he clearly finished the two rounds there like a true champion.
Meanwhile I was satisfied with a Top 10 result once again. Sometimes you have really given everything and showed a good performance. I believe I did that today. Under such circumstances, the results do lie.
Impressions
Spoiler
A hot start to the race in lousy weather. Welcome to Cyclo-Cross once more.
Albert and myself still looking for our rhythm.
Crashes ahead of you? Yeah, that's just what I needed today.
When the weather gets better, so do my legs. And I attack!
Really pushing hard to make the best of it.
And even when they caught the others guys, I still continue fighting over the hills of Roubaix.
Eventually they catch me again. For Good? No, I'm a wild horse today. Unable to be tamed until I run out of energy. Until I can't put up any resistance anymore. When I have no power left, that's when you get me.
Ahead of the velodrome my tank was empty. The crowd is loud as hell. I just see the guys from the other side how they sprint it out. I know by then I want to win here too some day. Our Cyclo Cross version as much as Paris-Roubaix itself
Lars Van der Haar has taken another win after already triumphing recently in Roubaix’s Velodrome. He beat the bunch of riders in the sprint, while yours truly Visconti has once again tried his luck at a Bpost Bank Trofee race – and failed. In any case, Lars Van der Haar really enjoys a winning spell in December so far, taking 2 out of 2 races.
The winter has fully taken charge of Essen but we didn’t see any snow coming from above but rather just some rain made a cameo appearance along the way and dropped in and out during the hour of racing. It was a unique course where I had to get used to the varying sections, which demanded different awareness and style of racing. Other than on some previous races the crowd wasn’t as impressive in numbers and it sometimes felt weird to see the other riders upfront or far behind you because there were no people blocking the view. But the fans still certainly cheered for me on the final meters, so thanks to them – much appreciated.
While Tomas Novy once more tried his luck, I was quite aware myself and had of course plans of my own. With some kilometers left on the route, I attacked. There was still some racing left to do but it felt like the right moment. The three cobblestone actions that were left to race truly hurt my legs and I felt how the energy drained out of me. But I was also excited to get some gap on everybody. However, Crelan – Euphony and especially Sven Nys didn’t take it easy on me. Still, somehow I survived their initial chase. Regrettably I was then caught on the final kilometer in the finish sprint. A remarkable big group of riders came past me, but I achieved the same time as Van der Haar. Surprisingly Sven Nys lost time on his opponents and thus many of us could now gain back some time we have previously lost on the Koppenberg.
Impressions
Spoiler
Some wide fields and lots of forests around us. And it’s really a lot.
Clearly a crucial part of the race: Cobblestones mixed with hills… always makes some for tough position fighting. I know that and Sven Nys behind knows that too.
I told you not too many spectators made it here but at least they really stay for good. Definitely kudos to them and their resilience.
I attack after the woods, seen in the previous picture. I was feeling well and had the legs for it. I believed.
The moment where the crowd really drags you along. They are enough to motivate you. To keep pushing forward.
I get up to some other guys upfront and pass them easily. They have invested too much power in the beginning of the race and now pay their price. As I go into the flatter part of the climb afterwards, I already have a bit of a lead.
Sven Nys and his guys chasing me. Some kilometers left. I was beginning to hope but it was a false beacon.
At the last cobblestone section they get me back. I try to sprint but Stybar and Van der Haar are way too strong and I quickly lose places.
Without a doubt: Namur is one of the toughest races in our sport. The constant up and down, the horrible weather, the temperature making you want to cut off your nails… It’s one of these special races I want to win more than anything. There’s no toying around here. On a beautiful route we ride around a castle and the scenery combined with the struggles and hardships of the riders makes this race an art form in itself.
Right from the start, there was a hard pace. While we enjoyed some times without rain first on, the tsunami hit us hard during the race. My fingers were utterly ripped afterwards. While Jouffroy, Polnicky, Novy and Van Leeuwen were pushing very hard right from the start, I and others took it a bit easier. Especially the first climb and the following laps were important places to conserve some energy already.
Around half-time I tried to push for it and made an effort. Through the rain I often times didn’t see much. The corners are dangerous and allow only for short-sight. It’s a tactical and difficult course. If you look back, you seldomly see all people behind you. The crowd was perfect as they accompanied me on the up and downs. I catched up to Novy and the others and there I tried to rest a bit. I didn’t move upfront but rather tried to recover a bit while hanging on to them. Further back meanwhile, Pauwels and Albert got a gap onto Nys. Stybar and Van der Haar were struggling early on but seemed to have recovered meanwhile for a strong finish. Pauwels and Albert caught us in the second last lap. While everyone of us former riders at the front tried to go with them, we felt the pain and naturally we dropped. I was the second last one to do it, Van Leeuwen kept up way better than me I must admit. Nys passed me in a matter of seconds. At that point I was already on my limit, breathing hard... Maybe I wasted too much energy to try to keep up with Nys and thus Van der Haar had it easy when he outsprinted me later on in the final meters. Ultimately I lost considerable time onto today's winner Kevin Pauwels in the last lap.
A Top 10 result is something I am actually proud of. It was a hard-fought result on an even tougher route. The conditions were awful, my bike sank into the mud several times and I felt like I couldn’t move forward from here on out.
That’s why I’m proud of myself for risking something and attacking. I can’t be proud of the way I lost ground eventually in the final laps, but the disappointment seems to become a shallow feeling once you know you have given everything.
Impressions
Spoiler
The last meters: Lars Van der Haar coming up to me and ultimately passing me.
The Czech rider has won his first World Cup this season after already being successful in Bpost Ronde earlier this year. This is his second World Cup victory in total, 6 years after winning the World Cup in Tabor. Simunek put in a nearly flawless solo-effort during most of the race. He set himself apart at around half-point of the race, with some laps ahead of him. The teams of Crelan and Landbouwkredit were only left to do the chasing.
For myself this was a largely uninspired and thus - I'd say - mediocre race. I spent large chunks of time riding in the stream of other guys, trying not to lose contact over the steep hills. I had some issues with the particularly earlier times climbing today but eventually after some laps it turned out that my legs were holding up. Barely though. I couldn’t really make an attack, however I tried to go along with Albert, Pauwels and Nys when they pushed for it too late to snatch Simunek. I wasn’t able to hold their speed for good and I overdid myself a bit. That’s how guys like Stybar, Meeusen and Bosman passed me too. In the end, I obtained a 11th rank. I’ll say it’s okay. Not particularly impressed by it, but I’ll take it of course.
Bpost Bank Trofee – Loenhout
Dark, Snowy Fairytales
It’s clearly December by now. Whole days seem like nights, winter is all around us. When I ride, when breathe, it hurts. We ride Cyclo Cross here - below temperature of zero Celsius. I always thought I was born for this kind of stuff.
Loenhout wasn’t a particular tough course. The laps come fast, the pace is high. You have to carry your bike some, but can largely stay on it when you ride the correct trails. I like riding in snowy paradises. Here and there I caught a snowflake by accident. I had time for that, I felt great throughout the first laps. The hills had a good feel, the pace was to my advantage.
Thus it was only natural I’d attack. I was on a constant rush of attacking in the past weeks, I felt like nothing was speaking against. Attacking in Cyclo-Cross terms of course means something different than attacking in a road race. You just pace harder than the rest. Step over your limit after always being on your limit throughout the race. It’s not just a fast get-away, it’s a struggle for every centimeter. Driscoll was with me, my teammate wanted to get some taste of it as well. We tried to corner out some of the other guys, and then set ourselves apart.
With the other guys having always their eyes upon us on this flat course, we had of course some demotivation up on our necks. You couldn’t just rest for a few seconds and hope it’d turn out good. Nys, Albert and the others were on a power rush and weren’t given us a single inch. As such, Driscoll soon couldn’t hold up with my pace, and dropped back in the large group. I myself fought on but was eventually caught a few kilometers ahead of the finish. Nothing left for me. They came past me and outsprinted me in a matter of seconds. Another lost stage. I finished 45th. Lars Van der Haar won the race, his third in December. I become a bit jealous by now. 45th.I shrugg. My worst result by far this season. This can’t get go on like this. I need to step up my game.
Following his late great results, such as 6th at the World Cup in Namur, Van Leeuwen shocked Cyclo-Cross world by taking the Superprestige Diegem out of a 3 man group. His companions Jiri Polnicky and Gianni Vermeersch stood hardly a chance in the final sprint after various laps over some tough cobblestone passages.
I myself enjoyed the ride although I was a bit sick from the harsh temperatures in Loenhout. I felt like the legs were holding up fine and I was able to go with the best riders fairly easily in the first part of the race. However, with a bike change later on, I lost some position and had to fight to come back. That meant that I invested more energy than I would have liked, and in such a Cyclo-Cross race every minute counts. No teammates were around to help me, but that’s okay. I have been doing it like this the entire campaign so far.
I still managed back though and therefore could contest in the finale. With an late attack by Albert and Pauwels, I tried to catch the lucky moment. However, Sven Nys was hard on us and chased us fiercely. When we were eventually caught with just a few kilometers left to race, I tried to make another push for it. Regardless of my effort, the guys caught me once more in the final sprint, where I was already on my limit.
A solid effort of today sees a 7th place and it’s a good feeling that I consistently score at the Superprestige races. With two Superprestige races left to race in February, I may get two more results into the account just before off-season.
@krisa: Yeah, I know. It should either be Nys or Albert all the time but game is game. Do you have a recommendation on how the results and the races become even more cyclo-cross (e.g. certain team limits or rider limits)?
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
