Blazej Dobransky has been brought to hospital. A very serious injury is the result of his crash, which will likely result in him missing out on the Continental Championships in his hometown Tabor. "Disappointment is larger than the pain", says Dobransky. The czech veteran is determined to still make the startlist though, planning show once and for all that he is destined to be the last rider standing.
Sven Welling has scored points in Rasterhoff, whilst teammate Vague claimed the win. In a recent interview, Welling was very pleased with Vague's return on this weekend. "He is really strong, I've missed him riding in the races." Welling did a great job at holding up the flag in Vague's absence. "It gives me confidence that I can perform with and without Vague on the road." Welling will have his next chance to shine already on Wednesyday, where he'll ride the Christmas Classic, without teammate Vague.
Meanwhile, BKCP-Powerplus & Coca-Cola have posted on their facebook-page a video of the new bike of Francis N. Vague. A special constructed bike as christmas present for their young star sees him taking the role of Rudolph, and then dragging a fat Coca-Cola santa clause through the snow in a red slate, much to the amusement of the many Cyclo-Cross fans. But poor Francis. At least his nose isn't blinking red, yet.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Big applause to all the riders taking their Christmas Day to race! I will be chilling at home, probably in bed, in warm sunny Texas. With Pork and trimmings and presents and Egg-Nog and all the things i shouldn't eat or drink as a pro. But i don't care. It's the first time i get to see most of my family in quite a while and i won't see them again for a couple of months.
Very happy for the break. Time to unwind and gain back some energy for the final part of the season. I am looking forwards to coming back rested. It will take a couple of races to get back into the swing of things but hopefully i can show myself again and keep improving. Now time to chill out and watch some delayed highlights from Holland!
Turns out a Belgian website has been writing the previews for the UCI. I had to check the author of the article, when I found 0 mentions of my name, despite racing just outside my front door, at the peak of my form for the season, this just makes me more determined.
Pierre and I will have our family and supporters lining the road and we will fight for this like never before, this race is Christmas to us. We watched this every year, it's where we first saw cyclo-cross and the first time we ever raced it was a junior race there and while some people want to stay home and not race, maybe being forced to by their sponsors, Pierre and I will be too excited to race. Hopefully I can take the first home victory of the season. Everybody better be ready for me, I'll fight for every millimetre.
Also, oddly, my fridge was filled with coke...
Edited by trekbmc on 19-02-2015 07:22
Merry Christmas, everybody. Hope you are at home, cozy in front of the fireplace. We're ready here to have the traditional Christmas Classic. At around 6, the riders will be off for another classic, a welcome change from all the classification races lately.
A white Christmas here in Genève. Most of the terrain is covered in snow and ice, so we're bound to see the ice specialists pop up today. The beach sand has not been affected, though. So the sand will have a big impact on today's race.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Sun
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Start Line: No Francis Vague here today. In order to be fit for his main objective this year, the World Championships, he'll be skipping a few races along the way. Considering his young age, that's not unwise of him. We've seen talents like him come and go in two years, burning themselves up, before.
We're bound to see an interesting race today. A combination of sand and ice, that's a first this year. Riders will need all their concentration to stay upright but also to keep moving forward through the loose sand. And then we're not even mentioning the many steep climbs.
Not listed among the favorites but in top form is Sylvain Lipawsky. In his home race, he'll want to do what Mazzarelli couldn't do: win. The sand and the ice do not play into his adventage, though. He'll need a super day to grab his third win of the season here. Lipawsky won this race before, as a junior, but that was in different conditions.
Against all expectations, Dobransky managed to be at this start line today. They just don't make riders like him anymore. No doubt he'll be eager to finish the race and prove a point.
Four out of five riders from the Fonterra-Genesis Cross Team are not here today. I guess Christmas is something else in New-Zealand than here.
We're ready to start the 19th race of the season.
Lap 1: The start shot! Cornelis is having one of his better starts. We also see Carlisle close to the front, it's been a while since we've seen that!
But, we're getting used to it, Eldfjallsson heads into the downhill first. The ground is half-frozen here and especially dangerous. We see most riders get one foot out of their pedals. Other riders don't risk anything at all and dismount.
As we've seen with the Juniors and U23, the one to make the least mistakes is the one who ends up on the top step of the podium. So far, no major crashes.
Eldfjallsson wants to make the race tough and keeps the pace high. His bike handling is incredible compared to the start of the season. You won't find any harder workers out there, he's been on the bike almost non-stop since the season start.
Bernard is close on his wheel. Kokkonen moves into third position. And here comes Faizullah, he makes a move forward. We head towards the big climb now, so we're halfway the first lap.
Faizullah attacks now, uphill! What an impressive acceleration. You can see the pain on everyone's faces with this acceleration.
We head into the sand. Faizullah in first position. A few seconds behind are Eldfjallsson, Kokkonen and Bernard. Then there is a gap.
Lap 2: We'll have 11 laps today.
Kokkonen, Eldfjallsson and Bernard manage to catch Faizullah and so we have a lead of four riders. Some real talent in this group. Now we wait. And there is Sylvain Lipawsky, with Dries Cornelis and Elliot Cook. They're in a tough position now, do they move forward or do they wait for a larger group?
There is Sven Welling, together with Pierre Lipawsky. Pierre moves to the front of the group and ups the pace, for his brother Sylvain.
Lap 3: Our four leaders have more than 10 seconds now. You shouldn't let those guys ride away too far, or they're gone.
Pierre Lipawsky is trying to bridge the gap, but it's hard to keep a high pace on this half-frozen terrain. And now Michael Bollinger joins the chasing group as well.
A bit further behind we see Hammarling, Hakinnen, Schiltz and Carlisle. Van Vliet is trying to connect with them but he takes a wrong corner and hits the dirt.
The race leaders are back in the sand. Faizullah is riding a perfect race so far. In the background, Cornelis and Cook leave the work up to the Lipawsky brothers.
Lap 4: Let's take a look at some time differences.
Team Odfjell is once again in a good situation. Though it won't be long before Faizullah decides to let them do the work. It surprises me that Faizullah is doing all the hard work now. I guess that's his youthly enhusiasm.
We're seeing a replay here with Mazzarelli's front wheel slipping away, which only confirms what we've known for quite a while: Mazzarelli is no fan of ice and snow.
Sven Welling seems to think that Pierre Lipawsky is not riding around fast enough to catch the front of the race and attacks out of the chasing group!
Bollinger and Sylvain Lipawsky stick to his wheel.
Lap 5: The gap has been reduced to 17 seconds now. Bollinger, Lipawsky and Welling work together well. In the mean time, Kokkonen takes the lead at the front. Are they putting all their money on Eldfjallsson for today?
The steep hills are sapping the strength of some riders, and we're not even halfway yet. This is a tough cross. Don't underestimate this terrain. Constant concentration is a must, and that's a tough mental factor for the riders.
Faizullah drops out of the front group. The pace is really high. It's always nice to see the fight for a classic, where only the top step counts.
Alinejad and Van Vliet find the second chasing group. Now Alinejad can help his team mate Hakinnen.
Lap 6: Bernard is not interested in getting caught in the team game of Kokkonen and Eldfjallsson and steps on the pedals. Eldfjallsson doesn't crack. Kokkonen is having a harder time, he has to leave a little gap!
Meanwhile, Welling, Bollinger and Lipawsky have caught up with Faizullah. They have a visual on Kokkonen, now. They deficit to the race lead: 11 seconds.
Rik Van Fleming and Dobransky, two old champions, are riding around at around position 25 and 26. Their days of glory are long gone, and there are voices who say that this season is their last, for both of them.
Lap 7: We're well over halfway now, so let's do another time check.
Things are moving fast now. The two leaders have 10 seconds on the group with Lipawsky, but there are still 5 laps to go. Meanwhile, Cornelis and Cook are getting under steam and move forward.
The sun is shining hard now, so the places in the sun are almost fully melted. Only the spots in the shadow are still dangerous, with ice covering the track.
And now Cook moves into the sand and accelerates, from the saddle. Cornelis tries to keep his wheel. Amazing, in 200 meters of sand, Cook and Cornelis have bridged 7 seconds on Welling, Lipawsky and Bollinger!
Cornelis and Cook continue to keep a high pace. Meanwhile, Carlisle is suffering in the background. His form is getting better, but the race is too long for him today.
Lap 8: Cook takes the lead of the chasing group, now. Cornelis and Lipawsky try to stay as close as possible. They both know how dangerous it can be if Cook gets out the big guns. Welling has cracked now. Bollinger is slowly diminishing now, too.
The pace is incredibly high. Eldfjallsson and Bernard are within reach for the chasers. Cook's head is slightly tilted now. When Cook tilts his head, you know there's trouble around the corner. He's on full steam, now! Lipawsky tries to overtake Cornelis and get in Cook's wheel, but Cornelis' experience takes the upper hand here.
Bernard and Eldfjallsson tackle the long climb now. And there's Cook, he just flies past them! Cornelis and Lipawsky have problems keeping up, now!
Cornelis uses the descend to catch up, Lipawsky follows, taking risks. This is incredible racing. There's the finish line, we clock a record lap, 14 seconds faster than two laps ago. Cook and Cornelis have woken up!
Lap 9: With 3 laps left, here's a final intermediate time check:
Cook won't give up the lead anymore, he keeps going strong. He flies over the hills and moves through the sand like there is no sand. Cornelis and Lipawsky are biting down hard, you can see the pain on their faces.
Bollinger has managed to drop Kokkonen, while Hakinnen made his move forward and jumped away out of the group with Schiltz and Alinejad. Welling follows him.
There are attacks everywhere in the field, now. There are a lot of UCI points at stake in a classic, so it's interesting to finish high up!
Mazzarelli now enters the top 15. He's doing better than early in the race. Much of the ice has melted, so that must help for him.
Lap 10: Two more laps! Cook is unchained, now.
And Cook with a surprising move! On one of the steepest hills, he rides all the way to the top. Cornelis has no choice but to follow, but he stagnates at the top. This causes problems for Lipawsky, who has to dismount, and lose several seconds in the process!
Is this the moment that Cook rides away. Cornelis follows on 4 seconds, Lipawsky on 9.
In the background, we see the fight for place 4 unravel. Bollinger and Hakinnen have found each other in the chase. Sven Welling has found a second breath and is not too far off, now!
Lap 11: We head into the final lap! Cook crosses the finish line, head tilted, eyes looking determinedly ahead. Cornelis is 7 seconds behind. Lipawsky is already 15 seconds behind.
The Swiss camera's don't turn away from the front anymore, so we'll have to stick with what we have. Lipawsky does it his best to move back to the front, but he doesn't get any closer now. Cook moves through the sand perfectly. Cornelis has to hope for him to make a mistake.
On the big climb, Cook still manages to reach the top without getting out of the saddle. Well, it's obvious who is the strongest rider today. Cornelis throws himself downhill, but he's more than 10 seconds behind now. Without technical errors, it's game over...
Here's the steep, sandy hill. Cook tackles it easily. 55 meters left now. He makes a fist, it's in the pocket, now! A seconds victory for Elliot Cook, a classic!
Cornelis crosses the finish line 2nd, 14 seconds behind Cook. Lipawsky completes the podium, 20 seconds later. He's raced a good race today. On this profile, it was the best place possible for him. He'll be disappointed, but he should be glad to make the podium, it was a good race.
The sprint for place 4... Bollinger, what a surprise result today, he makes it in front of Hakinnen. And there comes Welling.
Hammarling, Alinejad and Schiltz sprint for place 6... Schiltz makes it, in front of Hammarling, in a millimeter sprint.
And now we wait to see who completes the top 10. And it's Eldfjallsson who crosses the line 10th.
It's been a great race to watch, hope you enjoyed it from your homes. Merry Christmas, and we'll see you this Sunday in Japan, for the FujiCross!
Elliot has posted a video on his blog of his recent victory in the Christmas Classic - after crossing the finish line we see him clapping in the next riders. He finishes this surprising sporting gesture just before James Carlisle comes across the finish line.
Well Merry Bloody Christmas to one and all - just feeling well and truly in the spirit after surprising myself in Switzerland. Just tickled pink to take that Chrimbo Classic - you know I didn't quite appreciate the prestige of these classics before the season start but this one really felt special.
The cow bells were ringing like we were frigging ski champions, we may as well as been with some difficult conditions early on. The ice maidans strutted their stuff in this early going, taking those suicidal lines and leaving us less nutty riders for dus. But they didn't count of the brothers grimm and the old git showing a bit more guts and as things dried I got the whiff of a chance.
I noticed a nasty little climb on the course, that Dries was getting up 25% of it and getting off, it looked suspriciously rideable - no one was going for it though. I knew if I was going to make a break of this that would have to be my tactic. The old git had nabbed the ice maidens who were crying some icy tears as the real cyclists started coming into play.
I marked out my moment and went for it - I heard some wheezing behind - I had the buggers grovelling again - Merry Christmas cross boys I thought. I hadn't quite won it there, but I knew I could do it again, so got a really cool win. Definately my most enjoyable win, the other one back in Blighty was sweet but I kinda had the feeling everyone else sorta gave up halfway in that one.
It was a fantastic display from everyone and I wanted to show the guys how much I respected them - it is rare but emotions got to me - I love these guys and in truth no way would I have won today without some gutsy performance for the old bastard and the Lippy boys. I cheered in the ice maidens and some Mikey Bollocks johnny come lately who seemed to have the race of his life. Franny's mate Welling I clapped him too, nice of Sven to show up unlike his gutless gelding sprog of a teammate. Some African fella too - yeah one of those hasn't buggered off to his harem in Gabon - FU Bakari.
Didn't see Jimmy Wheelsuck, lets face it I am British cross cycling now - the boys back at Blighty HQ are going to have to ride the worlds as team Cookie Monster. I don't think they will go for it though I will see if I can get my bespeccled UCI shadow man to have a word.
The cross calendar hits Asia, with the FujiCross in Japan. The Coca-Cola Trophy is nearing an end. After this race, there are only two manches left, so the classification is slowly falling into its final place. However, in the final three races, a lot is still at stake. With only 2 seconds between Cook and Vague, everything is yet to happen. Besides that, the top 10 will be hardly fought for.
For the overall Coca-Cola Trophy, it is a make-or-break race for Francis Vague. With the final manche in this Trophy being a pure sand race, he'll need to put some time between him and Cook before the race in the United Arab Emirates.
Race Information
Country: Japan
City/Place: Fujiyoshida
Classification: Coca-Cola Trophy
Starting Time (Elite Men): 19h
Favorites: Dries Cornelis, Elliot Cook, Rudy Verboven, Francis Vague, Sylvain Lipawsky, Lachy Bauer
Record: 2x Herman Vogel (2007, 2009)
Race History: The FujiCross has been around since 2000. It was then named as 'The Race of The New Millenium'. It did, in fact, provide some exciting racing. The organisers wisely let the race run at around 7 pm, which makes it an attractive - and spectacular - closing hour for the visitors of the FujiQ Theme Park, as well as offer the viewers of Europe to watch it at a decent hour, without having to wake up in the middle of the night to see the race.
Route Information
Technical: 2
Sand: 3
Uphill: 4
Cobblestones: 2
The FujiCross is a carefully put together rollercoaster of cyclo-cross. The profile is constantly up and down, allowing the Theme Park visitors to move freely throughout the park. However impressive the ride through the theme park is, this is actually only about 25% of the entire race. Most of the race is outside the Theme Park walls. A monster climb takes them over the fence and drops the riders in rough terrain, with quite some sand thrown into the mix, too.
The riders make their way through some real hilly terrain before returning to the Theme Park for the final 500 meters. There, a final sandy section awaits them. After which, the riders sprint on the small cobbles of the Theme Park, with 300m of straight road ahead of them, making it an interesting and tactical sprint.
The entire race consists of 1 km inside the Theme Park, 3 km outside the Park. The entire spectacle can be viewed online on the FujiQ Theme Park site, as well as on the more than 10 big screens across the Theme Park itself.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 9° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 1 - 2 Beaufort
After Cook's dominant performance in Geneve, Coca-Cola reps have been buzzing crazy here in Japan. They smell the excitement and coverage our rivarly causes for their first coke season. Surely, they like it. Who wouldn't.
I've thought that Japan was always a bit of an odd country, as a result they transport their youthful, shy enthuasism straight to the racing. The couple of training rides I did turned out in a theme park itself. So many people turned up to just watch us guys train on the day before. Whilst I signed autographs earlier on, I soon tried to get some peace and quiet. Under the masses of fans and cyclo-cross riders, it was surprisingly easy to hid yourself. Although I'm almost a head taller than most of them.
It's clear that if I want to win the competiton, I'll have to be on the top of my game as soon as the race starts. I'm not allowed to make it Cook easy. He's in the lead now, but the real problem is: The remaining races favor him. Too much maybe. This makes it easy for me: Either get a gap today or, nevermind. I have no interest in wasting energy in the later races, races that I wouldn't have planned on racing at the beginning of the season anyway but that's the way the season panned out. For now & this race, I can promise I won't go down without a fight.
Sven told me he'd be racing for me. That motivates me even further. Not that I needed anything. Mount Fuji is pretty impressive, an inspiration by nature.
Of course I regret the cancellation of Struibaai Cross even more now, but alas, Fuji Cross has to do. It won't be the place where the fight will be settled for good. If I get a gap on Cook, I'll have two tough races ahead of me. Alas, it needs to be the place where I strike fast, hit him hard. Top or Flop.
If I want to win this competition, I have to break him at Fuji Cross.
Edited by Shonak on 22-02-2015 20:43
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Welcome in the FujiQ Theme Park! The organisers have done all they can to make this day one to never forget. Everything is perfectly in order, from hotel suits for the riders to a spectacular music show for the visitors. But now it's up to the riders, to make the race memorable.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 9° C
Precipitation: Dry
Wind: 1 - 2 Beaufort
Start Line: We're getting ready for a very special race here. When we arrived here, the park directors pointed us towards the biggest rollercoaster and said: "you'll be commentating from here." Don't ever say the Japanese don't have humor... Anyway, we're here safe, not in a rollercoaster, with a nice overview of a big part of the race.
With a beautiful view of Mount Fuji, we're ready to start this race. We'll see many battles today: for the victory of the day, to start with. This race has been around since 2000, but this new profile speaks to everyone. Who wouldn't want to win here? Another battle will be between Cook and Vague, two rivals fighting for seconds as the Coca-Cola Trophy nears its conclusion. Lastly, a battle for every spot in the Coca-Cola Trophy. Considering the 10th place in the Trophy pays almost double than being 5th in the Superprestige, I can understand some riders would like to make that top 10 whatever the cost.
Lap 1: The riders are off! It's one of the longest routes of the season, if not the longest. Almost 4km, we'll only have 6 laps today. We can't say it enough, this race has been prepared with an eye for perfection. Kudos to Coca-Cola and the local organisers. This definitely makes up for the fiasco of Struibaai.
Let's get to the race, now. With Eldfjallsson starting on the front row now, we shouldn't be surprised to see him turning into the field first. If he could keep this kind of explosivity until the end of the race, he could develop into a fine sprinter. Oh, and this is a surprise, Josiah Bennett is off, too. I've never seen him start so fast before.
It's up and down, now. Cook moves to the front cautiously, he's in about fifth position. Vague is a bit behind him. Bennett attacks at the front, Eldfjallsson lets him go!
We're over the wall now, into the field, outside of the Theme Park. The riders are heading into the sand. We have Bennett in front. Eldfjallsson has been pushed away a bit. Sven Welling has come to the front now and is working hard to bring Bennett back. Vague is in third position, he looks ready to strike. It's often said that Vague hardly ever loses his touch. He can be dangerous from start to finish. Cook is less predictable and often needs a lap or 2 to really get into his groove. Let's see how it plays out today.
Not mentioned in the previews we've read or nowhere listed as a favorite, but don't forget about Mazzarelli today. He's had a few tough crosses but today's race should suit him and he could contend for a top 5 today, maybe even the podium.
And now Welling has caught up with Bennett and the group is back together. The sand and rough terrain has already taken a toll, though. Welling, Vague, Bennett, Cook, Cornelis, Eldfjallsson, Lipawsky, Verboven and Bauer are together. Gormley, Schiltz, Mazzarelli and Hammarling follow a few seconds behind.
The riders head back into the Theme Park, now. I see some riders in trouble, already. But with only 6 laps, most riders should be able to finish, if they want to. There are no impossible obstacles to cross. This race is more about speed and going up and down, with a bit of sand thrown into the mix. Nothing a professional crosser can't handle.
Lap 2: We're not used to long laps like this, but over 10 minutes after the start, the riders cross the line.
Welling is still leading the front group. Vague and Cook are not letting each other out of their sight. Lipawsky has a flat tire! What a bad moment!
This hand-made climb is beautiful to see. It takes the riders over the wall and into the field outside the park. And it's Bauer who takes the initative on the climb! Welling can't handle this gradient and parks himself on the left. Vague leaves the initiative up to Coca-Cola leader Cook. Don't forget that Bauer is third in the rankings! But he's a minute behind, so Cook bluffs and so Bauer is away!
Bauer has 15 seconds like that. Cook's no idiot and sees the potential danger in this move. But Bennett is doing some brilliant blocking work in the back, making it hard for Cook to chase Bauer.
We've never seen Bauer this strong before, he's progressed a lot, technically, not making a lot of mistakes. Cook could really use a team mate in his group now. He should chase but he can't, because Vague is on his tail to make use of this. Cook lets the pace drop a bit.
Oh my, they're just giving him the victory this way... Bauer is riding around hard. They're not chasing just yet and so the gap grows very large! This is getting ridiculous. Someone tell these guys this is a race, not a training ride!
And so we see an attack! It's Christian Schiltz who wants to take initiative and try to find Bauer.
Now Vague reacts. Cook follows, too. Lipawsky has just caught up with them after his flat tire, and he moves directly to the front to counter, too.
Big gaps here. You wouldn't expect that in a fast race like this. An average of about 24 kph, so a very fast cross indeed. If Bauer can keep up this pace, I don't think they can ever bridge those 46 seconds.
Lipawsky tries to escape from the chasing group, but Vague has marked him well. Cook, on the other hand, seems to be glued to Vague's back wheel. It's making Vague very, very nervous. Cook has other talents than riding a bike, let me tell you that. I only had the pleasure once to talk to him, just before a race, and he's a strange cat. It was a nice talk, though.
Max Power is slowly coming out of the background and is now riding around in 20th position. After a long break, this is hopeful. He passes Faizullah now, who seems to suffer hard on today's fast race.
Michael Bollinger is doing increasingly better, too. He passes his team mate Bennett now, who has imploded after his early attack, or so it seems.
Lap 4: Three laps over with, three laps left. Am I mistaken or has the crowd only grown bigger this last half hour? Either way, we're enjoying every single second.
Arda Akdeniz is having a hard time, today. He'll want to defend his place in the top 10, so he'll have to keep fighting until the very last meter... He's got a few tough moments coming up.
Bauer is still going strong. Status quo as he has 48 seconds on the chasing group. We're heading to the "wall-climb" now. And this time it's Vague who goes onto the attack, about 100m before the climb! Don't let this fool you, this is no feigned attack, this is full throttle!
Cook tries to react, but Vague's blasted away!
He uses the downhill to gain more ground. Cook is chasing now. Lipawsky, Mazzarelli and Verboven will be thankful for this, they follow Cook's trail.
Vague is going hard, really hard. This is a terrain that suits him well; long flat sections, some climbs. He's a decent time trialer, even on the road. Cook's now having his best day, I think.
And now Bollinger moves into 10th position, as he overtakes Eldfjallsson, who's riding around on a flat tire. Still 400 meters left before the technical zone where he can change his bike.
Lap 5: Vague's taken some time back on Bauer, while Cook remains status quo on the rider from New Zealand.
The race is falling into place, now. Every rider is at the position he should be, nothing much is happening at the moment. Cook is not looking so hot, though. Is he faking, or is this race not his cup of tea? For an Englishman, that can be problematic.
Everyone is keeping a bit behind for the final round, as we slowly head into the finale!
Lap 6: The final lap! Bauer crosses the line as we hear the bell ringing. Only one lap left and Bauer still has 39 seconds on Vague.
Van Drenthe has just taken a fall, but he's up and about again, no problem for the Dutchie.
Cook leads the chasing group through the sand. Despite him not looking so well, he's keeping the situation status quo. Vague is in the Trophy lead at the moment, but Cook's not far off. But now his gear fails him! It's probably sand that's blocking it! But Cook has to get off his bike to fix it! Lipawsky takes over the lead of the group. Mazzarelli and Verboven follow.
Mazzarelli is eager to race and tries to overtake Lipawsky, but Lipawsky doesn't let him get pushed away. Mazzarelli is forced to put a foot on the ground and is now behind, too. Cook is back on the bike, now.
Bauer is already throwing kisses to the crowd. It's in the pocket for him, but the rest of the race is still up for grabs!
Lipawsky and Verboven are off, they'll be sprinting for a podium place.
Cook is grinding his teeth, but he's moving around very fast, now. He picks up Mazzarelli.
And even further behind, we see Christian Schiltz with another great attack. He shakes off his companion, who isn't just anybody, but the World Champion, Dries Cornelis! Max Power, meanwhile, moves into the top 15. Some impressive riding from the American, today!
And now Bauer crosses the finish line. He can't believe it himself, shaking his head. But he did it, what a victory. Lachy Bauer wins the FujiCross in the FujiQ Theme Park.
There comes Vague. He clocks at 37 seconds, what a deficit. Bauer has really improved his classification today. Verboven easily beats Lipawsky in the sprint for place 3!
And there comes Cook, 54 seconds from Bauer. That's not dramatic, but he's lost the Coca-Cola Trophy lead to Vague. Mazzarelli is right behind him.
Schiltz is seventh, Cornelis arrives with Gormley on places 8 and 9. Eldfjallsson completes the top 10.
Oh, and Michael Bollinger with another nice performance, 11th. Further down the field we see Carlisle, Hammarling, Power, Alinejad and the early escapee Bennett. Dobransky with a nice race after a string of bad performances.
And the crowd is amazing. Almost 10 minutes after the race, the podium ceremony is going on. But riders are still arriving, the and the crowd cheers them on wildly. While Bauer is shining on the top step of the podium, Marcus Flinch crosses the line as the very last rider, just under 10 minutes behind the winner.
Congratulations to all riders today, it's been a beautiful race.
With Lachy Bauer's win at Fuji Cross, the classification has gotten maybe too close for Vague's liking. Whilst the success of getting a (little) gap on Cook has to be noted, the return of Bauer within half a minute of reach, makes the Coca-Cola race an possible annoying affair of tactical racing.
Francis, a spectacular race today, really exciting to watch.
Yeah, the organization has thought a lot about this race. I think they wanted to do the fans and riders right after the fail that was Struibaai Cross. They succeeded in fashioning one stunning location, I hope we riders did it justice with our racing.
So happy or unhappy about how the race went?
Happy. That Bauer got away and won the race is unfortunate. I would have loved to win here today but I dropped Cook and the other guys, I'm in the lead now. It was a good day.
You put in a strong attack on the wall climb, dropping the other contenders bar Lachy Bauer. How come you and the other guys let him go so easy?
I was pretty clear in my intentions from the start that I'd be racing against Cook today. So I did. I didn't care much about Bauer to be honest, although he was classed third in the classification. I know he doesn't like to hear that, but it was the case for me. He should be happy with his win. For me, it was about winning this trophy and for that to accomplish I had to drop first and foremost Cook. Simple as that. I raced like that, and so I consider today a little success. I'm not happy that it's only 15 seconds lead at the end of the day but it's better than 14 seconds. I have enough time to worry about Bauer now in the next 2 races. He's really close now and he'll get enough attention, but Cook is still the top man for the classification though.
How so, he is 15 seconds behind you.
I think I have improven on the sand generally, but Cook is still an ace in that terrain. Results so far say that he is superior to me on that front but once we race previous results won't matter anyway. My luck might be that he is also racing to win Superprestige, which sadly I ain't anymore. Cook is not a man easily intimated but a battle on so many fronts can be uhm, challenging. Even for him. I have to race against Cook, and Bauer, aggressively and with confidence. Giving one's best won't be enough though, I surely need some good old fashioned luck as well, especially in Abu Dabi.
Back in the lead of the Trophy, how important is this to you?
I may have made a mistake by abandonding the World Cup early on when I was still, third I think? Also maybe, just maybe I could have raced in Great Britain with my hand, despite the danger. Needless to dwell on past though, and obviously the Trophy is a big target now. The form is very, very good so far. It also gives me confidence for the World Championships in Valkenburg. I also have a tiny bit of hope to, at least finish, Superprestige classification on the podium after Rasterhoff but we'll see how the racing goes, this is very far distant still.
Will we see you in Tabor?
Yes. I have decided to skip Shanghai Classic in favor of the Continental Championships. I love racing in Tabor, great czech crowd and some fanboy austrians usually manage to come across the border as well.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Riding around on painkillers isn't the first time for Blazej Dobransky. Surprisingly, it kinda works for him even after all those years. The czech veteran came 17th in Fuji Cross, not particularly a race that suited him best but the result is very nice for him. Every Top 20 is a hard obtained by his truly.
Dobranksy is keen to maintain his form. "I feel great right now, but the late injuries really hit me hard. When I ride, I don't feel it, but as soon as I stop riding, the pain comes back. Frankly, I think I just ignore the pain when I ride. It's a slight annoyance" says the Czech, enduring his injuries that would make other riders cry. "I'll be definitely at the startlist of Tabor. And every other race you can think of."
Dobransky is even looking further in the future. 2018 to be exact. Pyeongchang is his goal. "Together with Dries I met some South Koreans here in Japan, they sounded very excited about providing a race for the future-Maybe as early as in 2016 we can have a course over there. As a set-up for the winter olympics. I hope the sport can manage this bid. If so, it'd be my perfect last race." The routinier gets all glassy in his eyes, some might say it may be the pain getting the better of him but his glance has more the reminiscence of a childhood dream.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Sayanara to Japan and good riddance from me - I just didn't get my ass in gear in FujiCross and what was a great show for the fans proved a bit of horror show from me.
In fact really this whole Coca-Cola show is beginning to slip from my grasp, the young sprog has decided that he is going to focus on this and what a toddler wants he generally tends to get. He'll pick and choose his races whilst the rest of us keep the show rolling, I dunno I think it will make me more determined than ever to give Franny a beating out on the course.
He was top dog in Japan, but he didn't get it all his way. He now has to watch out for teh Kiwi Yank Lachy Bauer - great kid who has the Cookie thumbs up for his stand with me out on Africa. On that subject it does seem we are getting great movements - not happy about silly Gabon suggestions. I might not be that serious about cross but I didn't turn the whole thing into a joke like that Bakari dude. He can go on swinging about in that thong in Gabon on his own thank you.
Anyways back to this race, I sort of felt a bit leggy coming in but with a whopping great hill climb in this course and some unfrozen sand I thought I could do a big ride. Out there though I could see Franny was real fresh - so I looked to try and stick with him. Bauer went away, I thought let the guy take it and Franny was really starting to wet himself about that I think. I started to think I had got under his skin so tried my own moves. But he had me, and then my chain started screwing up and it became a slugfest.
It was good to finish alongside Mazzarati - he doesn't seem to like me that much but it is good to see him back to ear his best. I think this guy could be on the winners rostrum soon he is looking better out of the freeze that is Europe. Looking forward to next one, got the bit between my teeth now and the racing bug is there. I know I have some nice races for me coming up and thank goodness for less cold!
We stay in Asia, for a brand new Classic. The Shanghai race takes place on the 31st of December, so it will be the last race of 2014. On the 4th of January, we'll have the first edition of the Continental Championships, and so this classic is a perfect race to pinpoint the favorites for Sunday.
Race Information
Country: China
City/Place: Shanghai
Classification: Classic
Starting Time (Elite Men): 14h
Favorites: Lachy Bauer, Sylvain Lipawsky, Francis N. Vague, Dries Cornelis, Elliot Cook.
Record: 3x Wang Tsu Tang (2002, 2003, 2006)
Race History: The race in Shanghai is not brand new. It's been around since around 1998, in the local circuit. It has grown steadily in importance and this year is a breakthrough, with the race being promoted to a Classic status.
Route Information
Technical: 2
Sand: 3
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 0
Shanghai is one of the most open races of the season. A very open race, if you can handle a bit of sand and a few climbs. You can expect a very fast race, with many potential winners.
The race is close to a river, so the ground is rather soft, with some sand sections. Overall we should see a mental war mostly - especially with the Continental Championships less than a week away.
I'd like to be able to spend a bunch of words to describe how I'm feeling right now. but probably also due to the fuckin' Asian time-zone, I can only think of: "che palle". I mean: come on! Why am I the only one of the regular top-10 guys that can't get to win?!
Jokes aside - well, they're not jokes, I'd really love to win something, for fuck sake - I'm feeling better now that the great cold is behind us, and I like that we've gone here so that I can have some better performances far from the icy fields. Well, that said, I'm still pissed of because I'm fuckingly slow in the sprints. After a great race conduct, I managed to fall and get caught by Cock... ehm Cook, that even looks a bit less cocky and doesn't even call me Mazzerable anymore, but instead Mazzarati, just like the beginning of the season: that's a big step forward! Besides that, Lachy was a beast! Franny was impressive as well, but Lachy would deserve a huge :O That's what I call a force demonstration, man neither the best Matt couldn't have kept up with him...
I'm not really in high hopes regarding the next races, I'm still hoping for a win but seeing what I've done lately I'm not as enthusiast about it anymore. But who knows? Everything can happen, I may win on a straight flat cross if I'm in good shape. I'm already looking forward to the next season...
It's all about that front row start for Hafthor Eldfjallsson! 9th place in Aosta Valley moved him up to 11th in the standings, and with Jack Smith injured, this made the Icelandic rider one of the top 10 ranked riders on the startlist. The renowned fast starter really seems to have benefited from this, and 3 impressive races have followed.
First up was Rasterhoff and the chance to move into the Superprestige Top 10 on an Snowy course. While it will evidently will take more than cold weather to holt the rise of Francis Vague, nobody else came closer to Hafthor in those conditions, for a great 2nd place.
Next on the list was the Christmas Classic. Held on Christmas Day itself, so it is fortunate that the main celebration in Iceland is typically on December 24th. A classic means no season-long trophies to ride for, and a chance for some new tactics. Attacking early on with the ice, a gap was soon established with only Gregory Bernard for company. But the combination of hills and sun took away that advantage and a fairly anonymous final few laps culminated in a 10th place finish.
Most recently was the Fujicross and another solid 10th place finish to prove once again that cold weather is not vital for a good performance.
The discovery that the Classic race series, previously assumed to be meaningless racing, was actually of great importance to the UCI classification was of great interest to Chistian Schiltz, ahead of the Christmas Classic.
UCI points were not entirely common in Schiltz collection up to that point, but a great 7th place ride lifted him to 21st overall to secure a useful 2nd row start. It was quite satisfying to overtake a deflated Gregory Bernard later on in the race, after his teammate had committed himself to a doomed move.
But while points are nice, time is even better, and the Coca-Cola Trophy returned at Fujicross. Hard for Christian to move up from 9th overall? Think again. A second consecutive 7th place finish saw to a 1 place rise to 8th. But now over 2 minutes off the next position, this may be the peak reward that his consistency can offer.
A standout in Fuji was the aggression that Schiltz was able to show. First in at least trying to close down Bauer's unassailable lead, and later by leaving World Champion Sven Welling trailing off his wheels.
There's a tough schedule ahead now, with a Chinese race followed just 4 days later by the European Championships.
I know I've gone quiet lately, but it's hard to find time with all the travelling. After riding the Tour de Gabon, I went on to Australia to ride the Tour Down Under. It's a while till my next race, so I decided to fly to Japan and do another cross. Apparently the legs were good, guess there's no jetlag from flying from Australia to Japan. I couldn't follow the best, but I did manage to get onto the podium after a sprint.
I'm targetting Omloop Het Volk in a few weeks, so I'll be riding some more crosses in the mean time, but nothing to heavy. Unless of course there's an opportunity, but shhhht, don't tell the Euskaltel team management!
Well it's been a whirlwind time since I last posted, so let's start with Aosta Valley. I got dropped halfway through and rode well with Frederick Muller, a guy who I wouldn't doubt will nab some more great results in the future.
Then a freezefest and Christmas in amazing weather, before training with the lads on our starts and finishes.
Then came Japan.
I came into the race with one plan: Attack. I knew Josiah would do a great job of blocking the others, and Cook and Vague would be watching each other. That didn't make the victory hollow by any means, in fact the kind words from my comrades blew me away, even Franny was nice and congratulated me.
Looking at the Coke trophy, I have an interesting overall position. Obviously as per usual Cook is Franny's biggest threat and vice versa, but they now have one, even half an eye on me now.
So now I've sat down and know my exact personal schedule up until Worlds, which I'm happy to put out.
So I wanted to get back down under early, but after Fuji the Shanghai organisers wouldn't take no for an answer, and that bloke Ian from the Belgian website believes I'm in with a shot.
Then it's Conti Champs and off to Sweden for extra prep on the Hagfors race, I hate the look of Torku and I reckon I have a genuine crack at old Haggers. Then we have Ukraine and I'm going to skip Ostrava for extra time in Abu Dhabi for heavy sand training. Then I have to pass on the sand castle race, I'm going to be training for Worlds. And if I've won up the Cauberg in Amstel Gold, who says I'm not in with a shot of winning there again...
Edited by jandal7 on 28-02-2015 21:00
Welcome in Shanghai for the 5th cyclo-cross classic of the season. So far, we've had four different winners of these classics, namely Shay Gormley, Robert Wells, Dries Cornelis and Elliot Cook. Will we see a fifth name today?
Start Line: The weather conditions are perfect for this afternoon cross classic. No Francis Vague here, as he's already back at home to prepare for the Continental Championships. With only four days between these two races, some riders might experience some difficulties with the jetlag.
Lap 1: And we're off for yet another cross. We're already over halfway the cross season, but there are still many top riders who are without a victory so far. They'll be looking to change that today. Eldfjallsson not with the best start today. It's Lipawsky who's taken the upper hand here.
Today's profile offers a race which is very open for speculation. The absolute top crossers don't like these kinds of profiles, because there aren't many chances to drop the weaker ones. Maybe that's why Vague decided to skip today's race.
Rik Van Fleming moves up to the front, too. Wow, how long has it been since we've seen him? With today's race, maybe he could play an important role once again?
Another noticable item early in the race: Dries Cornelis is caught way behind. This race may be too fast for him, he's riding around in around 25th position.
And we have a crash! It's Bohdan Honchar who's hit the deck! And he's taken Elliot Cook with him, what an unfortunate moment for Cook to get caught behind. Honchar doesn't seem like he'll continue. Cook is in one-but-last position. I think he'll better make a training ride out of it now, with his eye on the Continental Championship.
Lap 2: The race is going real fast. We'll only have 10 laps here. The pace is high, too high for some riders who lack power. Let's take a look at who's at the front. We have: Michael Bollinger, Navveed Alinejad, Mustafa Moli, Rudy Verboven, Sylvain Lipawsky, Matt Mazzarelli, Lachy Bauer, Frederick Muller, Rik Van Fleming, Thijs Van Lookeren, Nicky Van Drenthe and Christian Schiltz.
A bit behind those come Max Power, Sven Van Vliet and Tariq Faizullah.
There are some big names here, but some are missing, too. In these kind of races it isn't easy to return to the front, though.
Lap 3: No major attacks as we head into the third lap. The front group is still very much together. We see several riders taking it easy at the back, realizing they're already lost and not wanting to jeopardize their Continental Championship.
Elliot Cook is slowly winning places, can he come back and fight for the win after all? He is still a minute and a half behind the head of the race, which is a whole lot on a profile like this.
Lap 4: And the race can finally begin as we seem to have an attack with some significance! Sylvain Lipawsky, Matt Mazzarelli and Rudy Verboven have broken away from the group! This is an interesting move.
Mikel Hammarling is having a most unfortunate day. That's his third flat tire in four laps. Too bad because he really seems strong today. And he's really cursed today as his chain breaks in two! How much bad luck can someone have in one race?
Lipawsky, Mazzarelli and Verboven have a lead of 6 seconds on the chasing group. These are guys who know what it's like to win. Mazzarelli is still waiting for his first of the season, or even his first professional victory in his career, but he's won plenty in the junior ranks, including three consecutive National Titles in the field.
Lap 5: Let's hit chrono!
Mazzarelli, Lipawsky, Verboven.
Bollinger, Moli, Bauer, Van Lookeren, Schiltz: 6 seconds
Van Fleming, Van Drenthe, Alinejad, Muller: 12 seconds.
Power, Faizullah, Van Vliet: 27 seconds.
The race continues at a high pace. I think the winner has to be found in those first 12 riders. Anyone caught behind that is too far off. Cook is making his way to the front slowly, but he's still a minute and 15 seconds shy of the lead.
Nicky Van Drenthe completely misjudges a corner and makes a spectacular tumble over the fence.
It must've looked more spectacular than it was, because he tries to get back on the bike. He's obviously hurting, though, as he clutches his right leg.
Bauer makes an extra effort and so the chasing group comes within 2 seconds from the three leaders. We're getting ready to regroup.
Lap 6: And the regroup is a fact. This might just be the fastest race of the season so far. The sand next to the river is not very deep and so the impact of it has been overestimated in most previews we've read.
Lipawsky, Verboven and Mazzarelli refuse to let themselves get caught, they're giving everything, now! But the chasers are working together well. They're four seconds behind, eager to catch up on them.
Just before we cross the finish line, we have a big front group again as Mazzarelli, Verboven and Lipawsky are picked up.
Lap 7: And Christian Schiltz won't give the three former leaders a time to recover as he goes onto the attack immediately! Lipawsky and Verboven are the first to pass. Alinejad, Moli and Van Lookeren answer the attack immediately. Bollinger, Van Fleming and Eldfjallsson set up a chase and shake loose Muller, Mazzarelli and Bauer.
The pace has increased even more as we see a very strong Christian Schiltz. This boy is ready for the Continental Championship, write him down for next Sunday, he could be good for a top 5 place.
It's like he heard me speak, he steps on the pedals once more on the uphill. Alinejad is having a tough time keeping up, but he manages, barely. Meanwhile, it's going a bit too fast for Mazzarelli, who has to let Bauer and Muller go. Mazzarelli is a strong rider, but this fast, flat riding is a problem for him.
In the background, we see some amazing racing as Dries Cornelis gets left behind by -- Elliot Cook. Cook is in 20th position now, still going strong. What a comeback race. But it's too late to return to the front, that much is certain.
Lap 8: Let's take a look at another chrono. With three laps to go, this is the situation:
Small differences, but they can be significant. Moli, Alinejad, Van Lookeren and Schiltz seem to have found each other perfectly and are all taking turns. It'll be hard to catch them.
Bam, there goes Sven Welling, he's hit the ground. There goes a possible top 15 for him today. Despite the lack of real technicality, we have a lot of crashes and flat tires today. This shows that the ground is very well suited for a fast pace, but if you choose the wrong trajectory, you can end up on your Bakari -- I mean on your behind.
Lap 9: Only two laps left now. The pace is too high for attacks. Verboven, Mazzarelli and Lipawsky are losing time fast, now, they've put all their eggs into their attack. They gambled and lost. No, the winner of today's race is among these guys:
Moli, Schiltz, Van Lookeren, Alinejad.
Van Fleming, Bollinger, Eldfjallsson: 7 seconds.
Muller, Bauer: 11 seconds.
It's really noticable how the real big names are not here at the front. Despite the excitement of the battle, we have to admit these are all minor names. Van Fleming used to be big, but many think this season as his 'season too much'. You could argue Eldfjallsson is a top name, but let him confirm this in the rest of the season. The same goes for Bauer.
The timing is also very important. Lesser riders are hoping to gain some more UCI points to get a better starting position for the Continental Championship, while some of the bigger names are known to be playing bluff poker and hide their true form to mislead the competition.
Lap 10: We go into the final round. Who will win this first-time classic?
Christian Schiltz realizes it'll be hard to do in the sprint, and so he moves onto the attack on one of the climbs! And it's one hell of an acceleration!
Who can follow? Van Lookeren is trying to hang on, he's like a pitbull today. Moli and Alinejad are left behind, but they're not breaking completely!
This last lap is one big sprint towards the finish line. Schiltz won't give Alinejad and Moli the time to get back on his wheel. Does he realize Van Lookeren is with him? He takes a U-turn and now sees Van Lookeren. But he won't let the pace drop now, he has to shake him. Van Lookeren is very fast!
We're heading towards the final sand section. Schiltz can't shake loose Van Lookeren, though. They're going into the final corner. Schiltz takes the corner wide and let's Van Lookeren take the head. Schiltz is playing it smart.
Van Lookeren starts the sprint. Schiltz uses the slipstream to get into top speed!
But Van Lookeren is too fast, Schiltz legs have run out of juice! And so Thijs Van Lookeren catches a big fish today, just ahead of Christian Schiltz!
Mustafa Moli completes the podium ahead of Naveed Alinejad!
Rik Van Fleming easily beats Michael Bollinger and Hafthor Eldfjallsson for the fifth spot.
We look to see who completes the top 10... And it's Bauer, Muller and Mazzarelli.
Lipawsky misses out on the top 10 and finishes 12th.
Elliot Cook with an impressive race but he finishes an insignificant 16th place. Dries Cornelis is 20th.
Only one day left for the very first edition of the Continental Championships. We're ready for some interesting races. Are we ready to abolish those beautiful jerseys which we've known for so long, though? It seems we will have to. We make way for the new, there are new jerseys to be earned.
Except for the Eurasian Championships, all Championship races will be held with the U23 and with the riders without contract. This offers more attractive racing in the continents with few professional riders and also a chance for the local young guns to conquer a jersey and - even better - perhaps a contract for next season with a top team.
Eurasian Championship
Race Information
Country: Czech Republic
City/Place: Tabor
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Elliot Cook, Matt Mazzarelli, Sylvain Lipawsky, Dries Cornelis.
Record: New
Riders Registered: 49
Country: Algeria
City/Place: Saharan Atlas
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h
Favorites: Mustafa Moli, Farai Olujimi
Record: New
Riders Registered: 17
Route Information
Technical: 1
Sand: 5
Uphill: 5
Cobblestones: 0
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 10° C
Precipitation: Sunny
Wind: 1 Beaufort
Oceanic Championships
Race Information
Country: Australia
City/Place: Perth
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 10h
Favorites: Josiah Bennett, Lachy Bauer, Michael Bollinger
Record: New
Riders Registered: 34
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 0
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 0
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 18° C
Precipitation: Sunny
Wind: 0 Beaufort
American Championships
Race Information
Country: United States of America
City/Place: San Diego
Classification: Continental Championship
Starting Time (Elite Men): 17h
Favorites: Max Power, Eddie Goldenberg, John Russel, Fred Markson
Record: New
Riders Registered: 67
Route Information
Technical: 4
Sand: 2
Uphill: 3
Cobblestones: 2
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 16° C
Precipitation: Rain, Light
Wind: 2 Beaufort
With the Shanghai Classic being of rather easy course difficulty, Van Fleming was looking forward to racing here, and getting a chance for a top result. In his usual manner, Van Fleming did little work for an action-filled race, but he didn't need to. Lots of riders took the chance to shine here today ahead of the Continental Championships. At least his result does so.
Naturally, Van Fleming won the sprint for 5th place and finally scored some points again after some weeks of being inkognito.
"It was a fast race, that suited me fine", said Van Fleming later. "I wish I had won of course. It's my last race in the Belgian National Jersey. I'm sure the crowd will miss it, but with the Continental Championships it's a new thing that may be very appealling as well."
When asked about the favourites for Tabor, Van Fleming points towards the usual suspects, but also adds: "Christian Schiltz was very impressive today. He has been sailing low in other competitions but has been exceptional in Coca-Cola. This classic shows that his peak may be just right for Tabor."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The recent results declare him the top-favourite for the bookmakers but will Vague be able to deliver? With a month to go to his big season highlight, the World Championships, the Continental one in Tabor is a first test for this special sort of competition. But more than so, the prestigious win of becoming Europe's first Elite champion is all the more appealing.
Francis, when you raced as a Junior, you came second two times at the European Championships. It's probably the win you miss most from this time?
It still bugs me that I got beaten two times in the various times I raced it. Whilst I appreciate a silver medal, I as an athlete always strive for the top step. Not having one of Europe finest medals on my shelf is a pity, but with this new competition for the elite men, I might get a chance to correct it.
The course should suit you very well, and you have proven lately that you are quite an expert on this surface conditions.
It'll be a really interesting race I think. I'm not sure if there'll be snow but if there's ice and it's frozen, it's fine alright. My shape is great but it's the same for others. Hard to tell, really. If you want to take advantage of the conditions like the frozen ground and the cold weather, you need to race with the goal to put others under pressure. You need the mindset for that, and the ability of course too. I look at Eldfjallsson, who will surely try a fast start again. He's an expert when the the surface is tricky like that, maybe Odfjell, me and some others can shake some weaker ice riders like Mazzarelli and so forth out in the first laps. Thin out the race, get a solid gap and decide the medals between us.
What about your ever so mouthy rival Cook?
He has raced in Shanghai hasn't it? I havn't watched the race, only read about it the day after. Looks he didn't bother too much, he should be fine for the race then. I doubt he has a jetlag, we riders are by now true experts in travelling. We could make up a travel agency with all that globe trotting. You get used it very fast.
The Continental Championships are still raced under team flags, but Belgium stands as a whole behind the riders. How important is it to make a bridge between team and national interests?
Of course, there's always the thought that Belgium wants their gold medal. Preferably silver and bronze too. And if a Belgian messes it up for another one, and maybe then Belgium gets no medal at all, well - you can expect to be boo'ed for that for the next couple of weeks. But Dries, Rik, Sven, Rudy, we all start here to compete for a medal ourselves. I like to hear the belgian hymn at the end of the day, but I'd prefer it if it was playing because of me, not someone else.
Do you think other nations will team up?
Britain pretty much covers its riders in two teams, plus Cook. I think it'll be wild and there won't be much different team tactics than in other races. It'll be more interesting in Valkenburg naturally, here it's just traditional racing with a little bit of extra national interest.
Tips for the other Championships?
Africa, hm - is Faizullah racing there? Maybe he can make something happen, I don't know. It's a sandy race, very much so. I don't exactly know which african riders are experts on sand and which are not. In America, it's likely going to be a battle between Power and Markson. I think there are lots of amateur riders who burn to show themselves, for a contract next year. So it won't be easy fruits to pick for Power. And around Australia, uh... I just say Bollinger.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
TDF
![imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg](https://imgur.com/KlJUqDx.jpg[/img[img]]https://imgur.com/yUygrQ.jpg)
Christmas Classic - Report
FujiCross - Preview
Shanghai - Preview
