I am glad I discovered your channel and I'm enjoying the content. When I really like something, I enjoy learning about the history and inside knowledge associated. I became a cyclocross fan during the worst of the pandemic, when there was not much to do during lockdown. Previously, I didn't know much of anything about the sport and just had rough speculative pictures of how it worked in my mind. It turns out that it is the absolutely best type of bike race to watch. All the protagonists are front and center on the TV coverage and the gaps and placings hang by threads. You can see the potential for crucial gains and losses as the contenders enter the tough technical sections. And it all takes place in an hour or less, pretty much full gas. It seems that cyclocross racing is great preparations for road racing and other disciplines. Making dozens of bursts of effort over the course of a race must be grueling.
Great summary. Thanks for mentioning LV - who after a few great U23 seasons dropped back but looks like the favourite for Belgian women.. it’s going to be v.close with Sanne and MNR. Cam Mason expects to be back for UK Nats - Womens race there could be pretty tight depending on if anyone is on their best day and can challenge Backstedt. Anna Kay has had about 3 years of bad luck and it doesn’t look like stopping. The Dutch womens would basically be worlds if Shirrin was there. Think Brand will bury herself to get the title but probably between Fem and Puck…what a time to be a CX fan!,
Irish favourite has to be Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) if he is down on the start list. Chris Dawson is a monster and previous champ, but Harvey is just another level up and a very promising talent.
Thanks for the update: Mein looked good in awful conditions at Cyclopark Rnd 6 Trophy, Mason didn't start and I don't think Crees started either.. although both on start list
On the one hand, a shame Mathieu and Wout (and Tom) aren't racing... they'd obviously win their title! On the other hand we'll get to see the Belgian & Dutch jersey a lot more then. The matchup is for the World Title is more important for Wouter & Mathieu. Shame Tom isn't in it for the World Championship. But excited to see the races tomorrow. I want to see Sanne Cant go for it, but Lauren V can have it for me. As for the Dutch women, I'd massively want Shirin to compete, but she decided not to...
Pidcock, Van Aert and especially Van der Poel have been national champion often enough for it to not be special. They’ll be on training camps with their Road teams this and likely next week, it’s a necessary evil for them to miss the nationals.
I am glad I discovered your channel and I'm enjoying the content. When I really like something, I enjoy learning about the history and inside knowledge associated. I became a cyclocross fan during the worst of the pandemic, when there was not much to do during lockdown. Previously, I didn't know much of anything about the sport and just had rough speculative pictures of how it worked in my mind. It turns out that it is the absolutely best type of bike race to watch. All the protagonists are front and center on the TV coverage and the gaps and placings hang by threads. You can see the potential for crucial gains and losses as the contenders enter the tough technical sections. And it all takes place in an hour or less, pretty much full gas. It seems that cyclocross racing is great preparations for road racing and other disciplines. Making dozens of bursts of effort over the course of a race must be grueling.
Great summary. Thanks for mentioning LV - who after a few great U23 seasons dropped back but looks like the favourite for Belgian women.. it’s going to be v.close with Sanne and MNR. Cam Mason expects to be back for UK Nats - Womens race there could be pretty tight depending on if anyone is on their best day and can challenge Backstedt. Anna Kay has had about 3 years of bad luck and it doesn’t look like stopping. The Dutch womens would basically be worlds if Shirrin was there. Think Brand will bury herself to get the title but probably between Fem and Puck…what a time to be a CX fan!,
The Swiss Nationals will be interesting the gap betwenn Kuhn and Rüegg was only 20 Seconds in Meilen
Irish favourite has to be Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) if he is down on the start list. Chris Dawson is a monster and previous champ, but Harvey is just another level up and a very promising talent.
Thanks for the update: Mein looked good in awful conditions at Cyclopark Rnd 6 Trophy, Mason didn't start and I don't think Crees started either.. although both on start list
On the one hand, a shame Mathieu and Wout (and Tom) aren't racing... they'd obviously win their title!
On the other hand we'll get to see the Belgian & Dutch jersey a lot more then. The matchup is for the World Title is more important for Wouter & Mathieu. Shame Tom isn't in it for the World Championship. But excited to see the races tomorrow. I want to see Sanne Cant go for it, but Lauren V can have it for me.
As for the Dutch women, I'd massively want Shirin to compete, but she decided not to...
Why don't the top men race in their national championships?
Pidcock, Van Aert and especially Van der Poel have been national champion often enough for it to not be special. They’ll be on training camps with their Road teams this and likely next week, it’s a necessary evil for them to miss the nationals.
no Ireland mentioned :(
I believe it was mentioned toward the end of the video, if briefly.
Ireland at 9.32