Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Posted on November 25, 2009 by

Here’s Erik’s latest cyclocross report and Power Ranking. As always, you can read more reports and analysis over at his site, The Run-up. Feel free to share your comments and feedback below.

Both continents witnessed dominating performances by two riders this past weekend, Tim Johnson and Zdenek Stybar. Johnson took the solo approach, attacking the lead group at both rounds of the Super Cross Cup on Long Island. He was clearly the best rider in the US this weekend, forcing me to rethink my “sure thing” at Nationals: Ryan Trebon. Stybar’s domination involved a little more luck and a whole lotta speed. The Czech champion used his newfound sprinting skills to win a four-up sprint on Saturday at the GVA Trofee round in Hasselt. On Sunday, Stybar again won in a sprint, this time against Sven Nys after another very fast race. Cleary, these are the two best riders right now on their repsetive continents. Johnson looks poised to carry his form into Nationals in a few weeks, while Stybar has loftier goals: the late-January World Championships in the Czech Republic.

Tim Johnson’s stellar rides didn’t surprise many people this weekend. He needed two commanding performances to wrap up the NACT title and solidify his place atop most major rankings in the US. Behind Johnson, his teammates Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll held on so Cyclocrossworld.com could sweep the podium both days. Ryan Trebon came close to cracking the trio’s stranglehold on Saturday, but ended-up 4th after trying to cover every Cyclocrossworld.com move. On Sunday, Powers directly drew-out Trebon with an early attack, which would eventually allow Johnson to bridge and attack his way to victory. It is clear that the Cyclocrossworld.com guys came with a plan and executed it to perfection. I see only two issues for these guys when it comes to Nationals. First, Nationals are in Oregon, Trebon’s backyard, so he’ll have an advantage. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Powers and Driscoll are without elite National Championship jerseys. Cooperation can only last so long and if selfishness takes over, it could spell disaster for the trio.

While the bulk of the US riders are focusing on Nationals, a long season remains for the European racers. Their championships are still months away, so it is all about finding form and gaining any edge you can. Zdenek Stybar clearly found his winning legs this weekend. The Czech rider has been quietly bouncing around the podium all season, just waiting to break-out. In the process of taking his 2 wins this weekend he beat Nys in a two-up sprint, preventing the Belgian from taking his 50th career Superprestige victory. The previous day, Stybar shocked the world by beating Niels Albert, Kevin Pauwels and Klaas Vantornout in an all-out dash to the line. Clearly he had the kick he needed this weekend. The bright spot for Nys was taking complete control of the Superprestige series by finishing a few spots ahead of Albert. Both races saw the usual moves from Albert and Nys, all of which failed in the end. We also saw attacks from riders no longer willing to settle for top-5 positions, most notably Klass Vantornout. Perhaps we’re beginning to see some parity in European racing.

Clearly, there are two new #1’s in the Power Rankings this week. But where does everyone else fall? Let’s find-out:

North American Rankings


1. Tim Johnson (2) – After swapping podium positions with Trebon last weekend, Johnson reminded us that he’s truly a force to be reckoned with. He picked-up the NACT overall in convincing fashion and in the process let everyone know that after ten-plus years as an elite, he’s not done yet. I have regained hope that the New Englander can take another National Championship in December. Perhaps he can win the USGP as well.
2. Jeremy Powers (10) – Powers missed the Mercer Cup last weekend due to some sort of illness. That seemed to have little effect as he regained his position as one of the top crossers in the US. He tried his patent first lap attack on Sunday and may have won—if Tim Johnson hadn’t been there. I feel like I’ve said that before…
3. Jamey Driscoll (3) – “Mr. Consistency” retained his title with a pair of podium finishes this weekend. I’m still convinced that this isn’t his year, but with the results he’s posted, he could be the next big thing. It’s hard to believe he’s the worst rider on his team.
4. Ryan Trebon (1) – A 4th and a 6th mean Trebon missed his mark. He’s been the only rider capable of outfoxing the Cyclocrossworld trio this year though, so there’s still hope. He finally gets to go home and let the big boys come to him. He’s got three big races left: the final two USGP Races in Portland and Nationals the following week in Bend. Talk about home field advantage!
5. Adam Craig (na) – The mountain biker, turned crosser, turned mountain biker is back. Craig used to be a usual face at cyclocross races, but had backed-off a bit over the years. After a late start to the season, Craig caught many by surprise, including myself. Right now, he’s definitely one of the best in the US.
6. Chris Jones (6) – Chris Jones continues to ride well without much attention. A pair of top-10’s on Long Island prove that he belongs at the front. Now all he needs is a marquee win to wrap-up his season and set him up for next year.
7. Valentin Scherz (8) – “The Swiss Sensation” was able to hang with the leaders this weekend, but landed a bit short finishing 10th and 5th. He’s on his way to a MAC title and continues to make a great impression in the US. He’ll be a name to follow in the next few months when he heads back to Europe.
8. Barry Wicks (5) – Wicks was inexplicably absent this week. Perhaps he’s taking some time off before the rest of US focuses its attention on Oregon in December. Or perhaps it’s something bigger. He’s still a top-10 rider though, and I expect him back this weekend.
9. Geoff Kabush (7) – The “Maple Leaf Man” missed-out this weekend due to illness. Perhaps he’ll bounce back like Powers did and storm the podium this coming weekend. He still hasn’t found his rhythm this season; hopefully it doesn’t set him back further.
10. Dan Timmerman (9) – Timmerman had a rough weekend and didn’t make the trip to Long Island. He should be back this weekend, working off the turkey and stuffing on his way to the NECCS title.

Dropped this week: Davide Frattini (4).

International Rankings


1. Zdenek Stybar (3) – Stybar earned the #1 spot this week in spectacular fashion. Two fast races and all-out sprint wins gave the Czech the credit he deserves. Stybar will now have a lot of pressure on his shoulders; it will be interesting to see how he follows it up.
2. Niels Albert (1) – Losing the #1 spot for the first time this season, Albert didn’t struggle as much as people might think. He ended-up 3rd in a 4-up sprint after trying to split the lead group numerous times. His 4th on Sunday was a result of him cracking, something he never does. Everyone has a bad weekend.
3. Sven Nys (2) – Nys drops a spot after a weekend filled with problems. He looked poised to take his 50th career Superprestige win on Sunday, but failed in the closing meters. His GVA Trofee race was marred by a rolled tubular that still has him scratching his head. Hopefully his luck will turn and we can see the Nys of old.
4. Klaas Vantornout (10) – Vantornout has struggled the past couple weeks, but he’s starting to turn the corner. I expected him to be a top-5 rider this season and this weekend he finally began riding where he should. Two top finishes prove he’s on the right track.
5. Kevin Pauwels (4) – For a second (no pun intented) I thought Pauwels might have grabbed a breakout win on Saturday. Alas, he lost the sprint to his teammate and slipped to 9th on Sunday. Pauwels is still young though and still finds ways to surprise people every weekend.
6. Bart Aernouts (6) – Aernouts continues to ride steadily toward the back of the main field. It’s amazing how competitive the top-10 has become in Europe; Aernouts is one of many often caught in the middle.
7. Francis Mourey (5) – Mourey stays on the list because I think he’s one of the top-10 riders in Europe. When he races he does well (mostly 5th place) and if he raced more I think his results would improve.
8. Radomir Simunek (9) – Simunek slid inside the top-10 again this weekend. He’s one of those riders who can dominate the smaller races, while continuing to ride well on the larger stage. I think things will come around over the next few weeks; he may finally land on the podium in December.
9. Gerben de Knegt (8) – At 35, de Knegt is in the twilight of his career. That said, he manages to do just enough each week to finish inside the top ten. He may not reach the podium in a big race this year, but he’s still the Netherlands’ best hope this season.
10. Enrico Franzoi (7) – Sadly, Franzoi gets this spot for only one reason: no one else rode well enough to knock him off. He rounds-out the top-10 this week with an 11th place on Sunday. Despite this, I still think he’s one of the best in Europe right now.

As for the weekend ahead, the US continues its craziness with no less then five UCI races. Baystate Cyclocross expands to two-days in Massachusetts while Jingle Cross continues its success with three days of racing in Iowa. The New England riders should be out in full force at the Baystate races, while the Jingle Cross offers a load of UCI points and may draw riders trying to move-up the starting grid come Nationals. If Todd Wells can overcome his injury, he may be a name to watch in Iowa. The clear favorite in Massachusetts is Tim Johnson.

In Europe, Sven Nys will get another crack at his 50th career Superprestige win on Sunday as that series heads to the Netherlands. However, all eyes will be on the World Cup in Koksijde, Belgium on Saturday. Albert needs to respond after a tough weekend, while Stybar needs to show that he can continue to win. I’m once again putting my money on Nys for Sunday. As far as the World Cup goes, I’m going with Albert. Not a gutsy call I know, but those two guys need to regain control of the field and those two series.

Enjoy your weekend! Gobble. Gobble.


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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Posted on December 9, 2009 by

Here are Erik Mitchell’s latest cyclocross insights and Power Rankings. For more, head over to The Run-up.

With just one weekend left before the US National Championships, chaos ensued in Portland, leaving more questions than answers. Many, including myself, thought it would be a two-horse race in “the showdown” at the final two rounds of the USGP; however, by the time the dust settled, two new riders had thrown their hats into the ring for a national championship. Todd Wells and Jeremy Powers came-off the previous weekend’s victories to dominate the competition in two of the closest races we’ve seen all year. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Czech National Champion Zdenek Stybar proved that he’s a force to be reckoned with by winning his second-straight World Cup race. The usual protagonists were there, including a frustrated Niels Albert and a bitterly disappointed Sven Nys, but it was the first time this season we saw daylight between Stybar and the rest of the field, albeit by 6 seconds.

It would appear that Stybar’s win is the beginning of another shift in Europe. For the first two months, it was Niels Albert pulling-out all the victories, now it’s Stybar’s turn. How long it will last is anyone’s guess. Obviously he’s hoping to have this kind of form and luck come the World Championships in January. The only common thread behind these two dominant figures is Sven Nys’ issues. To be fair, Nys has suffered an extraordinary amount of mechanical problems this season. This time however, it was a lapped rider that apparently got in his way. I just hope that these aren’t excuses for a lack of domination. Behind these three, things continue to change including a surging Jonathan Page and a consistent Erwin Vervecken. One last note, after all of the hype over the past few weeks, Francis Mourey suffered his worst result of the season—15th. A returning Bart Wellens took his place in 5th. Here are this week’s International Power Rankings:

International Rankings

1. Zdenek Stybar (2) – Last week Stybar dropped-out of the top spot and perhaps that was the motivation he needed to win another World Cup race. The biggest thing to take away from his victory was the fact that he did it solo. This means he can win the hard way and in sprints. That’s dangerous.
2. Niels Albert (3) – Albert moves up a spot after a solid 2nd-place finish on Saturday. Albert saw Nys take sole control of the Superprestige last week and is close to losing his World Cup overall lead to Stybar. He still controls the UCI overall ranking and the GVA Trophy series, but those leads are closing as well. He needs to figure-out something soon, or he may be left with nothing at all.
3. Sven Nys (1) – A big drop for Nys this week. Could he have won? I think so. Nys isn’t what he used to be, but he’s close. I give him the edge to take control of the GVA overall this weekend, meaning he has to best both Stybar and Albert.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) – Vantornout continues to ride very well. He’s slowly getting his shots at victory and it wouldn’t surprise me if he pulls one out sometime this year. For now, he’ll have to settle as “the guy behind the big three”.
5. Bart Aernouts (6) – Aernouts’ 6th place on Saturday moves him up one spot this week. He continues to finish just outside the lead group this year; I don’t expect that to change any time soon.
6. Bart Wellens (na) – Wellens’ return to the World Cup was very impressive this past weekend. He picked-up 5th place and thus, has returned to the rankings. I’m not going to say he’s here to stay, but I see this as a sign of things to come. It’s nice to see him back racing.
7. Gerben de Knegt (10) – The elder statesmen of the Netherlands continues to ride well. I keep saying that his best years are behind him, but at this rate, I can’t wait to see what he’ll do next. Either Vervecken or he will do something special this year.
8. Radomir Simunek (na) – Simunek bounces back into the rankings after a nice top-10 finish on Saturday. While his countryman continues to get all the press, Simunek is showing he’s capable of mixing it up with the best in the world.
9. Erwin Vervecken (9) – Vervecken’s newfound consistency keeps him in the rankings this week, ultimately knocking-out my man Kevin Pauwels. The Farewell Tour has been very kind to Vervecken and I couldn’t be happier. If only he can show-up these young punks sometime soon.
10. Jonathan Page (na) – In the North American rankings, I allude to who I think will don the stars and stripes. Page scored his biggest result of the year this past weekend, finishing 8th in Spain. He will return to the US this week, giving us a true idea of where the US and Europe stand. Let’s just say I think he’s found his form.

Dropped this week: Kevin Pauwels (5), Francis Mourey (7), and Sven Vanthourenhout (8).

In the USA, things are coming down to the wire; just when I thought I had my Nationals pick locked-in, two new riders surged to the front of the men’s race. While Ryan Trebon took the USGP overall and Tim Johnson ended-up on the podium both days, Wells and Powers stole the show. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this newfound duel was the fact that Wells and Powers were the only two riders who raced the weekend before—in fact, they both dominated the competition. Behind, Jamey Driscoll failed to impress as he wound-up 5th on Saturday and 7th on Sunday. The only real surprise was Adam Craig who continued his late season cross campaign with a 4th place on Sunday. In New England, Dan Timmerman grabbed two victories en-route to a NECCS overall title. He will surely be a wildcard at Nationals this weekend.

So, as we head into the final weekend of racing in the United States, here’s this week’s Power Rankings:

North American Rankings

1. Jeremy Powers (1) – Powers rode extremely well this weekend, narrowly missing victory on Day One to Todd Wells. He was able to reverse that on Sunday though. Is he the next National Champion? I’m going to let that question linger. It should be noted that the following 3 riders represent the only National Champions this decade not-named Jonathan Page.
2. Todd Wells (8) – A few weeks ago I tipped Wells for some late season magic. Who knew that he would produce four-straight UCI wins? A crafty finish on Sunday prevented him from five-straight, but the two-time National Champion seems poised for another title.
3. Tim Johnson (2) – Johnson struggled a bit (relatively speaking) behind Powers and Wells. He knows how to win when it counts, but I’m surprised to see him drop a spot in the rankings. He’ll be the third rider on the starting grid and is still a heavy favorite.
4. Ryan Trebon (4) – Trebon’s up and down season continued in Portland. While he did manage to wrap-up the USGP overall, he looks a bit behind the form that saw him win Nationals last year. While he’s still a favorite in my book, he should probably wear the stars and stripes all week—it may be a long time before he wears them again.
5. Jamey Driscoll (3) – “Mr. Consistency” slipped a bit as well this week. Perhaps it was the pressure of the USGP, or maybe it was just a bad weekend. Either way, Driscoll popped onto the scene with a silver medal at Nationals last year, perhaps he’ll shock the world once again.
6. Dan Timmerman (5) – Timmerman wrapped-up the NECCS overall with another pair of UCI victories. I have high hopes for the New Yorker this upcoming weekend, but honestly, I don’t expect him to win. He’s in my top five though, especially after barely losing to Jeremy Powers the week before.
7. Chris Jones (7) – A pair of top-10 finishes keeps Jones in the rankings, but he seems to have dropped back to become the perennial leader of the chase group. But like the rest of the guys in the rankings this week, he’s still within striking distance of the podium.
8. Geoff Kabush (na) – Kabush already has his National Championship jersey, so he’ll take this weekend off. He continues to ride well though, and I expect some decent results if he chooses to visit Europe this winter.
9. Daniel Summerhill (na) – Summerhill has had a quiet cross season thus far, but when he races, he does well. He’s my pick to win the U23 jersey at Nationals, I just hope his road commitments for next year don’t clog his mind or his legs.
10. Adam Craig (6) – Craig responded well from a disappointing 11th on Saturday, finishing 4th on Sunday. He has an outside shot at a podium this weekend, but the odds that the mountain bike superstar picks-up the stars and stripes are slim.

Dropped this week: Valentin Scherz (9) and Justin Lindine (10).

This weekend, the biggest US race of the year concludes a stellar North American season. I won’t make my outright predictions here (you can visit The Run-up for my predictions of every US National Champion), but I think I’ve outlined the contenders pretty well. As usual, I expect a big surprise this weekend, but it won’t come from anyone outside of this week’s rankings. All that’s left is to watch what may be the most exciting National Championship race in years.

While all eyes in the US will be on Bend, Oregon, there’s a bevy of races throughout Europe this weekend. Most importantly, there is a round of the GVA Trophy in Essen, Belgium. All the big names should be there, but the focus will be on Nys, Albert and Stybar (what else is new?). Those three are separated by 4 points in the GVA rankings, so one of them should finally take command of the series.

What about you? Who are your picks for Nationals? What about the GVA—how do see things shaping-up?

Share your comments below.

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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Posted on December 16, 2009 by
Erik Mitchell’s latest weekly cross report and power rankings are below.  For more, head to his site, The Run-up.
A few weeks ago, I boldly declared that there are two certainties in cyclocross this year. First, if a Cyclocrossworld.com rider shows up to race they will win. Second, Niels Albert will win every race he enters by a sizable margin. This past weekend—to a certain extent—justified those claims. On this side of the Atlantic, Tim Johnson proved that he’s the best rider in the United States by winning his third stars and stripes jersey. In Belgium, Niels Albert was back to his usual self, picking-up a pair of solo victories on Saturday and Sunday. While he didn’t show the domination he had earlier this season, Albert has clearly found his stride again. He also extended his lead in the UCI ranking as well as the GvA Trophy Series.
On Sunday, Tim Johnson took his third Elite National Championship in dominating fashion over Ryan Trebon and Jonathan Page. Page, the European-based American, had nothing to say except that he had a horrible day and Johnson had a great one. On the flip-side, Trebon acknowledged that he had the hometown advantage, but couldn’t match the speed and technical ability of Johnson. Behind these three, Todd Wells continued to show his good form, as did the other Cyclocrossworld.com guys.
Since this is effectively the end of the North American cross season, this is the final week of the domestic power ranking. However, there’s still a lot to look forward to. For the first time in years, Tim Johnson is prepping for the World Championships and hopes to represent this country in style. Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll will most likely spend some time in Europe as well. Behind the elite men, there’s a slew of U23 Americans looking to cut their teeth on the European circuit—as well as Katie Compton’s quest for a rainbow jersey. Needless to say, the season is far from over for the Americans. In the rankings, Tim Johnson climbed back to the #1 spot, but where does every one else fall? Time to find out, one last time:
North American Rankings
1. Tim Johnson (3) – Johnson has been the fastest rider when it counts this year and ended the US season on top, picking-up another National Championship as well as the NACT overall title. For the first time in over a decade, Johnson will turn his focus to the World Championships. The tough part is we won’t have an idea of how he’ll fair until mid-January.
2. Ryan Trebon (4) – When all was said and done on Sunday, Trebon ended-up where he belonged. While he showed signs of the form that won him a National Championship last year, he never really proved he was better then 2nd place. He won the USGP overall, but failed to really impress. His relaxed approach to the season was interesting to watch, but was a very big part of why he’s the second-best rider in the country.
3. Jeremy Powers (1) – Every year, Powers continues to improve and turn heads. This year he found the podium in all sorts of ways and looked poised to finish in the top-3 at Nationals. Some will argue that he may have won if it weren’t for an untimely crash. I would argue that every time he’s taken-off at the start, Johnson has bridged across and won. I think the best he could have done was second, perhaps next year he’ll finally take the top spot when it counts.
4. Todd Wells (2) – Wells proved it’s better late than never, grabbing a slew of UCI wins ahead of Nationals. Somehow that put him at the top of everyone’s list for the big dance. I was more reserved figuring he would only finish on the podium. His 4th-place finish this year means his cross career may not be over just yet.
5. Jamey Driscoll (5) – The most consistent US racer of the year, Driscoll ended-up 6th at Nationals, whereas last year he capped-off the season with a silver medal. With another season or two in the US, mixed with some European racing, Driscoll should be a true National Championship contender for the future.
6. Dan Timmerman (6) – Timmerman was my wild card for a podium spot after a tremendous breakout season. He finished 8th behind some very impressive company. He took the NECCS overall proving that he belongs with the other heads of state. Hopefully he’ll travel a bit more next year and if all goes well he could end his season on the podium.
7. Chris Jones (7) – Jones rounded-out the top-10 in Bend, again proving that he’s not just another roadie who struck it lucky at a cross race or two. Depending on how his road season plays out next year, Jones could move from the front of the chase group to the lead group.
8. Daniel Summerhill (9) – Summerhill picked-up another National Championship in the U23 race. He has experienced the feel of the World Championship podium; if he keeps his focus and finds his form come the end of January, he could do it again.
9. Geoff Kabush (8) – You can either blame the Canadian or me but when it came down to it, Kabush was more consistent than Barry Wicks this season. It should be interesting to see what Kabush does with the rest of his season. From here, he could put in a solid European campaign, or back-off a bit and go all-out next year on the MTB circuit. Either way, he’s earned the #9 spot this year.
10. Adam Craig (10) – Much like Wells, Craig figured-out how to race a full mountain bike season and half of a cross season with great success. Hopefully we’ll see more of him next year; perhaps he can better his 7th at Nationals.
Internationally, Niels Albert returned to the top step of the podium for the first time in nearly a month on Saturday, ahead of the usual crew of Sven Nys and Zdenek Stybar. Nys lacked the usual excuses and essentially admitted that he had a bad day. Stybar, who lives in Essen where the race was held, also lacked excuses as he settled for third. Sunday was more of the same as Albert took another victory followed by Kevin Pauwels and Nys. It’s hard to tell for sure if Albert is back though. The only safe thing to say at this point in the season is that there are 3 men capable of winning every weekend and the rest just have to watch the fireworks. I still have a feeling that Nys will pull something off before it’s all said and done, but for now all eyes should be focused on Stybar and Albert. Once again, there are several changes to the rankings as the European cyclocross world continues to mix thing up. Here’s this week’s ranking:
International Rankings
1. Niels Albert (2) – Albert returned to the top step with a pair of wins in Belgium. The World Champ was up to his usual tricks, attacking from the start and never looking back. More importantly he regains control over the UCI ranking (a competition that doesn’t matter as much any more) and the GvA Trophy.
2. Sven Nys (3) – Nys had another legitimate chance to take the victory on Saturday. A mid-race bike change turned the tide for the Belgian National Champ, but he ran out of real estate in the end. He seemed very upset about losing valuable GvA Trophy points; it appears that at this point he’s focused on overall series wins rather than individual races.
3. Zdenek Stybar (1) – The Czech Champion could only muster a 3rd and 5th this past weekend. He’s still amongst the top three in the world right now, he just needs to continue to try to win and control the races. Trust me, he’ll be back on the top step of the podium soon enough.
4. Kevin Pauwels (na) – Pauwels returns to the rankings this week with a pair of top-5 finishes. He’s been my surprise pick from the start and dropping him from the ranking last week was tough. He’s still knocking on the door of a huge win this year, but seems a small step behind. That will change with experience.
5. Bart Aernouts (5) – Aernouts had another solid weekend of riding, however, he still isn’t capable of riding with the leaders. He’s another relatively young rider who could have his chance over the next few seasons.
6. Dieter Vanthourenhout (na) – Vanthourenhout looked poised for another stellar season until that nasty crash a few months ago. Since his return, he continues to be up and down. He’s definitely off the pace of the leaders, but continues to finish in the top-10. If he can remain consistent there’s no reason to believe that he’ll drop from the rankings.
7. Radomir Simunek (8) – Simunek’s 7th place on Saturday seems to fit the Czech perfectly. He has consistently finished just off the podium this year in races both big and small. He’s another rider who needs a few more years to mature; then, he’ll be a regular protagonist.
8. Enrico Franzoi (na) – The Italian continues to struggle to stay in the top-10 in the rankings. He’s consistently riding in top-15, but has failed to make a significant impact in any race this year. With the names ahead of him on this week’s rankings that’s not hard to believe, but unfortunately, I don’t expect it to change any time soon.
9. Gerben de Knegt (7) – de Knegt picked-up another pair of top-10 places this past weekend. He dropped a couple of spots, but still remains in the rankings thanks to his consistency. He’s the second-oldest rider to make the rankings this year, but he’s lasted longer than some of the youngest.
10. Jonathan Page (10) – This may or may not be my Christmas gift to the American. His 3rd at Nationals was clearly a disappointment. However, his 8th in the World Cup two weeks ago—combined with his Nationals result—leaves him here for one more week.
Dropped this week: Klaas Vantornout (4), Bart Wellens (6), and Erwin Vervecken (9).
Kalmthout, Belgium will host Round Six of the World Cup this Sunday. With the US season over, we will begin to see some Americans making their way across the pond, however, they usually take this weekend off. That said, I expect Katie Compton and Jonathan Page to head back to Europe soon to continue their seasons. With a nearly 100-point lead over 3rd place, the World Cup has become a two-man battle with Albert taking his “commanding” five-point lead over Stybar to Kalmthout. This is a crucial battleground for the two riders. Obviously, whoever comes out on top will take the lead with 3 rounds remaining. More importantly, it’s a battle for momentum and the mental edge. All-in-all, it promises to be a slug-fest.
That’s it for this week! Share your comments below.
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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Posted on December 23, 2009 by
Here’s Erik’s latest Cross Report and Power Ranking.  For more from our cross expert, check-out his site, The Run-up.  And please, share your comments below.
In what was supposed to be the weekend where the World Cup overall would be decided—or at least create a clear leader—the opposite happened. We are now left with a tie for the World Cup title between Niels Albert and Zdenek Stybar—each with 435 points. More importantly, a resurgent Sven Nys has thrown his hat in the ring with three World Cup races remaining after taking the victory in style this weekend in more than deplorable conditions in Kalmthout, Belgium. Nys’ race was marred by some first lap disasters including a dropped chain and a crash, but he battled back, taking the lead on the final lap—where he crashed once again near the finish. Needless to say, Nys proved that he can win when it counts; he’s perhaps the best rider in snow, sleet and rain. Behind Nys, it was the usual cast of characters with Stybar picking-up 2nd and Albert holding-on for 3rd. As a result, Stybar got the points he needed to tie Albert for the overall lead.  With a few races left, Nys needs to put some serious distance between himself and Albert/Stybar if he wants to capture the title.
The severe weather wreaked havoc on the rest of the field and produced some very unique results. Thus, there will be a few riders staying in the rankings this week that might have otherwise been eliminated—most notably: Radomir Simunek and Kevin Pauwels.  There was also a race on Friday in Belgium that can be considered a precursor to Sunday’s World Cup where Nys picked-up the victory with Tom Meeusen (a name for the future) and Stybar rounding out the podium. Albert finished a distant seventh.  All in all, it was a good weekend for Nys, The races continue prove there’s great parity in cyclocross’ upper echelon.  That said, here’s this week’s rankings:
1. Sven Nys (2) – Nys took home an “epic” victory in Kalmthout proving once again that you can never count out the elder statesman. He’s in the thick of things in the Superprestige and GvA Trophy while a World Cup overall may be just out of reach. The next few weeks will prove critical to the Belgian Champion’s season if he wants to win any of the major cross series—not to mention the elusive rainbow jersey, which will be awarded in about one month.
2. Zdenek Stybar (3) – The Czech superstar continues to prove he belongs at the front, doing just enough in Kalmthout to capture a share of the World Cup overall. With 3 races left, it’s a crapshoot between him and Albert. And let’s not forget: there’s nothing like winning the World Championships in you’re own country.
3. Niels Albert (1) – Albert’s season began in almost Nys-like fashion.  He’s since cooled-off a bit though, and as a result things have become quite interesting. Albert, Nys and Stybar are all in contention to win the GvA Trophy, Superprestige and the UCI overall ranking. To say that every race matters for these 3 would be an understatement.
4. Klass Vantornout – Vantornout returns to the rankings this week with a stellar 4th place in Kalmthout. Even with a half-lap to go, Vantornout was in contention for the win. He hasn’t finished better than third this year and with the aforementioned riders I don’t think he’ll buck that trend any time soon.
5. Sven Vanthourenhout – Vanthourenhout stole Francis Mourey’s usual 5th-place spot (Mourey finished 8th). He continues to have an up-and-down season, but seems to have more down’s than up’s lately. Perhaps he’s beginning to turn the corner for a solid end to the season.
6. Bart Aernouts (5) – Aernouts managed to survive the mess with a top-10 finish in Kalmthout. At this point in the season he should definitely make the Belgian World’s team and continues to have an outside shot at a podium placing.
7. Bart Wellens – Wellens’ comeback hit another bright spot with a 9th-place on Sunday. It remains to be seen if he can return to the front of the field, but with increasingly good results, I have high hopes for him.
8. Gerben de Knegt (9) – de Knegt continues to surprise me with his consistent riding. He’s the best Dutch rider this year (not bad for a 35-year-old), but remains chase group fodder. All things considered, that’s not a bad place to be.
9. Radomir Simunek (7) – Simunek finished 4th in Friday’s race and was in the lead group on Sunday. Sadly, a nasty crash knocked him out. Regardless, he continues to be one of the stronger riders this season.
10. Kevin Pauwels (4) – Pauwels had his worst result of the season on Sunday, finishing 32nd. He placed 6th on Friday and clearly suffered under the deplorable conditions in Kalmthout. It’s only his third finish outside of the top-10 this year though, which is impressive. He also tends to bounce back very well following a bad result.
Dropped this week: Dieter Vanthourenhout (6), Enrico Franzoi (8) and Jonathan Page (10).
It’s Christmastime throughout the world, which means one thing: lots of cross races. Over the next few weeks there are nearly a dozen cross races throughout northern Europe. This weekend holds the most prestige with a round of the World Cup and the Superprestige. There’s also a GvA Trophy event next week. Needless to say all eyes will be focused on Albert and Stybar this weekend in Heusden-Zolder for Round Seven of the World Cup. However, another win by Nys wouldn’t surprise me. With a win in Diegem on Sunday, Nys could all but lock-up his 10th Superprestige overall, but Albert and Stybar are only two and four points behind, respectively. Needless to say it will be no easy task and I can’t wait to watch the fireworks.
Have a terrific holiday!
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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Ranking – Nationals Beckon

Posted on January 7, 2010 by
Here’s Erik’s latest Cross Report and Power Ranking.  For more, visit his website, The Run-up.  And please feel free to share your comments below.
The New Year kicked-off in style this week with no less than a dozen cross races in Europe. No race was more important than the GP Sven Nys, which in addition to being named after a cross superstar, was a round of the Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy. Nys took the victory himself in incredible fashion over Zdenk Stybar, while Niels Albert finished a distant 3rd. Behind them, Gerben de Knegt continued his push towards a national title and potential World Championship podium, finishing 4th; while a resurgent Francis Mourey took 5th. Beyond the top-5, there were a few surprises, including an absent Bart Wellens and a fading Kevin Pauwels. The rest of the top-ten was filled with the usual cast of characters.
With the prestige of a national title on the line this upcoming weekend, most riders picked and chose their races based on location and form. As a result, besides the GVA Trophy round, only one other race was hotly contested: the mid-week race in Tervuren. Stybar pulled-out the win there while Nys and Pauwels rounded-out the podium. Behind, Albert, Mourey and a handful of other Belgians filled the top-10. While Nys and Stybar had the biggest wins of the week, Bart Aernouts, Mourey and Dieter Vanthourenhout all graced the top step of podiums in other events. Needless to say, everyone appears to be on form for his shot at a national title. Jonathan Page found his way onto a few podiums this week too, which is a great sign heading into Worlds. However, this weekend all eyes will focus on Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic (among others), to see who will wear their nation’s colors for the next year. That said, here’s how everyone lines-up this week:
International Power Ranking
1. Sven Nys (1) – Nys chose to only do two races this week placing 1st and 2nd. His win at the GP Sven Nys (go figure) puts him in command of the GVA Trophy, the only series in which he’s still in contention. Nys seems to have found his stride, just in time for a shot at a national and possibly world title.
2. Zdenek Stybar (4) – Stybar flip-flopped podium positions with Nys and also picked-up a 4th in Bredene. He’s the heavy favorite to win the Czech National title this weekend, but the pressure to win Worlds in front of his home nation keeps mounting. Imagine, being in the lead group on the last lap of Worlds wearing your nation’s colors in front of all your countrymen. For Stybar, it’s a distinct possibility.
3. Niels Albert (2) – The reigning World Champion continues to ride just off the pace of the rest of the leaders, especially in the bigger races. He raced 3 times this past week, picking up 2 thirds and a fifth. He’s a major contender for the Belgian title this weekend, but Nys seems to have his number right now.
4. Francis Mourey (na) – The Frenchmen finally returns to the rankings this week after a pair of top-10’s and a victory in Sint-Niklaas. To say he’s a favorite to win the French National title again is an understatement; the real question is can he return to the lead group at the upcoming World Cups and World Championship.
5. Dieter Vanthourenhout (7) – While Vanthourenhout finished a disappointing 13th at the GVA round this weekend, he also managed a 3rd place and a win in Bredene. He has an outside shot at a Belgian title this past weekend, and is making a strong push for a spot on the Belgian Worlds team.
6. Gerben de Knegt (5) – de Knegt picked up another 4th at the GP Sven Nys this past week. He also managed a 2nd and a 7th at some of the smaller races. Vanthourenhout’s win is the only reason de Knegt isn’t in the top-5 this week—but that should all change with a Dutch National title this weekend.
7. Bart Aernouts (8) – Aernouts picked-up a stellar win at the GP Groenendal along with a 6th at the GP Sven Nys. While he continues to be a regular in the rankings, he still lacks the ability to contest the lead at the bigger races.
8. Kevin Pauwels (3) – Pauwels struggled to finish 12th in last weekend’s round of the GVA. However, he managed a 3rd behind Nys and Stybar in Tervuren. Perhaps I dropped him too far down the rankings this week; that can all change with a podium spot this weekend.
9. Petr Dlask (na) – Dlask made his presence known this week, picking-up two top-10’s. Dlask’s season has consisted of top-20 World Cup finishes and podium spots in the TOI TOI cup. Perhaps his slow and steady build is finally paying off—just in time for the Czech rider to make his country’s Worlds team.
10. Klass Vantornout (6) – Vantornout is the only rider in the rankings this week who only raced once. He picked-up a top-10 at the GP Sven Nys and appears to be prepping for the Belgian National Championships this weekend. He has an outside podium shot, but that’s about it.
Dropped this week: Bart Wellens (9) and Radomir Simunek (10).
There are only a few races this weekend, but they’re the second-most important of the year as almost every European country will be handing-out national titles. The real fight will be in Belgium where Nys, Pauwels and Albert are all capable of winning. Stybar should pick-up the win in the Czech Republic, Mourey in France, and de Knegt in the Netherlands. However, it’s been a year of surprises and great racing, I expect some more this weekend.
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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Ranking

Posted on December 30, 2009 by

Here’s Erik Mitchell’s last cyclocross report and Power Ranking of 2009. For more from Erik, visit his site, The Run-up. Feel free to share your comments and questions below.

It’s Christmastime throughout the world and that can only mean one thing: lots and lots of European cyclocross racing. Since last week’s Power Rankings came out there have been 4 big races: a Belgian national-level event, a round of the World Cup in Zolder, and rounds of the Superprestige and GVA Trophy. The only consistent theme throughout all 4 races was the domination by the Belgian riders. Nys bookended the week with wins at the Noordzeecross and the GVA Trophy race in Loenhout. In between, Kevin Pauwels picked-up a huge win, taking Round 7 of the World Cup, while Niels Albert won the Superprestige race in Diegem. Needless to say, it was an action-packed week and a great one for the home riders.

Behind the Belgian Brigade, the usual cast of characters jostled for good results. Zdenek Stybar struggled in Zolder, but managed to podium at both the Superprestige ad GVA Trophy races. Behind Nys, Albert, and Stybar, the two stories were Gerben de Knegt—who pulled-out three-straight 4th places—and Sven Vanthourenhout’s conspicuous lack of results. All in all, we’re seeing the same faces at the front and nobody really seems to be storming onto the scene. It’s safe to say that Albert, Nys and Stybar are the best 3 riders in the world; the rest are struggling to prove they belong in the same class. So, where did everybody land? Time to check out this week’s Power Rankings:

International Power Rankings

1. Sven Nys (1) – Nys retains the #1 position partly because he raced all 4 races this week and partly because no one proved that they were truly better. The only issue for Nys was a crash that knocked him out of the Superprestige race—and most likely the overall title.
2. Niels Albert (3) – Albert’s rocky past few weeks have begun to even out. He picked-up 2nd to Pauwels at Round 7 of the World Cup, won a round of the Superprestige, and finished 2nd to Nys in Loenhout. More importantly, he regained control of the Quadruple Crown: UCI Points, World Cup, Superprestige and GVA Trophy. The question is, can he hold it?
3. Kevin Pauwels (10) – As I said last week, Pauwels always responds well when he has a bad race. Honestly though, I didn’t think he’d win a round of the World Cup. Nonetheless, the man to watch has suddenly launched himself into the limelight. Unfortunately, Pauwels suffered another letdown with a 16th place in Loenhout. I can’t wait to see how he rebounds—again.
4. Zdenek Stybar (2) – Stybar lost major World Cup ground with a 6th-place finish in Zolder. He’s only 20 points behind Albert, but when the series continues toward the end of January, he’ll probably have other things on his mind. He still remains the only non-Belgian capable of donning the rainbow jersey. He’s also the only person able to challenge Albert for the Superprestige overall.
5. Gerben de Knegt (8) – This week’s #1 is 34 years-old, followed by guys 24, 26, and 25 years-old. Then there’s the man from the Netherlands who made fourth place all his own at the ripe old age of 35. Even with all the consistency he’s had this season, de Knegt still surprises me. Perhaps he’ll figure out a way to beat these young chaps.
6. Klaas Vantornout (4) – Vantornout finished inside the top-10 three times this week. Points-wise, he’s still ahead of Pauwels, meaning his spot for Worlds is nearly locked-up. Vantornout continues to knock on the door of greatness, but I think the aforementioned riders are just that little bit better—at least for now.
7. Dieter Vanthourenhout (n/a) – Three top-10’s mark Dieter’s return to the rankings. Each week I write Dieter off—especially after his horrific crash earlier this year—yet he always creeps back into the rankings. He needs to find some consistency to remain here next week, but for now he earns the 7 spot.
8. Bart Aernouts (6) – Aernouts finished inside the top-10 in the three races he entered this week—barely—and is one of about a half-dozen riders battling for a spot on the Belgian Worlds team. I think this year he’s destined to remain in the chase group, but in a few more he should be with the leaders.
9. Bart Wellens (7) – Wellens finished a disappointing 21st in Zolder, but bounced-back with a 5th and a 7th. Wellens needs to remain consistent to have a shot at Worlds; he’s still trying to find his race legs after some extensive (forced) time off. He’s only 32 though; he’ll have plenty more years to represent his nation.
10. Radomir Simunek (9) – Simunek’s 5th in Zolder was his best Word Cup to date and is very surprising since the Czech rider barely makes the top-10 at such important races. He’s still young (27) which means he has a few more years to develop before things will really begin to click. At this point in the season, I think his goal is to try and win his national championship (not very likely with Stybar as his main competition) and represent his nation at Worlds, where he may use the hometown crowd to turn some heads.

Dropped this week: Sven Vanthourenhout (5).

The racing madness of “Christmas Week” continues over the next 7 days. However, it mostly consists of national-level races in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Obviously, the bulk of the action will be in Belgium, where riders can contest three straight races beginning New Year’s Day with the GP Sven Nys. Yes, Nys has his own race, which this year is once again a part of the GVA Trophy. It’s still a three-man race in the GVA series, with Nys trailing Albert by a mere 5 points. I should also note that next weekend almost every country is hosting its National Championship, which may cause riders to back off a bit this week or not race at all. Regardless, I’m sure many of the big boys will be out to play.

That’s it for 2009—see you next year! And please, share your comments below.

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