Wednesday Cross Report and Power Ranking

Posted on January 13, 2010 by
Nationals are over, Worlds beckon–clearly, we’re nearing the end of the 2009/2010 cyclocross season.  Here’s the latest report and Power Ranking from Erik Mitchell–our man in the mud.  For more, go visit Erik’s site, The Run-up.
This past weekend, the superstars of cyclocross split-up and went home as the Belgians, Dutch, Czech, French and Italians (just to name a few) all held their National Championships this past weekend. Arguably, the biggest race is the Belgian Championship—they have the biggest names and the deepest field of any country. Sven Nys’ victory in Oostmalle came as no surprise; the seven-time National Champ has been on a tear lately. In the Czech Republic, it was much of the same as Zdenek Stybar took home top honors ahead of a respectable group of riders. The biggest surprise came in the Netherlands, where Lars Boom seemingly popped-out of nowhere to out-sprint Gerben de Knegt to take the win. All-in-all, it was another exciting weekend; now everyone can relax—sort of—before the World Championships in a few weeks.
Behind, Nys, Stybar and Boom, lies a bevy of riders making their case for a spot on their countries’ World Championship teams. Obviously, the biggest pressure was on the host county’s riders—the Czechs. Stybar proved that he’s the best rider in the land (and possibly in the World) while Petr Dlask continued his late season run, finishing 2nd. Dlask proved he could finish in the top-10 last weekend, but he still struggles with the World Cup races—hopefully that will change. In Belgium, Tom Meeusen (a rider to watch) pulled-off a stunning 3rd place finish behind Nys and Klass Vantornout. Meeusen was forced to race with the Elite Men because he has a professional contract, but will race with the U23 Men at Worlds, as he’s only 21. More surprises came from Belgium where Niels Albert and Kevin Pauwels finished 9th and 10th, respectively. Pauwels simply had a bad day, while the reigning World Champion claimed he was pulled-off his bike by a rabid Nys fan. Regardless, they both had sub-par performances.
As you might expect, Sven Nys and Zdenk Stybar top the rankings this week; but where does everyone else fall? Time to find out:
International Power Rankings
1. Sven Nys (1) – While all National Championships are prestigious, the Belgian race takes top honors. A star-studded field and a crazy race combined for some great action. Nys came out on top, and continues to lead the rankings. He’s once again the talk of the town when it comes to a World Championship, but I’ll reserve that conversation for a later date.
2. Zdenek Stybar (2) – Stybar will have the honor of wearing his National Championship jersey (or at least his national team jersey) in front of a hometown Worlds crowd in a few weeks. He’s one of the few men who can beat Nys and should have the course dialed-in by now (the Worlds course was used for the National Championships). Stybar is also in contention for the World Cup, the GVA Trophy, and Superprestige overalls. He definitely has a lot ahead of him to look forward to.
3. Francis Mourey (4) – Mourey picked up his fifth French National title in style this weekend, narrowly beating Steve Chainel. Mourey had a very strong early season, which quickly tailed-off in December. Two victories in two weeks prove that he’s found his form again, but can he hold it until Worlds?
4. Klaas Vantornout (10) – Vantornout took crazy risks in an aggressive bid for a Belgian National title. In the end he came up short, as Nys overcame a bevy of crashes and mechanicals to win. Vantornout seems able to ride at the front in the races that matter most; he’s definitely a wild card when it comes to Worlds.
5. Petr Dlask (9) – Dlask moved into the rankings for the first time last week and for good reason. He was the only rider who could keep Stybar in his sights and took a well-earned 2nd place. As I said last week, Dlask struggles at the bigger races, but is dominant in his home series (the TOI TOI cup). With a few World Cups coming-up, we will soon see how well he fairs outside of his native land.
6. Lars Boom (na) – Boom returned to the cross scene just in time to pick-up his fourth consecutive elite National title. The former cyclocross World Champ-turned roadie, has not mentioned any intentions to ride Worlds this year. But that may have changed now that he wears his Nation’s colors once again.
7. Gerben de Knegt (6) – de Knegt was my pick to win in Holland, but a last-lap stumble allowed a resurgent Boom to rejoin the lead and out-sprint him for the win. Even if Boom races Worlds this year, de Knegt is still his country’s best shot for a medal. Regardless, the 35-year old is having an outstanding season.
8. Tom Meeusen (na) – While nobody is the next Sven Nys, Meeusen may be as close as we’ll ever get. The 21-year old has won nearly 50% of the races he’s entered this year, dominating the U23 age group along the way. He is the odds-on favorite for U23 Worlds.
9. Dieter Vanthourenhout (5) – Vanthourenhout has continued his strong last-half of the season. His 5th-place finish in Oostmalle was hard-fought. It will be a battle for the last few Belgian spots at Worlds, but Vanthourenhout should have earned his ticket.
10. Bart Aernouts (7) – Like Vanthourenhout, Aernouts rode a solid race in Oostmalle, proving he’s a worthy candidate for a Worlds spot. It will be interesting to see if the Belgian can crack the top-5 over the next few weeks.
Dropped this week: Niels Albert (3) and Kevin Pauwels (8).
It’s back to a bit of normalcy this week in Europe. With the National Championships behind us and the World Championships right around the corner, we’re in the midst of one of the most competitive parts of the season. Right now, team managers are finalizing their Worlds rosters and almost everyone wants to prove worthy of a spot. This weekend there’s really only one race: Round 8 of the World Cup in Roubaix. Last year, the technical course, which goes in and around the famed Roubaix Velodrome, was turned to mud—epic mud. In fact, most riders were forced to run down the descents because it was safer and quicker. In the Overall standings, Niels Albert leads Zdenek Stybar by a mere 20 points, which means the first of that duo across the line should take the World Cup lead. Sven Nys is a distant 3rd and needs a miracle to wind-up the Overall. Last year, Erwin Vervecken shocked everyone with his victory, perhaps Nys can do it again. We’ll have to wait and see!
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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Ranking

Posted on January 28, 2010 by
The 2009-2010 cyclocross season is winding down, but there’s still one major event on the itinerary: the World Championships this weekend in Tabor, Czech Republic.  Erik’s back again this week with his Weekly Report and Power Ranking.  For more–including Erik’s in-depth World Championship Preview, visit his website, The Run-up.  As always, leave your comments for Erik below.
Just when I had written-off Niels Albert’s chances for a Worlds repeat, he comes storming through to surprise everyone, winning the final round of the World Cup in Hoogerheide, Netherlands. Needless to say, it was a bittersweet weekend for Albert, because Zdenek Stybar did just enough to take home the World Cup overall, finishing 2nd. Stybar received a heap of help from his teammate Kevin Pauwels who finished 3rd and never really challenged Stybar’s bid for his first World Cup title. Pauwels was followed across the line by fellow countrymen Klaas Vantornout and Sven Nys to fill-out the top-5. And, with the Belgians picking up 6 of the top 10 spots, they’re clearly ready for the World Championships this weekend. Behind the Belgian brigade, Gerben de Knegt finished inside the top-10 in one of his final few races in his home country this year, while American Jonathan Page managed to hold-on to his early success to finish 8th. All in all, it was a very exciting final round of the World Cup; and a number of great story lines still remain for the World Championships this weekend in Tabor, Czech Republic.
In Holland, Albert picked-up the win, but Stybar wound-up with the jersey. So who’s Number One this week? Time to find out:
1. Zdenek Stybar (1) – Stybar did just enough to take the World Cup overall with his 2nd place on Sunday. In the end, that’s good enough to stay Number One here. The Czech National Champion will have a lot of pressure on him in front of his fellow countrymen this weekend in Tabor. So far, he’s been able to handle it well, but Worlds is all about national teams, meaning Stybar will be without much help and almost all alone against the Belgians this weekend.
2. Niels Albert (9) – Albert simply rode away from the leaders on Sunday and really never looked back. He jumps-up 7 spots this week and seems to have found the form that brought him early season success. A few weeks ago, he said a Worlds repeat was out of the question. However, with Sunday’s performance, he’s on my list for the podium, and could definitely pick-up the win.
3. Klaas Vantornout (3) – Vantornout continues to quietly ride his way into the lead group, hanging-on for several top-5 finishes. He hasn’t shown the ability to attack the “big boys”, but always seems to be near the front when the winning moves are made. With a bit of luck and some great legs, the Belgian could find himself in the middle of the battle for the Rainbow Jersey.
4. Sven Nys (2) – Nys was the best of the chase group in Hoogerheide, raising a lot of questions. The most popular regarded Nys’ decision to race on Saturday in a meaningless Belgian race (which he won). The other big story was Nys’ comments about Sunday’s race not mattering ahead of Worlds. Bottom line: Nys needs to win on Sunday to make everyone forget his antics and excuses.
5. Erwin Vervecken (5) – Vervecken narrowly missed a second consecutive top-5 World Cup finish on Sunday. With his recent string of success, Vervecken has to be a favorite to podium in his final World Championships. Here’s a good tidbit to chew on: Vervecken has won three World titles; his first came in 2001—in Tabor.
6. Kevin Pauwels (na) – Pauwels’ podium finish launches him back into the rankings. He remains a wild card for a podium spot at Worlds, but it would take a lot of luck for him to take the top step. Regardless of how he does, Pauwels is another young Belgian who will have plenty of opportunities to pick-up a World Championship jersey in the future.
7. Tom Meeusen (4) – Much like Stybar, Meeusen wrapped-up his U23 World Cup overall with a second place in Hoogerheide. Meeusen is the odds-on favorite to win the U23 World Championships in Tabor, and is another Belgian superstar-to-be. He has already proven that he can race with the best in the world and thus remains in the rankings.
8. Gerben de Knegt (7) – de Knegt may not be the Dutch National Champion, but he has proven this year that he’s the best rider from his country. He’ll lead his nation on Sunday in Tabor and should finish inside the top-10. A podium spot seems out of the question at this point, but de Knegt continues to surprise everyone—even at age the of 35. Imagine if Nys (34), de Knegt (35), and Vervecken (38) were to finish on the podium!
9. Bart Aernouts (8) – Aernouts has rarely cracked the top-5 this year, but rides consistently in the top-10. His consistent season has earned him a Worlds spot. Clearly, he’s capable of a top-10 in Tabor, but anything better would be major surprise.
10. Jonathan Page (na) – Page’s 8th place on Sunday surprised everyone, including myself. As a result, Page will have a second row start in Tabor along with a lot of confidence. While he’s capable of a top-10 this weekend, I think a podium spot is out of the question. That said, he shocked the world in 2007—could he do it again?
Dropped this week: Bart Wellens (6) and Steve Chainel (10).
Unless you haven’t been paying attention, the 2010 Cyclocross World Championships take place in Tabor, Czech Republic this weekend. Overall, it’s been an incredibly exciting year and the World Championships promise to be no different. Belgium and the Czech Republic will both start seven riders, each country receiving a bonus rider due to having the current World Champion (Albert) and World Cup overall champion (Stybar). Belgium will start four former World Champions (Wellens, Nys, Vervecken and Albert). The odds-on favorites are Stybar, Nys and Albert, but a surprise could be lurking around every turn. All in all, it promises to be a battle to the end, one that I cannot wait to see. Enjoy the fireworks!
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Wednesday Cross Report and Power Ranking

Posted on February 3, 2010 by
Only a few weeks left for Erik Mitchell’s Weekly Cross Report and Power Rankings.  It was a fantastic weekend of racing.  For more insight and analysis, head to Erik’s site, The Run-up.  As always, feel free to share your comments and insights below.
In what was billed as one of the best cyclocross races in years, the 2010 World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic delivered the fairy tale story every rider (and fan) dreams about. Wearing his nation’s colors, Zdenek Stybar destroyed one of the best fields ever assembled, and collected the Rainbow Jersey in front of a hometown crowd. Stybar spent more than half the race by himself and wound-up winning by 21 seconds. Behind, the usual heads of state were noticeably absent, as a bevy of somewhat unsung riders made their bids for podium spots. Sven Nys, the other early favorite, found himself out of contention for the win, and could only watch as fellow countryman Klaas Vantornout picked-up the Silver Medal. Nys held-on for Bronze, while defending champion Niels Albert dropped-out with a few laps to go.

Vantornout wasn’t the only surprise of the day. Behind the two Belgians, three more Czechs made their way into the top-10: Martin Bina (4th), Martin Zlamalik (6th), and Radomir Simunek (8th). I guess there’s something about racing on your home soil that leads to extraordinary performances. Mixed among the surging Czechs were a few other surprise names; Francis Mourey finished 5th and Christian Heule drifted back into 7th. Tim Johnson was the top American, using a late surge to wind-up 14th. Needless to say, when a World Championship is on the line, we get a chance to see wonderful performances from riders we rarely talk about.

All in all, it was one of the best races of the year, and one that will be remembered for a long time. In terms of the rankings, obviously Stybar takes the top spot this week, but where does everyone else fall? Time to find out:

1. Zdenk Stybar (1) – In what still must seem like a dream, Stybar proved that he’s the best in the World right now by winning the rainbow stripes in his home nation. Stybar will be going for it all over the next few weeks. He already has the World Cup Overall Title and the World Championship and is well within striking distance of the Superprestige and GvA Trophy series. Only time will tell if the Czech can win the Quadruple Crown.
2. Klaas Vantornout (3) – Vantornout continued his impressive run of top-5 finishes with a silver medal in Tabor. This tied his best result of the year (at the Roubaix World Cup) and has firmly planted him as one of the best Belgian cross riders. He hasn’t won a race this year, but has only finished outside the top-10 once. Even if he doesn’t pick up a win this February, he’ll still be a major threat next year.
3. Sven Nys (4) – In typical Nys fashion, the Belgian superstar failed to win the biggest race in the World. He has promised to race cross until 2013, leaving him a few more opportunities to take another World Championship. Nys appeared to have good form, but his superb technical skills were nowhere to be found. He has two more races left in the GvA Trophy to defend his lead and wrap-up the overall. That’s really all that matters for him at this point.
4. Francis Mourey (n/a) – Mourey may never win a race outside of France, but he’s still one of the best cross racers in Europe. His 5th place was no surprise (he’s had six of them this year), but the fact that he was on a verge of a podium spot definitely turned a few heads. Perhaps he’ll surprise us with a win later this month, or maybe he’ll continue his impressive streak of 5th places.
5. Gerben de Knegt (8) – de Knegt struggled a bit in Tabor, but finished just inside the top-10. He remains the best Dutchmen in the world right now and has resurrected his career at age 35. With the retirement of Erwin Vervecken, de Knegt becomes the elder statesmen of cross next year, but I’m sure his results won’t show it.
6. Bart Wellens (n/a) – The four-time World Champ struggled to make the Belgian team this year, but with a 10th place in Tabor, he proved he belonged there all along. Due to the bizarre illness he suffered last fall, it’s been a tough season for the Belgian. I think he’s really looking forward to next year; we’re hoping he hopes to get back to the greatness he once showed.
7. Martin Bina (n/a) – Bina was the first of many Czech riders to surprise everyone in Tabor. He lost a shot at the podium thanks to a devastating sprint from Nys. Still, his 4th place was perhaps the biggest surprise of the day. This will most likely be Bina’s best result of the year, but leaves hope that he may be able to produce similar results more consistently next year.
8. Martin Zlamalik (n/a) – Zlamailk’s 6th place was yet another Czech surprise. In fact, the Czech Republic finished with more riders inside the top-10 (4) than any other nation this year. Much like Bina, Zlamalik hasn’t had much success in the bigger races this year, but while it might have been a result of home field advantage, the future looks bright for the Czech Republic right now. It’s shaping-up to be a Czech vs. Belgian battle for years to come.
9. Christan Heule (n/a) – Heule raced in America in September before heading over to Europe where he produced some good results. Over the past few months his success has fizzled though, making his 7th place all the more remarkable. At age 35, Heule’s career is almost over and while it’s not clear when he’ll bid the cross world adieu, a top-10 at Worlds isn’t a bad way to go.
10. Niels Albert (2) – Albert really didn’t prove much coming-off his victory in the final round of the World Cup a week ago. He failed to finish on Sunday in Tabor and was never better then 12th during the race. But while he lost the World Title and the World Cup this year, he still has a shot at the Superprestige and GvA Trophy. It’s going to be a tough end to the season for the young Belgian if he fails to win at least one of those titles.

Dropped this week: Erwin Vervecken (5), Kevin Pauwels (6), Tom Meeusen (7), Bart Aernouts (9), Jonathan Page (10).

While the cycling world begins to turn its head towards road races in Southern Europe and Qatar this week, the cross boys will be battling it out in Belgium. With only a few weeks left in the season, it’s time to wrap-up the Superprestige and GvA Trophy. There’s a mid-week race in Maldegem, but the real fireworks begin on Saturday in Lille, with another round of the GvA. Sven Nys will be going for broke as he tries to defend his lead over a rocky Niels Albert and the newly-crowned World Champion, Zdenek Stybar. On Sunday, the trio moves to Zonhoven for the penultimate round of the Superprestige series. Nys needs a miracle to win this overall, but another victory on home soil is always nice for the Belgian Champion. Meanwhile, Stybar and Albert will battle it out for the lead heading into the final round next weekend in Vorselaar. Needless to say, there’s no rest for the weary.

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Wednesday Cross Report

Posted on October 14, 2009 by

Here’s the latest installment of the Wednesday Cross Report, courtesy of Erik Mitchell. We hope you enjoy Erik’s insights. Feel free to visit him at his own site, and as always, we welcome your comments below.

In a weekend where we saw no less than 12 UCI races, including the start of the GVA Trophy and Superprestige series, the major story is Sven Nys’ return to the top. However, while the European scene returned to normal, the North American scene was blown apart. Split between a three-day affair in Ohio and back-to-back races in Rhode Island, two names have emerged as the definitive heads of state: Jeremy Powers and Tim Johnson. Katie Compton also returned stateside just in time to decimate a powerful women’s field in Ohio. Jonathan Page finally headed over to Europe where he produced less than lack luster results. It’s hard to believe that only a few years ago any European result by an American would be earth shattering. How the times have changed.

Sven Nys’ return to prominence seems like a long time coming. However, the rollercoaster ride may not be over. Remember the optimism over his 3rd-place finish at Houtlandcross, followed by a disastrous World Cup race? While he’s the first to crack Niels Albert, even Nys needs to prove it was more than a one-time deal. Also, Albert still leads the UCI rankings, World Cup rankings and GVA Trophy, all of which Nys won last year. While Nys has expressed his desire for a 10th Superprestige title, he’s not one to settle for less than the top spot in any of these other series—unless, perhaps, he can pick-up a World Championship.

The story behind the Nys/Albert battle was the solid performance of Zdenk Stybar. As I’ve said before Stybar’s biggest asset could be the fact that nobody pays attention to him. The usual names were also all floating around this weekend, but at this point in the season consistency is key. The two exceptions are Martin Bina and Sven Vanthourenhout. While both produced impressive results, they could only produce on one day, thus dropping them to the bottom of the rankings. Page’s top-20 results were a good sign considering he flew back to Europe on Friday, but after a lot of hype last week on my part, he has dropped-off the list. The biggest addition is Dieter Vanthourenhout who returned to action only a few weeks after a horrific crash that left many wondering if he would ever recover.

Domestically, after the previous weekend’s double-header in New England, the North American scene was spread across the continent. There was a triple-header in Ohio, a double-dip in Providence and a two-day Canadian affair. As previously mentioned, Powers and Johnson took top honors in the US, while Geoff Kabush grabbed a National Championship and UCI win up north. Behind them, there was a mad dash for points, cash and pride. Barry Wicks went to Ohio and landed on the podium every day, while Jamey Driscoll was right behind his teammate in Providence.

As I said before, one of the biggest criteria for the power rankings—especially in the US—is consistency. In Europe there are fewer races, so the best of the best are always on hand. As we saw this weekend though, the North American scene has become very spread-out when it comes to UCI races. While I won’t get into the “too many UCI races” debate right now, it makes it challenging to pick the best of the best. Obviously, priority is given to the riders who were more consistent over three days versus two. However, especially this weekend, if you had a DNF, you didn’t make the cut (i.e. Ryan Trebon and Jerome Townsend). Some guys got knocked off the list due to bad luck, while others didn’t race and will likely return next week.

All I can say is that it was an exciting and action-packed weekend on both sides of the Atlantic. The European season is truly in full swing and the usual cast of characters is back on top. North American races continue to give opportunities to many unknowns, all of whom are taking full advantage. In both places, the usual big names are back on the podium, but there are plenty of riders quietly racking up UCI points and putting in solid performances. So, without further delay, here’s this week’s ranking:

International Rankings:

1. Niels Albert (1) – Finally, something to talk about! Albert decided to “let” somebody else win. However, he still dominates virtually every series that matters, so he remains Number One. Could this be the last week?
2. Zdenk Stybar (3) – Stybar’s consistency moves him up one spot. He has yet to win a major cross race this year, but unlike virtually everyone else on this list, he’s consistently at the front. Stybar is still young and may find himself on the top step of the podium sooner than anyone thinks.
3. Sven Nys (na) – Welcome back? Nys still remains a huge question mark; after all he was dropped from the rankings last week. He doesn’t need to win; he just needs to find the consistency that has made him the legend he is. Winning always helps though.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) – While I’m impressed with his consistency, I’m still waiting for Vantornout to “wow” me. Two top-5’s are nothing to hang your head about, especially in this company. But I still feel like something’s missing.
5. Katie Compton (5) – I was very tempted to move Compton up a spot this week, but the return of Nys negated that option. However, Compton’s utter dominance continued stateside with three-straight victories despite having only one bike in the US, not pre-riding the course on Friday, and crashing twice. Her margins of victory: 3:41, 2:39 and 1:49. Ridiculous.
6. Bart Aernouts (na) – Aernouts is another rider known for a ton of top-10’s, but very few podiums—especially in World Cup races. He did pick up a win this year, but now he needs to prove that he can win when all the big boys are around.
7. Kevin Pauwels (9) – Pauwels bounced-back from a lackluster World Cup result with two top-10 finishes. I still expect a major result from him, but it takes a lot of skill/fitness and a bit of luck to stay with the lead group, especially on the very challenging courses the Europeans are facing this year.
8. Dieter Vanthourenhout (na) – Generally an 8th and 9th-place finish don’t get you into the rankings, but the fact that Dieter’s career almost ended a few weeks ago shows what this kid is made of. That said, I expect better results over the next few weeks.
9. Sven Vanthourenhout (10) – Sven moves-up one spot due to a very solid 4th-place finish at the first round of the Superprestige. His DNF at the GVA Trophy makes me wonder if he deserves this spot, but I think he’s on par for a big result this weekend at the World Cup race in Plzen.
10. Martin Bina (7) – Bina won a round of the TOI TOI Cup, but elected not to participate in the two bigger European races. Stybar did this a few weeks ago and it worked well for him. Both Bina and Stybar will be under a lot of pressure as the World Cup heads to Plzen this weekend.

Dropped-out This Week: Jonathan Page (2), Francis Mourey (7) and Christian Heule (8).

North American Rankings:

1. Jeremy Powers (6) – Three is always better then two, and Powers managed to put up three consecutive wins to his teammate’s (Tim Johnson) two. Last year, Powers surprised a lot of people with his results. This year, he’s eliminated any doubters and looks like a very strong candidate for a National Championship.
2. Tim Johnson (2) – Johnson’s return from a separated has been nothing short of remarkable. The bad news: he’ll have to leave New England this weekend. The good news: he’ll have an opportunity to go toe-to-toe with Powers to try and prove that he’s the best.
3. Barry Wicks (na) – Wicks’ teammate, Ryan Trebon, didn’t make the rankings this week, but left his mark. Trebon’s second on Sunday prevented Wicks from picking up three-straight 3rd’s. Wicks has proven he can win in the Mid-Atlantic, and will have the perfect opportunity this weekend.
4. Jamey Driscoll (1) – How much does this suck? Driscoll’s two second-places in Providence make him the worst rider on his team. He’ll go head-to-head-to-head with Johnson and Powers in Toronto this weekend with bragging rights on the line.
5. Joachim Parbo (5) – I’m still working on a good nickname for Parbo, and with three straight podium finishes in Ohio, I better come up with one quickly. The Danish Destroyer looks destined for a UCI win on North American soil this year.
6. Chris Jones (3) – Jones played his part in Providence to make sure the podium looked the same both days, with two third-place finishes. So much for a roadie with some fitness, Jones looks like he’s here to stay.
7. Mark LaLonde (na) – LaLonde continues to ride with the leaders and it’s time that I take notice. While some media outlets have called him the revelation of the season so far, I think LaLonde still has some work to do to prove he truly belongs (three top-10’s do help though).
8. Geoff Kabush (na) – The pressure is squarely on Kabush’s shoulders this weekend. The newly crowned Canadian National Champion has two rounds of the NACT in his backyard. Can the Canadian hold off the American invasion?
9. Dan Timmerman (8) – Timmerman continues to ride solidly in New England. A pair of top-10’s helped him extend his lead in the NECCS and he will finally travel south (to the Mid-Atlantic) to continue his stellar season.
10. Troy Wells (na) – Wells has always seemed destined for great things. Much like Jesse Anthony, there may have been too much pressure on Wells to produce at the elite level. A breakthrough year seems eminent; perhaps this is the start.

Dropped-out This Week: Andy Jacques-Maynes (4), Jesse Anthony (7), Luke Keough (9) and Davide Frattini (10).

As I mentioned earlier, the upper echelon of the US scene heads to Toronto this weekend for two rounds of the NACT. The Mid-Atlantic features the King and Queen of the MAC series, where the rest of the US field will battle it out. There’s a midweek cross race in Belgium that may see some sparks fly, but the big action will be at Round Two of the World Cup in Plzen, Czech Republic. Round Two is only for the men, so the European women will either take a weekend off or head to Switzerland for a race there. Both Toronto and the Mid-Atlantic feature a pair of races for the women, but I have been unable to confirm where Katie Compton is racing. The odds are she’ll be in Toronto, but she’s visited the Mid-Atlantic before. Regardless, the two main story lines will be the Powers/Johnson/Driscoll trio in Canada and Nys’ second-chance to the World Cup–should be exciting!

What about you? Share your comments below!

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Vuelta: Worlds Preparation Gone Awry

Posted on August 30, 2011 by and

Fotoreporter Sirotti

This Vuelta appears to have been anything but a good warm-up and form-check for the upcoming pancake-flat Worlds. While the use of statistics is severely limited in cycling, the form requirements for major races lend them well to certain preparation. Last year, Jeremy took a look at the previous ten years of World Championship victories, and with Thor Hushovd the winner of the 2010 World Championships, it seems four markers have been very good indicators: riding the Vuelta for preparation, winning a stage, abandoning the Vuelta to rest, taper, and peak for Worlds, and riding Worlds with large teams.

And so the Vuelta plays a crucial role for Worlds prep. However, continuing the current trend in Grand Tours stage design, there are few completely flat transfer stages earmarked for sprinters. Indeed, ten days deep into the Vuelta and there have only been two field sprints, won by Sky’s Chris Sutton and Skil-Shimano’s Marcel Kittel. All the ambitious sprinters gamely came, but who is left standing?

QuickStep’s Tom Boonen came with clearly the worst form of those considered contenders. His serious concussion at the Tour seems to have left a psychological block for him: we didn’t see him contend any sprints. The problem is, when you are Tom Boonen, nobody will let you get off the leash with a late attack. So what is Boonen going to do?

Mark Cavendish may still be considered a stop contender for the Worlds, what with a strong Team UK performance that earned them a full roster. But his early exit, which HTC-Highroad said was due to “lack of power”, doesn’t bear well for his ambitions. Did he push himself too much? Detractors say that in reality it was his disinterest in helping the team that led him to climb off the saddle. But if it is true that he lacked power, can he recover in time? He has flashes of one-shot brilliance, as in the 2009 Milan-San Remo, but he excels in stage races when he can rely on several stages’ worth of warm up to start his winning ways.

Other contenders include Lampre’s Alessandro Petacchi and 3-time champion Oscar Freire of Rabobank (who abandoned on Stage 8, apparently due to difficulty breathing) – between them, these veterans have only Freire’s 3rd place on Stage 7 to boast about. Petacchi impressed during the Giro, even finding some climbing legs in support of his teammate Michele Scarponi, but it looks like three Grand Tours in one season is proving to be a bit too much to handle.

Meanwhile, Garmin-Cervelo’s Tyler Farrar, perhaps an outside shot at the Worlds title with a dedicated team USA to back him up, fell injured in a mass pileup on Stage 7. So did Rabobank’s Matti Breschel, who has been designated Denmark’s man for Worlds.

In this morass of poor performances and abandons, one rider that has really impressed is Liquigas’s Peter Sagan. He has uncommon longevity in stage races, which can translate well in a long Worlds-type course. This year’s Vuelta is proving to be a good training ground for him, and he even pulled home a Stage win on Stage 6, when he and three Liquigas teammates shredded the front and took four of the top five on the stage.

Italy continues its search for leadership, and few names have surfaced – albeit by and large by riders not racing the Vuelta. Those include Liquigas’s Elia Viviani with his treble in the US Pro Cycling Challenge, teammate Daniel Oss who won one stage there, and Colnago-CSF Inox’s fastman Sacha Modolo, who has had a great season so far and came second to a strong Cavendish in the London test race. With Daniele Bennati continuing a fairly quiet season, Paolo Bettini may have to choose one of the other youngsters.

Another outside contender by virtue of the fact of his entering the race is Philippe Gilbert. Team Belgium may have to make a bet on the Walloon Son. However, his trademark “Gilbert Maneuvre” appears to be running a bit low on the turbo juice – at the GP Plouay when he was overhauled by a surging peloton.

This year’s Vuelta, with its abandones, few-and-far-between sprint stages, and rigorous climbs, seems to be diametrically opposed to the sprint-ready World Championships course. Considering this difficult preparation, who might be a threat for Worlds, and how are they preparing? Share your thoughts below.

 

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Vuelta d’Espana Preview

Posted on August 28, 2009 by

It’s back to school time, so that means it’s time for the annual 3-week party known as the Vuelta d’Espana. Seriously, I remember hearing of fights among team personnel over who would get to work the race—it’s that much fun.

For the riders though, it’s a bit of a different story, especially for those coming to the race with ambitions of one sort of another. Looking over the latest start list in fact, it’s pretty easy to sort the riders into categories based upon their expectations and hopes for this year’s race. Let’s take a stab at it.

Redeemers
The Redeemers come to the race hoping to salvage their seasons. Maybe they were injured and missed a big race or two, maybe they were suspended and are trying to return to their former glory days, or maybe they just spent the season searching for form that never came. Regardless, these men come to this year’s Vuelta hoping to erase the past with a win in the year’s final Grand Tour.

1. Cadel Evans tops the list of Redeemers this year. An utter disappointment at the Tour de France (a race he was expected by many to win), Cadel comes to the start in Rotterdam looking to win his first Grand Tour. Silence-Lotto has given him a solid team capable of getting him where he needs to be for the victory, but it will be all up to Cadel to keep his head in the race against some fierce competition. When he’s on his game, he’s a force to be reckoned with; but when he’s not he races with the temperament of a pubescent teenager. He better take advantage now, in what could be his last real shot for Grand Tour glory.

2. Alejandro Valverde makes his 2009 Grand Tour debut at a race he would most certainly love to win for his home fans. He wasn’t allowed to start the Tour this year due to his Italian racing ban, and his team appears to be eager to sign one of his fiercest rivals, fellow Spaniard Alberto Contador. A win by Valverde might convince his management that Albie’s not worth the extra millions, a poor outing might just put the nail in his Valverde’s Grand Tour coffin. For my money, I’m hoping Valverde makes this his last attempt at Grand Tour greatness; he’s much more suited to the Ardennes Classics and shorter stages races. Can you imagine how he would do were he to focus exclusively on those?

3. Remember last year when Kim Kirchen won Flèche-Wallone and then spent a week or two making everyone think he could win the Tour? Seems long ago, doesn’t it? Yes, he was injured for the better part of the season, but he’s better now and has enough racing in his legs to warrant consideration here. His situation isn’t nearly as critical as Evans’ or Valverde’s, but he certainly could use a good result to remind everyone of just how talented he is—or was.

4. And of course, one cannot forget Alexandre Vinokourov, whose need for redemption needs no explanation.

Other candidates: Philipe Gilbert, FDJ, Euskaltel-Euskadi

Builders
The Builders come to the Vuelta hoping to build form for the season’s final month, namely the World Championships, Paris-Tours, and the Tour of Lombardy. Most of these riders can’t logically claim to have ambitions for the GC; they’ll be looking for stage wins and opportunities to test their legs against their peers. In many cases, these men are also seeking redemption, using the Vuelta to help them find it in the season’s waning moments. A bit risky perhaps, but a stage win or two along the way never hurts, no?

1. Tom Boonen might also be considered a Redeemer in the sense that his Tour de France was an entirely lackluster affair. He started the season well with his usually impressive Classics campaign. Then the wheels fell-off when Tommeke tested positive—again—for cocaine—again. His team fought for and won the right to bring Tom to the Tour where he spent more time flatting and falling than sprinting and winning. He then announced he would ride the Vuelta in the hopes of reminding everyone that he’s one of the top sprinters in the world–and to gain some form for World’s. If can build the fitness he needs for a big win later, while winning several stages, he might just kill two birds with one stone. If he can’t, his fans will spend the off-season wondering what could have been instead of celebrating what was.

2. Like Boonen, Damiano Cunego comes to Spain hoping to build the form he needs to make everyone forget what’s been a pretty disappointing season so far. He failed to score a Spring Classic win and was nowhere close to being a factor in his beloved Giro. Perhaps more so than Boonen, the Worlds parcours actually suits Cunego’s strengths though, and now without Danilo “It’s A Conspiracy” Di Luca in the picture, he might have a team entirely dedicated to helping him get it. Cunego needs to ride smart, treating the Vuelta strictly as training, lest he risk doing too much too soon. Sure, he can go for a stage win now and again, but he cannot do so if it means burning too many of the matches he’ll need for success at Mendrisio and Lombardy.

3. Alessandro Ballan would like to defend his World Title; unfortunately, he might find the course and the competition a bit too much for his talents. That said, there’s always Paris-Tours, a race much more suited to his skills. The Vuelta will help him get where he needs to be. Fabian Cancellara would also like another World Title in the ITT. He’s racing for his home fans at Mendrisio, and the Vuelta will provide just the training he needs to ensure they don’t go home disappointed.

Others: Bjorne Leukemans, Lars Boom, Oscar Freire, and Carlos Barredo

Asserters
The Asserters come the Vuelta hoping to prove that they warrant the hype they’ve been given at point or another. They could be a young sprinter hoping to show everyone they deserve to be considered one of the World’s fastest, or an all-round rider looking to make the jump from weeklong race contender to Grand Tour favorite. To them, the Vuelta is a chance to assert themselves as deserving a place at the top of the sport.

1. Andre Griepel was pretty disappointed to have been left-off his team’s roster for the Tour. He comes to the Vuelta hoping to re-assert himself as one of the world’s fastest sprinters. In doing so, he might simultaneously build some form for a race like Paris-Tours and earn himself a fat new contract for 2010—either with Columbia or someone else.

2. Along with Edvald Boassen Hagen, Tyler Farrar was perhaps August’s most successful rider. He comes to the Vuelta looking for a Grand Tour breakthrough. He’s already beaten just about everyone he’ll be competing against in Spain, now he just needs everything to fall into place. His confidence is brimming, his team is dedicated to helping him win, and all that’s left is for him to make it happen. I think he will—several times.

3. Samuel Sanchez comes to the race wearing race number 1. His only task is to end the 3-week race at the same place on GC. He has a team that will certainly be motivated to help him win their home tour and draw attention from the scandal surrounding them after July’s Tour. Frankly though, I don’t see Sanchez as a rider capable of winning a Grand Tour. Like Valverde, he might be suited to hillier classics and weeklong stages races of the Paris-Nice/Pais Vasco sort. Should he prove me wrong though, he will have convincingly asserted himself as one of the world’s finest.

4. And finally, there’s Andy Schleck. Does Andy need to assert himself as one of the world’s best Grand Tour riders? Absolutely not. That said, he’s finished on the podium in both the Giro and the Tour now, and a win at the Vuelta would assert his status as perhaps the greatest threat to Alberto Contador in the years to come. If I were Andy, I would love to go into the off-season with a Grand Tour win under my belt, thus fueling the fire for an impending re-match with Contador in next year’s Tour.

Other Candidates: Roman Kreuziger, Rinaldo Nocentini, Ignatas Konovalovas, Allan Davis, and Fuji-Servetto

Seekers
To put it simply, the Seekers come to the race looking for one thing: a contract for next year. September marks the beginning of the official transfer period as well as the start of the stagiaire audition season. A good ride in Spain can make the difference between a good contract and a bad one, or in extreme cases, no contract at all.

1. Ivan Basso needs the Vuelta to remind everyone—and his potential suitors—that he still has what it takes to win a Grand Tour. His return at the Giro was positive, but it did little to strike fear into the hearts of his rivals. A win or solid placing in Spain might convince a team that Basso’s best days are not behind him. A bad race, and Team Radio Shack might be able to change a digit or two in their latest offer.

2. Simon Gerrans will certainly have offers for next season; the Vuelta will just give him a opportunity to make them as high as he wants them to be. A stage win in Spain and he’ll have bagged one in all 3 Grand Tours—in 2 seasons, no less. The race might also give him a chance to show what he can do on GC; his team contains no threat to his leadership should he choose to go that route.

3. As we mentioned earlier, Tom Danielson finally looks to be worthy of at least some of the hype surrounding him during his Pro Tour career. A good Vuelta will solidify his place on someone’s team next season—maybe even Garmin. A bad race, and he could be looking for work back home on a team hoping to make him their leader for Redlands. (Now I’m sounding like Bobby Julich.)

4. If I were to make a list of Indefensible Claims for this year’s Vuelta, I’d pick Chris Horner to win. Like Gerrans, he’ll have no problem finding a team next year—especially if he decides to follow Lance. But Chris is a wily veteran, and his inclusion on Astana’s Vuelta team shows me that he’s willing to go it alone to prove to anyone watching that he’s got talent. With Alain Gallopin (the man responsible for bringing Chris to FDJ way back when) driving the car, Chris could pull-off the result of his life, giving him the right to demand more dinero from Team Lance or elsewhere.

Other Seekers: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Matti Breschel, Michael Albasini, Xacobeo Galicia, and Contempolis-AMPO

That said, here are my predictions for this year’s Vuelta Top-5:

1. Andy Schleck
2. Roman Kreuziger
3. Cadel Evans
4. Alejandro Valverde
5. Chris Horner

What about you? Who are your Redeemers, Builders, Asserters, and Seekers for this year’s race? Share your comments below.

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