2012/13 US Cross Preview – East Coast

Posted on September 12, 2012 by

Jeremy Powers Wins Gateway Cross – courtesy of Gateway Cross

With the first weekend of UCI cross races out of the way, it’s time to get down to business in the US. This weekend there are four UCI races on the East coast and Vegas and the USGP are right around the corner. As a result, all the top cross racers will be making their final preparations before starting this season in earnest. Every year, we try and break our season preview down into two or three separate chunks. In previous years we’ve done the US vs. Europe, the Old Guard vs. the Young Guns, etc.

This offseason saw two moves that will have a major impact on racing in the US. Ryan Trebon, joined the East coast based Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com team and Jonathan Page moved West to Idaho in search of a more permenant home in the US. While Trebon didn’t make a literal move east, his change in teams brought up many questions about the classic East vs. West cross rivalry. So, this year, we decided to break our preview into East coast riders to watch and West coast ones. We’ll begin with the East.

Jeremy Powers

Powers had a stellar season last year culminating with his first ever elite National Championship. He also won the USGP, finished three World Cup races in the top-15 and was the highest ranked American with nearly 1,000 UCI points. In addition, Powers never finished outside the top-10 in the US. This season should see Powers on top of the podium a lot, with a definite eye towards a repeat at nationals in Madison. He’ll have his hands full stateside, but he’s still a heavy favorite for the USGP and another World Cup top-ten. His 26th at worlds was a disappointment, something he surely is looking work on for Louisville.

Tim Johnson

Last season was all about cross for Johnson. He essentially retired from road racing to enjoy his summer and get ready for a solid cross campaign. Unfortunately, things didn’t go his way in a season that can only be called disappointing. Johnson only won two races last year in late November/early December. He posted two top-20 finishes at the first two rounds of the World Cup, but struggled to stay consistent throughout the entire season. With that said, anyone who knows Johnson knows not to write him off. With Worlds in Louisville this year and a new ally in Ryan Trebon, Johnson looks primed to make an impact and prove why he’s one of the best American cross racers.

Jamie Driscoll

The “studious one” is often one of the most overlooked racers in the US. Despite only taking the top step of the podium once last year, Driscoll placed in the top-5 16 times and, like Powers, never finished outside the top-10 in the US. With his studies long behind him and a solid road season in his legs, Driscoll will once again be a podium contender. Whether or not he can stand on the top step of the podium more than once remains to be seen. However, his steady improvement and consistent racing are signs that things are headed in the right direction.

Justin Lindine

The revelation of the 2011/12 season, Lindine took New England by storm winning five straight races (including two in the mid-Atlantic). In fact, Lindine’s worst finish was a 15th place at round five of the USGP. In nearly 20 races, he only finished outside the top-10 twice. Lindine started off his 2012 season on a similar foot, despite suffering an injury to his hand. Once that heals, he should be back at the front of the field battling for the win. Outside of New England, Lindine should be a podium contender at the USGP races, and, perhaps, at Nationals.

With the extensive traveling that the aforementioned riders will be doing in order to race the USGP, World Cups, etc, the door could be left open for several riders to make their bid to be the East coasts next star. Dylan McNicholas and Travis Livermon both put in a solid season last year, culminating with top-ten finishes at Nationals. Meanwhile, Luke Keough won the inaugural Shimano NECX series a head of the likes of Christian Heule, Lindine and Powers. With riders like these, and UCI races nearly every weekend, this season promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Stay tuned for part two of our preview where we switch over to the left coast and talk about their cross stars.

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US Cross Week 1 – Preview

Posted on September 7, 2012 by

Photo Courtesy of CyclingCaptured.com

The 2012/13 cyclocross season officially kicks off this weekend with a pair of UCI C2 races in Rochester, NY at Rohrbach’s Ellison Park Cyclocross. Not only is cyclocross back, but so is Pavé’s cross coverage. We’ll be covering, arguably the biggest cross season in US history with our usual insight and analysis. We’re also going to unveil some new features, including a computerized ranking system and my attempt to predict the winner of every UCI race this season. So, without further ado, here’s my predictions for week one of the US cross season:

The Winner

Nicolas Bazin – the defending champion has crossed the pond again this year and looks keen to start his season off with a victory. This time, he’s bringing his fellow countryman Flavien Dasonville, a young racer on the rise. Whether or not he can help secure Bazin’s victory remains to be seen.

The Podium

Justin Lindine – all eyes will be on Lindine whose breakout 2011/12 season has made him a  marked man. I suspect he will podium both days and if he’s on form, he could put a halt to Bazin’s attempt at a repeat.

Jonathan Page – the real fireworks could come from Page, who had a poor season last year and looks to rebound with a strong start in the US. I think Page will finish on the podium both days and wouldn’t be surprised if he made a bid for victory, something he failed to do last year.

The Wildcards

The absence of the usual American heavy hitters should allow riders like Jeremy Durrin, Adam St. Germain, Craig Richey and Troy Wells to score a handful of UCI points as they all look to start off their seasons on the right foot. Any of these riders could make a run at the podium, but I suspect they’ll be battling for fourth.

Dan Timmerman – Timmermans name should ring a bell for diehard cross fans. In 2009, Timmerman stormed through New England and the mid-Atlantic en route to a top-10 at Nationals. Then, before the start of the 2010 season, he retired. Last year Timmerman stayed local and was a perfect six-for-six. Is this the return of the “bearded wonder”? I for one cannot wait to find out.

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Monday Musette – Belgians on the Move

Posted on August 27, 2012 by

Photo Courtesy of Slipstream Sports

There’s been a bit on my mind lately, which means it’s the perfect time to dust-off the Monday Musette. (Please excuse my rusty drivetrain.)

1. Perhaps like many of you, I’ve been scratching my head at Sep Vanmarcke’s decision to leave Garmin-Sharp after his contract expires at the end of the season. This is certainly a strange situation as there were no public conflicts between Vanmarcke and Garmin-Sharp management and the young Belgian’s talent is without question. One would assume that a Belgian team such as Lotto-Belisol has made Vanmarcke an offer he cannot refuse, but he says that’s not the case. As a result, Vanmarcke was left-off Garmin’s roster for the Vuelta and competed in his final World Tour race of the season this past Sunday in Plouay. As for his new destination, my money’s on Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank or Team Sky.

2. Realizing that Heinrich Haussler, Tyler Farrar, and Johan Van Summeren might not be the best answers to Garmin-Sharp’s cobbled classic needs, GarminSharp General Manager Jonathan Vaughters is close to signing 2010 Tour of Flanders-winner Nick Nuyens. The move makes a lot of sense: Nuyens is a cerebral and talented rider who has a relatively consistent track record in the hillier cobbled classics (at least when he’s healthy). His English is impeccable and he brings a wealth of experience to the table. In short, he’s a perfect fit. Expect Nuyens to be the protected rider for Flanders, with Vansummeren getting the nod in Roubaix. Farrar will have his chance in Ghent-Wevelgem, while Haussler—if he ever finds his legs again—will play the “joker”.

3. As for Stijn Devolder, the winner of back-to-back Rondes has fallen out of grace with Vacansoleil and after two disappointing season with the Dutch squad, the former Belgian Champion is now on the lookout for a new team. Rumors suggest (as I did years ago) that Devolder is headed to RadioShack-Nissan and a reunion with Johan Bruyneel and Dirk Demol. That said, Devolder did little classics-wise with US Postal/Discovery Channel from 2004-2007 other than win the Three Days of DePanne. (Which is odd considering the revelations regarding the team’s methods of “preparation”.)

4. Last but not least on the Belgian front, BMC’s Philippe Gilbert finally won a race this season—almost a year after taking his 18th victory of 2011. Whatever the reason for the Belgian’s lack of results in 2012, it’s good to see him back in top form and perhaps ready to challenge for a World Championship on a course that (finally) suits him. I think most Belgians would be satisfied with a two-win season for Gilbert—if one of them brings with it a Rainbow Jersey.

5. Moving to Spain, does anyone else wonder if the 2012 Vuelta a Espana is giving us a sneak preview of the 2013 Tour de France? Rumors abound that the 2013 Grand Boucle will be one of the hilliest in recent memory with a course well-suited to the likes of Alberto Contador, Chris Froome, etc. The aggressive racing we’re seeing in Spain makes me especially excited for those rumors to prove true.

6. As for the race itself, I have little faith in Joaquim Rodriguez’s ability to win the race overall—despite his current lead. I suspect that Rodriguez has targeted the early summit finishes more so than the rest (as he did in the Giro) and he’ll certainly lose at least a minute or two in Tuesday’s time trial. Expect the race to come down to a battle between the Spanish Grand Tour’s two best all-rounders: Contador (who foolishly “gave away” a stage win Saturday) and Froome (the event’s best time trialist and captain of its strongest team).

7. In France, Team Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen won the GP Ouest France in Plouay. Is it just me or does EBH seem to specialize at winning races during lulls in the one-day racing calendar? With Juan Antonio Flecha heading to Vacansoleil, will the 25-year-old Norwegian come through in next year’s Spring Classics?

8. In other news, it looks like Tony Martin has a clear shot to defend his World Time Trial Championship in Holland next month. The German appears to be getting in some solid training at the Vuelta, and his two main challengers—Bradley Wiggins and Fabian Cancellara—have both announced they won’t be competing in the event. I’m sure Tony would prefer to win another title by beating the world’s best in the discipline, but hey, a rainbow’s a rainbow.

9. Did you know? Since turning professional with HTC-HighRoad in 2010, Tejay van Garderen has eleven top-10 stage race overall finishes on his resumé—and no wins.

Share your own comments and musings below—it will be nice to hear from again!

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Europcar: (We) Award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul*

Posted on July 18, 2012 by

Photo courtesy of Team Europcar

The 2011 Tour de France was animated by Thomas Voeckler’s valiant attempts to cling to the Yellow Jersey he acquired during Stage 9.  Leaving behind their luckless breakaway companions, Voeckler placed second in the stage to Luis Leon Sanchez.  This gave him enough of a time buffer to fight, tooth and nail, for the next 10 stages, only to cede it – and his spot on the podium – following Stage 19.

Yet Stage 19 wasn’t a total loss for his Europcar team, who won the stage on the slopes of Alpe d’Huez with an impressive performance by Pierre Rolland.  This put Rolland in the White Jersey of Best Young Rider for the rest of the race.  Voeckler went on to finish the Tour in fourth-place overall, matching the position achieved by France’s last top-5 finisher: Christophe Moreau in 2000.

In this year’s Tour, Europcar has already won an impressive three stages – one by Rolland, and a pair by Voeckler.  Rolland appears poised to finish in the top-10, and while Voeckler is currently hovering just outside of the top-20, he’s locked in a battle with Fredrick Kessiakoff for the mountains classification.

In 2011, for 10 days in yellow, a stage win, and the Maillot Blanc, Europcar received 0 UCI points.

So far in 2012, for at least three stage wins and a possible top-10 overall finish, Europcar will receive 0 UCI points.

How, you may ask, is this possible?  The answer is simple: the split between the Continental and World Tours.  In a World Tour race, World Tour teams can earn World Ranking points.  Wildcard entries (i.e., Pro Contentintal teams) can’t – they’re not part of the World Tour, and can’t receive World Ranking points.  Let me stop you before you wonder if there’s an alternate scale by which they receive UCI points – there isn’t.  At least, not formally.

It’s all been discussed before, in a far better explanation than I am capable of.  The UCI evaluates teams for World Tour status using a mélange of criteria beyond points.  A stage win by a Peter Sagan clearly gives him – and Liquigas, should he remain there next year – 20 points.  A stage win by Pierre Rolland?  Unknown.  Europcar is instead left in the dark, and can only hope that the “sporting criteria” utilized by the UCI properly credits him and his team.

The calculation of the sporting criteria isn’t public.  The UCI sausage factory takes in whatever scraps – points, rider age and nationality, public perception – they deem worthy, churn them together, and spit out an ordered list, 1 to 20, of how teams stack up.  1 through 15 are in, and three teams from 16 through 20 are selected based on…some additional criteria.  We don’t know exactly how teams achieve their rankings, and we don’t know how a team goes from being one of the bottom five to being one of the three selected.  Even if we knew the criteria used to select 2012’s World Tour roster, we don’t know what will be used next year.  Current rankings, according to @inrng, may incorporate some sort of “youth” ranking that benefits young talent.  Rolland’s stage win, at 25, may matter more than Voeckler’s pair at 33.  Or maybe not.  Confused?  So are the teams.  Imagine being Jean-René Bernaudeau talking to potential sponsors for 2013.

Will you be in the World Tour?

Um… Maybe?

It’s a system that keeps those seeking to move up entirely in the dark about where they stand.  It’s unfair to the riders, unfair to the teams, unfair to the fans, and seems to do little but reinforce the hegemony of the UCI.

For Europcar, the situation probably isn’t all that dire.  As animators of the Tour two years running, and a top tier French team, their wildcard entry to next year’s race is all but guaranteed.  But there are other races for which their invitations may not be a given, to say nothing of the prestige of being a World Tour team.  I suspect they’ll be granted World Tour status for 2013 – though the details of how they got there are sure to be a mystery.

* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MRmxfLuNto

Follow Jeremy on Twitter at @jeremyrauch

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Goss’s Relegation

Posted on July 13, 2012 by

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Ten minutes or so after David Millar won Stage 12 of the Tour de France, the peloton rolled in to the finish, and Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Matt Goss (Orica-Greenedge) sprinted in their ongoing battle in the Points Competition. Goss, with Sagan on his wheel, drifted left a bit in his sprint, where Sagan was slowly pulling alongside. Eventually, Sagan sat up with an Angry Euro Hand Wave protesting Goss’s line deviation.

Sprinting has its own rules, and they’re not entirely clear. I’d review, but instead, I’ll just direct readers toward Cyclocosm’s “Rules of the Group Sprint,” which has all the information you need to know. Riders shall be strictly forbidden to deviate from the lane they selected when launching into the sprint and, in so doing, endangering others. 

Goss was relegated for his lane deviation. Did his move endanger Peter Sagan? Unlike truly shutting the door on an opposing sprinter – drifting toward the barriers to shut down the passing lane – Goss simply edged over. Sagan was sprinting tight on Goss to maximize his in-the-draft acceleration. Sagan kept sprinting despite Goss’s drift. It was only  several pedal strokes later, once he was soundly beaten, that he waves his arm in protest. 

We don’t know if the judges would have reviewed the finish had Sagan not protested, and we don’t know if Sagan would have won had he not been checked by Goss. We do know that Goss drifted, but was it inconsistent with standard sprint practice?

Cyclocosm concludes that the “endangering others” clause of the rule on lane deviation is the important one. Did Goss endanger Sagan? Was the relegation justified?

Edit: It should be noted without surprise that Robbie McEwen doesn’t agree with the judges decision.

Follow mattio on Twitter at @_mattio.

 

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The future of road cycling?

Posted on July 13, 2012 by

Carbon fork, 15mm thru-axle road disc. Road discs have been touted as the next big thing for years, but it looks like they’re finally ready for the mainstream. Are you ready? Or still unconvinced?

Follow Jeremy on Twitter at @jeremyrauch

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