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.

Tagged , | Leave a comment

Monday Musette – End of Season Awards (You Haven’t Heard of Yet)

Posted on December 28, 2009 by
It’s the end of the year, a time for reflection, renewal, relaxation, and—awards. To me, most of the serious ones have already been awarded to deserving recipients. But here are a few that might have been missed:
The “This Contract’s Not Worth the Paper Upon Which It’s Written” Award
Maybe we need to blame EU labor laws for this, but it’s hard to not give this one to Bradley Wiggins. Here’s hoping he’s able to make good on the potential Sky sees in him. If he doesn’t, it could prove to be one of the costliest blunders in the history of transfers.
The “A Promise is a Promise—Until It Isn’t” Award
Specialized shocked everyone this fall, first by signing Alberto Contador to an individual deal then by leaving Quick Step to supply bikes for the entire Astana team. Was a contract broken? No, the agreement between SBC and Quick Step was due to expire anyway. But reading between the lines, one can’t help but sense that Patrick Lefevere felt a bit betrayed by Specialized’s sudden change of heart.
The “Wasted Breath, Wasted Time, and Wasted Blood” Award
This past year, several teams and riders signed agreements with independent doctors to monitor and publish their “health” findings—only to end these agreements later. First it was Lance, then Team Saxo Bank followed suit. Have you ever read The Great Gatsby? Do you remember the part when the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells us “he’s one of the few honest people that [he] has ever known”? It’s an important moment, for Nick is ironically one of the most dishonest characters in the novel. A fact made doubly important due to the fact that he’s the one narrating. The lesson: never trust a person who boasts of his or her own honesty—especially if they take it back soon after.
The “Innovation Most Likely to Actually Innovate” Award
At first, I think we all thought Shimano’s Di2 electronic group would prove to be nothing more than a passing fancy. Skil-Shimano and Rabobank domestiques were the early testers, but that was attributed to nothing more than a result of their sponsor-team relationships. But soon other, more important riders began choosing to use it—including George Hincapie. And now, several of the World’s fastest cyclocross racers are riding it and winning with it—in some pretty adverse conditions. I won’t be fully sold until it wins a major one-day road race, thus proving its reliability in races where one untimely mechanical problem can be most costly (like on the Poggio, at the foot of the Muur, or in the Arenberg Forest). But I think that day is coming—soon.
The “Innovation Least Likely to Actually Innovate” Award
It’s cool, it’s clever, and it might even work. But it’s not likely to gain a serious foothold in the marketplace.
The “Rider of the Year Who Has Not Already Won a ‘Rider of the Year Award’” Award
I’m not sure about you, but I think one of the best sub-plots of this year’s Tour de France was the mini-Renaissance of French cycling. I say “mini” because it will be difficult to fully proclaim France’s return to Tour prominence until they can boast of a true overall contender. That said, Brice Feillu gave it his best shot this year, winning the stage to Arcalis and finishing 25th overall—in his first Tour. Whether or not he has the talent to win the race outright remains to be seen, but he certainly deserves credit for a classy stage win that lifted the hopes of a nation in desperate need of someone to cheer for—all the way to Paris.
The “What Were They Thinking?” Award
When it was first unveiled to the press, I thought AG2R’s new kit might look pretty cool in a retro sort of way. Then I saw it for real.
And finally…
The “Best Blog That Uses European Cycling Jargon in its Title” Award
La Gazzetta Della Bici is a great choice, but it’s already won something. To me, the winner here is a recent addition to my Google reader: El Cyclista. It’s well-designed, offers focused coverage, and doesn’t overwhelm me with kitsch or angst. (A lesson I’m still trying to learn myself.) It deserves your regular visitation.
(Did you really think I’d create an award just for myself? Puh-lease…)
So I guess that’s it for the last Monday Musette of 2009. Who did we leave out? What awards do you have to share with the rest of us?
Would you like me to take a serious stab at identifying some “real” awards for 2009? I’m happy to offer my insights on the season’s important performances if you wouldn’t consider it redundant. If so, what would you like to see recognized?
Please leave your ideas and comments below. Thanks for reading!
Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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!
Tagged , | Leave a comment

Monday Musette – Wintery Cross, Cool Bikes, Abt, Lance, and Tiger

Posted on December 21, 2009 by

1. If you missed yesterday’s World Cup cyclocross event in Kalmthout, Belgium, you missed a fantastic race set against a snowy, wintry backdrop—in short, you missed everything that makes cyclocross cyclocross. Never fear—you can watch the race (in 6 parts) here. Enjoy!

2. And speaking of wintry backdrops–how about this?

3. One of the things I find tantalizing about cyclocross is the endless possibility it offers for building and tinkering with equipment. Case in point: Molly Cameron’s Ridley was the recent focus of a post over at Embrocation and it’s one of the finest bikes I’ve seen featured this season. Every part was painstakingly chosen for performance, durability, and yes, aesthetics. My favorite touch: the gold anodized Chris King bottom bracket.

4. Did you see Radio Freddy’s interview with Matt Wilson?  Go give it a read!

5. Congrats to La Gazzetta dello Bici for some well-deserved compliments.

6. Sam Abt has a new essay over at the NY Times. I’ve recently started reading Abt’s book, Off to the Races, and what I’ve come to appreciate the most about his writing is its ability to give voice to the less-obvious personalities and events we might otherwise miss. For example, his subject today is the retirement of Stéphane Goubert—a rider never to have won a race by himself. It’s Abt at his best. Give it a read.

7. And speaking of the NY Times, did you have a chance to read the column in which Lance Armstrong (via George Vecsey) offers advice to Tiger Woods? Here’s my question: is Lance really someone who we can trust in matter such as this? Yes, he’s never been accused of such “transgressions”, but one can certainly call into question his track record over the past several years–I’m not talking about doping either. My mother always told me that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. I’m not saying that Lance lives in a glass house—but he certainly has more windows than most. Ride your bike, Lance. Tiger’s got enough on his plate without you throwing your two cents into the ring.

8. Regardless of your opinions of Lance Armstrong (and his opinions), this interview with David Walsh is quite thought-provoking. Honestly, I’m torn. Walsh’s steadfast pursuit of Lance borders on the obsessive, slightly insane even. At the same time though, I can’t help but wonder if where there’s smoke, there’s fire. Thanks to NY Velocity for such terrific journalism!

9. And finally, I have to spend some time sharing my thoughts about something that happened last week. If you came by late Friday, you might have read some pretty offensive and inappropriate comments left by one reader following the conclusion of an interview I conducted with Jeremy Dunn. If you read those comments and were even slightly offended, please accept my most sincere apologies. They never should have been posted.

When I started Pavé, it began as an experimental way for me to share my thoughts on the sport—in particular, the races, riders, and topics about which I’m most passionate. I never thought that it would grow into a site frequented and enjoyed by so many—but of course I happy that it did!

Over time I’ve come to especially appreciate the feedback, opinions, and—yes—criticism that gets shared via your comments. However, at no point did I feel a need to moderate them before being posted. I now see that I was perhaps a bit naïve. So now, in an effort to keep Pavé safe and friendly to all, I’ll be reading your comments before posting them on the site. Please do not let that deter you from sharing your ideas with the rest of us—if anything, let it encourage you to continue to do so, knowing that your doing it an environment that is safe and secure.

That’s all I have to say about that.

As always, have a terrific week! And feel free to share your comments below.

Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UCI World Cup Cyclocross from Kalmthout – Live Stream

Posted on December 20, 2009 by

Here’s a live stream for today’s World Cup race from Kalmthout, Belgium.

Tagged , , | Leave a comment

First Annual Semi-Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide

Posted on December 19, 2009 by
If you’re like me—or my wife (who I hope is reading)—you’re a bit behind in your holiday shopping. And since everyone else has published at least some form of a holiday gift guide, I thought it would be appropriate to provide one of my own—albeit at the last minute. So without further ado, I give you…
 The First Annual Pavé Semi-Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide!

1. We begin in an obvious place: Rapha (who’s accepting UK, US, and Canadian holiday orders (to be received by Christmas) until 2pm GMT on the 20th). I was a recent recipient of the new Knitted Hat and neoprene Overshoes—two items I’ll need as winter continues to entrench itself up and down the Eastern seaboard. The 100% merino wool hat is one of the softest I’ve ever owned. It looks and feels great on the bike—both under and without a helmet; and is stylish enough to be worn around town. And since this is a Rapha product, there’s a tiny “Chapeau!” on the tag in the hat’s lining—a little extra motivation to get you going on those cold winter days. Better still, it’s not itchy, a common problem with wool headgear. I now have both the Knitted Hat and the original Rapha Winter Hat, and this one’s overtaken the latter’s place at the top of my headgear food chain.

As for the Overshoes, a good set of neoprene foot coverings is a staple of any rider’s winter/spring wardrobe. These are tough, with zippers and seams certain to stand up to months of pulling, tugging, and scraping. The zipper pull locks down against itself, and the reflective tab on the heel offers a bit of added visibility on overcast days—and you know you’ll be wearing them on overcast days. Like the Knitted Hat, the inside reveals a brief musing on riding in Belgium, as well as instructions for care and cleaning. One note on fit: I wear a 44.5 shoe and found my sample XL overshoes to be very baggy around my skinny ankles. Yes, XL is a size too big per Rapha’s site, but I’m wondering if even an M would have fit better.
2. Another great last-minute gift idea is a magazine subscription. Boring? Yes, if it’s a subscription to something found easily in any local bookstore. But how about something more obscure? Maybe something French or Italian? Italy’s Bicisport and France’s Vélo are two terrific options. Better still, they’re both available for subscription via Amazon.com’s magazine service. Yes, they’re in a foreign language, but there’s something to be said for a bit of foreign reading laying casually on your coffee table. Expensive? Yes, but well worth the money if the recipient appreciates some of the finest coverage and photography Europe has to offer. (Bicisport’s issues frequently run over 300 pages—the May issue covering the Classics is perhaps the finest single publication all year.) Amazon now makes it easier than ever to get on board—order soon to ensure delivery of your first issue by the start of the season.  Here’s a link for Vélo; and one for Bicisport.
For the book lover, there are several offerings to satisfy all tastes—several, in fact, are on my wish list as well.
3. The 2009 Edition of Rouleur’s Photo Annual has arrived. You can order it from Rapha to have it for the holidays. The latest edition of Rouleur (Volume 15) is out too—you might as well throw one in if you’re already paying the expensive shipping costs.
4. It’s a bit harder to get (you’ll need to have it shipped from the Netherlands), but Cor Vos has just released a massive collection of his best images from his 30+ years covering the sport called Emotions. Next to Graham Watson there’s not a more legendary name in cycling photography. It’s quite pricey (about $150) and it won’t make it to you in time for holidays; but, it’s hardbound and comes in its own stylish slipcase—another worthy addition to any fan’s coffee table.
5. As far as on-the-bike items are concerned, the #1 gift on my wish list isn’t available at least until January, so an IOU might have to do. Giro’s Prolight helmet was unveiled at this year’s Tour to an apparent lukewarm reception—from the riders at least. I like its retro style though, and its low weight and improved retention mechanism look to make it the most comfortable helmet on the market. I wonder how well it fits over caps?
And since we’re moving up in price, why not take advantage of the holiday season to treat yourself or the cobble-lover in your life to a nice set of classic-inspired tubular wheels?
http://handspunwheels.com/blog/handspun_neo_classics/
6. Handspun’s Neo Classics hearken back to a day when the best wheels were made by hand. On these babies, DT’s 32-hole 340 hubset comes laced 3x with Supercomp spokes to a set of Mavic Reflex’s—the grey CD rim coating is your only option (but it’s the only one you want anyway). You can even have them tied and soldered for a slight up-charge. Remember, these are not wheels built by a machine—they’re laced, tensioned, and trued by an expert wheelbuilder right here in the USA. If you need the merits of riding tubulars explained to you, well…this isn’t a gift for you. On the other hand, if you or someone you know appreciates a solid, comfortable ride on a hand-built wheelset that can handle just about anything you subject it to—then these are right up your alley. Your cobbled alley, that is.
7. And last, but certainly not least, why not order some lovely new clothing to go along with your new helmet and wheels?  May I offer a suggestion?  Orders being taken through the 21st for delivery by the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
So there you have it, Sweetheart–I mean, Reader.  A short, but comprehensive guaranteed to please any Pavé rider or fan.  Better start shopping though, time’s running out.
Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment