North American Cyclocross Weekend Preview: USGP, Bend

Posted on December 9, 2011 by

Photo by Erik Mitchell

Once again, the continent’s best cyclocrossers converge for another installment of the US Gran Prix of Cyclocross. The Deschutes Brewery Cup holds the seventh and eighth rounds – the fourth weekend of racing – in Bend, Oregon, home to Ryan Trebon. Trebon led the series until the last race in the USGP, when a pre-race injury led to a compromised performance, a 10th place finish, and a loss of the leader’s jesey. His injury was more significant than initially appeared, and he’ll sit out this weekend’s races while he recovers and trains himself back into form in time for January’s National Championships in Madison, Wisconsin.

Jeremy Powers, meanwhile, has won the last three USGP races and taken over the series lead. Trebon sitting out and Geoff Kabush in a distant third, Powers could sleepwalk to the overall victory. Kabush would need to win both races, and Powers would need to crumble disastrously in order to not score the points to hold off Kabush – in all likelihood, we’re looking at a Powers victory of the USGP for the second year in a row.

The front of the race will be a bit more of a question mark. Recent months have seen major races turn into the Trebon and Powers show, with those two riders a clear head and shoulders above the rest. Heading in to the final race weekend we have a few questions that a back-to-back race weekend should answer:

  • Can anybody beat Jeremy Powers? A trip to Koksijde a couple weeks ago means that we haven’t seen a North American form-test from him in a while, but we still think he might be a step above anybody else on the continent – at least ever since Todd Wells ended his cyclocross season. We tip Powers to go two for two this weekend, barring any mishaps. 
  • How’s Tim Johnson’s form? The past month have seen him build form that was elusive earlier in the season. He picked up 3rd place at the USGP round 5 in Louisville and went on to win races in Iowa and Los Angeles, cracking a surprisingly long drought. 
  • What of Geoff Kabush? The muttonchopped Canadian is spreading his resume around and there’s no job application like a few big wins. He hasn’t races since last month in Louisville, where he rode to strong 4th and 3rd place finishes. If he’s been training smart he may have the juice to contend for the win. 
  • Will Ben Berden wrap up his North American season in style? With Trebon’s absence, Berden might have a bit more room to fight for a podium spot in Bend. 
  • Who else will shine? The USGP draws a deep field, and there’s a lot of fireworks in the top-ten competition. With riders like Troy Wells, Tristan Schouten, Daniel Summerfield, Jamey Driscoll, and Christien Heule all riding well, there’s sure to be excellent competition throughout the ranks.
We’ll be tuning in to Cyclingdirt‘s live coverage of the races to get our answers to these questions – you should too.
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Holiday Gift Guide – Mopha Tool Wrap

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ehworks

The Mopha Tool Wrap was first sent to me as a gift from Steve over at Hampsten Cycles. I’ve always struggled with finding efficient, yet cool-looking ways to carry tools. For a while I used a sawed-off water bottle, but this presented problems on days when two bottles were required. I then moved to a ziplock bag in my jersey pocket; but they were always too small or too big. Conventional saddle bags never seemed to hold the right amount of stuff–and if they did, they were too bulky for my tastes.

Enter the Mopha Tool Wrap. It’s light, holds lots of stuff, and looks good strapped to the rails of your saddle thanks to a custom leather toe strap. Hand-made from wax canvas with leather trim, the roll has 10 pockets and provides a pretty sizeable “workbench” when unrolled (16″ by 7″). If my sweetie were a cyclist, I’d individually wrap all the tools and essential items she’ll need to stock it, then stuff the whole mess into a stocking to be opened one-by-one. (I hope my sweetie’s reading, because I could use another one for my other bike.)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ehworks

You can get one yourself from the folks at E.H. Works, but I recommend buying one directly from Hampsten. And while you’re at it, pick-up one of Hampsten’s Gavia posters–they’re the perfect motivation for those days when you think it’s too cold outside to ride.

Pros: Hand-made, durable, and stylish. And at $44, it’s a steal.

Peeves: Some pumps are too long to fit the Mopha.

 

 

 

 

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On Vino, Kolobnev, and the 2010 Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Let’s all calm down for a second and take a look at what we know, and what we’re told, and why. 

We know that the winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege receives 20,000Euro, and the runner-up receives 10,000Euro. 

A Swiss magazine claims to have emails between Alexander Vinokourov and Alexandr Kolobnev. Here is their article – based on “emails that [the magazine has] procured,” the magazine claims that Vino bought the race from Kolobnev for $100,000. What do we know about the reputation of this magazine, L’Illustre? I don’t know anything, except that it seems that they are willing to either hack or lie to sell magazines. Based on the emails, it seems that Kolonev admits to allowing Vino to win, and that bank information was exchanged.

This is suspicious. However, whether this is proof that the race was bought and sold really depends on the veracity of the emails that L’Illustre has. You’ll forgive me for having a hard time trusting the reputation of a magazine willing to be known to “procure” private emails, presumably without consent. Tut-tuts on Twitter about cheating conveniently ignore this. 

I can’t help but wonder if the righteous moral outrage that’s followed this story is due to the fact that it’s Vino, a polarizing figure who was popped for blatant doping, served his ban, and came back to top  levels of competition. I think that those who love to hate him, this news is simply convenient fuel for the same “populist angst among cycling fans” that makes us “all feel really self-righteous,” as Cosmo of Cyclocosm initially said of Vino’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege victory in How The Race Was Won.

Why? Well, when Joe Parkin’s A Dog in a Hat came out, stories about the purchasing of races seemed to me to be treated by fans as a unique and salty facet of a gritty, dynamic sport.  Should there have been outrage? No. Inner Ring elaborates: collusion among opponents is the essence of bike racing. Your enemy today is your ally tomorrow. 

Based on the alleged emails, it certainly appears that Kolobnev may have let Vinokourov win. Paying to win is objectionable, but save your outrage for facts you can rely on. And if you can’t do that, at least save your outrage for the guy who may have sat up, not the guy who rode hard all the way to the finish line. 

What do you think? Share your comments below. 

 

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International Cyclocross Power Rankings, Week #12 – K-Pau!

Posted on December 8, 2011 by

Photo by Balint Hamvas | cyclephotos.co.uk

1. Kevin Pauwels (2) – Pauwels not only swaps places with Nys again, but also offers some fighting words: “The less popular Nys gets, the more popular I get,” he said, despite insisting that their rivalry was still respectful. 

2. Sven Nys (1) – but for a flat tire we’d likely have seen another Pauwels-Nys duel to the end in Igorre. Their duel is likely to continue.  

3. Tom Meeusen (3)  – Meeusen won several big races last year but is still waiting to break through this year. He’s built form admirably and is slugging it out and reeling in podium results. 

4. Bart Aernouts (5) – if Stybar’s difficulties and Albert’s absence make life easier for anybody, it’s for Meeusen and Aernouts, who have been regularly and reliably fighting each other for the final spot on the podium. 

5. Francis Mourey (6) – Mourey gets a bump in the Power Rankings for the simple fact that despite not routinely racing the top-tier of the Euro circuit, he races where he knows how to win and then comes to big races and performs very, very well at them. 

6. Zdenek Stybar (5) – Unlike Mourey, Stybar is simply struggling to perform well. He rides at the front and then fades near the end. He’s a far cry from his World Championship winning form, and he knows it. 

7. Rob Peeters (7) – Peeters got off to a fast start in Igorre but wound up not finishing the race. His performance, abridged though it may have been, was impressive, and we think his form is coming around to fight near the front of the race more frequently. 

8. Dieter Vanthorenhout (9) – Another respectable performance at the World Cup, and Dieter climbs a hair in the rankings. 

9. Radomir Simunek (nr) – Simu comes back after a brief absence – and this time, he didn’t ride his bicycle into a log to break his fork. 

10. Klaas Vantornout (6) – on a day when his teammate won, the tall Vantornout struggled and finished poorly, sending him dropping down the power rankings. 

Dropped this week: Bart Wellens.

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Holiday Gift Guide – Laekhouse

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

http://www.laekhouse.com

If you followed our coverage of this season’s grand tours, you might have tried your hand at winning one of several super cool (yes, I say things like “super cool”) t-shirts from Laekhouse. Designed and screened (by hand) in a Brooklyn apartment, Laekhouse shirts merge iconic cycling images with hipster-endorsed American Apparel t-shirts. Last year I recommended you pick-up Squad from the Icon Series. This year, my two favorites are The Climber and 1986. I’ve also got my eye on one of the new line of Super Tour hats–especially Yellow.

So go have a visit–the site’s front page is worth a trip all by itself–and if you order, tell them we sent you.

Pros: Terrific designs. American Apparel shirts are simply the best for fit and feel.

Peeves: These are hand-screened on an as-ordered basis–so order soon for the Holidays. AA stuff tends to shrink a bit more than I like.

 

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Holiday Gift Guide – UCI Cyclocross World Cup Photobook by Balint Hamvas

Posted on December 7, 2011 by

UCI Cyclocross World Cup 2009-2010, by Balint Hamvas

We’ve had that conversation with family and friends countless times. “What are you up to this weekend?” they ask in the fall. “I’m racing cyclocross.” “Oh, what’s that?” I know, I know – it’s crazy to think that you’d have friends in the fall who don’t know what cyclocross is. Obviously they’re not very good friends – yet. But before you wake them up at dawn to drive them to the race and shove a cowbell into their hand while you pre-ride the course, let them know what’s in store for them.

Balint Hamvas is a Hungarian photographer who’s been shooting the European race circuit for a number of years. Following the 2009-2010 season, he published UCI Cyclocross World Cup: Season 2009-2010, a glossy book of luscious photos from the World Cup schedule that season. Hamvas walks the reader through the season, race by race, with brief recaps, reflections on the weather and the results, and, most importantly, terrific photos of the men’s and women’s races. 

UCI Cyclocross World Cup 2009-2010

It’s got it all – the pain, the glory, the mud, the sand, the snow, the victories, the agonies. Looks of fierce determination. Hollow-eyed fatigue.

UCI Cyclocross World Cup 2009-2010

I keep my copy on the coffee table in my living room. “What’s this?” visitors ask me. “Oh. Remember that weird-and-awesome racing discipline I was telling you about? That’s what it is,” I respond.  They leaf through it, and they start to understand.

Price: 16.99 Euros, about $23 US, available here. 

Pro: Gorgeous photos from an incredible season of cyclocross.

Peeves: A few wide photos are split by the chasm of the binding.

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