Nino is not typically at his 100% in the wet.
Any predictions for the XCC? I want to see some overshadowed riders take the win. McConnell or Stigger are due for a result in my mind. (Would be pretty hyped with an Evie repeat though)
MvDP for the men cause I just don’t see him being cool with anything other than a W after the XCO and especially having Pidcock in the elite XCC field for the first time.
1 Like
Hell of a XCC race today! Whoa.
5 Likes
My mate is team mechanic for Haley. How cool is that?
6 Likes
Sean Evans should have guests watch progressive laps of the XCC…
Lap 1 - The Classic
Lap 6 - Da Bomb (Guest sweating and having a hard time breathing)
2 Likes
Well, he got her bike tuned nicely, didn’t he!
1 Like
Don’t really get this.
I think he’s 1) used to winning/ acheiving what he sets out to acheive 2) yorkshireman, he’s just honest. If he thinks he can win something, he will say so. Dont think thats arrogant.
He’s said on multiple occasions MTB is his favourite thing to ride, and living down the road from him i’ve only ever seen him on an MTB.
In other news how do we think the full time XC guys are feeling with two part timers rocking up and taking 1-2?
3 Likes
This early in the season, I don’t think anyone is really that concerned (at least I wouldn’t be personally speaking).
6 races, a world championship and the olympics gives plenty of time for people to find their form. The folks that raced on the road just have more race days so it’s not surprising they’ll be good in the first few weeks.
It’s a big year with a lot on the line and you have to peak at the right time.
3 Likes
Nice to see the World Champ doing the stripes justice.
Such good racing! Man I love the technical style short track. I’d love to see it where they could make the technical sections have say three roughly equal but technical lines for side by side riding!
Interesting to see the young riders still excelling. I wonder how much of it is not having the Olympic spot locked up (i.e. one would assume Haley Batton isn’t training to peak in August). How good is Lecomte! I can’t believe how strong she rode for such a slight rider. She is really good technically!
Great mens race!
4 Likes
I think they’ll be feeling pressure, but to be honest it’s only good for the sport and their exposure.
They are two of the very best bike riders in the world. There’ll be jealousy no doubt, but there must be some mutual respect (hopefully).
2 Likes
MvdP and Pidcock aren’t roadies, they are simply the best overall cyclists on the planet. If any of the other XC racers were strong enough to earn millions of dollars per year racing road they’d do the same.
4 Likes
Really? I wonder who would have won the race if Pidcock hadn’t been there? Maybe, just maybe, Pidcock has the perfect build, weight, and engine to be the best at XCO mountain biking. I certainly wouldn’t say MvdP is losing form because he can’t climb over wet roots and rocks as fast as a 130 pound racer. MvdP probably outweighs him by 40 pounds easily.
4 Likes
I’m not sure MVDP had form for XCO this year, he barely put any prep into it. Even with that he finished 2nd beating out all of the typical top finishers. So if anything, he’s getting better.
Clearly there there’s a difference on both the men’s and woman’s side who peaked early season and those that appear to be looking to peak for the Olympics.
5 Likes
Pidcock and Lecomte both look pretty unbeatable at this point. Boring racing today, but good for them!
Both races were good. Great to see two young emerging talents taking the win in the elite fields when they could still both be riding U23’s for another 2 years.
Hoping Nino gets that win soon to equal JA record.
At 35 years old, Nino isn’t going to do as well racing in his second weekend of back to back race weekends. He came out all guns blazing in Albstat to try and equal Julien’s WC XCO win record and then for Nove Mesto he hadn’t recovered as well as some of his younger competitors. He can still peak for one big weekend though.
But he quit his road season before Tom Pidcock.
Totally agree with this. Being a heavier rider myself the more tacky the surface it also has a disproportionate effect on rolling resistance for a heavier racer event on a flat surface, much less a climb.
Was talking about this with my wife. The fact VdP is able to win these XC races, classics, CX, is ridiculous. He has to put out so much more power on these climbs than someone like Pidcock its nuts, but he can do it and can win these races along with everything else. Unbelievable. Good ride by Pidcock, impressive.
1 Like