Her teammate also undermined herself by pulling the two 777 riders back up to the lead duo, which put Worst in podium position. She'd have been better off sitting on those two and trying to drop them late. It also would have been udermining Fem if Worst had had a match or two left, which she clearly didn't.

For once the men's race was also phenomenal, with a few story lines. Eric Brunner! Highest ever American men's World Cup finish, ahead of Jeremy Powers' 5th place, and finished ahead of someone named "Nys." At one point mid-race he burned a match closing down an attack by Iserbyt, and I was yelling at the screen "MAKE SWEECK DO THAT!" And indeed that effort appeared to cost him, as he lost the lead 3 shortly after. He was technically rock solid, though, every bit as good as the Belgians. I don't know if his skills are broad, or if he just has the American "dirt crit" course dialled in.

The whole "too many chefs in the kitchen" aspect of CX is quite disappointing to see. I wonder why there are even teams when people just choose to race as if they were lone wolves, even on dirt crit type courses where drafting matters a lot.

Also, had no idea that Sweeck was Iserbyt's teammate (well, different colored jerseys and all that). The finish was, umm, interesting. Why would Sweeck choose to sprint from the front on such a fast finish is a tad confounding.

CN has picked up on the WierlerFlits story. Among other things, Cavendish showed up while the riders were trying on the team kit for next season.

It's been pointed out before, but 34 (or more) bunch sprint stage wins isn't the same thing as the 34 stage wins by Merckx. (Not to mention trying to compete for the GC at the same time.) But it's a story line we can follow.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-reaches-provisional-agreement-to-join-bandb-hotels-ktm-reports-suggest/


https://www.wielerflits.nl/nieuws/mark-cavendish-lijkt-contract-beet-te-hebben-bij-bb-hotels/

---

"Human existence is based upon two pillars: Compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; Knowledge without compassion is inhuman." Victor Weisskopf.

They were teammates last year, but not this year. Sweeck left Pauwels for Crelan, apparently upset with how he was treated by the sauce team.

I thought there might be some bad blood, but Sweeck did come over and congratulate Iserbyt and van Tournhout.

I agree Sweeck badly bungled that sprint. There can be an adantage to coming through the last turn first if it's a really short straight. But that one was medium length with a pure headwind. Definitely don't want to lead it out. To give some tactical credit to Sweeck, he brilliantly handled the 2-on-1 with the two sauce teammates.

Yes, fair point about Sweeck's maneuvering before the final sprint.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Btw, interesting read re: Dan Martin. Apparently he wrote a memoir, aptly titled Chased by Pandas

'23 Giro route has been announced and it's a doozy with 70k of TTs (including an 18k uphill) that will certainly be to Remco's liking, plus 7 summit finishes: https://www.cyclingnews.com/...rialling-kilometres/

Ooh la la. Tom D come out of retirement please. ;)

That mountain TT is brutal.

7 km @ 12% or something ridiculous.

On the back of the tappone to Tre Cime di Lavaredo covering 5400 m elevation gain.

After which they have a 750 km transfer for the final stage in Rome.

The road surface of a lot of these roads here in Italy is heinous too.

I was out at the weekend in the Dolomites for a loop and took in the Passo Giau, Passo Fedaia, Passo Pordoi and Passo Falzarego. 120km and about 3600m. I only have the tri bike here currently and it was not fun winching that up the hills, the flat is non existent and the road surfaces were slow, heavy and rough. This was on 28mm tyres too.

In other words, them big climbing days and that TT will be absolutely diabolical.

Was looking at the Chrono Des Nations results and noted forumite @MTM landed 4th place, 30s behind Kung and beating the likes of Amirail, Bissegger, and Afini. I haven't seen him post recently but chapeau!

Impressive!

That's fantastic! But don't gloss over the fact that Kung defeated his bridesmaid curse, and won a TT....

Kung had an interesting spring, emerging as a real force in the classics. I wonder about the degree to which he may have put his TTing on the backburner in order to do that. He's a Roubaix contender moving forward for sure. In any case, looks like he's back in the swing of things on the TT bike.

Anyone happen to see that Quick-Step has a few hitters on the start list for the upcoming Big Sugar Gravel race including Remi Cavagna, Kasper Asgreen, Ilan Van Wilder, and Mattia Cattaneo. I assume they are there more for appearances/fun, but would be cool to see Asgreen off the leash although the course is a little technical. Not sure how any of those guys are off road.

Big risk by Quick-Step - all these guys may love it and join EF to have an alternative calendar! :)

---

"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne

That’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds. Terpstra did LeadBoat (Leadville then SBT, back to back) but the altitude probably didn’t favor him. And none of the US gravel aces did well at Worlds; with a course that easy and short they never had a chance against WT riders.

I'm still lurking ;)

And thanks - tough crowd on the start line this year. At least I got some good scalps :p

Great ride.

How many days until the 'Loop?

We've had a great year of racing, with many new handles- which is key. A few that have stuck, and a few that may or may not. Up to the Spoilers.

- King Kung

- Kusstanza

- Mas Macho

- Of course the one that started it all, Jungle Bob

- "Waiting For" Gaudu

- Bam Bam McNulty

- D Van Baller

-Madsman

- Daniel Hoss (late entry)

- Taco just Taco

Who am I missing? Tadej, WvA, Remco might be hors nickname

~4 months

Also, anyone else somewhat surprised by the paucity of depth of competition at the CX races? No Pidcock, no MvdP, no van Aert.

I'm not surprised that those three aren't racing yet. Last year none of them started their CX seasons before December, and even then they were somewhat reduced schedules. MdVP and WvA didn't even go head-to-head until Dendermonde (12/26). And there have been some signals from them that their seasons might be even more reduced than last year. They are somewhat tired! At least this year we have a better shot at WvA and MdVP at Worlds with the race in Hoogerheide.

I am a little disappointed that we haven't seen "new blood" in a while, like we have in the women's field with Puck, Fem, and Shirin (though Puck and Shirin haven't kicked off the season yet either, I don't think). There are some knocking on the door, like Nys, Vandeputte, and maybe Brunner. But not yet a "breakthrough" race for those.

Damn, you are on first name basis with Pieterse, Van Empel, and Van Anrooij? Sly devil :p

Jest aside, isn't Pidcock the breakthrough, sort of?

I'm just too lazy to get all the last names right!

You're right about Piddles, just hoping for something out of the "regulars" to so every race won't be Iserbyt v. Sweeck.

Pretty good races today, men's and women's. The frittes sauce team working over Sweeck until he cracked, and van Empel showing good racecraft in hiding herself until a decisive moment.

Since neither burgler nor his wife has yet done so, I guess it's incumbent upon me to do this

sans nom de guerre


sans = without; hors = outside (of)

Et mon français est merde

Think Pidcock has been struggling with a knee injury?

Well that was a dud. They just cruised the half distance race at 17MPH.

---

"It's good enough for who it's for" - Grandpa Wayne