for the NON racing action - Brevard (and Western NC / NW SC) is making a big comeback against the wildfires thanks to our presence and the good bit of rain that came with our visit! Signs of Helene damage are everywhere but with a good dose of local knowledges you can find workarounds for most bridges and sections of road. I liked EVERYTHING I rode/saw and now really need to return for further investigation. The tiny/twisty backroads road and gravel are amazing. I did a monster climb from 2100 ft up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and then continuing to its high point (the other direction is closed - some Helene / some wildfire access for the workers). Much quieter traffic than I imagined - really cool to kind of have large portions of soaking in the beating all to myself. 45 degrees (and windy) at 6100 feet / 80 when I made it back to the valley. good stuff.
El 6100? Wow, thatās up there for east coast.
Nys nuked the lot on the short, steep final climb at GP Indurain today. Heās looking good to trade paint in the Ardennes.
Indeed. Iāve been here in Bruges for the last 3 days. Cooling off a bit from yesterday (was like 72, not a cloud, hardly any wind), downright toasty AF in the sun. Had to cool off with some fresh Belgian beers at lunch. I scored a most excellent hotel (Casselburgh) about 100 yards from the stage / start / team presentation, planning to be there by 8am to try to see what I can see. Then train it over to Ghent, and then down to Oudennarde for the finish.
I just happened to be in France for a thing this week, so coming over here was a no brainer. Bruges, in case youāve never been, is the most beautful, magical, redonkously stunning city. I cannot recommend this place enough.
Anywho, as for tomorrow, Iām a straight up Boise homer, so Iām all in on our big ginger, the king of Bogus Basin, Matty Jo. Hoping Visma sends the boys up the road and gives our kid a shot.
But hereās the reailty picks:
Pogi (ugh)
MVDP (so hot right now)
Mads
Awesome that you there! Santeā!
Will be watch partying it down the street from Hyde Park!
rounding up for the Blue Ridge elevation (6053):
the higher stuff on the Mt. Mitchell spur has significant Helene damage to the BRP needed to access it.
That Bruges intel is amazing! Is race weather tomorrow the same - warm and dry? any wind? I think wind could maybe help the super deep Lisa and Lil Trek.
Route looks great. My legs are itching to do some climbing.
Casselberg is where we stayed 2 years ago - awesome hotel and great spot!
Make sure you hit the Duvelorium before leaving town
Also, for a really good meal try out Cambrinus Brasserie- was probably our best meal in Belgium
Should be a good race - ELB looks super strong (she basically rode Marlen Reusser off her wheel at DDV), Kopecky tough to say but sheās maybe not looking as fearsome coming into this as other years. The odds of Wiebes making it to the finale get better every year, she keeps upping her climbing game.
As for tomorrow, Iām still on team Wout. Seems silly not to have Mads up there too.
Pog, MvdP, Wout
Mads, Sheffield
@hbog12 Nice! Someday Iād love to do that. I have been to Bruges before but was āon the jobā supervising a high school trip, so not really a proper experience. Beautiful city, great beer and food. I imagine thereās a lot of energy there this weekend - have a blast!
I pray to the cycling gods that Wout does not feel the chain tomorrow.
Wout, Pederson
Girmay, MVdP, Pog
If you want to spike your HR and watch 20 min of racing thatās about as good as it gets, watch todayās XC Short Track World Cup. Some insane bike handling on display too.
Iād love to see Wout make up for mid week with a win, but sadly I just donāt see it at the moment.
Interesting how little variety there is in the picks for this weekend (@Trail excepted!). Iām going MVDP, Pog, Pederson.
Wild cards Wout and Matteo Jorgensen.
Epic race, and so cool to see Sammie Maxwell finally get a breakthrough to the podium. Sheās pretty local to us, and my wife has met her a few times when she has been helping run the local girls MTB sessions and Sammie has dropped in (free) to donate kit to the girls and hang out with them. She always says hi and has a chat. If ever there was a deserving nomination for the GDāetteC sheād be it.
That was thuggy. He blew it up.
Elbows out. He could have been a really good road racer too.
MvdP, Pogacar, M Pedersen
Ganna and WvA
Good morning from Bruges. Sunny, dry round 60. wind yup, itās pretty close to the North Sea so Iām hearing 20-25 mph. Edit to say is fucking cold out there right now. Probably close to freezin (7:30), sun just up.
Goddamn. I wish I read this last night (time change and all). Iāve already been Deliruimed (day 1), and the Cabrinus looked awesome but I choose another restaurant the night before next door, which was phenomenal, and went back to that area last night and chose a pasta place which was, a bad decision.
fell asleep to watching Blevin make em pay on the hill last two laps then hold off VK. What powah on that hill.
Ronde picks:
Van der Poel, Pogacar, Pedersen (M)
Jorgensen, Van Aert