Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

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!

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

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.

UCI World Cup Cyclocross from Kalmthout - Live Stream

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

First Annual Semi-Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide

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.

Pavé Interview - Jeremy Dunn - Part 2

Here's the second half of a recent interview we conducted with Embrocation and Rapha's Jeremy Dunn.  You can read Part 1 here.
 

 Photo by Daniel Wakefield Pasley

11. Tell us a little about your bikes—what are you riding?  

Well, my Rapha Continental bike was elegantly made by Richard Sachs.   My road bike was hand crafted in Switzerland by the fine folks at BMC.   Embrocation Racing cyclocross bikes for the last few years had been custom made by Igleheart. I've been pretty lucky to be have found a dear friend in Chris, he makes AMAZING bicycles...so I also have a 29er that he fashioned for me. It’s called the "Guilt Trip" for two reasons; one of those is because I don't get to ride it as much as I want to.

This year we have had the amazing fortune to be riding Custom Painted Ridley X-Fire bikes. I have never ridden carbon during cross season, so this is a new one for me as well. A little bit of a departure from the one-off custom guys, but it is always good to try something new and these machines do not disappoint.

Photo by Jeremy Dunn

When I was in Belgium this past spring I had the chance to tour the Ridley Factory, and I while I was there someone said “you have a cyclocross team right?” I said “yes” to that and the wheels started turning.

They are a great crew, the people from Ridley and they have done a great job of equipping us with some hands down AMAZING bicycles. Plus, it feels like we’re part of the Belgian cyclocross tradition at this point as well, and that never hurts.

12. What’s your favorite piece of “classic” equipment?      

I was always a fan of the old Shimano logo. The one with the green light blue and navy blue stripes. Good stuff color wise. Equipment? Mavic rims. I have this Mavic rim display at home that has cross sections of all the rims at the time. Very useful selling tool I might add.   Tubulars are also nice. Are they considered "classic?"    I also have a Lemond steel bike that apparently was made by someone named Pegoretti? I think he's Italian. In any case, it’s a very nice road bike.

13. Any heroes or role models—both cycling and non-cycling?  

Heroes, eh? That is always a funny question I think. The way I approach heroes is this: find some amazing qualities in the people, and then surround yourself with these people. Make sure that you interact with them as much as possible and in a genuine way and the experiences that come out of this are going to be hero worthy. Therefore, I have a lot of heroes. So, here goes:

My parents Dan and Kathy have always been my heroes. They are both teachers in many senses of the word and have impressed the "learning" vibe on me. Plus, they're both really into supporting everything that I'm into, so that always helps. And they're awesome and hilarious, so there's that too.

Peter Rubijono. He knows how to go into the dark places not only with his artwork, but also with his bicycle riding. I've been riding with him for years now and it’s amazing to see what comes out of both creative outlets for him. But the best part?  He knows how to come back from those places to hang-out and be a great friend too.

Slate Olson and Carey Schleicher-Haselhorst are also heroes of mine. It is pretty compelling to see what they have done with the Rapha brand in only a few short years; I feel pretty lucky to be involved with the two of them. Slate is always coming up with these race ideas and Carey has the design sensibility to make them look abso-freakin’-lutely amazing. Any of the design stuff that you see coming out of the U.S. office is all her.

James Morrison is my business partner when it comes to the Embrocation side of things. We like to call it a Creative/Business separation. I just come up with crazy ideas and he figures-out how to make them reality. He is really good with all that stuff. At some point along the way I realized that I couldn't do all of this on my own and James happened to be standing there saying "well, I think I could help fill that void." Plus, he can tear my legs-off on any road ride around...

…I could go on and on about all the people that are heroes to me. It is a seriously involved list.

14. Got anything in the creative pipeline we can look forward to?

Well, yes, of course, there is always something, is there not? I have been working on a few things that should drop around Christmas holiday. I have also been experimenting with this idea of putting out the publication entirely by myself, like, all my writing and all my photos… I know, it sounds incredibly vain, but an experiment nonetheless. Something like Edward Bair’s The Art Of Eating, although I just saw the new issue and it looks like he has other contributors as well.

The Rapha Continental is developing quite nicely as well. I have a feeling that you will be seeing quite a bit more of these guys this coming summer. We have the usual Gentleman’s Race’s planned for both coasts, but it sounds like we are going to be hitting some of the iconic American Cycling Events around the country. Things like that now-famous D2R2 and Ragbrai and Cycle Oregon. Which, I have to say, if the Continental has taught me one thing it would be something about Community, so I am excited to participate in these classic rides.

Then there is the matter of NAHBS this year too. I have yet to hear if they are going to approve my press pass, so, we shall see how that goes. Although I am interested in seeing what the town of Richmond has to offer. Should be good.

15. And finally, what comes to mind when you hear the word “pavé”?  

Nothing. Literally, my mind goes blank.  When I finally had the opportunity to ride the cobbles that were Flanders, Gent and Paris-Roubaix my mind went blank. I thought about all the stuff that people had said. That you, in fact, had said leading up to the moment when I hit the cobbles. But I think the best way I can describe it is that my mind went completely blank. Your brain rattles in your head and you can't focus for a second.  Pavé. What a word. 


Boonen Coming Through from j. dunn on Vimeo.

Thanks for the time, Jeremy--I know you’re a busy fella.  We’re looking forward to reading/seeing/riding what you’ve got in store!

Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Erik Mitchell's latest weekly cross report and power rankings are below.  For more, head to his site, The Run-up.

A few weeks ago, I boldly declared that there are two certainties in cyclocross this year. First, if a Cyclocrossworld.com rider shows up to race they will win. Second, Niels Albert will win every race he enters by a sizable margin. This past weekend—to a certain extent—justified those claims. On this side of the Atlantic, Tim Johnson proved that he's the best rider in the United States by winning his third stars and stripes jersey. In Belgium, Niels Albert was back to his usual self, picking-up a pair of solo victories on Saturday and Sunday. While he didn't show the domination he had earlier this season, Albert has clearly found his stride again. He also extended his lead in the UCI ranking as well as the GvA Trophy Series.

On Sunday, Tim Johnson took his third Elite National Championship in dominating fashion over Ryan Trebon and Jonathan Page. Page, the European-based American, had nothing to say except that he had a horrible day and Johnson had a great one. On the flip-side, Trebon acknowledged that he had the hometown advantage, but couldn't match the speed and technical ability of Johnson. Behind these three, Todd Wells continued to show his good form, as did the other Cyclocrossworld.com guys.

Since this is effectively the end of the North American cross season, this is the final week of the domestic power ranking. However, there's still a lot to look forward to. For the first time in years, Tim Johnson is prepping for the World Championships and hopes to represent this country in style. Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll will most likely spend some time in Europe as well. Behind the elite men, there's a slew of U23 Americans looking to cut their teeth on the European circuit—as well as Katie Compton’s quest for a rainbow jersey. Needless to say, the season is far from over for the Americans. In the rankings, Tim Johnson climbed back to the #1 spot, but where does every one else fall? Time to find out, one last time:

North American Rankings

1. Tim Johnson (3) - Johnson has been the fastest rider when it counts this year and ended the US season on top, picking-up another National Championship as well as the NACT overall title. For the first time in over a decade, Johnson will turn his focus to the World Championships. The tough part is we won’t have an idea of how he'll fair until mid-January.

2. Ryan Trebon (4) - When all was said and done on Sunday, Trebon ended-up where he belonged. While he showed signs of the form that won him a National Championship last year, he never really proved he was better then 2nd place. He won the USGP overall, but failed to really impress. His relaxed approach to the season was interesting to watch, but was a very big part of why he's the second-best rider in the country.

3. Jeremy Powers (1) - Every year, Powers continues to improve and turn heads. This year he found the podium in all sorts of ways and looked poised to finish in the top-3 at Nationals. Some will argue that he may have won if it weren’t for an untimely crash. I would argue that every time he's taken-off at the start, Johnson has bridged across and won. I think the best he could have done was second, perhaps next year he'll finally take the top spot when it counts.

4. Todd Wells (2) - Wells proved it's better late than never, grabbing a slew of UCI wins ahead of Nationals. Somehow that put him at the top of everyone's list for the big dance. I was more reserved figuring he would only finish on the podium. His 4th-place finish this year means his cross career may not be over just yet.

5. Jamey Driscoll (5) - The most consistent US racer of the year, Driscoll ended-up 6th at Nationals, whereas last year he capped-off the season with a silver medal. With another season or two in the US, mixed with some European racing, Driscoll should be a true National Championship contender for the future.

6. Dan Timmerman (6) - Timmerman was my wild card for a podium spot after a tremendous breakout season. He finished 8th behind some very impressive company. He took the NECCS overall proving that he belongs with the other heads of state. Hopefully he’ll travel a bit more next year and if all goes well he could end his season on the podium.

7. Chris Jones (7) - Jones rounded-out the top-10 in Bend, again proving that he's not just another roadie who struck it lucky at a cross race or two. Depending on how his road season plays out next year, Jones could move from the front of the chase group to the lead group.

8. Daniel Summerhill (9) - Summerhill picked-up another National Championship in the U23 race. He has experienced the feel of the World Championship podium; if he keeps his focus and finds his form come the end of January, he could do it again.

9. Geoff Kabush (8) - You can either blame the Canadian or me but when it came down to it, Kabush was more consistent than Barry Wicks this season. It should be interesting to see what Kabush does with the rest of his season. From here, he could put in a solid European campaign, or back-off a bit and go all-out next year on the MTB circuit. Either way, he’s earned the #9 spot this year.

10. Adam Craig (10) - Much like Wells, Craig figured-out how to race a full mountain bike season and half of a cross season with great success. Hopefully we'll see more of him next year; perhaps he can better his 7th at Nationals.

Internationally, Niels Albert returned to the top step of the podium for the first time in nearly a month on Saturday, ahead of the usual crew of Sven Nys and Zdenek Stybar. Nys lacked the usual excuses and essentially admitted that he had a bad day. Stybar, who lives in Essen where the race was held, also lacked excuses as he settled for third. Sunday was more of the same as Albert took another victory followed by Kevin Pauwels and Nys. It’s hard to tell for sure if Albert is back though. The only safe thing to say at this point in the season is that there are 3 men capable of winning every weekend and the rest just have to watch the fireworks. I still have a feeling that Nys will pull something off before it’s all said and done, but for now all eyes should be focused on Stybar and Albert. Once again, there are several changes to the rankings as the European cyclocross world continues to mix thing up. Here's this week's ranking:

International Rankings

1. Niels Albert (2) - Albert returned to the top step with a pair of wins in Belgium. The World Champ was up to his usual tricks, attacking from the start and never looking back. More importantly he regains control over the UCI ranking (a competition that doesn't matter as much any more) and the GvA Trophy.

2. Sven Nys (3) - Nys had another legitimate chance to take the victory on Saturday. A mid-race bike change turned the tide for the Belgian National Champ, but he ran out of real estate in the end. He seemed very upset about losing valuable GvA Trophy points; it appears that at this point he's focused on overall series wins rather than individual races.

3. Zdenek Stybar (1) - The Czech Champion could only muster a 3rd and 5th this past weekend. He's still amongst the top three in the world right now, he just needs to continue to try to win and control the races. Trust me, he'll be back on the top step of the podium soon enough.

4. Kevin Pauwels (na) - Pauwels returns to the rankings this week with a pair of top-5 finishes. He's been my surprise pick from the start and dropping him from the ranking last week was tough. He's still knocking on the door of a huge win this year, but seems a small step behind. That will change with experience.

5. Bart Aernouts (5) - Aernouts had another solid weekend of riding, however, he still isn't capable of riding with the leaders. He's another relatively young rider who could have his chance over the next few seasons.

6. Dieter Vanthourenhout (na) - Vanthourenhout looked poised for another stellar season until that nasty crash a few months ago. Since his return, he continues to be up and down. He's definitely off the pace of the leaders, but continues to finish in the top-10. If he can remain consistent there's no reason to believe that he'll drop from the rankings.

7. Radomir Simunek (8) - Simunek's 7th place on Saturday seems to fit the Czech perfectly. He has consistently finished just off the podium this year in races both big and small. He's another rider who needs a few more years to mature; then, he'll be a regular protagonist.

8. Enrico Franzoi (na) - The Italian continues to struggle to stay in the top-10 in the rankings. He's consistently riding in top-15, but has failed to make a significant impact in any race this year. With the names ahead of him on this week’s rankings that's not hard to believe, but unfortunately, I don't expect it to change any time soon.

9. Gerben de Knegt (7) - de Knegt picked-up another pair of top-10 places this past weekend. He dropped a couple of spots, but still remains in the rankings thanks to his consistency. He's the second-oldest rider to make the rankings this year, but he's lasted longer than some of the youngest.

10. Jonathan Page (10) - This may or may not be my Christmas gift to the American. His 3rd at Nationals was clearly a disappointment. However, his 8th in the World Cup two weeks ago—combined with his Nationals result—leaves him here for one more week.

Dropped this week: Klaas Vantornout (4), Bart Wellens (6), and Erwin Vervecken (9).

Kalmthout, Belgium will host Round Six of the World Cup this Sunday. With the US season over, we will begin to see some Americans making their way across the pond, however, they usually take this weekend off. That said, I expect Katie Compton and Jonathan Page to head back to Europe soon to continue their seasons. With a nearly 100-point lead over 3rd place, the World Cup has become a two-man battle with Albert taking his “commanding” five-point lead over Stybar to Kalmthout. This is a crucial battleground for the two riders. Obviously, whoever comes out on top will take the lead with 3 rounds remaining. More importantly, it's a battle for momentum and the mental edge. All-in-all, it promises to be a slug-fest.

That’s it for this week! Share your comments below.

Pavé Interview – Jeremy Dunn - Part 1

Photo by Dan Sharp

Embrocation, Rapha, Rouleur, Bicycling—the list goes on and on. 

Jeremy Dunn’s hands are in several projects; chances are you’ve seen something of his over the last 2 years—especially if you’re a frequent visitor to Pavé.  He’s professional, talented, hard working, and—as I painfully learned during my day with the Rapha Continental, very, very fast.  Recently, Jeremy’s taken some time from of his busy schedule to answer some questions and share his thoughts on cycling, heroes, and of course, pavé.

We hope you enjoy the conversation!

1.  Hi, Jeremy, and thank you for taking the time to talk to Pavé.  Let’s start with something basic: what’s your 6-word memoir?  

I'm not done with it yet.

2.  Clearly, Jeremy, but I doubt if someone as hard-working as you ever will be.  You’re originally from the Midwest, then there was Boston, and now you’re in Portland.  Can you connect the dots for us?  What inspired the moves?  

Let’s see, I moved from the smallest of small towns—Lancaster, Wisconsin—to Milwaukee, and from there to Boston, and now I find myself roaming the streets of Portland. Milwaukee to Boston happened because at one point in my life I was into the documentary television world, and the best place to be for that was Boston. (PBS, in fact.) Good times over there...but then I got bored of that—or maybe it got bored of me? Can't tell which it was. Either way I went back to working in the cycling industry and that took me all over the place, finally landing on Portland.

3. “I went back to working in the cycling industry” is a bit of an understatement.  You’re involved in so many endeavors and projects—maybe too many to discuss here.  But how ‘bout we start with Embrocation?  How did it begin?  What inspired you to get it rolling?  

Embrocation started as an idea really. What I thought was, it would be great to put out a monthly little publication that would come out three times a year, all during the cyclocross season. But then, as I started to pull together writing and photos for it, and realized that I knew absolutely nothing about magazines or how to put them together, the project kind of evolved. This happened by basically pushing my own deadlines back further and further and seeing the content grow larger and lager. Plus, I read an issue of Rouleur somewhere in there, which totally changed my perspective on what a cycling publication really could, and should, be: an honest, beautiful look at the sport. Thing was, they were only talking about what was going on in Europe. So, I shifted my focus a little bit.  Richard Sachs and Chris Igleheart were also both an inspiration behind getting it going. I took a real liking to some custom steel-ness and when I saw the passion that these two were putting into their bicycles it made me want to produce something that was akin to that sentiment.

4. What’s the biggest challenge associated with running your own journal?  

Getting people to submit stuff on time and being on time with deadlines that I've set for myself (insert nervous chuckle).  It always seems that time is slipping away from me. I've got all these ideas and they all try to come out at once, so what I try to do is make sure that they have the proper outlets for getting out--sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

5. The Embrocation Racing Team was a good idea.  When did you decide to roll the magazine and name into team sponsorship?  Why?  How did it come to be?

Well, that's always been the idea. I, along with a few others like Craig Roth (of Cambridge Bicycle and way back, Strangers Racing), have been putting together these slightly small scale cycling teams for a couple of years now. Racing for one shop or another (Harris Cyclery and then Cambridge Bicycle) and we always used to say to each other, wouldn't it be cool to be racing for something that we were doing, making, producing...I mean isn't the point of the team to advertise? Well, let’s make something that we want to advertise...and then at some point it made sense to just kind of roll them into one.

Photo by Dan Sharp

6. What is your vision for Embrocation?  Where do you see it headed in the next several years?  

Years? Shoot, man I'm trying to focus on the next few weeks! Although, to be completely honest, it blows my mind to know that a year has passed and I've met and exceeded my goal of putting out more than one volume of Embrocation.  [Editor’s Note: if you’ve never laid hands on a copy of Embrocation, Volume 4’s a terrific place to start!  You can order it here.]

7. Now the Rapha Continental.  What’s your role?  How did you come to be involved?  

Oh boy. That's a good one. Short answer: I was asking around to find some people to help out with my booth at NAHBS two years ago in Portland and somehow paired up with the “Dynamic Duo” of Daniel Wakefield-Pasley and Dan Sharp. Both were involved with the inception of this "Continental Project" and soon enough, so was I. I had the fortune of being able to pull together some of the bicycle builders from the East Coast as well as a crew of incredibly tough, incredibly handsome gentleman to ride said bikes. My role now: always evolving, always writing, always riding.

8. And now the inevitable question for anyone involved in the Rapha Continental: how do you define “epic”?    

I would like to think I've come to define it by saying that as long as I'm having a good time out there then its epic. Bill Strickland recently told me to re-read every sentence that I write and ask myself if each and every one is completely honest. Well, I just did that, and I feel completely OK with the above statement.   That being said, the hardest days always end up being the most fun.

9. Well, you’ve certainly had a lot of fun then.  What’s been the most rewarding thing you’ve experienced as a result of your involvement with the Rapha Continental? 

Well, I think that seeing the whole project come to fruition is pretty great. But the best thing? Absolutely the most rewarding thing about the project?

The people involved. Each and every one of the riders on the "team" I would call a friend. And when you're out riding with your friends it is going to be rewarding every time you swing your leg over the bike.

That, and standing in a taxidermy shop in West Virginia watching a man that makes his own moonshine play the banjo for my friends and I who were out on a bike ride together.

10. When packing for a trip with the Conti crew, what’s one thing you never leave home without and why?  

There is always something that gets left out. But the one thing I never leave home without is...well, embrocations. How can I help to insure that everyone looks great on the Conti rides? Make sure that I have enough embrocation for everyone. 

That's it for Part 1.  We'll post Part 2 later in the week in which Jeremy discusses what bikes he's riding, heroes, classic equipment, and of course--pavé.