Here's your Monday Musette:
1. Photos of the The Shack's new Treks have been released. Your thoughts? Personally, I find them too busy. And what's with overabundance of customized, team-specific wheel decals? On the other hand, Sky's Pinarello's are much more pleasing to my eye.
2. Olympic track racing just got boring with the announcement that the IOC is removing the individual pursuit, the points race, and the Madison from the games beginning in 2012. While I support the IOC's goal to create more gender equity on the track (the 2008 Olympics had 7 events for the men and only 3 for the women), there has to be a better way of achieving it.
3. You might have missed it in all the Wiggins hullabaloo, but Matt Wilson signed a deal with Garmin-Transitions that will put him right back where he belongs next season--racing in Europe. As far as I'm concerned, Wilson for Wiggo is a good trade for Garmin. Wilson is a consumate professional--positive, helpful, and experienced. He's ridden all the big races from the classics to the Tour, and will provide a wealth of knowledge and talent to Vaughter's squad--particularly in the cobbled classics and the Tour's flatter stages where he made a name for himself by the side of Baden Cooke. Am I biased? Perhaps a bit, but this time next year I bet Wilson will have made more of an impact at Garmin than Wiggins will have made at Sky.
4. Cycling made the New York Times today, as talks are heating-up between the Giro organizers and Washington D.C. While it's a logistical nightmare, it's certainly not inconceivable. US-readers: if it happens, would you make the trip to see it?
5. Competitive Cyclist deserves the credit for finding this one. If you've never seen it before--watch it now.
6. And speaking of things you need to see, add this to the list:
7. And finally, if you were waiting until the last minute to order some Pavé clothing, now's the time. The next 10 people to order a jersey and bibs will get a free cap.
Enjoy your Monday and share your comments below!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Garmin vs. Sky - Wiggins Transfer Analysis
The dust has finally settled—Bradley Wiggins has officially signed with Team Sky. And now that the deal is done, the finality of the transfer has got me thinking: who now has the better team for the Tour de France? Does Sky truly have a core of riders capable of delivering Wiggins to the podium in Paris? And conversely, has Garmin lost its best chance for a high placing? While anything can and will happen between now and July, let’s take a look at how things might shape-up, beginning with Sky’s prospective 9-man Tour team:
Kurt Asle Arvesen surely deserves a spot—he’s a proven Grand Tour stage-winner and provides the experience and veteran savvy necessary for a new team to have success on the sport’s most challenging stage. Michael Barry’s another talented veteran, able to help on tougher days; he’ll provide unwavering service to his teammates. Edvald Boassen Hagen has to be included as well—he’s just too talented to leave at home. He’s a favorite for the Prologue and seems certain to grab a stage at some point. Look for him to be the bright spot for the team should Wiggins fail to deliver. Dario Cioni will get a ride—if he doesn’t ride the Giro. He’ll be a valuable and necessary asset for Wiggins in the mountains and can’t be left home. Simon Gerrans will also warrant a start—he’s another past stage-winner who can also help the team when it matters most. Thomas Lövkvist—if he’s not too miffed about losing his leadership to Wiggo—will also have a chance to prove himself should his captain falter. Maybe Wiggins takes the spotlight allowing Lövkvist to make a surprise of his own? So far then, including Wiggins, that’s 7 riders for 9 spots. Who’s left?
Of the rest of the roster*, I think it will come down to Sylvain Calzati, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Serge Pauwels—a tough choice. Pauwels is a dedicated team rider, someone willing to sacrifice his own chances for the sake of his team (as we all witnessed in this year’s Giro). Calzati and Flecha have both won stages in the Tour though, and would be two more cards for Sky to play from breakaways. I think Pauwels gets one spot (Scott Sunderland likes a good Belgian), and Flecha takes the other (he’s a bit more high-profile than Calzati). That makes nine:
Arvesen
Barry
Boassen Hagen
Cioni
Flecha
Gerrans
Lövkvist
Pauwels
Wiggins
On paper, it’s truly a solid team—a GC contender, former stage winners, veteran leadership, and young talent. Looking over these nine though, do you notice anything? Well, I see 4 riders who might look for stages when they should be looking to help Bradley Wiggins, only 2 riders capable of offering serious help on difficult stages, and 2 riders who’ve never even ridden the Tour before. Does this have the makings of podium spot for Wiggins?
I don’t think so.
Now Garmin. If I’m Jonathan Vaughters, I’m thinking of getting my first Tour stage win with Tyler Farrar. Mark Cavendish is a tough nut to crack, but his team’s diminished by the losses of Hincapie and Burghardt. Garmin bolstered its lead-out train this off-season, adding Robbie Hunter and Johan Vansummeren to the mix. It’s not an indomitable line-up, but it might be just enough to get Farrar over the line first on one or two occasions. So let’s start building Garmin’s Tour team with the following men:
Tyler Farrar
Robbie Hunter
Johan Vansummeren
Julian Dean
That leaves 5 spots. David Millar, Dave Zabriskie, and Christian Vande Velde are givens—barring something unforeseen, there’s no way Vaughters leaves them home, and for good reason. Like we saw at Sky, we’re left with 2 places for 3 riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Daniel Martin, and Tom Danielson.
Hesjedal gets a nod for his ability to support the team on a variety of terrain—as the Aussies used to say: “he’s a driver”. He can wind it up for sprints, or set the pace on climbs. Heck, he showed us in the Vuelta that he can win when the road goes uphill too! Frankly, it’s only a hunch, but I think Vaughters is done with Danielson. Yes, he rode a good Vuelta—for two weeks at least—but he just doesn’t seem to have the fortitude (intestinally and otherwise) necessary to succeed in a 3-week Grand Tour. Vaughters has given Danielson more than one opportunity to prove he has the makings of a Grand Tour contender, and he’s failed every time. Time to look elsewhere for the next Garmin GC surprise. On the other hand, Daniel Martin’s young, talented, and eager to prove himself; Vaughters can’t wait another year to see what he’s capable of. Thus, Martin gets the spot. Vaughters has scored two consecutive top-5 finishes with men previously thought to be incapable of such feats—I wonder what he’ll do with someone from whom we expect results. Here’s the final team:
Dean
Farrar
Hesjedal
Hunter
Martin
Millar
Vande Velde
Vansummeren
Zabriskie
So who’s got the better squad?
As much as I think Wiggins’ attitude stinks, it has to be said that Sky has the more impressive Tour team—on paper. With several riders capable of winning stages, and at least one chance for a good GC result, Sky will come to the race with a terrific chance of performing well. Garmin? There’s certainly potential, but more things will need to fall into place for the wins to start flowing. That said, there’s one advantage for Garmin: less pressure. Sky boasts a star-packed roster, now led by Bradley Wiggins. With the roster they’ve compiled, anything less than 2-3 stages and a Top-5 placing will be a disappointment. Furthermore, Garmin will certainly be racing with a chip on its shoulder—Sky (especially Wiggins) will get no favors from the boys in argyle.
So while some might be tempted to think Sky won the battle, they should be cautioned to remember that the way is not over. In fact, it’s only just begun.
In the end, it adds yet another intriguing sub-plot for a Tour that gets more and more interesting each day.
And it’s not even 2010 yet.
Your thoughts?
*Prospective roster data from Cycling Quotient. If you haven’t bookmarked this site yet, you should.
Kurt Asle Arvesen surely deserves a spot—he’s a proven Grand Tour stage-winner and provides the experience and veteran savvy necessary for a new team to have success on the sport’s most challenging stage. Michael Barry’s another talented veteran, able to help on tougher days; he’ll provide unwavering service to his teammates. Edvald Boassen Hagen has to be included as well—he’s just too talented to leave at home. He’s a favorite for the Prologue and seems certain to grab a stage at some point. Look for him to be the bright spot for the team should Wiggins fail to deliver. Dario Cioni will get a ride—if he doesn’t ride the Giro. He’ll be a valuable and necessary asset for Wiggins in the mountains and can’t be left home. Simon Gerrans will also warrant a start—he’s another past stage-winner who can also help the team when it matters most. Thomas Lövkvist—if he’s not too miffed about losing his leadership to Wiggo—will also have a chance to prove himself should his captain falter. Maybe Wiggins takes the spotlight allowing Lövkvist to make a surprise of his own? So far then, including Wiggins, that’s 7 riders for 9 spots. Who’s left?
Of the rest of the roster*, I think it will come down to Sylvain Calzati, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Serge Pauwels—a tough choice. Pauwels is a dedicated team rider, someone willing to sacrifice his own chances for the sake of his team (as we all witnessed in this year’s Giro). Calzati and Flecha have both won stages in the Tour though, and would be two more cards for Sky to play from breakaways. I think Pauwels gets one spot (Scott Sunderland likes a good Belgian), and Flecha takes the other (he’s a bit more high-profile than Calzati). That makes nine:
Arvesen
Barry
Boassen Hagen
Cioni
Flecha
Gerrans
Lövkvist
Pauwels
Wiggins
On paper, it’s truly a solid team—a GC contender, former stage winners, veteran leadership, and young talent. Looking over these nine though, do you notice anything? Well, I see 4 riders who might look for stages when they should be looking to help Bradley Wiggins, only 2 riders capable of offering serious help on difficult stages, and 2 riders who’ve never even ridden the Tour before. Does this have the makings of podium spot for Wiggins?
I don’t think so.
Now Garmin. If I’m Jonathan Vaughters, I’m thinking of getting my first Tour stage win with Tyler Farrar. Mark Cavendish is a tough nut to crack, but his team’s diminished by the losses of Hincapie and Burghardt. Garmin bolstered its lead-out train this off-season, adding Robbie Hunter and Johan Vansummeren to the mix. It’s not an indomitable line-up, but it might be just enough to get Farrar over the line first on one or two occasions. So let’s start building Garmin’s Tour team with the following men:
Tyler Farrar
Robbie Hunter
Johan Vansummeren
Julian Dean
That leaves 5 spots. David Millar, Dave Zabriskie, and Christian Vande Velde are givens—barring something unforeseen, there’s no way Vaughters leaves them home, and for good reason. Like we saw at Sky, we’re left with 2 places for 3 riders: Ryder Hesjedal, Daniel Martin, and Tom Danielson.
Hesjedal gets a nod for his ability to support the team on a variety of terrain—as the Aussies used to say: “he’s a driver”. He can wind it up for sprints, or set the pace on climbs. Heck, he showed us in the Vuelta that he can win when the road goes uphill too! Frankly, it’s only a hunch, but I think Vaughters is done with Danielson. Yes, he rode a good Vuelta—for two weeks at least—but he just doesn’t seem to have the fortitude (intestinally and otherwise) necessary to succeed in a 3-week Grand Tour. Vaughters has given Danielson more than one opportunity to prove he has the makings of a Grand Tour contender, and he’s failed every time. Time to look elsewhere for the next Garmin GC surprise. On the other hand, Daniel Martin’s young, talented, and eager to prove himself; Vaughters can’t wait another year to see what he’s capable of. Thus, Martin gets the spot. Vaughters has scored two consecutive top-5 finishes with men previously thought to be incapable of such feats—I wonder what he’ll do with someone from whom we expect results. Here’s the final team:
Dean
Farrar
Hesjedal
Hunter
Martin
Millar
Vande Velde
Vansummeren
Zabriskie
So who’s got the better squad?
As much as I think Wiggins’ attitude stinks, it has to be said that Sky has the more impressive Tour team—on paper. With several riders capable of winning stages, and at least one chance for a good GC result, Sky will come to the race with a terrific chance of performing well. Garmin? There’s certainly potential, but more things will need to fall into place for the wins to start flowing. That said, there’s one advantage for Garmin: less pressure. Sky boasts a star-packed roster, now led by Bradley Wiggins. With the roster they’ve compiled, anything less than 2-3 stages and a Top-5 placing will be a disappointment. Furthermore, Garmin will certainly be racing with a chip on its shoulder—Sky (especially Wiggins) will get no favors from the boys in argyle.
So while some might be tempted to think Sky won the battle, they should be cautioned to remember that the way is not over. In fact, it’s only just begun.
In the end, it adds yet another intriguing sub-plot for a Tour that gets more and more interesting each day.
And it’s not even 2010 yet.
Your thoughts?
*Prospective roster data from Cycling Quotient. If you haven’t bookmarked this site yet, you should.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings
Here are Erik Mitchell's latest cyclocross insights and Power Rankings. For more, head over to The Run-up.
With just one weekend left before the US National Championships, chaos ensued in Portland, leaving more questions than answers. Many, including myself, thought it would be a two-horse race in "the showdown" at the final two rounds of the USGP; however, by the time the dust settled, two new riders had thrown their hats into the ring for a national championship. Todd Wells and Jeremy Powers came-off the previous weekend’s victories to dominate the competition in two of the closest races we've seen all year. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Czech National Champion Zdenek Stybar proved that he's a force to be reckoned with by winning his second-straight World Cup race. The usual protagonists were there, including a frustrated Niels Albert and a bitterly disappointed Sven Nys, but it was the first time this season we saw daylight between Stybar and the rest of the field, albeit by 6 seconds.
It would appear that Stybar's win is the beginning of another shift in Europe. For the first two months, it was Niels Albert pulling-out all the victories, now it's Stybar's turn. How long it will last is anyone's guess. Obviously he's hoping to have this kind of form and luck come the World Championships in January. The only common thread behind these two dominant figures is Sven Nys' issues. To be fair, Nys has suffered an extraordinary amount of mechanical problems this season. This time however, it was a lapped rider that apparently got in his way. I just hope that these aren't excuses for a lack of domination. Behind these three, things continue to change including a surging Jonathan Page and a consistent Erwin Vervecken. One last note, after all of the hype over the past few weeks, Francis Mourey suffered his worst result of the season—15th. A returning Bart Wellens took his place in 5th. Here are this week’s International Power Rankings:
1. Zdenek Stybar (2) - Last week Stybar dropped-out of the top spot and perhaps that was the motivation he needed to win another World Cup race. The biggest thing to take away from his victory was the fact that he did it solo. This means he can win the hard way and in sprints. That’s dangerous.
2. Niels Albert (3) - Albert moves up a spot after a solid 2nd-place finish on Saturday. Albert saw Nys take sole control of the Superprestige last week and is close to losing his World Cup overall lead to Stybar. He still controls the UCI overall ranking and the GVA Trophy series, but those leads are closing as well. He needs to figure-out something soon, or he may be left with nothing at all.
3. Sven Nys (1) - A big drop for Nys this week. Could he have won? I think so. Nys isn't what he used to be, but he's close. I give him the edge to take control of the GVA overall this weekend, meaning he has to best both Stybar and Albert.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) - Vantornout continues to ride very well. He's slowly getting his shots at victory and it wouldn't surprise me if he pulls one out sometime this year. For now, he'll have to settle as “the guy behind the big three”.
5. Bart Aernouts (6) – Aernouts’ 6th place on Saturday moves him up one spot this week. He continues to finish just outside the lead group this year; I don't expect that to change any time soon.
6. Bart Wellens (na) - Wellens' return to the World Cup was very impressive this past weekend. He picked-up 5th place and thus, has returned to the rankings. I'm not going to say he's here to stay, but I see this as a sign of things to come. It's nice to see him back racing.
7. Gerben de Knegt (10) - The elder statesmen of the Netherlands continues to ride well. I keep saying that his best years are behind him, but at this rate, I can't wait to see what he'll do next. Either Vervecken or he will do something special this year.
8. Radomir Simunek (na) - Simunek bounces back into the rankings after a nice top-10 finish on Saturday. While his countryman continues to get all the press, Simunek is showing he's capable of mixing it up with the best in the world.
9. Erwin Vervecken (9) - Vervecken's newfound consistency keeps him in the rankings this week, ultimately knocking-out my man Kevin Pauwels. The Farewell Tour has been very kind to Vervecken and I couldn't be happier. If only he can show-up these young punks sometime soon.
10. Jonathan Page (na) - In the North American rankings, I allude to who I think will don the stars and stripes. Page scored his biggest result of the year this past weekend, finishing 8th in Spain. He will return to the US this week, giving us a true idea of where the US and Europe stand. Let's just say I think he's found his form.
Dropped this week: Kevin Pauwels (5), Francis Mourey (7), and Sven Vanthourenhout (8).
In the USA, things are coming down to the wire; just when I thought I had my Nationals pick locked-in, two new riders surged to the front of the men's race. While Ryan Trebon took the USGP overall and Tim Johnson ended-up on the podium both days, Wells and Powers stole the show. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this newfound duel was the fact that Wells and Powers were the only two riders who raced the weekend before—in fact, they both dominated the competition. Behind, Jamey Driscoll failed to impress as he wound-up 5th on Saturday and 7th on Sunday. The only real surprise was Adam Craig who continued his late season cross campaign with a 4th place on Sunday. In New England, Dan Timmerman grabbed two victories en-route to a NECCS overall title. He will surely be a wildcard at Nationals this weekend.
So, as we head into the final weekend of racing in the United States, here's this week’s Power Rankings:
1. Jeremy Powers (1) - Powers rode extremely well this weekend, narrowly missing victory on Day One to Todd Wells. He was able to reverse that on Sunday though. Is he the next National Champion? I'm going to let that question linger. It should be noted that the following 3 riders represent the only National Champions this decade not-named Jonathan Page.
2. Todd Wells (8) - A few weeks ago I tipped Wells for some late season magic. Who knew that he would produce four-straight UCI wins? A crafty finish on Sunday prevented him from five-straight, but the two-time National Champion seems poised for another title.
3. Tim Johnson (2) - Johnson struggled a bit (relatively speaking) behind Powers and Wells. He knows how to win when it counts, but I'm surprised to see him drop a spot in the rankings. He'll be the third rider on the starting grid and is still a heavy favorite.
4. Ryan Trebon (4) - Trebon's up and down season continued in Portland. While he did manage to wrap-up the USGP overall, he looks a bit behind the form that saw him win Nationals last year. While he's still a favorite in my book, he should probably wear the stars and stripes all week—it may be a long time before he wears them again.
5. Jamey Driscoll (3) - "Mr. Consistency" slipped a bit as well this week. Perhaps it was the pressure of the USGP, or maybe it was just a bad weekend. Either way, Driscoll popped onto the scene with a silver medal at Nationals last year, perhaps he'll shock the world once again.
6. Dan Timmerman (5) - Timmerman wrapped-up the NECCS overall with another pair of UCI victories. I have high hopes for the New Yorker this upcoming weekend, but honestly, I don't expect him to win. He's in my top five though, especially after barely losing to Jeremy Powers the week before.
7. Chris Jones (7) - A pair of top-10 finishes keeps Jones in the rankings, but he seems to have dropped back to become the perennial leader of the chase group. But like the rest of the guys in the rankings this week, he's still within striking distance of the podium.
8. Geoff Kabush (na) - Kabush already has his National Championship jersey, so he'll take this weekend off. He continues to ride well though, and I expect some decent results if he chooses to visit Europe this winter.
9. Daniel Summerhill (na) - Summerhill has had a quiet cross season thus far, but when he races, he does well. He's my pick to win the U23 jersey at Nationals, I just hope his road commitments for next year don't clog his mind or his legs.
10. Adam Craig (6) - Craig responded well from a disappointing 11th on Saturday, finishing 4th on Sunday. He has an outside shot at a podium this weekend, but the odds that the mountain bike superstar picks-up the stars and stripes are slim.
Dropped this week: Valentin Scherz (9) and Justin Lindine (10).
This weekend, the biggest US race of the year concludes a stellar North American season. I won't make my outright predictions here (you can visit The Run-up for my predictions of every US National Champion), but I think I've outlined the contenders pretty well. As usual, I expect a big surprise this weekend, but it won't come from anyone outside of this week’s rankings. All that's left is to watch what may be the most exciting National Championship race in years.
While all eyes in the US will be on Bend, Oregon, there's a bevy of races throughout Europe this weekend. Most importantly, there is a round of the GVA Trophy in Essen, Belgium. All the big names should be there, but the focus will be on Nys, Albert and Stybar (what else is new?). Those three are separated by 4 points in the GVA rankings, so one of them should finally take command of the series.
What about you? Who are your picks for Nationals? What about the GVA—how do see things shaping-up?
Share your comments below.
With just one weekend left before the US National Championships, chaos ensued in Portland, leaving more questions than answers. Many, including myself, thought it would be a two-horse race in "the showdown" at the final two rounds of the USGP; however, by the time the dust settled, two new riders had thrown their hats into the ring for a national championship. Todd Wells and Jeremy Powers came-off the previous weekend’s victories to dominate the competition in two of the closest races we've seen all year. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the Czech National Champion Zdenek Stybar proved that he's a force to be reckoned with by winning his second-straight World Cup race. The usual protagonists were there, including a frustrated Niels Albert and a bitterly disappointed Sven Nys, but it was the first time this season we saw daylight between Stybar and the rest of the field, albeit by 6 seconds.
It would appear that Stybar's win is the beginning of another shift in Europe. For the first two months, it was Niels Albert pulling-out all the victories, now it's Stybar's turn. How long it will last is anyone's guess. Obviously he's hoping to have this kind of form and luck come the World Championships in January. The only common thread behind these two dominant figures is Sven Nys' issues. To be fair, Nys has suffered an extraordinary amount of mechanical problems this season. This time however, it was a lapped rider that apparently got in his way. I just hope that these aren't excuses for a lack of domination. Behind these three, things continue to change including a surging Jonathan Page and a consistent Erwin Vervecken. One last note, after all of the hype over the past few weeks, Francis Mourey suffered his worst result of the season—15th. A returning Bart Wellens took his place in 5th. Here are this week’s International Power Rankings:
International Rankings
1. Zdenek Stybar (2) - Last week Stybar dropped-out of the top spot and perhaps that was the motivation he needed to win another World Cup race. The biggest thing to take away from his victory was the fact that he did it solo. This means he can win the hard way and in sprints. That’s dangerous.
2. Niels Albert (3) - Albert moves up a spot after a solid 2nd-place finish on Saturday. Albert saw Nys take sole control of the Superprestige last week and is close to losing his World Cup overall lead to Stybar. He still controls the UCI overall ranking and the GVA Trophy series, but those leads are closing as well. He needs to figure-out something soon, or he may be left with nothing at all.
3. Sven Nys (1) - A big drop for Nys this week. Could he have won? I think so. Nys isn't what he used to be, but he's close. I give him the edge to take control of the GVA overall this weekend, meaning he has to best both Stybar and Albert.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) - Vantornout continues to ride very well. He's slowly getting his shots at victory and it wouldn't surprise me if he pulls one out sometime this year. For now, he'll have to settle as “the guy behind the big three”.
5. Bart Aernouts (6) – Aernouts’ 6th place on Saturday moves him up one spot this week. He continues to finish just outside the lead group this year; I don't expect that to change any time soon.
6. Bart Wellens (na) - Wellens' return to the World Cup was very impressive this past weekend. He picked-up 5th place and thus, has returned to the rankings. I'm not going to say he's here to stay, but I see this as a sign of things to come. It's nice to see him back racing.
7. Gerben de Knegt (10) - The elder statesmen of the Netherlands continues to ride well. I keep saying that his best years are behind him, but at this rate, I can't wait to see what he'll do next. Either Vervecken or he will do something special this year.
8. Radomir Simunek (na) - Simunek bounces back into the rankings after a nice top-10 finish on Saturday. While his countryman continues to get all the press, Simunek is showing he's capable of mixing it up with the best in the world.
9. Erwin Vervecken (9) - Vervecken's newfound consistency keeps him in the rankings this week, ultimately knocking-out my man Kevin Pauwels. The Farewell Tour has been very kind to Vervecken and I couldn't be happier. If only he can show-up these young punks sometime soon.
10. Jonathan Page (na) - In the North American rankings, I allude to who I think will don the stars and stripes. Page scored his biggest result of the year this past weekend, finishing 8th in Spain. He will return to the US this week, giving us a true idea of where the US and Europe stand. Let's just say I think he's found his form.
Dropped this week: Kevin Pauwels (5), Francis Mourey (7), and Sven Vanthourenhout (8).
In the USA, things are coming down to the wire; just when I thought I had my Nationals pick locked-in, two new riders surged to the front of the men's race. While Ryan Trebon took the USGP overall and Tim Johnson ended-up on the podium both days, Wells and Powers stole the show. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this newfound duel was the fact that Wells and Powers were the only two riders who raced the weekend before—in fact, they both dominated the competition. Behind, Jamey Driscoll failed to impress as he wound-up 5th on Saturday and 7th on Sunday. The only real surprise was Adam Craig who continued his late season cross campaign with a 4th place on Sunday. In New England, Dan Timmerman grabbed two victories en-route to a NECCS overall title. He will surely be a wildcard at Nationals this weekend.
So, as we head into the final weekend of racing in the United States, here's this week’s Power Rankings:
North American Rankings
1. Jeremy Powers (1) - Powers rode extremely well this weekend, narrowly missing victory on Day One to Todd Wells. He was able to reverse that on Sunday though. Is he the next National Champion? I'm going to let that question linger. It should be noted that the following 3 riders represent the only National Champions this decade not-named Jonathan Page.
2. Todd Wells (8) - A few weeks ago I tipped Wells for some late season magic. Who knew that he would produce four-straight UCI wins? A crafty finish on Sunday prevented him from five-straight, but the two-time National Champion seems poised for another title.
3. Tim Johnson (2) - Johnson struggled a bit (relatively speaking) behind Powers and Wells. He knows how to win when it counts, but I'm surprised to see him drop a spot in the rankings. He'll be the third rider on the starting grid and is still a heavy favorite.
4. Ryan Trebon (4) - Trebon's up and down season continued in Portland. While he did manage to wrap-up the USGP overall, he looks a bit behind the form that saw him win Nationals last year. While he's still a favorite in my book, he should probably wear the stars and stripes all week—it may be a long time before he wears them again.
5. Jamey Driscoll (3) - "Mr. Consistency" slipped a bit as well this week. Perhaps it was the pressure of the USGP, or maybe it was just a bad weekend. Either way, Driscoll popped onto the scene with a silver medal at Nationals last year, perhaps he'll shock the world once again.
6. Dan Timmerman (5) - Timmerman wrapped-up the NECCS overall with another pair of UCI victories. I have high hopes for the New Yorker this upcoming weekend, but honestly, I don't expect him to win. He's in my top five though, especially after barely losing to Jeremy Powers the week before.
7. Chris Jones (7) - A pair of top-10 finishes keeps Jones in the rankings, but he seems to have dropped back to become the perennial leader of the chase group. But like the rest of the guys in the rankings this week, he's still within striking distance of the podium.
8. Geoff Kabush (na) - Kabush already has his National Championship jersey, so he'll take this weekend off. He continues to ride well though, and I expect some decent results if he chooses to visit Europe this winter.
9. Daniel Summerhill (na) - Summerhill has had a quiet cross season thus far, but when he races, he does well. He's my pick to win the U23 jersey at Nationals, I just hope his road commitments for next year don't clog his mind or his legs.
10. Adam Craig (6) - Craig responded well from a disappointing 11th on Saturday, finishing 4th on Sunday. He has an outside shot at a podium this weekend, but the odds that the mountain bike superstar picks-up the stars and stripes are slim.
Dropped this week: Valentin Scherz (9) and Justin Lindine (10).
This weekend, the biggest US race of the year concludes a stellar North American season. I won't make my outright predictions here (you can visit The Run-up for my predictions of every US National Champion), but I think I've outlined the contenders pretty well. As usual, I expect a big surprise this weekend, but it won't come from anyone outside of this week’s rankings. All that's left is to watch what may be the most exciting National Championship race in years.
While all eyes in the US will be on Bend, Oregon, there's a bevy of races throughout Europe this weekend. Most importantly, there is a round of the GVA Trophy in Essen, Belgium. All the big names should be there, but the focus will be on Nys, Albert and Stybar (what else is new?). Those three are separated by 4 points in the GVA rankings, so one of them should finally take command of the series.
What about you? Who are your picks for Nationals? What about the GVA—how do see things shaping-up?
Share your comments below.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Monday Musette
Lot's to look at today:
1. Did you see that Mavic is adding tires to its repertoire? Call me a cynic, but don't these look eerily similar to Specialized's open tubulars--which look eerily similar to Vittoria's EVO KS?
2. Did you know that VDB has a posse? Well, he does. And soon it will have t-shirts (because nothing says "posse" more than matching t-shirts).
3. Do you happen to live in Stockholm? Are you looking for a fixed gear for all your winter fitness needs? If you answered yes to both, then this is for you. A pretty nice bike if you ask me.
4. Here's a great set of images featuring the Mongolian Cyclocross Team and their ambassador/benefactor/host/godfather, Johan "Those Aren't Plugs" Museeuw. All kidding aside, this is a great program that certainly extends the boundaries of cyclocross way beyond its traditional borders.
5. RKP published an interview with the man behind ATMO, Richard Sachs. I'm not sure what's more interesting--the interview itself or the comments it sparked.
6. Domestique and El Cyclista are two terrific sites I stumbled upon recently. Check them out and add them to your regular reading. I love El Cyclista's kit!
7. And last but not least, while we're on the subject of kit--you have 2 weeks left to get some Pavé kit of your own. The order form is here. Contact us with questions.
That's it for today--enjoy your Monday!
1. Did you see that Mavic is adding tires to its repertoire? Call me a cynic, but don't these look eerily similar to Specialized's open tubulars--which look eerily similar to Vittoria's EVO KS?
2. Did you know that VDB has a posse? Well, he does. And soon it will have t-shirts (because nothing says "posse" more than matching t-shirts).
3. Do you happen to live in Stockholm? Are you looking for a fixed gear for all your winter fitness needs? If you answered yes to both, then this is for you. A pretty nice bike if you ask me.
4. Here's a great set of images featuring the Mongolian Cyclocross Team and their ambassador/benefactor/host/godfather, Johan "Those Aren't Plugs" Museeuw. All kidding aside, this is a great program that certainly extends the boundaries of cyclocross way beyond its traditional borders.
5. RKP published an interview with the man behind ATMO, Richard Sachs. I'm not sure what's more interesting--the interview itself or the comments it sparked.
6. Domestique and El Cyclista are two terrific sites I stumbled upon recently. Check them out and add them to your regular reading. I love El Cyclista's kit!
7. And last but not least, while we're on the subject of kit--you have 2 weeks left to get some Pavé kit of your own. The order form is here. Contact us with questions.
That's it for today--enjoy your Monday!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Cross Report and Power Rankings
Erik Mitchell, Pavé's cyclocross expert, welcomed a new son into the world this week. But that hasn't stopped him from delivering his weekly report and Power Rankings. For more from Erik, you can his website, The Run-up. And of course, feel free to leave your comments below.
Just like last week, we have two new #1 riders in the rankings. Domestically, Jeremy Powers was one of a handful of big name riders to have raced this past weekend, and he won both races he entered. On the other side of the pond, things were a bit more interesting, and very surprising. Zdenek Stybar continued his run with a third straight victory, this time picking up a World Cup race. Sven Nys finally took his 50th Superprestige race victory and appears headed to a possible 10th overall title. In the end, Nys' 2nd place to Stybar and his sheer destruction of the Superprestige field gave him the #1 nod this week. On both continents, there is no longer one dominant force (although it was refreshing to watch Nys ride away from everyone like the goed oude dagen). Instead, we are seeing fast group sprints in Europe and smaller groups waiting until the last few laps to split in the United States. Either way, it has made for some exciting action, and should prove to be very interesting down the stretch.
2. Tim Johnson (1) - Johnson wrapped-up the NACT in style. With a victory this weekend and some space between him and Ryan Trebon, he could win the USGP. Honestly, I don't think he'll do it. Not because he can't, but because he'd rather use this weekend as a tune-up for Nationals, where he should be a favorite to win.
3. Jamey Driscoll (3) - Driscoll's consistency was been his calling card all weekend. While I'm sure he'd like another big result at Nationals, perhaps this weekend he'll try to win the USGP overall. It would be a terrific way to cap a solid season, and could give him the mental edge to go for it at Nationals.
4. Ryan Trebon (4) - The current USGP leader, Trebon finally heads home to the Pacific Northwest this weekend. He'll have two rounds of the USGP in Portland, before heading to Bend for Nationals. He's had some time to relax and train at home after months of traveling; now it's time for “Tree Farm” to make a statement
5. Dan Timmerman (10) - I like Timmerman in the #5 spot. He's been the guy just behind the lead group all season, but he's starting to break through. This past weekend he picked-up two more podium spots and is almost assured of the NECCS overall title. A top-5 at Nationals is where he belongs, but he could surprise us with something better.
6. Adam Craig (5) - Craig burst onto the scene over a month ago in Colorado. Many—including myself—thought it was a one-time deal for the mtb star. Instead, Craig has found his ‘cross legs and continues to surprise. If there's mud in Portland this weekend, he should finish on the podium. Either way, Craig has played his cards right this year and is reaping the rewards.
7. Chris Jones (6) - Despite weeks of saying how Jones has become a true cross rider, I keep waiting for him to disappear from the top-10 at the major races. But he’s still there and a good showing over the next few weeks should shake the rest of the doubt out of my mind.
8. Todd Wells (na) - I first made mention of Wells when he placed 3rd at Day Two of the Mercer Cup. Since then he's had some setbacks, but bounced-back nicely to take three straight victories in Iowa. Wells won Nationals four years ago in abysmal conditions; if he holds his form and the weather turns ugly, he could be a surprise podium contender.
9. Valentin Scherz (7) - Scherz will most likely skip a trip to Portland this weekend in order to wrap-up the MAC overall in Virginia. The "Swiss Sensation" will then return to Europe where I expect him to do quite well.
10. Justin Lindine (na) - Lindine is either a New Englander who had a good weekend at home, or a rider who has found some late season form. Either way, two podium spots net him the last spot in the rankings, putting him on the radar for the weeks still to come.
2. Zdenek Stybar (1) - If Stybar continues to ride like he has the past to weeks, he may wind-up the favorite for Worlds. It’s crazy to think there's a non-Belgian capable of capturing cross’s biggest crown. With Lars Boom out of the picture, Stybar is the only man left who can stop the Belgians from ruling the sport.
3. Niels Albert (2) - It's a slippery slope as Albert falls to 3rd this week. The real issue here is that Albert performance track record is unknown at this point in the season. Last year, Albert was the only man capable of controlling Nys, until he crashed and was out until Worlds. This is a key time in Albert's season as he didn't race at this time last year. That said, it's not time to hit the panic button—yet.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) - Vantornout continues to finish with the leaders, and is having a stellar season. He stumbled a bit on Sunday, but is a podium contender at any race he enters. He still seems capable of a big win, but the three guys ahead of him will prove tough to beat.
5. Kevin Pauwels (5) - Pauwels picked-up a huge 2nd place behind Nys on Sunday after struggling a bit during the World Cup race Saturday. To say that Pauwels is knocking on the door is an understatement. It’s halfway open; he just needs to walk through. He'll do it soon enough.
6. Bart Aernouts (6) - Aernouts continues to ride just behind the lead group at major races, but is always near the front of the chase. He's still relatively young and I expect him to close the gap jump sometime soon, but it's rough to be a Belgian not named Nys or Albert.
7. Francis Mourey (7) - If there's a place where you can bet on World Cup cross races, please let me know: Mourey's a lock for 5th place. The Frenchman finished fifth once again in the World Cup race on Saturday. He backed it up with a top-10 finish on Sunday. Any guesses on how he'll do this weekend?
8. Sven Vanthourenhout (na) - Vanthourenhout blasted-out of the starting grid this season, but seems to have lost his way over the past month or so. Two top-10 finishes have put him back on the map and leaving hope that he can turn things around during the last half of the season.
9. Erwin Vervecken (na) - The “farewell” tour has been quiet as of late for Vervecken. He finished 8th last weekend in Koksijde and continues to ride in the first or second chase group. Vervecken is a crafty "old man" though, and will leave us with one last win at some point this year. But like everyone else, Vervecken will have to continue to earn his spot in the rankings.
10. Gerben de Knegt (9) - de Knegt slipped just outside the top-10 on Sunday, but finished 7th at the World Cup race on Saturday. At age 35, he's still riding incredibly well and might be able to pull off something special later this year.
Just like last week, we have two new #1 riders in the rankings. Domestically, Jeremy Powers was one of a handful of big name riders to have raced this past weekend, and he won both races he entered. On the other side of the pond, things were a bit more interesting, and very surprising. Zdenek Stybar continued his run with a third straight victory, this time picking up a World Cup race. Sven Nys finally took his 50th Superprestige race victory and appears headed to a possible 10th overall title. In the end, Nys' 2nd place to Stybar and his sheer destruction of the Superprestige field gave him the #1 nod this week. On both continents, there is no longer one dominant force (although it was refreshing to watch Nys ride away from everyone like the goed oude dagen). Instead, we are seeing fast group sprints in Europe and smaller groups waiting until the last few laps to split in the United States. Either way, it has made for some exciting action, and should prove to be very interesting down the stretch.
North American Rankings
1. Jeremy Powers (2) - With a pair of victories, Powers moves into the #1 spot. Powers broke out last year and has continued his hot streak just behind teammate Tim Johnson. He's proved that he can win on his own, and with three big US races left, perhaps he'll seize the opportunity to take another.2. Tim Johnson (1) - Johnson wrapped-up the NACT in style. With a victory this weekend and some space between him and Ryan Trebon, he could win the USGP. Honestly, I don't think he'll do it. Not because he can't, but because he'd rather use this weekend as a tune-up for Nationals, where he should be a favorite to win.
3. Jamey Driscoll (3) - Driscoll's consistency was been his calling card all weekend. While I'm sure he'd like another big result at Nationals, perhaps this weekend he'll try to win the USGP overall. It would be a terrific way to cap a solid season, and could give him the mental edge to go for it at Nationals.
4. Ryan Trebon (4) - The current USGP leader, Trebon finally heads home to the Pacific Northwest this weekend. He'll have two rounds of the USGP in Portland, before heading to Bend for Nationals. He's had some time to relax and train at home after months of traveling; now it's time for “Tree Farm” to make a statement
5. Dan Timmerman (10) - I like Timmerman in the #5 spot. He's been the guy just behind the lead group all season, but he's starting to break through. This past weekend he picked-up two more podium spots and is almost assured of the NECCS overall title. A top-5 at Nationals is where he belongs, but he could surprise us with something better.
6. Adam Craig (5) - Craig burst onto the scene over a month ago in Colorado. Many—including myself—thought it was a one-time deal for the mtb star. Instead, Craig has found his ‘cross legs and continues to surprise. If there's mud in Portland this weekend, he should finish on the podium. Either way, Craig has played his cards right this year and is reaping the rewards.
7. Chris Jones (6) - Despite weeks of saying how Jones has become a true cross rider, I keep waiting for him to disappear from the top-10 at the major races. But he’s still there and a good showing over the next few weeks should shake the rest of the doubt out of my mind.
8. Todd Wells (na) - I first made mention of Wells when he placed 3rd at Day Two of the Mercer Cup. Since then he's had some setbacks, but bounced-back nicely to take three straight victories in Iowa. Wells won Nationals four years ago in abysmal conditions; if he holds his form and the weather turns ugly, he could be a surprise podium contender.
9. Valentin Scherz (7) - Scherz will most likely skip a trip to Portland this weekend in order to wrap-up the MAC overall in Virginia. The "Swiss Sensation" will then return to Europe where I expect him to do quite well.
10. Justin Lindine (na) - Lindine is either a New Englander who had a good weekend at home, or a rider who has found some late season form. Either way, two podium spots net him the last spot in the rankings, putting him on the radar for the weeks still to come.
International Rankings
2. Zdenek Stybar (1) - If Stybar continues to ride like he has the past to weeks, he may wind-up the favorite for Worlds. It’s crazy to think there's a non-Belgian capable of capturing cross’s biggest crown. With Lars Boom out of the picture, Stybar is the only man left who can stop the Belgians from ruling the sport.
3. Niels Albert (2) - It's a slippery slope as Albert falls to 3rd this week. The real issue here is that Albert performance track record is unknown at this point in the season. Last year, Albert was the only man capable of controlling Nys, until he crashed and was out until Worlds. This is a key time in Albert's season as he didn't race at this time last year. That said, it's not time to hit the panic button—yet.
4. Klaas Vantornout (4) - Vantornout continues to finish with the leaders, and is having a stellar season. He stumbled a bit on Sunday, but is a podium contender at any race he enters. He still seems capable of a big win, but the three guys ahead of him will prove tough to beat.
5. Kevin Pauwels (5) - Pauwels picked-up a huge 2nd place behind Nys on Sunday after struggling a bit during the World Cup race Saturday. To say that Pauwels is knocking on the door is an understatement. It’s halfway open; he just needs to walk through. He'll do it soon enough.
6. Bart Aernouts (6) - Aernouts continues to ride just behind the lead group at major races, but is always near the front of the chase. He's still relatively young and I expect him to close the gap jump sometime soon, but it's rough to be a Belgian not named Nys or Albert.
7. Francis Mourey (7) - If there's a place where you can bet on World Cup cross races, please let me know: Mourey's a lock for 5th place. The Frenchman finished fifth once again in the World Cup race on Saturday. He backed it up with a top-10 finish on Sunday. Any guesses on how he'll do this weekend?
8. Sven Vanthourenhout (na) - Vanthourenhout blasted-out of the starting grid this season, but seems to have lost his way over the past month or so. Two top-10 finishes have put him back on the map and leaving hope that he can turn things around during the last half of the season.
9. Erwin Vervecken (na) - The “farewell” tour has been quiet as of late for Vervecken. He finished 8th last weekend in Koksijde and continues to ride in the first or second chase group. Vervecken is a crafty "old man" though, and will leave us with one last win at some point this year. But like everyone else, Vervecken will have to continue to earn his spot in the rankings.
10. Gerben de Knegt (9) - de Knegt slipped just outside the top-10 on Sunday, but finished 7th at the World Cup race on Saturday. At age 35, he's still riding incredibly well and might be able to pull off something special later this year.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Franco-Belge - Final Installment
The 5th and final installment of "Franco-Belge" has just gone live at Embrocation.
Head over and give it a read! And if you have the time, drop back and leave some feedback now that the tale is complete.
Head over and give it a read! And if you have the time, drop back and leave some feedback now that the tale is complete.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings - Coming Tomorrow
So Erik emailed today and asked if he could get us his latest Cyclocross Report and Power Ranking a bit late. The reason? He just became a daddy as Jonathan Mitchell was welcomed into the family on Sunday. Since we're flexible, understanding people, I'm sure we have no problem granting him the time he needs.
In the meantime, please enjoy this video from the last lap of Zdenek Stybar's win on Saturday in Koksijde, Belgium. And yes, Francis Mourey finished 5th--again.
To boot, here's Sunday's last lap from Sven Nijs' 50th Superprestige victory in Gieten.
Enjoy! And congratulations to Erik and his family.
Now, about that Power Ranking...
In the meantime, please enjoy this video from the last lap of Zdenek Stybar's win on Saturday in Koksijde, Belgium. And yes, Francis Mourey finished 5th--again.
To boot, here's Sunday's last lap from Sven Nijs' 50th Superprestige victory in Gieten.
Enjoy! And congratulations to Erik and his family.
Now, about that Power Ranking...
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