Alberto Contador - "What's a guy to do?"

Yesterday it was announced by a representative from the Kazak Cycling Federation that Alberto Contador will indeed be honoring the final year of his contract and riding for Team Astana in 2010.

I'm sorry, Mr. Proskurin, but I’m not buying it.

Can you blame me?

It’s not as if we’ve been receiving accurate information regarding the situation at Astana. Since spring we’ve been inundated with nothing but conflicting reports, inaccurate sound bites, and contradictory quotes from individuals supposed to be working for the same team (Red Kite Prayer’s discourse on the matter shines more light on this). Riders are transferring, then they’re not. Riders are returning from suspension, then they’re not—until they do. Directors are leaving, then they’re staying, then they’re leaving. Paperwork’s being filed on time, then it isn’t, but then it was.

Confused? You should be.

It all contributes to a current state of affairs in which we absolutely cannot believe anything we hear until we hear it again…from the same person…on separate days. (Sure enough, hours after I began this piece, Contador announced that he was still making his decision.)

But for now, let’s give Astana the benefit of the doubt and assume the official was correct. If so, we have to ask: why would Contador stay with such an incredibly mis-managed organization? He's received plenty of offers from several Pro Tour teams, right?

Well, yes, he has—sorta. At least that’s what we’ve been led to believe. Garmin’s been a rumored destination since before the Tour--Caisse d'Epargne as well. Quick Step's Patrick Lefevere has done everything short of taking-up residency in Spain to get Contador to make the move North. That said, when you at these teams closely, reasons exist why no accord has been reached; one or both parties might be a bit apprehensive to seal the deal.

Let’s begin with the obvious choice: Caisse d’Epargne. While Contador would love to ride for a Spanish team—especially one with Grand Tour pedigree—he might be a bit hesitant about riding for a team already containing Alejandro Valverde. While he's not a threat to Contador's Tour-status, Valverde is certainly a contender in several of the races Contador uses during his Tour build-up. It will take some pretty sophisticated scheduling to keep Valverde and Contador in races where their talents and objectives will not overlap. Maybe Contador realizes this; or maybe management isn’t quite ready to put their money behind another horse--a horse that did win them the Vuelta. Overall, if Caisse and Contador were truly a match made in heaven, it would certainly have happened by now.

Garmin entered the sweepstakes in June when it looked like Astana didn’t even have the tenge to make it through July. Had it happened, Contador would have given them an instant contender--maybe a victory--and Jonathan Vaughters claimed to have had the capital necessary to bring the Spaniard into the fold. But then Astana secured some last-minute funds, entered the race, and well, the rest was history. But as fall began rumors began to re-circulate that Contador was once again being courted by JV.

But a funny thing might have happened on the way to a Contador-Garmin deal—well actually, several things did. First of all, Contador won the Tour outright, which has certainly driven the price for his services higher than they were pre-Tour. Team Radio Shack was also finalized, giving Garmin an instant US-registered rival in the races that garner the bulk of its exposure with home fans. Contador and his savvy team of advisors surely know this, adding even more value to his services should he provide them to the boys in argyle. Then there’s Bradley Wiggins, Garmin’s latest rouleur-turned-Tour-contender. While the result was the same, Wiggo’s performance this year was far better than Christian Vande Velde’s in 2008—better enough that maybe Vaughters thinks he has all the manpower he needs (even if Wiggo wants out). And last but certainly not least, let’s not forget that Garmin’s supposed to be the cleanest team in cycling and has Dr. Prentice Steffen, a well-known watchdog for suspected dopers, at the head of it’s medical staff. Steffen allegedly tried to the blow the whistle when approached by riders about doping during his term at US Postal. Maybe he smells a rat, and is encouraging Vaughters to re-think the acquisition of a suspected cheat. I could be completely off-base, but no deal has gone down--maybe for one or more of these reasons.

Finally we have Quick Step, a team looking to add a rider capable of winning races in France that don't involve cobblestones. Patrick Lefevere has tried this before, but unfortunately he’s chosen poorly. Remember the Juan Manuel Garate experiment? How about Stefan Shumacher? Even though Lefevere’s luck finding GC talent hasn’t worked the way he hoped, it hasn't stopped him from pursuing Contador (and his 4 trusted domestiques). Whether or not his bank account is up to the challenge is another story though, especially since Contador’s counsel likely realizes that the pressure is on Quick Step to live-up to the victories earned by Silence-Lotto at the end of this season--their salary demands are likely to have reflected that.

That said, I think Contador’s apprehensive for another reason. Allow me to explain with a trivia question: name the last rider—from any country—to win a Grand Tour for a Belgian team. Go ahead and take your time, I’ll wait.

[Jeopardy Theme Song]

The answer is Greg Lemond, who won the 1989 Tour de France for José De Cauwer’s Team ADR. For whatever reason, Belgian teams are not well-built to be GC powerhouses anymore—especially in the Tour de France, the race Contador cares about the most. Maybe it’s because the Classics are a bigger part of Belgium's national cycling culture or maybe it’s the single-day kermis mentality. But whatever the cause, Belgian teams just don’t seem able to get themselves over the hump in 3-week races. Silence-Lotto’s made a valiant effort recently, but there’s a big difference between the top step of the podium and the other two.

I suspect Contador thinks he won’t get the support at Quick Step he requires to win the Tour for a 3rd time. Even if he brings 4 teammates, will the team have what it takes to overcome The Shack and Saxo Bank? It’s possible, but not likely. The team's just not built for it. No wonder he hasn't signed yet.

In the end, it's becoming more and more likely Contador will stay at Astana. And maybe it's indeed the best move for him right now. His contract is rumored to be filled with provisions designed to protect him should things go sour (such as freeing him to sign somewhere else should Astana remain uninvited to the Tour). And if he does overcome Astana's shaky management and suspicious funding to find success, he'll be able to demand the richest contract in the sport's history.

Thanks for reading! Share your comments below.

New Embrocation Column - "Franco-Belge" (Part 3)

Part 3 of "Franco-Belge" just went live over at Embrocation Cycling Journal. Go give it a read, and feel free to come back and leave comments.

Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Here's the latest column and power rankings from Pavé's own cross-correspondent, Erik Mitchell. Be sure to check-out Erik's new site, The Run-Up, for all things 'cross!

Last week I made a bold statement saying that Niels Albert will dominate any race he enters. As many suspected, I was wrong. However, I did predict that Sven Nys would get out of his early season funk and remind us all why he's the greatest cross racer of all time. His victory at the Nacht van Woerden was predictable against a smaller, lackluster, field. However, the way he won Koppenberg Cross was remarkable. Albert put in a great performance considering his poor start and other issues, but eventually cracked and was saved only by the fact that no one else took advantage of it. The other usual suspects were at the front, the only surprise coming from Zdenk Stybar, who launched an attack that eventually failed. It was very interesting to see these younger guys start to go for the win rather than just ride in the shadows of Nys and Albert.

I terms of the rankings, Sven Nys is clearly back, which means the fun can now begin. The Albert/Nys show should continue to be the big story as the season progresses with an imminent head-to-head battle at the World Championships. I'm officially back on the Nys bandwagon and was happy to give him the Number One spot this week. The sub-plot comes from the riders battling for podium spots.

While neither Nys nor Albert is a shoe-in, they clearly are the most dominant riders right now. However, as we saw this past weekend, the other guys in the lead group are no longer afraid and will continue to attack and try to shake the two superstars. Stybar gave it his shot, and Klaas Vantornout and Kevin Pauwels weren't far behind. One of these guys will pick up a big win this year and it's nice to see that they haven't given up yet. It was good nice to see Francis Mourey pick-up a top-10. He's been sticking to the World Cups thus far and has proven he's a very strong rider; if he continues to ride well he'll be an outside candidate for a podium at future World Cup races. It should be noted that Jonathan Page dropped from the rankings this week. While Page is riding consistently, he's not one of the the top 10 riders in Europe. A good result here or there will change that, but a top-10 in a small mid-week race was not enough to keep him in the rankings.

Speaking of American riders, action at the USGP heated-up with Ryan Trebon and Tim Johnson picking up victories. It would appear that Ryan Trebon may be the best rider in the US right now, but two nasty crashes on Sunday eliminated him from a second duel with Johnson. The big news of the weekend was Jamey Driscoll picking up the USGP leaders jersey after another weekend of consistent riding with two second places. Like Stybar in Europe, Driscoll has gone largely unnoticed as he continues to place on the podium every weekend. Davide Frattini put in a solid performance again as did Chris Jones and Geoff Kabush. Barry Wicks fell off the podium, but managed to stay inside the top-10 both days. Jesse Anthony continued his streakyness with a 4th and 8th place in Kentucky, proving that when he shows up he can hang with the best.

In Maine, Dan Timmerman picked up two more UCI victories. The "Bearded Wonder" stayed close to home and took a commanding lead of the NECCS series. While the field wasn't as stacked as in Kentucky, Timmerman's performances show that he's one of the best in the US right now. Katie Compton was noticeably absent this past weekend, but will return to action in Colorado this week before heading back to Europe.

Much like last week, the top-5 in both rankings remain largely intact, just in a different order. At this point in the season the surprises are coming from within the lead group and I don't expect many major changes to occur for the rest of the season. Behind the top-5 is where the real action is though. Most of these riders will continue to jump on and off the list due to their lack of consistency. Obviously, in the US there are more changes in the lower spots due to the fact that virtually every weekend, the main contenders are spread across the country. The only exception is Katie Compton, who decided to take these past two weekends off before embarking on a National and World Championship campaign.

Time to see where everybody is this week, here are the rankings:

North American Rankings:

1. Tim Johnson (1) - Johnson continues to be one of the strongest riders in the US. It's tough when his two other teammates are also super strong, but Johnson appears to be a bit better. The only rider that seems capable of preventing Johnson from picking up another National Championship—at least right now—is Ryan Trebon.
2. Jamey Driscoll (5) - Honestly, Driscoll was very close to becoming my #1. His lack of victories isn't surprising in the grand scheme of things, but his consistency is remarkable. Eventually he'll push through to the top, but it's nice to see him rewarded for his efforts with the USGP leader's jersey this weekend.
3. Ryan Trebon (2) - Trebon and Jonathan Page seem to be the only riders capable of surviving the three-pronged Cyclocrossworld.com attack. If Trebon had not crashed twice on Sunday, he probably would have won and would be #1. He'll get his chance this weekend in Colorado.
4. Dan Timmerman (6) - Timmerman is here to stay. He's proved that he can win and ride with the other heads of state. His come-from-behind effort on Sunday was remarkable and he appears to be all set for the NECCS title, but his real surprising result could come at Nationals.
5. Jeremy Powers (5) - Reportedly suffering from some sort of illness, Powers stumbled a bit this weekend. He was able to pick-up 3rd on Sunday and if he's able to recover, he should be back on the podium this weekend in Colorado.
6. Geoff Kabush (na) - Two top-5 finishes proved that the Canadian Champion has found his form. He took last weekend off, which may pay-off in the long run, but he still lacks a big US win this year.
7. Chris Jones (na) - It's time to stop referring to Jones as 'that roadie who decided to race cross'. He has shown remarkable consistency this year, but I don't expect him to pick-up a big win anytime soon. However, I expect him to consistently make the lead group as the season goes on.
8. Jesse Anthony (na) – 'Down, but not out' is the best way to describe Anthony's season. He hasn't shown consistency and appears to be one step behind the leaders, but a rider with Anthony's palmares can never be counted out.
9. Barry Wicks (4) - Wicks' streak of podium appearances came to an end this week. Everyone is going to have an off-week though and this may have been his. If it was, 9th and 6th aren't bad ways to finish.
10. Davide Frattini (7) - Frattini finally had some success outside of the Mid-Atlantic. I'm a bit surprised that he's heading out to Colorado this weekend rather than racing in New Jersey. Perhaps he's going to prove that he belongs with the big boys.

Dropped this week: Valentin Scherz (8), Derrick St. John (9) and Tristan Schouten (10).

International Rankings:

1. Sven Nys (3) - It's a long season in Europe and Nys' no panic attitude appears to be paying off. He's still leading the Superprestige Series, is tied for the lead in the GVA Trophy, and is a few wins shy of the UCI overall and the lead in the World Cup. Nys is back.
2. Niels Albert (1) - Despite cracking this weekend, Albert is still in the driver's seat. His results are solid and one weekend of not dominating the competition is expected. There's still a big question mark surrounding the World Champ when it comes to a full season of racing though, something he missed out on last year.
3. Klaas Vantornout (5) - Vantornout picked-up a well-deserved 3rd place at Koppenberg cross. He's one of the riders who are a part of the lead group, but are lacking that knockout punch. It will be interesting to see if he can find it.
4. Kevin Pauwels (4) - Pauwels continues to show that he's the breakout star of this season. He's learning that it's a different world in the lead group, but has proved that he belongs there. I'm hopeful he'll pull-out a big victory this year, but even if he doesn't he's having a superb season.
5. Zdenk Stybar (2) - Stybar showed that he's not willing to settle for podium places behind Albert and Nys. While his attack was unsuccessful, he held on for 5th place. The scariest part? This is his worst result of the season.
6. Francis Mourey (6) - The 5th place World Cup race master finally showed his face and legs at a non-World Cup race. He ended up 6th (his worst result this season), but managed to stick with the lead group. It will be interesting to see how much racing he does before the next World Cup race in November.
7. Gerben de Knegt (na) - de Knegt gets this spot due to a solid 9th place at Koppenberg Cross and a 2nd place, behind Nys, at the midweek race in Woerden. He's one of the riders who will pop-off and on this list for the rest of the season.
8. Bart Aernouts (na) - Aernouts was the last man dropped from the lead group on Sunday, but held on for 7th. He has shown he's a solid rider with some good results this year, but needs to show more consistency to stay in the rankings.
9. Erwin Vervecken (8) - Vervecken will get very few gifts from me this season despite the fact that it's his last. This week was no exception. An 8th in Woerden and a 10th at Koppenberg proved the elder statesmen still has what it takes. And don't worry, he'll pick up a big win this year as well.
10. Katie Compton (10) - Compton didn't race for the second week in a row. However, she still remains the most dominant woman in cross this year. Thus, she retains her 10th place spot this week. She'll be back in action in Colorado, and I expect fireworks.

Dropped this week: Christian Heule (7) and Jonathan Page (9).

Racing this week begins Wednesday with another round of the TOI TOI cup. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the big Czechs like Stybar shows-up and wins. Stateside, the action is split (what else is new?) between Colorado and New Jersey. It would appear everyone who was in Kentucky is heading-out to Colorado for two rounds of the NACT. Those interested in picking up some UCI points and stayer closer to home will be in New Jersey for two rounds of the MAC. The biggest story in the US could be Katie Compton's return to racing in Colorado. The biggest international race of the weekend will be in Hoogstraten, Belgium on Sunday where Sven Nys will try to take another Superprestige victory against a star-studded field. The added bonus is that the Hoogstraten race is also the European Championship which means there's even more prestige (no pun intended) in winning. All in all, it's going to be another exciting weekend!

What about you? Questions, comments, wisecracks? Share them all below.

Monday Musette

Hope you had an enjoyable weekend! Here's what's on our minds:

1. I'm not sure how we let this one slip through the cracks, but what are your thoughts on Ghent-Wevelgem being moved to the Sunday before the Tour of Flanders? I plan to share my thoughts in a future post, but for now I'm curious what you have to say.

2. The 2010 Giro route was announced by RCS on Friday and it looks to be quite exciting. The Gavia, Zoncolan, Plan de Corones and Mortirolo are just a few of the legendary climbs the race will visit. Interestingly, the Giro's organizers seem to have made a nod to the ASO by including about 15km of strade bianche in Stage 7 to Montalcino. Alessandro Ballan has already listed the day as one of his targets, should BMC be invited.

3. And speaking of BMC, I'm impressed at the approach they appear to be taking to their first season as one of the World's elite teams. While they won't spurn an invitation for the Tour, they don't seem to be banking on it either, instead choosing to make a name for themselves in the Classics, the Tour of California, and the Giro. Ochowicz and Lelangue know how fickle the ASO can be; the risks of selling your sponsors tickets on the "Tour-Or-Bust" bandwagon are much too great. If they are indeed invited to the Tour, look for them to shine. But look for them to have already scored some impressive results by mid-May, making Tour participation the icing on the cake.

4. About a year ago, I purchased a copy of Joe Parkin's A Dog in a Hat, his story of "mud, drugs, blood, betrayal, and beauty" during his days racing in Belgium. Over the weeked, it finally made its way to the top of my stack. Right now I'm about 50 pages in and have had a hard time putting it down. Maybe it's because he writes about things I saw and experienced myself; maybe it's because the stories he shares are so honest and entertaining. Regardless, it's worth grabbing a copy for yourself. (Or at least downloading Chapter 1 and Bob Roll's Foreward.) Joe also runs a terrific blog called 6 Years in a Rain Cape where he answers reader questions. He's also expressed his willingness to do an interview for Pavé--look for that in a future feature. If we're lucky, maybe we'll get a first look at the sequel, Come and Gone.

5. And finally, if you haven't had a chance to take a look, here's our new kit. We're also planning long sleeve items, cycling caps, and winter hats as well (images of those will be published soon along with pricing and ordering information). Thanks to all who have inquired so far; your interest is flattering and appreciated!

Have a great Monday--what's on your mind?

Ride Report - Univest Grand Prix Cyclosportif

Good thing I left my Mussolini jersey at home.

As we enter the first weekend of the “off-season”, I’d like to make a recommendation: ride your bike! Granted, I’m sure many of you were already planning too—in fact, you probably never stopped. But if you’re like me, lately you might have been spending more time watching people riding their bikes than you have spent riding your own.

For fans of the sport at the professional level, riding bridges the gap between observation and participation. Sure, we can’t all go out this weekend and ride the Muur de Geraardsbergen, but we might have a hill in our area that’s just as daunting—at least relatively. For me, the realization that I needed to spend more time on my bike came weeks ago during a rainy Saturday spent with hundreds of other amateur enthusiasts at the Univest Grand Prix Cyclosportif.

In August, the Sportif’s organizer, Brian Ignatin, offered me a guest entry in the event (i.e. I didn’t pay to ride, Mr. FTC). Grateful for the invitation to an event I had good things about, I offered to share my experiences with all of you (albeit belatedly).

So waking early on Saturday, September 12th, I packed my bag with gear and loaded my bike in the car. It was rainy, but relatively warm—a knee and arm warmers kind of day. My friend and fellow Pavé rider, Greg, had agreed to join me, and together we were to embark on the longer, 100km loop—the loop the pro race follows before returning to the town of Souderton for several smaller, local laps.

Despite the warnings, we were on lightly traveled roads.

We parked, aired our tires, embrocated our legs (you didn’t think I wouldn’t, did you?), and rode-off to find the registration area for our numbers and timing chips.

Numbers and timing chips? You see, this is indeed a cyclosportif event, and—as I would soon learn the hard way—something for which time is taken, results are produced, and some people even (gasp!) train for it. It was not the leisurely Saturday metric century I had been expecting. But I digress.

We attached our numbers, pinned our chips to our shoes (they can’t touch metal, interestingly enough), and made our way to the throng of people waiting in the staging area by the Start/Finish line.

I was pleased to see hundreds of riders eager to begin, cheery and jovial despite the glum weather. It’s a true testament to the efforts of Brian and the mastermind behind the entire Univest event, John Eustice. John and his team have done everything necessary to give their race the look and feel of a real European classic—down to the last detail. I might as well have been at the Tour of Flanders Sportive or L’Etape du Tour. Everything was handled efficiently, professionally, and ran as smooth as a well-lubed drive train.

Bobby Julich is on the left in the gray jacket. This is the last time I would see him.

But back to the ride itself: after a quick “celebrity” call-up, Bobby Julich and I were off. Yes, you read correctly, Bobby Julich was there, and he was one of my companions on the front row. (Yes, I was a little embarrassed.) I didn’t talk to him, though, for at the gun there was an immediate scrum of riders eager to ride beside or behind him.

(Thus begins the part about me learning things the hard way.)

Clipping-into my pedal, I was shocked at how fast the ride started. I felt as if I were back in Belgium (it was raining, remember), desperately trying to follow the “right” wheels to get myself within shouting distance of the lead group. (The only difference being the several thousand kilometers of training missing from my legs.)

East Flanders or Eastern Pennsylvania?

By mile 5 I was already cramping, over-heated, and halfway through my first bottle. Oh boy, I remember thinking, this can’t be good. Greg was nowhere to be seen—he didn’t get the call-up and started in the back—and I had no luck finding anyone who seemed willing to ride the pace I was hoping would get me to the finish in one piece. At that moment though, Greg drifted-up beside me, effortlessly spinning his legs in that tortuous way he always does. He asked me how I felt. Not good, I replied, grabbing his wheel. However, a few miles later, and Greg was gone, whisked away by a faster group while I slowed to remove my jacket.

I chased for a few miles, hoping to latch-on to a pack of about 10 men who seemed to have a chance to make it back to the leaders—

(Wait a minute! This was supposed to a ride report, not a race report, right?)

At this point in the ride, for no particular reason, I gave-up. Don’t get me wrong: I didn’t give up on the ride, I just gave-up on riding it fast. I had plenty of food (in addition to the prospect of two well-stocked and staffed rest stops), I was appropriately dressed for the weather conditions, and my camera was safely tucked inside my jersey pocket. So I decided—as the Bike Snob might say—to stop trying to shotgun the ride when I could be enjoying it sip by sip—slowly.

So I cruised, stopping for everything: funny signs, families of fans, quaint shops and homes, to name a few. I even saw a suspension bridge wide enough for just one person and a mailbox in the form of largemouth bass. In short, I took my time to enjoy the ride, mile by mile. I had no need for my cue sheet; the route was clearly marked for the pro race still to come through. And the rain held-off just enough, and the temperature stayed just high enough, that I was never uncomfortable. It was a terrific experience--all because I decided to take my time.

Friendly folks were a constant sight throughout the day.

Arriving back in Souderton several hours later, I crossed the line and was greeted by friendly volunteers who took my timing chip and gave me a wristband for a hot lunch pasta and garlic bread. Greg was waiting by my car, and after a quick change we ate and cruised through the expo area. After lunch there were raffles, results, and low and behold, a bike race to enjoy!

In the end, it was a wonderful day that offered opportunities for both riders and fans, one made all the more enjoyable by the fact that I rode slow enough to enjoy it.

Next’s year Univest Grand Prix Cyclosportif will take place on Saturday, September 11. Mark you calendars now, and go to the event’s website for registration information. As for me, I’ll certainly make an effort to be there again—with more miles in my legs. But despite my hopefully increased level of fitness, I still might take it slow. Just because.

Enjoy your weekend! Here's hoping you find the time for a nice, slow ride of your own--fast ones are okay too!

Wednesday Cross Report and Power Rankings

Here's the latest installment of Erik's Wednesday Cross Column—complete with his own North American and International Power Rankings. If you like what you read, head over to Erik's blog for more insight and analysis. And please feel free to share your comments below—he reads them!

After six weeks of cross racing, two things are certain. First, Niels Albert will dominate any race he enters and is on the verge of becoming the next Sven Nys. Secondly, if you ride for Cyclocrossworld.com, individually you will win a race this year and your team will win at least one every weekend.

Since my last post, Albert continued his winning ways with a mid-week win at Kermiscross and went 2-for-2 at the World Cup race in Plzen. Stateside, Tim Johnson and Jeremy Powers went head-to-head one week after they won a combined five races. Jamey Driscoll continued his stellar season with a pair of podium places behind his two teammates. The Kona boys continued to show their good form picking, up the top two spots in a pair of muddy and cold races in the Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, several riders used this weekend to rest their legs, including recently crowned Canadian Champion Geoff Kabush who opted for a mountain bike trip rather than race in Toronto. Katie Compton also took the weekend off as she prepares for another European excursion.

Obviously, the story in Europe continues to be the growing rivalry between Sven Nys and Niels Albert. Albert continues to ride very well, while Nys still seems one step behind. Zdenk Stybar continues to remain the most untalked about podium finisher. It's amazing how little is said about the man who finished on the podium in his "hometown" World Cup race and has yet to finish worse than third. Jonathan Page continued his "lucky" streak with a pair of 13th places. His good starting position is a big bonus, but Page is still not on par with the leaders, something that I expect to change soon. Erwin Vervecken seems to be maintaining his good form, but as with Page, is still a bit behind the lead group. The Vanthourenhout cousins had very poor showings at the last World Cup race and seem incapable of producing under pressure right now. Francis Mourey had another strong showing, holding-on for 5th in Plzen. Perhaps only showing up for World Cups will continue to pay off for him? On the flipside, Martin Bina grabbed the hole shot in Plzen but failed to finish; hopefully his luck will turn around.

The North American side of things saw even fewer surprises than in Europe. The Cyclocrossworld.com trio dominated the field north of the border. The only hitch in their plan was Powers' bad crash on Saturday that left him fighting for 8th place. Tim Johnson still appears the strongest of the trio, but it was hard to tell with all the crashing. Speaking of crashes, Andy Jacques-Maynes' season is in jeopardy as he went down hard on Sunday and failed to finish. I tipped him as one of the bigger surprises this year, so hopefully he can recover quickly. Rounds 3 and 4 of the MAC series were dominated by the two tall boys in orange. I had Barry Wicks as the favorite, but Ryan Trebon clearly found his form this weekend as he decimated both fields. Behind Trebon and Wicks, several riders showed that they belong at the front of the field. Dan Timmerman continued his stand-out season and looks poised to take the NECCS overall and perhaps a podium spot at Nationals. The Swiss Sensation (still working on that one), Valentin Scherz, continued his American campaign with a pair of top-5 finishes. Davide Frattini also showed signs of the form that saw him win the first 2 rounds of the MAC series, albeit in contrasting conditions, in September.

In the biggest shakeup of both rankings to date, a total of 9 riders were dropped this week. The top-5 in both North America and Europe remain pretty much the same, just in a different order. Obviously, Trebon's wins rocketed him up the list, but I'm still leary of his ability to stay near the top. Most of the North American riders dropped were riders who didn't race this weekend, but they'll have their chance for redemption soon. In Europe, the top-10 at the World Cup featured a lot of one-hit-wonders, so consistency in both the Kermiscross and World Cup races were given precedent. Without further delay, here's this weeks rankings:

North American Power Rankings

1. Tim Johnson (2) - It was a clear head-to-head battle between Johnson and Jeremey Powers this week. By virtue of a 1st and 2nd in Toronto, Johnson gets the edge. It appears his shoulder has healed nicely, but with his long-term goal of heading back to Worlds in February it will be interesting to see if he backs-off a bit before December.
2. Ryan Trebon (na) - Trebon appears to have found the form that lead him to a National Championship last year, but I'm nervous about placing him this high. He hasn't been able to beat the Cyclocrossworld.com guys this year, but will have another crack this weekend, with the #1 spot on the line.
3. Jeremey Powers (1) – Clearly, Powers was set back by crashes both days in Toronto, but he managed to rebound and pick-up the win on Sunday. I hate to say it, but I'm not sure if he truly won on Sunday as it sounds like Johnson may have backed off too soon. Then again, a win is a win.
4. Barry Wicks (3) - It has to be tough to continue to finish 2nd. Wicks wasn't able to hold the wheel of his teammate this weekend, but continues to ride very consistently. A breakthrough win is in his future, hopefully sooner rather then later.
5. Jamey Driscoll (4) - While Driscoll continues to prove he's no fluke, he also continues to finish right behind the leaders. He's still young, so it's tough to say if he'll have a breakthrough win this year. If not, next year may be his chance to bust through to the top.
6. Dan Timmerman (9) - The Bearded Wonder continues to impress with his consistent rides. He's proven he can finish in the top-5 or 10 no matter what the conditions, but still appears unable to beat the heads of state right now.
7. Davide Frattini (na) - A pair of 4th places puts Frattini back in the rankings. He seems to shine in the Mid-Atlantic but has been unable to to carry his success to other regions of the country. This weekend will provide him another opportunity to prove he can do well elsewhere.
8. Valentin Scherz (na) - Scherz will be in the US for the next few months and will likely remain on the domestic list this year. He's been a top-20 rider in Europe as a junior and clearly has the ability to ride with the big boys over here. I'm sure we will continue to hear about him for years to come.
9. Derrick St. John (na) - St. John has had marginal success over the past few years, but always seems to do well when in his native Canada. At this point, he's still a one-hit-wonder candidate. However, two 4th-place finishes is a great way to get your season going again.
10. Tristan Schouten (na) - Schouten is a tough call. He rode well in Madison, Wisconsin earlier this year but earned no recognition because of the firepower in the field. That said, a pair of 5th places proves that he doesn't plan on fading anytime soon.

Dropped this week: Joachim Parbo (5), Chris Jones (6), Mark LaLonde (7), Geoff Kabush (8) and Troy Wells (10).

International Power Rankings

1. Niels Albert (1) - The only thing to say this week is that Albert had a bad start in Plzen. However, he still won in dominating fashion. It will be interesting to see if he can hold this form all year (just ask Nys how hard that can be).
2. Zden Stybar (2) - Stybar continues to ride extremely well. He's Albert's age, which means he'll be here for a long time. Unfortunately, that also means he'll have to figure out how to beat him if he really wants his career to take off.
3. Sven Nys (3) - Nys appears to be getting back to the consistency we've come to expect for him. He continues to ride in the underdog role though, something which he's definitely not used to. It should be noted that he's moving up the starting grid—a huge help.
4. Kevin Pauwels (7) - Pauwels is back where he belongs: with the leaders. As I've said before, this is his year to move from the top-10 to a consistent podium finisher. He'll pick-up a big win at some point this year, and like Albert and Stybar he has time on his side.
5. Klaas Vantornout (4) - Vantornout continues to be a podium contender at races both big and small. His consistency continues to pay off, but that big win still seems out of reach.
6. Francis Mourey (na) - Mourey will continue to move on and off the list unless he decides to race a bit more. While no one can argue with two 5th place finishes in two World Cups, it would be nice to see him do some other races as well.
7. Christian Heule (na) - A strong 8th place in Plzen moves Heule back into the rankings. His form seemed to dip a little since he returned to Europe, but I think he'll be a consistent top-10 rider for the rest of this season.
8. Erwin Vervecken (na) - Vervecken remains a top-15 rider at the bigger races, but his ability to ride consistently puts him into 8th this week. While he finished just outside the top-10 in Plzen (12th) he picked up a nice 8th place at Kermiscross and looks like he's back on form.
9. Jonathan Page (na) - I think Page deserves to be back on this list with his consistent top-15 riding. His form is coming around and I expect some top-10's this week. This time, I think Page is here to stay.
10. Katie Compton (5) - I can't kick Compton off this list for not racing. While lesser riders will lose spots due to some time off, someone as dominant as Katie deserves better.

Dropped this week: Bart Aernouts (6), Dieter Vanthourenhout (8), Sven Vanthourenhout (9) and Martin Bina (10).

Once again this weekend riders in North America will have two options for racing. The bulk of the action will be in Kentucky as the USGP continues with two days of racing at The Derby City Cup. The Cyclocrossworld.com trio will be there as will the Kona boys. Clearly they're the favorites to win and the showdown should be spectacular. New Gloucester, Maine provides the other opportunity for valuable UCI points with two days of the Downeast Cyclocross. The New England fields are always strong and exciting even if somme of the bigger names elsewhere.

By the time you read this it is also likely that Sven Nys has picked-up a victory at a nighttime cross race in the Netherlands. However, Koppenbergcross will provide the biggest fireworks of the weekend come Sunday. The Koppenburg climb is the prominent feature of the tough, technical course. It's is one of Nys' favorite courses and a race he loves to win. It is also part of the GVA Trophy, which Albert currently leads. All in all, it promises to be an exciting weekend with some great racing on both sides of the Atlantic.

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