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Archive for the 'Gossip' Category
Remember when Richard Groenendael shoved our own Steven Hunter? It reminded me heavily of this clip I saw of Richard punching a spectator in the face at a Gazet van Antwerpen race in 2001.
Well, I finally stumbled across the clip today while being sick and eating healthy portion of garbanzos con espinacas, and watching old cross videos. I can’t really speak to his situation or what the fans may have been yelling, but damn:
Since most all of the spectators at cross races here in Oregon are also racers themselves, I don’t think we see much of this. There isn’t a ton of abusive spectating and mean spirited heckling. Mostly shit talkin’ and encouragement amongst a community of friends. I’ve been trying to imagine what it could have been that the spectator shouted that caused Groenendael to stop racing, run over, and punch the guy square in the face. I’ve got some ideas, but maybe you could help me out in the comments.
Driving to Antwerp today to compete in my first European cross race was a mixed bag. I would swing from elation at just being here, confused from wild driving over cobbled streets-over curbs-through alleyways-wrong way-onto traintracks, all the way to full nausea from fear. It wasn’t a big race though; Lars Boom and Klaas Vantornout were there but Sven Nys and Bart Wellens decided to stay home. No problem right? The worst part was, I hadn’t pooped yet and the race was drawing near. Anybody that races frequently understands how paramount this one simple act can be to having a decent ride. The coffee in Belgium doesn’t have the same kick that I’m used to from Stumptown but it finally did its trick just in time. Perhaps that’s the secret to the Belgian’s success in cyclocross? Time release coffee that gets your buzz on 15 minutes before the start rather than 3hrs prior. There’s a lot to learn here, for sure.
My trainer tells me that a cyclists arms are just for keeping his face from hitting the stem. I thought about telling this advice to Richard Gronendaal when he was riding the most difficult sand section of the course at twice my pace and managed to reach out and shove me into a post/course marker. Not sure he’d like to hear from me. Lesson two: less riding and more pushups/arm curls.
Lastly, Erwin Verveken is super nice. He had a bad race but took the time to talk to some American kid and put on his best awkward smile for a picture.
Let me take a moment to direct ya’ll to this classic piece of PDX vs Seattle smack happening on the cross crusade forum. Does the Seattle Lapierre rider illegally run outside the barriers to get ahead, or was he forcibly pushed out Portland’s elite?
(photos by David A)
Looks to me like he was practically outside the barriers from the first step, so he was already skating on thin ice. A stiff wind could have blown him out of bounds. Was anyone at fault? Does anyone care? Where’s my lunch?
Superprestige FINALS #6 Hoogstraten- C1
Hoogstraten, Belgium, February 3, 2008
1 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans-Cras
2 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team
3 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb-Pro Job
4 RadomÃr Simunek (Cze) Palmans-Cras
5 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank
6 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
…but desperate times call for desperate measures, and all that good stuff. With a heart full passion, a boombox, and a wetsuit, our own Steven Hunter sets off to find a piece of the elusive Cross Crusade Grail.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
Groenendaal’s announcement about moving to AA Drink from Rabobank got me thinking more about his current relationship with Nys. There is some bad blood brewing between the two, and while I don’t understand all the details, the photo below from this year’s last Superprestige is quite telling. Nys won every single race in the series, and in this last one he and Groenendaal rolled to the line together. It was expected that Nys would let Richard win, but instead attacked in the last meters to take the win. Apparently Nys had quite a gap on the field, and then slowed, waiting for the field. Once they reached him, he attacked again and took the win.
Some quotes
Groenendaal, 2nd place and giving the finger:
We are the mice and Nys is the cat. Everybody saw it once again, Nys is the strongest around. Nys likes this game and I’m playing along. Of course he’s allowed to come back on us as we’re all fighting each other. There should be another competition for him, but I’m afraid that he’ll race with the 125cc motor bikes then.
Gerben De Knegt, also on Rabobank and 10 seconds back in 3rd:
I took for granted the win would be for Groenendaal as he is leaving the team and he could use a victory. Nys ultimately came back on him, I think that was sad.
Sven Nys, winner:
I came back [on Groenendaal] because I want to win all events in the Superprestige series. With my seventh victory I’m already doing better than Roland Liboton. Groenendaal will be disappointed but he has to realize that thanks to me he could create the gap; I always served the team’s interests and from then on I felt the best should win.
I’m not saying that Nys should have gifted him the win, just that there is some emotion between the two. How will the dynamic change now that they are on different teams? Who knows, maybe there will be less tension, or maybe the gloves will come off for some bare knuckle cross action. Only time will tell…
I read about a Flanders based indoor cross race a while ago, but it’s no longer a rumor. Check out indoorcyclocross.be! A battle between the best crossers in the world at an indoor horse show arena. Nys, Albert, and Van Thourenhout have already commited to the race, so it’ll be a fast one.
I can’t imagine that the laps would be any longer than two or three minutes, with probably very little variation in the terrain. Hopefully they’ll hose it down in spots and add some cross-over bridges. Maybe some ditches and flaming hoops?
Here is a quick little documentary by BBC Countryfile about the famous Three Peaks Cyclocross race. Three Peaks is brutal three+ hour cross race with some great history, check it out:
Remember that post about Ben Berden and his new tats? Well, here is a video interview with him where he shows off his new ink. I don’t speak dutch, but it’s pretty clear from the tat on his right arm that nobody is gettin’ any love from Ben.
Today this site is one month old. Cheers!
Reports from the first two DFL cyclocross dress race series are up on howtoavoidthebummerlife.
the second of the cross dress series happened in what could be better described as a junkie, garbage park. Lots of long climbs, coupled with an equal number of rocky descents and a smattering of powdery, duffy, off camber corners. Ill go out on a stable limb and say that there were at least 100 serious as a heart attack ATHLETES in attendance
There are also photos and old videos of DFL races available, and a segment in Pure Sweet Hell is devoted to the series. Check ‘em out.
It should be mentioned that the urban outlaw series shares no affiliation with new DFL-cyclingnews.com team. That DFL is apparently a England-based transportation services firm. The irony.
Vive le ‘cross!
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