The end of a remarkable season
Day 1,552, 07:59
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Published in Belgium 
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by
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by Cooke4444
The cyclocross season, apart from the non-official indoor cyclocross in Hasselt, is over. Time to review the last 4 months.
As we all like lists, here the conclusions of the season:
- "Big 3" became "Big 4", becomes...
The development of Kevin Pauwels is remarkable. From a position of 'not quite a favorite' to the most regular and succesful rider of the season. Win in the overall UCI-tabel, win in the Worldcup rankings and the leader in the GVA-trophy. That combined with a third place in the world championships and a second place in the Superprestige, makes him clearly the rider of the season and this got him his place next to Nys, Albert and Stybar.
So we got a "Big 4" this season, but what will it be next? Stybar will lower his number of races and probably lose his place on top of the most rankings. There seems to be some riders who are almost ready to take his place, in the first place Meeusen and Peeters. Of course, this is a topic for the next season.
- Mud? What mud?
Cyclocross is known for his mud and heavy races in the rain or snow. But where were all these races? The lack of rain made almost every race very fast-paced, which can also explain the coming of Kevin Pauwels. He has shown he can compete in other, heavier races, so his progress remains an untouchable fact. In the heavy races however, he didn't win. These races were the perfect conditions for Sven Nys. Remember Namur, Baal and Essen (he didn't win there, but that was due to mechanical failure). Koksijde and Lille, the most important sand races worked out 1,5/3 times. Why 1,5? The worldcup race in Koksijde was a real sand race: heavy sand which showed the technique of the riders. The world championships however were blocked by light rain, making the sand easier. Where most riders had to run a while in the sand, at the world championships a lot came through some heavy parts. Lille was denied by the frozen sand. Though Meeusen made it a very interesting race due to the ice.
The Koppenberg-cross and the race in Ronse, normally some of the heaviest each year, were fast paced, leaving the heroism more to the race in Baal.
- Foreigners? What foreigners?
As you may have read it in an earlier article, Belgium is almost the only country in cyclocross that really matters. The Czech Republic almost loses Stybar completely and Holland needs Boom who rides most of the time on the road. France keeps his tradition up, but there are no superb riders. Germany is trying to come back with Walsleben and Meisen. The next world championships in Louisville, USA will need to have a decent impact on the international media to keep cyclocross an international sport. And as it will probably a fast-paced track, the classic image of cyclocross will surely be adapted. Let's hope the Americans doesn't continue their tradition of "dollargrabbing", making the riders look like strippers.
- The quotes!
We all love Michel Wuyts and Paul Herygers
Look those veins on those arms! Brrrr...
Look at Pauwels. Just seems if he has been fishing for a while. (LOL)
Cyclocross is a sport for the people. That's what I'm part of... The people (Jean-Marie Pfaff)
If you land behind your bike, something painful is in the way.
A sprint for the fat rabbit. (ROFL, LOL and all that)
Mourey is a danger on the road on the field.
As we all like lists, here the conclusions of the season:
- "Big 3" became "Big 4", becomes...
The development of Kevin Pauwels is remarkable. From a position of 'not quite a favorite' to the most regular and succesful rider of the season. Win in the overall UCI-tabel, win in the Worldcup rankings and the leader in the GVA-trophy. That combined with a third place in the world championships and a second place in the Superprestige, makes him clearly the rider of the season and this got him his place next to Nys, Albert and Stybar.
So we got a "Big 4" this season, but what will it be next? Stybar will lower his number of races and probably lose his place on top of the most rankings. There seems to be some riders who are almost ready to take his place, in the first place Meeusen and Peeters. Of course, this is a topic for the next season.
- Mud? What mud?
Cyclocross is known for his mud and heavy races in the rain or snow. But where were all these races? The lack of rain made almost every race very fast-paced, which can also explain the coming of Kevin Pauwels. He has shown he can compete in other, heavier races, so his progress remains an untouchable fact. In the heavy races however, he didn't win. These races were the perfect conditions for Sven Nys. Remember Namur, Baal and Essen (he didn't win there, but that was due to mechanical failure). Koksijde and Lille, the most important sand races worked out 1,5/3 times. Why 1,5? The worldcup race in Koksijde was a real sand race: heavy sand which showed the technique of the riders. The world championships however were blocked by light rain, making the sand easier. Where most riders had to run a while in the sand, at the world championships a lot came through some heavy parts. Lille was denied by the frozen sand. Though Meeusen made it a very interesting race due to the ice.
The Koppenberg-cross and the race in Ronse, normally some of the heaviest each year, were fast paced, leaving the heroism more to the race in Baal.
- Foreigners? What foreigners?
As you may have read it in an earlier article, Belgium is almost the only country in cyclocross that really matters. The Czech Republic almost loses Stybar completely and Holland needs Boom who rides most of the time on the road. France keeps his tradition up, but there are no superb riders. Germany is trying to come back with Walsleben and Meisen. The next world championships in Louisville, USA will need to have a decent impact on the international media to keep cyclocross an international sport. And as it will probably a fast-paced track, the classic image of cyclocross will surely be adapted. Let's hope the Americans doesn't continue their tradition of "dollargrabbing", making the riders look like strippers.
- The quotes!
We all love Michel Wuyts and Paul Herygers
😉! The best of...
Look those veins on those arms! Brrrr...
Look at Pauwels. Just seems if he has been fishing for a while. (LOL)
Cyclocross is a sport for the people. That's what I'm part of... The people (Jean-Marie Pfaff)
If you land behind your bike, something painful is in the way.
A sprint for the fat rabbit. (ROFL, LOL and all that)
Mourey is a danger on the road on the field.
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