XCO World Cup Nove Mesto

If you missed the women’s opening round in Nove Mesto today I can recommend the replay:

Red Bull

Men is racing tomorrow 14.00 CET

 

The Weekend of mtb (Lidingöloppet and EC XCO)

The did race this weekend too. Two weekends in a row racing without a racelegal bike and licens. But thanks to Stefan I had a Specialized S-Works Stumpjumper with a Khisel fork and all parts Specialized has done to make a fast mtb 🙂

Rode Lidingöloppet MTB for the 2nd time and the prestige was bigger than ever before as I had to win over my colleague Jaime and the pressure was on. I know he’s strong and easy trained, I also know he can train which I’m not good at. But anyway. Didn’t got the best start and did a lot more work in front of the bunch than I should but I wanted to keep the pace up didn’t go too hard. Pushed hard on the climbs, softened on the downhills and tried to keep the pressure proper on the flats.

It felt hard but not to hard and when riding a 8kg 29er it feels like flying. Lost grip in many corners with my 1,95″ S-Works Renegade tires but they rolled faster than every tire I used before. It felt like I could push and keep pushing. Got dropped by a guy and the women winner Isabelle Söderberg in a climb we had to walk (the ran) and ended up being 3 people with one other from CK Valhall. And a guy who didn’t want to help. We 2 rode good with the other guy on wheel for a long time. 2 others came from behind and the group became 5. No more work for me 😉 At the most technical part at Bosön I got dropped and had to ride the last part alone. Was a little tired but pushed as hard as I could and passed one from the earlier group.

Finished at 2h24min and 45th place of Men Race, 38 spots better than last year and 13min. Beat Jaime with 10min 😉 Stats here: Strava

Ended the yesterday with taking the train to my dad. And spending the day with him at the awesome European XCO Championships in Huskvarna. With winners like Victor Koretzky, Jolanda Neff and Julien Absalon

Swedens XCO Nationals

Some things are more important than others, some mean more than others.

Jenny Rissveds won women elite

Calle Friberg won men elite.

Both very fast riders and good people but even if they rode from everyone else showing how fast it’s possible to ride, even with 27,5″ wheels they aren’t the ones that matters the most today.

Matthias Wengelin who got 3rd place I was more happy about:

And Axel Lindh who came 5th and won U23:

But the best thing today/this weekend is that Alexandra Engen is back:

A person who spreads her joy all over the place and managed to come back after a breakdown. It may be hard to get best in the world but when hitting the wall and have to restart it’s even harder. And still not back, but on a good way. And for this blog it really helps her to have one of the lightest and coolest speced hardtails out there:

This picture by David Söderblom:

Soon XCO/DHI World Cup begins

Thought of writing an april fool but seemed to obvious. So instead I share a video with you. Late start this year but soon the waiting for the mtb world cup is over and the racing starts for real:

And hopefully we will see Marco Aurelio Fontana or Manuel Fumic win a world cup on the new released Cannondale Scalpel 😀

International Womens day

No matter how much I write here about women cycling it will only be a small thing that no one notices. It’s strange. Sweden got one of the best women cyclists in the world, always there for the win. But never in Swedish TV, Emma Johansson should be the cyclist to show on TV, don’t have a male cyclist close to her but they even send races without Swedes on TV. Strange.

On mtb we have had a World Champion and World Cup winner. Got two swedes that feels they failed when they missed the podium. But no one knows about Alexandra Engen and Jenny Rissveds except if you’re really into cycling.

I think we should show and share what’s best and the ones who does the best results no matter of gender. It should depend on result, not on gender in sports.

So today I share a video from the XC race today in Amathos on Cyprus where Nathalie Schneitter who I saw win a World Cup in front of her home crowd 4 years ago. Video from Ghost Factory Racing and Lisi Osl:

And let’s make a difference. Every human being is worth the same so let’s treat everyone good and not just one type.

Dressed like a champion #gelatosocks

Heard some comments on my Gelatosocks:

And today googling pictures after reading Katja’s blog about CX clothing I have to share this. There are more people riding with this cool Swiss (or Italian?) socks:

But just because one guy more using them, is it right then? Like saying that an AX-Lightness rim is good just because people ride with them, it’s a difference saying Alexandra Engen won the World Championships on them. Used by a World Champion can’t be wrong, can it?

So to get to the point. Kathrin Stirnemann won the XCE World Championships this year and look at her socks:

Also used by other Swiss and Italian riders:

So just to order a pair or two you too 😀

Summary of the XC World Cup 2014

Makes me wish that 2015 soon is here 😀

WC XCE: A Swiss and a Belgian

That’s how it can go. World Championship in XC Eliminator today and no gold for Sweden. Jenny Riasveds qualified fastest but ended last in the final so a 4th place. Super but not as good as Kathrin Stirnemann who won. Nice was also Ingrid Bøe Jacobsen who came third, the biggest MTB talent in Norway now, let’s hope she stays in MTB.

Men’s race was better for Sweden. Emil Lindgren came 2nd! Super result and good to see him step a step up, learned by Engen how to reach higher up? Won did Fabrice Mel’s from Belgium.

Some pictures from the race is available here http://larskrogsveen.photoshelter.com/gallery/XCE-World-Championships-2014-Eliminator-Maihaugen/G00008VpF3G.d.CE

And results: UCI

Swedish XCO Championship Elite

What a day, started with riding with two friends in the sun on roads like this:

map and stats: Movescount

And then up to Hallby for looking a fast cyclists and cheer on riders like Alexandra Engen:

But like on friday Jenny Rissveds was faster and won the National Championship in XCO too:

1. Jenny Rissveds – Falu CK

2. Alexandra Engen – Jönköpings CK

3. Kajsa Snihs – IK Jarl Rättvik

In the mens category it was tighter, hoped for Emil but thought Wengelin would take it, he didn’t have the legs today and even a bit in the middle Friberg was the leader:

But Emil passed and won, so fast I only got this pic of him:

1. Emil Lindgren – CK Natén Säter

2. Calle Friberg –

3. Matthias Wengelin – SCS Racingteam CK

Awesome racing, course and weather all weekend. Supergood job by the 4 clubs that made this work 😀

Ended with a bath in Vättern 🙂

Jenny Rissveds and Matthias Wengelin Swedish XCE champions

A lot of races a Hallby today where the Swedish National XCE Championship was held with blue skies. Hoped for Alexandra Engen to win but thought Jenny Rissveds would take it. Engen is much more tactical but it doesn’t always work, Jenny is just fast 😉

1. Jenny Rissveds – Falu CK

2. Alexandra Engen – Jönköpings CK

3. Kajsa Snihs – IK Jarl Rättvik

In the mens category I hoped for Emil Lindgren but Matthias Wengelin was faster than everyone today and even not having such a good qualify run he won it 😉

1. Matthias Wengelin – SCS Racingteam CK

2. Emil Lindgren – CK Naten Säter

3. Axel Lindh – SCS Racingteam CK

All the results is available here: MTBSM