CX WC CrossVegas

If you missed it, don’t miss the replay of this awesome race:

EKZ CrossTour Baden

The CX-season is here. Last week they raced in Belgium. This weekend passed it started in USA with Trek CXCup and the EKZ CrossTour started in Switzerland.

Here are the swiss men:

And women:

Replay from CX World Cup Valkenburg

Really good racing yesterday at the 2nd CX World Cup of the season. Photos from it here: Cyclephotos

And the women race:

the men race:

Thüringen Rundfahrt and European Championships

Sometimes a 2nd place can be a win. Emma Johansson came 2nd today after she got outsprinted by a girl just sitting on the wheel before. Highlights from the last stage today:

And the European Championships in MTB and Trail started in Italy today with Team Relay. 11th place for Sweden isn’t anything to smile for but can smile for Manuel Fumic and Germany:

CX World Championships Women Elite

Felt sorry for Eva Lechner today. Hoped that she would win but instead she crashed on the first muddy corner after Nikkie Harris changed line. Her derailleur hanger broke so had to run far to the pits and change bike. Then she showed her form with setting the best laptimes, ended 31st 😦 Impressive to not give up!

Lucie Chainel-Lefevre was in front in the beginning and sat the pace. After was the winning group chasing with riders like Sanne Cant, Marianne Vos, Katerina Nash, Nikki Harris and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot. Became a group in the front after a couple of laps but it was two riders who had a bit more power and technical skills than the others. One that at least I didn’t expect.

Sanne Cant and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot showed the fight of the day and Cant showed that she really found the shape in the right moment. Usually she is at the top 5 when all favourites are together but never in front in the end. Today she was and showed a pure cyclocrossers skills.

But Pauline Ferrand-Prevot didn’t let Can pass on the finish straight and took another world champion jersey from Marianne Vos:

Behind there was a fight between Marianne Vos, Katerina Nash and Nikki Harris. Nash had to much pressure and pushed the limit a bit far on the last lap and crashed a couple of times. Marianne Vos raced like a legend does and ended 3rd. Would be odd to miss the podium on a World Championships.

Top 10:

The three fastest CX women in the world!

And did you notice Marianne Vos shoes? I was noticing her class with high white socks but she also got shoes I’ve never seen before. It looks like a pair of Specialized Stumpy II but on the outside it says LIV. That’s classy 😀 And what I’ve seen Marianne Vos is the women with highest class in cycling.

Don’t miss the men elite tomorrow at 14.00

Preview of the CX World Championship

Today the World Championship in Cyclocross starts in Tabor, Czech Republic. Women elite starts 14.00 and here is track preview with Eva Lechner who I hope will win:

The Queen of Hoogerheide

After following women’s CX and XC racing it’s great to see development. Really happy about the results CX results in Hoogerheide today. Eva Lechner has been the Italian champion for some years and done some CXraces, been top 5 in the end. But today she stepped up with her first World Cup win!

And not just a World Cup but the one with all the favourites and everyone wants to find their shape to next weekends World Championship. Everyone is aiming for a good result but just one can be on the top. Marianne Vos didn’t seem to have the legs today and Katie Compton had some problems breathing. Katerina Nash ended 2nd and Pauline Ferrand Prevot 3rd:

Sanne Cant also did a great performance today and ended 4th which helped her win this  seasons World Cup.

I’ve also been trying to find some shape today and was out training with CK Valhall this morning, Carl-Johan took a picture of the rest of us before we left:

Map and stats here: Movescount

Ride fair, ride in the sun in northern Italy

Beautiful video:

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 😀

videotuesday!

First things first. Highlights from Trans Schwarzwald almost a month ago:

And then the first big European CX race of the season with winners like Eva Lechner and Francis Mourey. Not so many racing with disc brakes.

Ending is the biggest MTB event this week. Perskindol Swiss Epic. An epic stage race in Switzerland with a lot of big mountains. Here is a video from the Prologue in Verbier:

And here is from the 1st stage, today: