Its National Championship weekend! Noah and Issam talk you through all the results, but most focus is on the Belgian championships where Iserbyt and Cant took the titles.
They also go over the Dutch and British championships where Nieuwenhuis, Brand, Mason and Kay took the win!
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Cyclocross Social is the home of Cyclocross. Every week we discuss cyclocross on our podcast. Besides that we try to upload some fun clips straight from the cyclocross field!
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Hello everyone and welcome back to the cycl Cross social podcast national championships weekend has drawn to an end it’s over now only gree is left this season we’ve had a couple of great races in this episode of soccer cross social podcast is Al and I will be going over
All the results but will center around the three most important ones Belgium Netherlands UK and probably France and Italy will get some honorable mentions there as well before we go over the rest Isam it’s going to be a long one thank you for being here yes no reason thank
You for having me it’s always a special weekend national championships weekend there is so much going on but in recent years the Belgian championships have been the most prestigious so let’s start with that the men raised today on Sunday it was cold there was snow during the
Men’s U23 race and all morning didn’t stick on the ground but there was a lot of mud it was cold very cold the race before it started was was wide open all the favorites or people who should be considered a contender had had something there was some remark
Behind their name whether it was illness whether it was dehydration whether it was inconsistency whether it was a lack of experience everybody had something and most people didn’t want the top favorite role we could see that in the first two laps of the race as there was
A leading pack of 10 Riders but from those 10 it became clear that there were four that were slightly stronger than the rest that was the B Michael V out the defending Champion together with a isit they were joined up front by tibo nice and Yan viur this
Went back and forth a couple of times there were a couple of small attacks a couple times that the chasing group got back or almost got back but these four were stronger than the rest big attack came in just after the halfway point of the race 35 40 minutes into the race
When Al is placed a big attack he pushed on the big hills in the beginning of the course and and open the gap on viur who was in second nice was in fourth needed to pass vizer and furan out before he got onto the wheel of e nice did what he
Could but made a couple of mistakes on a couple of crucial sections and fell back from there nobody came close to a isab anymore and isab went on to take his first Elite National Title second place that did not go to T nice after he was
With eer be for a while he fell back he fell into the hands of vur and font out who also rapidly left him behind nice would drop all the way down to six as he was crawling in the final lap in that final lap viur was stronger than
Fur out and the young Rider from Kon corendon powered away in the sand pit even from Michael furin out on his way to Silver medal furan out claimed bronze is some I think Michael font out’s Uncle s font out the Belgian national team coach said it very well
After the race this was a race where nobody wanted to be the favorite there were people saying they’ had been sick they’ been sick before I mean we had swake saying he was sick in the Christmas period eer be had a story there nice had a story about Fitness
Everybody had something nobody really wanted the favorite role but if two weeks ago we would have asked somebody who is your top favorite for the Belgian Championship almost everybody would have said a is be he’s the only one consistently up there the past two weeks caused a bit of confusion around the
State of eer beat we can debate long or short about that but I don’t think it’s worth it ultimately iser beat is a worthy Champion whether you like him or not he has been the best Belgian Rider over the championship he was the best Rider on the day he deserved that title
And I thought it was really interesting what he said in the his postra interview that from the 30 minute Mark onwards he felt like he was in a Groove in a Zone like everything was blacked out around him he said the only thing I was thinking about was choosing my lines
Perfectioning everything that was the only thing I was thinking about I couldn’t hear anything it was me my bike and my thoughts and I just went to Victory he said he was in his own had his day that’s what it’s all about at the championship a deserved
Champion yeah totally I mean I don’t know if having your day is it was the only Factor today I think that like you said this is basically what we have seen so far this season if you look at the the strengths of all the Riders eer beat
Was my opinion the the strongest Belgium Rider this season so far and I think what was what is interesting to see with eer be was on every course every type of circumstances that we had he was doing quite well compared to to others that that struggled in certain conditions and
Were not so consistent over the course of of this season so far and you know I’ve said it before I I I saw eerb always as the main guy for for this Championship but it was definitely difficult to guess where he would be at with everything that was was happening
And you know like like f out said it was just so difficult and we got a little confused but I wouldn’t even call it confused but just with the information that we had it was very hard to to guess who was going to be at their best shape
On that day and I’m very happy for for eer be to be honest because I think that he really deserved this recognition of of of just being you know the best Belgium writer at the moment and I think he truly is that obviously you have to take into account that fat didn’t start
And all that but regardless of that I think that he definitely deserved this title and it’s it’s important for his career because I think that he needs these kind of races that he needs to take these titles because if you if you do not do that you
Will always get that story of the iser beat that flops on on on such a day and it was even after the the race it was mentioned in the interviews on his not so successful races that he had before this so great to see that he was able to
P it off it was a strong race from him and he was in control in my opinion from the start of the race because he he he tried it in the beginning to to put the pace on with with futa who you know couldn’t really maintain that over the
Course of the race but for eer beat it was I don’t think there was a certain moment where he really panicked you know when he was at the front he made sure that he was going to stay at the front and yeah very strong ride eer beat now
Is a lot more mature than he was a couple of seasons ago eer be as a U23 first years as a lead was very wild he made ludicrous statements in the media and he did give some of the salt and pepper which cyclocross is known for but
He was out of line especially with the results he had he couldn’t really back up the comments he made that’s completely changed now and you do indeed still have like the story of e always chokes at championships you had them after Europeans this year but today he
Was there and on this type of course it just requires a lot of power and just complete package you need to be able to run you need to be able to put out the power you need to be able to ride up a hill you need to be able to make the
Right decisions the mud also made the sand a bit more important they were riding on the Rhino Tire thread that makes the sand pit a bit harder it wasn’t the hardest sand pit but with the low speed of entrance and that played a role Ebe did that very well cold
Condition something e beat was not exactly known for to be well in until now especially because of those in BLS and namur in both which he needed to withdraw from the race being um yeah he was he had hypothermia there so he said now today something that he had a lot of
Heating pads in his shoes and in his in his pants even just to make sure he’s warm because he says he still struggles with the cold but everything just came together for him on this day it was a mature composed ride and I can only take
My hat off for that to keep it together in such a way and the M before I feel this year it’s a bit more I mean it’s always present before the Belgian championships they try and create some mist and oh I don’t want to have the favorites rooll but yeah this year it
Felt like a bit more extreme the fact that everybody was all of a sudden bombing yuran vizer to top favorite and we’ll talk about his great performance in a bit said enough Yan viur today surprised with the second place but the fact that there was so much Miss that
This surprise was not really a surprise because everybody had tipped him as a clear favorite here also says something maybe that mist all went into that snowstorm of this morning and once that settled down Elizabeth took the victory in ice cold fashion yeah totally I mean
I I think that it was that the media was also trying to find someone that was willing to take the role I think laen sake was definitely not shy of saying that he was um wants to watch for for this race but you know couldn’t really fulfill this um that ambition but for
Vizer it was it was like we were watching him race at Dublin in a way I think that it was um a very strong ride and it is not for this year that he’s going to win a title but how it looks it was definitely very good and this is
Definitely for him as well a very important race the way he wrote it and I think he realized that as well when he crossed the line that you know these are the results that people will kind of remember and even if it’s for second place it’s just yeah it’s it will stick
In the in the memories and it’s just important for the sponsors and and for your future as well I mean he wasn’t definitely in a in a situation where it was life or death for his for his contract I think he has everything kind of settled but still it’s it’s it’s
Something you you know these are the races that you kind of need to build a name for yourself and he definitely did that today and he has been doing so far several races this season and it it is it is going very well and I feel that
That if you look at the guys around his age he’s definitely the one that made the biggest step forward in in in the in the Belgian Squad so you know job very well done yeah it was impressive these are the conditions in which yaner does do well nevertheless it’s impressive to
Be up there I don’t think we could have expected much more from him to try and fight a eia beat because what else should he have done he tried what could in the beginning of the race all of a sudden he was like in the lead together
With tibo nice for a while he was catapulted up front maybe he got a little bit too excited there but I can’t really hold it against him and it’s not a big tactical error like he kept pushing for laps once he was in that leading group of four he positioned
Himself well in second position that’s where tibo should have been but viz did it he made sure there were no team tactics being played against him and when isit went he just couldn’t respond and that’s completely fine do think that nice made a couple of mistakes today he
Didn’t execute perfectly today he was up there for a while I respect his All or Nothing attitude today he threw everything he had at iser beat in the hope of winning that title but a couple of things didn’t go right for him first of all the start I don’t really blame
That the start here was super weird it was on the Athletics track but not one of astro turf no one of a weird mixture of gravel with sand which made it super muddy if you starting on the right hand side you had the inside line on the on
The corner and it was harder there it was pack there you could ride if you were in the middle and ton ice was in the middle he didn’t have another choice because of his starting Co up he was in like this hard basically just muddy pack and obviously you’re going to be
Swallowed by the Riders who are either all the way on the inside or all the way on the outside where it’s more packed and they will come flying around you took him a while to get back up front and then his main bottleneck today was the the corner before pit one he could
Not master that to save his life he made mistakes there almost every single lap which cost him 5 six seven in the most extreme case even 9 seconds on that single straight past pit one then later there was this section with the sand pit then they went to the stairs and then
They came to the washboard that’s another section which he didn’t Master there were a couple of other sections on the course where he was really strong this weird widest section with the trees alongside it the corner before there with the where they went underneath the bridge with the metal plate there he was
One of the first ones to draw his own line there and ride it the rest copied that those were good sections for him but the sections that he didn’t Master cost him too much he was also in fourth position of that group too long which cost him too much energy I don’t think
That this would have made the difference for him to win nice himself said I did not have the best day I just wanted to see what I could do I wanted to try and win I respect that attitude that he then end sixth it doesn’t really matter to
Him if he’s third like last year or sixth now you can debate whether that’s the right attitude to have I think ultimately the form also isn’t really there there’s some signs of improvement compared to where it came from we’ve learned that in B we had three punctures
And zov he had two punctures there’s some improvements there he’s better than what he was around flamanville maybe he can become a little bit better when he goes back to Spain tomorrow but yeah ultimately I think it just wasn’t meant to be today for him no I mean as you
Said there were some some some moments in the race that that that kind of cost him some time and energy but I think overall he just didn’t have it to to battle it for the podium today and um in the end it it is not a a huge surprise I
Think that you can definitely see in his form that it’s um something that that looks more and more promising and I feel that if you look for him in terms of what is coming next with the world championships that could be a very good race for him
And that’s definitely a race where you want to show yourself I guess so I think for him that that might come out quite well but today for the title it was not there and I think also for the podium it was just he felt just a little short and
You know when you see that the podium is not really possible at that point it’s very hard to to kind of motivate yourself and especially if you already went in with that mentality of uh All or Nothing yeah then you kind of end up in that nothing scenario and then in the
Last lap you you know really let it go and the was not much left as well so yeah not really his day but I think there are still going to be many championships where he will be able to u to to battle it out maybe for titles so
I think that there is not much to worry for him and you can take the positives and try to uh work towards the next goal which is kind of the worlds yeah we’ll see how that goes it’s been a season of ups and downs and maybe more downs and
Ups but let’s look at the entire top 10 is a bit one ahead of vizer and fur out there was a story that fun out had a stomach flu this week that he couldn’t eat for two three days don’t really know what to make of it it was a decent ride
But pretty much in line with this season which actually is my conclusion for the entire top 10 because if we look further funder was fourth Adams was fifth nce sixth funder ball seventh La swake eighth Quinton hermans ninth and ler LS 10th it’s kind of reflecting of what we’ve seen this
Season F out and swake struggle not there when it matters most of the time I mean they have a couple of highs and most of the time it’s like this that leads options or it leaves options for Riders like vizer or Fonda to have a couple of highs like they had today with
A second and a fourth Adam fifth hopefully this secures him a world selection and then there’s a couple of riders like nice who are sometimes up there fate during the race and eventually end kind of where they belong I think for the rest it was not really that much interesting apart from Johnny
F who had been hyped up all week by people that he could become Belgian childhood just for him to disappear from the race at the end of the second lap then onto the woman’s race in Belgium the woman Elite which was combined with U23 that took place on Saturday
Conditions in M Baker were already bad they were a bit warmer but the course was fairly muddy Flur mors had the fastest start to that race but sonant quickly took the lead in the first La Fon tipped as the Challenger crashed in one of the corners which gave K a gap
Was that game over no because Fon came back together with rber we had three leaders but sonant in the second lap was showing that she had a skill which the others didn’t possess she was able to ride couple of big hills in the first part of the core she powered up the
First one open a gap then try to ride the second one but got tangled in the course tape which allow owed for Donal to come back that however didn’t last long K open the Gap again and this time it looked to be settled she opened a 20
Second lead over for donot who had dropped Reber Reber crashed a couple of times it was not her day she fell further back for Don was 20 seconds behind everything looked set in stone count 15 titles in a row but then when she was on just a straight she got into
A bad rut in the penultimate lap and crashed over the course tape and it took some time for her to get the going again by the time she was on her bike Fon had passed her but K was right in the wheel Fon seemed unsure what to do in the
Final lap because she didn’t really take any action she didn’t attack when she called K she was deers in headlight basically K attacked in the final lap of the big hill powered to the Top Again open the Gap but then Fon came back just as they reached pit two foron looked to
Be ready to pose a challenge but the pit box allocation was crucial Fon was all the way at the beginning of the pitch K was at the end K could ride all the way to her pit box Fon had to run that entire part of the pit Zone because of
Her bike change that gave K another 3se second Gap but Fon again closed it Fon however took the lead and allowed K to sit in the wheel for a bit Fon placed an attack out of the final sand pit without any effect it came down to a Sprint and
Before the bridge K took the lead took the turn onto the athletic course first and sprinted to Victory ahead of a disappointed for domol with r ending third that race was some Thriller is some was a lot going on there I just described what happened there in the
Final and I already gave away my take on it for donot during the broadcast they said that she and her coach rers went through a dozen of scenarios of what to do in the race but it seemed like they had forgotten to go through the scenario
What would happen if she actually was in a final lap with Sonic K because she didn’t try and take the lead before they went up the big climb when she called up to K she seemed without a plan she didn’t really have a clear idea of when to attack what to
Do with this type of Sprint even if you’re slower you can try and do your best by going out first because the start finish trade is super short she got passed easily by K didn’t defend her position didn’t try an audacious die bomb and then just basically got herself
Ridden to the Finish where she needed to end second it was like she was in the backseat of a cab driving around M Baker without any idea of where she was going it really was the last lap for me was a was was a thriller there was quite a lot
Of tension I have to say and um yeah really good race overall I think that count made it a little bit more difficult for her than than it should have been cuz I think that’s the moment that she wrote away from U for donot was definitely crucial and in my opinion
Could have been also the the final um the final attack and that would have secured the win but then the mistake obviously with the crash and then you have to recover from it for Don comes back and then there is some hope again and I think that as you said it really
Looked like f didn’t think that scenario through of of of what if we are in the last lap uh and we have to battle it out and I think that even after the fact that that that k pass her there was till the last Corner some moments where you
Definitely could have made it a little bit more difficult and pass C again I think that count left especially on that last Corner before you go on the the past in a way there was so much room for for for Don and so much time as well because the pace definitely dropped
There before that corner put it there on the inside dive and and and make sure that you it wasn’t even going to to be a tricky move it was basically you have to place your bike there and you that was all that was needed in a way and yeah
Then after that you cannot really make a Sprint because it was so so bad the conditions there and you could barely really get the power going it you cannot even call that a Sprint in a way it was basically pacing yourself to the finish line and give it your all and just hope
That you don’t uh make a mistake and yeah it was a a very strong R from deserved winner for sure but for d defitely I think that she will think about this a couple of times uh in the future and I think that in the interview as well she
Gave a very good point and which is you know kind kind of announced after or even before the race that this could have been her or this is most likely her last National Championship that she will uh ride and next year she won’t be attending it and basically also for Fon
The last time that she could have been winning against K and I think the chances were definitely there if you look at the scenario of the race but it was not meant to be C got her 15th one and I think there is you know we just
Have to massive respect for for for that achievement and yeah she has she has mean meant a lot for for for Belgium Belgium cyc cross and especially for the women’s side and yeah it was for her um you know very deserved Victory and um interesting to see what she will do from
Now and how she will uh F in the rest of of her career in a way yeah can’t announced that she will will be retiring after next soccer cross season but that out of respect for the Belgian Jersey she wouldn’t want to win it and then
Have the Jersey not be on display an entire season which I think says you something about how K feels about it and about the Jersey it means a lot to her and she’s pretty proud of her country I think for Don just made two crucial mistakes first
Of all she should have tried to make that steep climb in the first part of the course first try and block there you avoid an attack there maybe you can attack later on in the lap and then especially like this super long straight before the bridge which lead
You to the off camber you mentioned she could have overtake on the off camber she could have tried an overtake on the second corner of the bridge or she could have actually started pacing making it harder for K to place the acceleration and pass her but nevertheless despite
The fact that fonal did everything she could to make K win a 15th title in the final La K is that 15th title CT was Stronger there was a lot of talk in the Belgium broadcast about grippo tires and for don’t messing up Tire choices G
Started on the Grio Tire Fon started on the Grio but switched to rhinos in the second lap done deal their tires didn’t make a choice the reason that K could ride up that first climb and that there was this other corner where she was riding a wide line and going up where
Fon was running on the inside which lost her at 2 seconds every lap the reasons without is K had more power she was Stronger k is more experienced in reading the course and writing The Wider lines K was just better she should have won by 45 seconds if it wasn’t for that
City crash because of a bad rut that’s racing it was her own fault of going there she got tangled in the course tape on another part she was riding with a lot of risk but that’s fine it’s it’s racing and she won it and yeah as you
Sayam 15 titles I always get a bit sad by the way she’s treated in the Belgian media K is an icon of the sport she’s one of the greatest cyc cross Riders ever three World titles take a bat to that I mean especially that world title in falkenberg that was special her
Titles in BLS and bogans in the Netherlands they are seen as stolen titles she had no right to win them but she won them and that then makes it irrelevant how you won them she’s the three-time world champion I’m 20 years is I’m 20 years old K has been Belgian
Champion for 75% of my life ever since I started watching Psycho cross which was in 2012 12 sonak has been rocking around in a champion jersey was it Belgian Champion then European Champion Belgian Champion again World title back to the Belgian jersey she’s a true icon of the
Sport and then it makes me a bit sad that so many of the Belgian media Spectators they’re out on having that streak ended and they felt like yesterday when she announced that she will be retiring after last season there was a bit of a turning point in
There mainly coming from S V out and of course he’s like the national team coach so it’s also his job to relativ at things like that but a bit of a turning point there and that they’re seeing like hey maybe we shouldn’t be too harsh and
Are sure son has been surpassed by a more talented generation but that doesn’t mean that we need to write her into the ground we need to respect her career and she’s an icon of the sport and I hope she will have a fitting retirement last year with another season
Like this because yes the past season haven’t been good and you can criticize her for that but at the same time she’s still the best Rider of Belgium so the retirement isn’t exactly calling it’s not like she’s continuing too long no I I think that it is you know it’s always
Difficult to know when you have to end your career in a way and I think that for her it’s maybe the the right decision she has you know let I said meant a lot for the sport and you definitely want to win kind of on your
On your high and there ‘s always this urge of trying to to add a couple more years to your career but you know how many times have we seen writers stay a little too long and and and and and try to go for that last paycheck and all
That I think that K is definitely not the type of writer that would do something like that and is always with this competitive mindset and wants to achieve the best and I think that that is also that just the winning of of of being the best while it was deemed kind
Of impossible POS in a way I think that that was definitely that determined a little bit how her career went and you know it’s just uh great to see that she was able to to to win and get that record and a job well done for for for
Her career and there is still some left in her so um you know looking forward to see what she can do next year behind con for Don Reber anded third was a decent ride by Reber I thought she looked very strong in the first lap for a brief
Moment I thought she would be the one challenging K but Ral didn’t have she made a couple of mistakes and wasn’t fit enough she’s been sick as well apparently in the leadup to this event so she needed to settle for third and unlike last year she was satisfied with
Not taking the win if we look at the entire top 10 I don’t think there’s all too much to talk about here K one head of foron and Reber impressive fourth place by Flur mois but on the other hand if you look at the competition it’s not
That much he’s just the head of Laura deser another first year U23 the field really isn’t that deep at Belgian championships Lura deser was the U23 champion because Belgium has this weird rule that if you’re Racing for a world tour or Women’s World Tour team on the
Road you’re not allowed to compete for the U23 title uh very weird very variations of that rule there and changing it around but anyway it is what it is Laura theer became Belgian U23 Champion uh by ending fifth yeners was sixth gona seventh shy browers e8th kid
Fcai ninth and Martin Tria ended 10th enough on Belgium we hop across the border to hofe where the Dutch national championships took place that ended in a Baza treack Lions party we had hoped for maybe some close races especially on the men’s side between ronar F and newah
House but that race was not close at all early on in the race Neah house and ronar opened the gap on vandar vandar was an island in third for the entire race he also ended there NE house Led Led Led just like last year in old buo
But this year he didn’t break his cleat and ultimately his high Pace caused ronar to make a couple of mistakes NE High went solo and took his first national title ahead of his teammates ronhar and fundar Isam I don’t really have all too much to say about Dash Nationals the
Course was nice Yan deer built it I think he did a really good job it looked fairly technical but I think it wasn’t that technical with the mud that there was I think it was just an out andout power course quite a bit of running as well weather conditions there were
Fairly bad there was some rain there was a bit of wind it it just came down to who had the most power that was new house and I don’t think it’s that much of a surprise either based on how things have been going in December and January
No indeed I think it was a a very honest course and maybe even a little too honest in a way cuz I would have loved a little bit more racing um for for for the for the for the title but it ended up in in such a way and yeah like you
Said new high was was definitely the one that um came into this race with probably the yeah the best form in away and also if you look at the previous races looked looked in my opinion the best but ronar with the youth behind him and also looking very good in various
Races there was always that possibility and obviously there was I never really thought that ferar wouldn’t play a role in this in this Championship so it was it looked like it was going to be like a three-way battle in a way but that wasn’t really the case and I think
That NE you know the change the the change that he made and the decision that he made to then eventually race for for balaz Lions it’s great to see him get rewarded with a title I think he definitely deserves it and it’s going has been going quite well for him this
Season so it’s uh great to see and I think you know he also got a course that just with the circumstances definitely suited him very well and uh you know a very deserved champion and I think foron it’s um maybe just a little too early as
Similar to nice but I think just with a different kind of you know view to it because you know he was eventually second and and had a very good race and so yeah I think that um it the championship played out in a quite a dull manner but a very deserved Champion
For sure yeah maybe ronar could have been able to go a bit longer with newah house if he hadn’t made a couple of mistakes I think we also saw F thear make a couple of mistakes ronar made one just before the entrance of pit one and just a few too
Many that’s okay I I think gonar had like his high at least in terms of relative form to the rest when he won dender in that period of the Season he’s not been bad he’s been pretty consistent which deserves a round of applause especially considering how he started
This season how he’s done last season but it just wasn’t to be and for f the high his form is not At His Highest this moment I’m interested to see how he will be at Worlds I don’t know of course there could be good conditions there today
Were fast that’s something more for fun higher than this slugfest here but yeah it was just a matter of who had the most power and those results came out as discussed the top three was NE house ronar F behind that we found Ryan comp who found a couple of extra sponsers no
Black Jersey for him anymore looks like Phoenix had some kits left from their Strat bian appeal they also raced in the jro with but um Ryan Camp is now sponsored by Phoenix Ali CD couple of Italian sponsors there I’m kind of feeling that they will sign Ryan Camp
The roov brothers to one of their teams when the season ends don’t think they’ll extend ma Hendrick so I’m thinking that comp today ended ahead of ma Hendrick’s fifth place and the result of the combined race because they scrapped the u23s out of them and put
Them in a separate result but the um fifth place there was for Tio Delo who took the U23 title six was ma hendrik seven cor F kessle eight Bailey kandal nine Denny F Lop 10 Lucas jansa I think we can go to the woman’s race with that there it was also not
That interesting P Peters had the fastest start and L but she made a mistake halfway through the first lap L BR took over opened a 3se second Gap Peterson could never really close it went to five back to three seven back to five but then it snapped for petersa and
Brun who broke her nose last week and zov went on to take the title ahead of Peterson alado who skipped on HOV still had back pains this is definitely not a championship made up injury Alvarado really suffering visibly on the bike ended fourth third place went to anamarie
V Isam again here not really that much to say I think maybe we expected a bit more from Peterson the course looked fairly technical as said but it was really a power thing and power-wise Brun was better Brun seemed to have a very good day and especially with that
Running there are few women who run better than Lucinda Brun yeah I have to say that I was was a bit surprised with uh with BR actually participating because you know normally broken nose I’m no doctor but takes some time and it’s also quite irritating with the swelling sometimes
So uh that was that was a very good to see and also maybe a sign of of someone that kind of recovered from it and was able to to to race 100% And she showed it in the race and as you said I think that she got a a course that just fits
Her very well and she was able to you know use that power to her advantage and Peter you know even though the course definitely suits brunt better I would have expected Peterson to hang on a little longer but yeah at a certain point I think that’s you know when the
Gap just was just growing more and more it was for just difficult to um to fight back in a way and it was in a way surprising but also yeah you you can kind of expect it on a course like this so it was also a quite a dull
Championship race in a way but definitely deserved winner and great to see that Brun was able to to get that title and you know I don’t think that she will get many more chances you know it’s it’s not saying that it’s her last season or something but it is probably
Going to be more and more difficult with the years to come and I think that it’s definitely great to see her get that uh Dutch Championship well as I said just about g g has been like an icon of times when I watched cycl cross I mean I’ve
Been actively watching since 2012 I’ve rewatched a lot of stuff from before that and K is a rider who throughout my time of watching cyc cross is somebody who’s like developed a lot it’s not like she’s going to retire but it’s a pretty special pathway in 201617 season she made the decision to
Focus fully on cyc Cross she even thought about quitting road then when per re for woman was announced he came back on that decision but her development has been really special to follow she always had the power but her technical skills were lacking and she’s made a lot of
Progression on that aspect so yeah it was good to see and I think today she was stronger I mean she said that that broken nose didn’t influence her at all and that she was just free to go it didn’t affect her at all she can breathe
Normally through her nose so yeah it’s I don’t know if I was really surprised that she would able to to race I mean in football we see a lot of people race with or play with mosques to keep their nose in touch when it’s broken so maybe
I was not really surprised but her level here was good and it was really good to see her go like that Peters should just didn’t have the answer I’m not too worried about her form for the rest of the season but I think for Peterson the
Courses that are coming up bany dorm H and Tabor are all going to be difficult courses if they are dry if they are dry they are not technical she doesn’t really have a place where she can use her skill factor and if that factor isn’t really involved on the course it’s
Difficult but we saw last week in zonov already that Brun is really really really good at the moment and it will be interesting to see how she does when she has a clean head-to-head against Fano on a course like bayy dorm so yeah I look forward to that ver ended
Third some distance down I think it’s a small up for her betsa wasn’t here she has a knee injury but yeah normally that third place should have been for Alvarado but I already said it in the summary Alvarado has back issues and they are lingering
So it’s we can only hope for the best but it’s not looking good it really really didn’t look good today if we look at the rest of the top 10 bucker ended fifth ahead of f alfha benfeld MRA Fon BV and calan don’t think there’s all too
Much to say about those results apart from maybe gine really being developed into a full Road Rider now who’s just doing cross because it’s her passion I think we can move on to the British national championships which took place in Falkirk on Saturday was a fast course
In a park with a super super steep wall in there a couple of minor climbs around it nothing too special I would normally say business as usual with Mason and K taking titles as back said wasn’t there but it wasn’t a walk in the park for
Mason because he had a bad start and needed to chase some but he really shows the some that he’s much better than the level of the Riders who mostly race the domestic scene in the UK he took the win comfortably in the end despite that way
Ahead of Thomas mean who put up a decent fight and those two are really the best British cyc cross Riders they are far ahead of the rest yeah totally and I think um as you said for for Mason it was definitely an expected title but not the way you would with the start
Definitely did make it a little bit difficult more difficult for himself but I think in the end you know it was um everyone kind of came to his on his place and then and Mason was just uh the better guy and is also at the moment the
One that is um you know next to Pitcock is is definitely the the best British uh psycho cross Rider and it’s great to see the the the development that he has made and you know he’s now riding with psych cross red so that’s definitely a plus in
A way with a team that that can uh really support you in Psycho cross and yeah I think that that it was a very deserved title and probably will add more and more titles in in the future because um as of now it seems that
Pitock is not going to show up to these championships and then it’s going to be difficult to see who is coming up but yeah for him it’s uh it’s definitely looking good and it’s great to see that he was able to prolong that uh National Title yeah he’s just very well-rounded I
Don’t think his form is the best and that start really is an issue that you’re not with the first 10 out of a field of this quality is a bit worrying but it’s something you will need to work on just to complete LS aski Racing for fdg and
Third in this race it was a pretty impressive performance and actually nice to see him do a bit more across this season can be very very short about the woman’s race Isam I won’t even be asking you for a question here because that was a anak masterclass TT Victory on cruise
Control call it whatever you want but bed is in Spain potentially even doing an altitude Camp she’s doing a training camp that’s for sure so yeah without that anak was the big favorite imagin wolf made made the switch from the junior category to the elite category
For this race she had already won the junior title wolf didn’t have it she was on par with k at least for me before the race but wolf was tired from a big Christmas block had a bad day ended further down outside of the top five
Even and with that K was in control took the victory what you would expect second place was for adaman how and S of the day was Grace English ending third Rider who was a it’s 28 years old hasn’t raised much and just basically a local Rider showing up
For Nationals and ending third which was interesting to see let’s take a look at some of the other results in Europe France the national championships there took place in camur it was a typical French course in brutan was nice to see I like the courses there it’s always
Wide bit of elevation had a sand pit had some barriers had some Road bit of everything men’s race there came down to a Sprint was a bit of rain during that race but despite that Clon Vini took the win ahead of Joshua dubo that was a
Sprint third place went to teot Toma I think is um uh I don’t know how many titles Vini has won now but they’re surely adding up I think it’s like his sixth Elite title had his it’s a streak I think at least since 2019 pretty confident about that
One but it’s been it’s been going well for him his results in the Belgian races have been a bit below par Zer was good but fanin has always has one goal and his goal is the world championships and for the past two years he’s gotten a top
10 he was fifth in fville he was 10th in h fanini is a rider who excels on Fast courses and I think he might be in for a treat because the Czech championships took place in St war on the world course which is very smart because it gives a
Home Advantage to the Czech Riders who will all have raced it already but regardless of that it looked super fast today of course we will need to wait for the conditions but if they are like today and there’s a reasonable probability they are fanini can be in
For another top 10 because on a course like that I wouldn’t put it past him definitely within the possibilities and but but you know as good as I know that that that Tabor is is a difficult uh Place overall to to guess what the the circumstances will be I mean it’s one
Day it is going to be dry the other day it’s going to be snowing and the day after it’s going to be raining so it’s tough uh to say if if it’s going to be a fast course or not but at the moment it looks like it’s heading towards that and
If it’s going to be a fast course ferini definitely has the the quality to get himself within a top 10 um but yeah you we have to wait and see how that will play out and I don’t know about his form to be honest I feel like if you compare it
Maybe to to to the last couple of years I don’t know if it’s equal or is maybe a little less but it’s hard to say where he is at at the moment especially if you look at the the races that he has done before not spectacular you know so we
Have to wait and see but if he gets a fast course it’s definitely going to suit him very well and then from there it’s uh um you know top 10 is definitely not U not something out of reach for him so that’s going to be interesting and
You know great to see him have the title again the woman’s race in France Was Won by Helen clausel almost a minute lead over amandine fukun with Ane rounding out the podium no real surprises there clel has been national champion for a while there as well in
Italy the men’s race was won by filipo Fontana was a relatively close race Jakob duroni was up there and it second with bertolini in third it’s a shame Fontana and duroni don’t race a couple of more races because they are Italy’s best Riders and it would be interesting
To see what they could do I do remember Fontana last year did the same as he did this year he just raced bunch of Italian races including the national championships then showed up to bezon sonan Worlds I don’t know if he’s doing that again this year but it will be
Interesting because I think he can be rer not necessarily this year but in the future that is able of reaching the top 10 of the Belgian races with the progression he’s been making I mean bolini and doron have done it before but state of Italian cyclocross is a bit of
A mystery to me and I struggle to really get insights on there Italians are not where I have my most of my sources but what I do know is that sarak casasola comfortably won the woman’s race and she beat latia boresi and Rebecca garib Baldi there kasasa will be nicest year
In the Champions Jersey is some taking over from pero who didn’t do any cross at all this winter yeah and as as it should be to be honest because I think that um she she definitely represented Italy at the front in the women’s category so I wouldn’t have liked it if
Pero would have showed up for to this race and and potentially take take the title away and so I think that it is good as it is right now really deserved and I think it’s it’s also good for the represent a if you are the best of your
Country you deserve that title as well and it’s not it’s not how it always goes but it’s great to see that it happened and U yeah it’s another great moment for her in in a in a season that has been going quite well so I definitely think
That you know those are just things that that you kind of that you kind of need to to as I said make a name for yourself as we have said already with with viser you need these kind of races and they they eventually add up to to your career
And it makes it easier for you to uh you know get potential sponsors and all that so great from her that she was able to to get the victory there in Italy I do think it’s a shame that pero didn’t do a cross race but I can’t say it’s
Unexpected after joining UAE a transfer that I’m not really a fan of for a number of reasons this being one of them I think it would have been nice to see a du cross Tor the same goes for Vini as for her she could have potentially even
Been in the mix for a Podium if that course was fast like we saw in fightville like we saw in h last year but as you say kasasa deserved that title just as Felipe orts deserved the title in Spain one by three minutes on Gonzalez Macho more than 3 minutes
Almost four even on Mario son Milan Suarez Fernandez Kevin Suarez Fernandez to be precise unfortunately withdrew from the race order also as usual in the wom’s race with Lucia Gonzalez Blanco taking the win ahead of Sophia Rodriguez River third place there went to Irena Brado then we’ll come to those Czech
Championships is some they took place on the course of world I thought that was nice to see it’s a nice idea the course is there doesn’t have any extra cost for them pretty much to organize this race now boros took the title after a relatively close race with Adam talik
Right for to UNI bet now so denar ended third there the woman’s race was a walkover Zan Nova took the win there it was a cruise control Victory she attacked in the first lap and just didn’t need to go deep nosova in it second former runner up at U23 worlds
Way back in 2016 races for Kofi is now targeting worlds just because she likes it and Simona spenza ended third first of all some I think it’s nice to see it to gave us a nice look at the course a couple of things I noticed was a big bridge after the start They
Removed the big bottleneck on the first part of the course course and the second Loop of the course after the barriers is now being done in Reverse those were my findings about the course but the racing was pretty entertaining there bulls not an easy Win tupik Second just said that
Nosova is targeting rules I don’t know what tupik is doing but that is close to boros boros who was good in Dam in or just outside of the top 10 I wonder what tupik will do I feel like this is a rider that could have had had a very
Good cross career if he focused on it his moment at Zer worlds where he thought he became U23 title but celebrated a la too early are Infamous are legendary but I feel like if he goes to Worlds he can dream about ending in the
Top 10 he seems to have a decent form of course seems to be well for him I always hope that he comes back to the cross in a similar way as fanini because both could have had very good cross careers but are kind of having below average or just average Road careers
Instead yeah and I I don’t think that it’s unlikely that he will maybe try and um you know get get more involved in the cross and his result is definitely promising and you know I think that if he if he focuses a little bit more on on the psycho cross he’s definitely someone
That could find himself uh within within the top 10 of of regular races and it’s it’s a bit of a shame that he kind of pursued a career on the road I think obviously everyone has is entitled to to to feel where he’s most comfortable at and obviously there is probably also the
The the money factor and the whole that obviously plays a role and you want to go for a sustainable future a future that will uh secure um yourself for for for what you’re doing at the moment and also after your career is is is over so yeah it’s in a way understandable and
But but I hope that maybe the love for for cycle cross uh will will will bring him back a little bit more actively and he definitely has the potential and the talent that that cannot be completely gone so uh it’s obviously a lot of years
That have went over it but you know who knows maybe he will um stick stick more to to Psycho cross a little bit more put some more effort into it and race some more races because I think that definitely his um you know there is definitely still some Talent behind him
Some potential so hopefully he can find that in the next couple coup of Seasons then it’s time for a big Roundup of the results of the other national championships in Switzerland teon ruek took the win ahead of Kevin Kon K does not seem to have the best form at the
Moment R taking the title for a second year in a row Andre FR ended third there the women’s Elite title went to Alexandra Keller Big Win there two and a half minutes ahead of Rebecca esterman and M Zimmerman ended third there the German national title has been returned
Turned to Marcel me last year he somehow lost the title to Sasha wber but he won the woman’s title went to Elizabeth brow brow beat Judith call who was the defending title order restored the veterans beat the youth there in Poland Maric Kona took the national title that
Is also no surprise he is the only polish Rider that does well he had a pretty good showing this season won a bunch of races the woman’s title went to Susanna chista that was a close race it came down to a Sprint with Barbara Boro Visa third place there went to malwi M
Then the Austrian national championships one of the more Niche naah hael one of the names that’s a bit more known there one of the first who went to Bunny Hop the barriers took the win there ahead of Nora fiser the men’s El title went to Gregor ragal with Lucas Huts ending
Second there that was a pretty close race no footage so I don’t really know what went on there Denmark no surprised Daniel Vis neelson really the best Danish cycle cross Rider there this year no Simon Andreas at the start there he showed up a couple of times in the past
The former Junior world champion but Daniel V Nila took a comfortable win this year the woman’s Elite title went to un toward LEP in Luxembourg there were no surprises either Mario shriber took the national title ahead of Christine Majerus the men’s title not really relevant seeing the level of the
Riders but lock Bendorf took the national title there surprise in Hungary vanav Vash didn’t take the title because she’s on training camp Yanka faras took the Hungarian title unfortunately I don’t think we’ll see much of that jersey in the upcoming season Marton Dina took the men’s Elite title the same
Goes there I don’t think we will see much of those jerseys in Ireland Dean Harvey took the national title on the men’s Elite side while Alia raferty took the win on the women’s Elite side Portugal also had their national championships Roberto ferera took the win in the men’s race while an mafal S
Santos won the women’s Elite title in Serbia there was also a national championship the women’s Elite title went to bonjan yovanovich with Tuan vesovic taking the Men Elite title the results from Romania have not been published on the UCI website so that leaves us with the results from Japan
Where hiri Oda took the national title while akari Kobayashi took the woman’s Elite title I think that will conclude everything for the national championships the only national championships remaining this season are the national championships of Greece they are taking place on the same day as the World Cup in
H Isam thank you for being here tomorrow there is racing in otam hopefully no feud between font out and swake there this year so we can have a bit of recovery before we head to borm at the end of the week yes thank you for having
Me and uh yeah indeed the the usual uh race at at vam and then from there we slowly but surely go to the last couple of weeks before the world championship so thank you for having me my pleasure thank you for spending your Sunday evening talking about psycho cross
Nationals it was a nice weekend thanks everyone for listening we will be back with an episode about beny dorm next week see you guys then goodbye