2025 Races with Spoilers.

[No Ta Doctor]

Great to see Isabella Holmgren (🇨🇦) win her first race. And beating a few big names in the process. Hopefully she will continue her ascent amongst the pros and will be mixing it with the big girls in a few years time.

Also in the same race, is my new favouritely named female rider - Sarah Van Dam (🇨🇦).

I'm claiming Isabella (necessary on a bicycle) and her twin sister Ava for Denmark

 

[tarric]

Leafing through Procyclingstats I was amused by the name of todays Womens 1.1 race "Durango Durango Emakumeen Saria. "

Doesn't seem to be any TV coverage. I wonder if anyone captured the Girls on Film?

Levity aside it was won by Isabella Holmgren of Lidl Trek

It's available on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLcqbOBWKL0) with Spanish commentary.

 

[Shadow]

I'm claiming Isabella (necessary on a bicycle) and her twin sister Ava for Denmark

As both sisters were born and raised in canada of canadian parents your claim has been declined.

A separate claim would be required for their brother Gunnar and father Rob.
As would a claim for their other siblings...but they are not cyclists.

 

[Adam4868]

Artem Shmidt Ineos takes his first pro victory with a win at the US Pro Time Trial

 

[Cathryn]

Excellent to see Marlen Reusser take the stage at Burgos yesterday and probably the GC - there’s a TT today and she has been a superb time trialler. She’s had such a tough past few years with what sounds like long covid. Good to see her back.

It’s a rubbish year so far for Lotte Kopecky! I hope things pick up for her soon!

 

[misforturob]

MvdP crashes twice on the first lap of Nove Mesto MTB and is a DNF

 

[M.R.M]

MvdP tried to move up on the left of a rider for the first crash. Was too tight, took that rider down with him. Then he tried to make up for lost time and tried to push it and went over the handlebars hard.

Is probably fine and he needs to race more MTB to get into the flow of things.
However, he is a bit like Mohoric in that they always only go one speed. Pidcock descends and corners faster than anyone (on par with MvdP cornering - better than MvdP at descending), but seems to be able to do so while keeping a little reserve. MvdP always goes all out even on the road and crashes or almost crashes on plenty of his monument wins or the WC RR. I wonder if riding the limit that way is too reckless for MTB XCO?
All this while still acknowledging that MvdP is a former European Champion in MTB and probably one of the top 10 or even top 5 riders in the world regardless.

 

[No Ta Doctor]

MvdP tried to move up on the left of a rider for the first crash. Was too tight, took that rider down with him. Then he tried to make up for lost time and tried to push it and went over the handlebars hard.

Is probably fine and he needs to race more MTB to get into the flow of things.
However, he is a bit like Mohoric in that they always only go one speed. Pidcock descends and corners faster than anyone (on par with MvdP cornering - better than MvdP at descending), but seems to be able to do so while keeping a little reserve. MvdP always goes all out even on the road and crashes or almost crashes on plenty of his monument wins or the WC RR. I wonder if riding the limit that way is too reckless for MTB XCO?
All this while still acknowledging that MvdP is a former European Champion in MTB and probably one of the top 10 or even top 5 riders in the world regardless.

I've seen speculation that a) he's a bit rusty on the MTB and b) the general technical standard has gone through the roof recently

 

[M.R.M]

He's definitely rusty, but he also crashed out of the Olympics and a WC's. There is no need to doubt his class, but he does have a risk heavy riding style, that might not be the best for the XCO discipline.
At the same time, I also think if he did a full season of MTB, he'd be the best rider in the world.

 

[Jameshow]

MvdP tried to move up on the left of a rider for the first crash. Was too tight, took that rider down with him. Then he tried to make up for lost time and tried to push it and went over the handlebars hard.

Is probably fine and he needs to race more MTB to get into the flow of things.
However, he is a bit like Mohoric in that they always only go one speed. Pidcock descends and corners faster than anyone (on par with MvdP cornering - better than MvdP at descending), but seems to be able to do so while keeping a little reserve. MvdP always goes all out even on the road and crashes or almost crashes on plenty of his monument wins or the WC RR. I wonder if riding the limit that way is too reckless for MTB XCO?
All this while still acknowledging that MvdP is a former European Champion in MTB and probably one of the top 10 or even top 5 riders in the world regardless.

Might also be his size he's a smidge bigger than pidcock so it's likely his CofG is higher which will affect his cornering ability...
Try following a caterham in a SUV!!

 

[No Ta Doctor]

He's definitely rusty, but he also crashed out of the Olympics and a WC's. There is no need to doubt his class, but he does have a risk heavy riding style, that might not be the best for the XCO discipline.
At the same time, I also think if he did a full season of MTB, he'd be the best rider in the world.

The Olympics crash was just stupidity though - he was warned the landing ramp was removed but forgot or didn't listen - and that's always going to be a difficult save!

 

[Animo]

https://cyclinguptodate.com/mountai...ash-that-left-him-hospitalised-comes-to-light

 

[Adam4868]

Statement from Alpecin..

 

[M.R.M]

Might also be his size he's a smidge bigger than pidcock so it's likely his CofG is higher which will affect his cornering ability...
Try following a caterham in a SUV!!

Except that Pidcock doesn't corner much faster than MvdP. I'd say they are fairly equal there or MvdP may even be the best in the world. Pidcock is by far the best descender in the world and as such is better at descending than MvdP too.
MvdP routinely gaps other riders on corners, especially in the wet.

 

[M.R.M]

He should be fine to ride the indoor trainer immediately. He'd just be training at the Tour anyway, so probably wouldn't mind missing it too much. Will be a blow to Philipsen sprinting for the green jersey though.
If I were to give MvdP advice, I'd tell him to bin the entire rest of the road season, only do MTB, (ideally) win the MTB XCO WC and having finally scratched that itch, focus entirely on the classics from 2026 and ride CX, gravel and MTB only for fun and mostly outside of competition or in the second half of the year after the spring classics and the Tour.
He does tend to crash a bunch in MTB and just dedicating himself to it, will definitely help him avoid that and actually give him a proper shot at winning the XCO WC. While it seems everyone at and around Alpecin seem to think he can simply dip in and out and still win, it doesn't actually seem to be happening. I love to see him try, because there is value in leaving your comfort zone and trying hard things, but I'd also love to see him win MSR, RvV & PR another 3-4 times each, so not being injured from MTB would be rather helpful there. 😉
Do only MTB for 2025, win the XCO WC and then road road road road road! 😛