Cyclocross

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Katie Cop-Out is the women's equivalent to JP. Watch...she'll tank again at
worlds just like she did last year. The only reason she wins so much is
because women's cross has very shallow competition and there's no money in
it. The best riders (i.e. Vos, Kuntforbagel) don't even give a **** about
these world cup races. They only show up to race at worlds.

Somebody needs to tell Compton that cross isn't in the Olympics. And if
she plans on being the new Anne Grande, then sorry, but I can't get too
excited about that.

Just you wait, she's only now dialling in her asthma medication:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...ross-world-cup

wrote:
On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:01:11 GMT, Ryan Cousineau
wrote:

In terms of the racers, it's just not close: the top 10 or 20 racers in
the world are doing Super Prestige and World Cups. Jonathan Page did
score an impressive silver two (?) Worlds ago, but that has been the
limit of US presence on the world CX stage.

Hell, most serious cross competitions for the last, well, pretty much
as long as I have been alive, has been between two countries with the
occasional periods of another or two interlopers that have a top flite
competitor for a while. Why the U.S. would be any different begars me.
Seriously, when you talk of the very best in cross, aren't we talking
about a region the size of Connecticut and Mass thrown together or
smaller?

Typical worlds cross forever: Front two in one jersey, the two chasers
in another, then the field somewhere behind. I know, a bit of
oversimplification, but it is close enough often enough.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

If you are young and show some talent for 'cross in this country
the money will push you into road racing. Probably it's that way
everywhere except for the two countries where you can make a
decent living racing cyclocross.

Bob Schwartz

On Nov 27, 10:29*am, "Tom Kunich" wrote:


Because women's cycling is basically "cleaner" than men's you would expect a
lot closer racing in that category.

dumbass,

the depth of competition is shallower in the women's fields in every
discipline, but particularly in cross.

Tom Kunich wrote:

"Susan Walker" wrote in message
...
Op 27-11-09 8:01, Ryan Cousineau wrote:
In terms of the racers, it's just not close: the top 10 or 20 racers in
the world are doing Super Prestige and World Cups. Jonathan Page did
score an impressive silver two (?) Worlds ago, but that has been the
limit of US presence on the world CX stage.

Compton.

Because women's cycling is basically "cleaner" than men's you would expect a
lot closer racing in that category.

Actually I would not because a lack of competition due to poor finances for
women mean that anyone who comes along with even a modicum of talent can ride
away from the rest. Who does Compton beat? None of those riders make their
living from cyclocross...not even Vos or Hanky HumpingBagel.


Thanks,

Magilla

Susan Walker wrote:

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Katie Cop-Out is the women's equivalent to JP. Watch...she'll tank again at
worlds just like she did last year. The only reason she wins so much is
because women's cross has very shallow competition and there's no money in
it. The best riders (i.e. Vos, Kuntforbagel) don't even give a **** about
these world cup races. They only show up to race at worlds.

Somebody needs to tell Compton that cross isn't in the Olympics. And if
she plans on being the new Anne Grande, then sorry, but I can't get too
excited about that.

Just you wait, she's only now dialling in her asthma medication:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...ross-world-cup

From the article, Compton clearly feels her asthma medication will giver her that
extra 1-2% she needs to win worlds, which has absolutely nothing to do with a
genuine asthmatic medical condition. According to Compton, her asthma attacks
happen when she's in contention for a podium spot during really hard races.
Wow, this chick is delusional.

•••••••••••••••••

Take a deep breath...

Compton has to plan her travel carefully because she has found that flying too
close to a race causes her to suffer debilitating leg cramps. But that isn't the
only health problem that has affected her racing. This summer, while racing on
the national mountain bike circuit, she had some frightening episodes due to
asthma.

Compton attempted to race without her asthma medication while she was awaiting a
Therapeutic Use Exemption from the UCI and suffered a severe attack that landed
her in the hospital after a race in Alabama. She also had to withdraw from the
US Mountain Bike National Championships while racing for a podium spot.

Finding the right medication and getting the proper paperwork for the anti-doping
authorities took the better part of the summer, but going into the 'cross season
Compton said she believes her problems are behind her.

"My asthma has gotten worse in the last year. I've been trying to play with the
medicine a bit. I have used a long-acting and a short-acting [medicine], and I
finally got the right long-acting medicine.

"I've always been good for less than an hour, my short-action inhaler works. But
for the mountain bike races, I hadn't done enough at that level and that
intensity, so I hadn't had enough time to dial in the medicine - I was using the
races to dial in the long-acting medicine which isn't ideal."

•••••••••••••••••


Magilla

Bob Schwartz wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:01:11 GMT, Ryan Cousineau
wrote:

In terms of the racers, it's just not close: the top 10 or 20 racers in
the world are doing Super Prestige and World Cups. Jonathan Page did
score an impressive silver two (?) Worlds ago, but that has been the
limit of US presence on the world CX stage.

Hell, most serious cross competitions for the last, well, pretty much
as long as I have been alive, has been between two countries with the
occasional periods of another or two interlopers that have a top flite
competitor for a while. Why the U.S. would be any different begars me.
Seriously, when you talk of the very best in cross, aren't we talking
about a region the size of Connecticut and Mass thrown together or
smaller?

Typical worlds cross forever: Front two in one jersey, the two chasers
in another, then the field somewhere behind. I know, a bit of
oversimplification, but it is close enough often enough.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

If you are young and show some talent for 'cross in this country
the money will push you into road racing. Probably it's that way
everywhere except for the two countries where you can make a
decent living racing cyclocross.

Bob Schwartz

Correct. Except you left out that all the Belgians are on EPO and blood
dope.

Thanks,

Magilla

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Susan Walker wrote:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/...ross-world-cup

[...]
"My asthma has gotten worse in the last year. I've been trying to play with the
medicine a bit. I have used a long-acting and a short-acting [medicine], and I
finally got the right long-acting medicine.

"I've always been good for less than an hour, my short-action inhaler works. But
for the mountain bike races, I hadn't done enough at that level and that
intensity, so I hadn't had enough time to dial in the medicine - I was using the
races to dial in the long-acting medicine which isn't ideal."

Yep. So, even while she isn't doing any MTBing and even while the short
term meds work for 2h or so and even while MTB XC for W lasts around
1h45m, she is experimenting with long term stuff to optimise her
performance right now. Excellent coach, that husband of her. So who will
be Team USA coach for CX Worlds?

In article ,
Bob Schwartz wrote:

wrote:
On Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:01:11 GMT, Ryan Cousineau
wrote:

In terms of the racers, it's just not close: the top 10 or 20 racers in
the world are doing Super Prestige and World Cups. Jonathan Page did
score an impressive silver two (?) Worlds ago, but that has been the
limit of US presence on the world CX stage.

Hell, most serious cross competitions for the last, well, pretty much
as long as I have been alive, has been between two countries with the
occasional periods of another or two interlopers that have a top flite
competitor for a while. Why the U.S. would be any different begars me.
Seriously, when you talk of the very best in cross, aren't we talking
about a region the size of Connecticut and Mass thrown together or
smaller?

Typical worlds cross forever: Front two in one jersey, the two chasers
in another, then the field somewhere behind. I know, a bit of
oversimplification, but it is close enough often enough.

Curtis L. Russell
Odenton, MD (USA)
Just someone on two wheels...

If you are young and show some talent for 'cross in this country
the money will push you into road racing. Probably it's that way
everywhere except for the two countries where you can make a
decent living racing cyclocross.

Bob Schwartz

Well, yeah.

Nys' road racing record pretty much defines where road talent ends and
CX talent begins. The Belgians and Dutchmen who are fast on the road are
out there earning a living as road racers, too.

A certain chunk of the fast CXers on this continent are pro MTBers
slumming in the off-season or contemplating a career change (Kabush,
Geoff as an example).

Nonetheless, CX events have become more popular in the last decade.
CrossVegas is a new event, but a much-loved spectacle at Interbike. This
does not mean CX will continue on its current growth trajectory.

--
Ryan Cousineau http://www.wiredcola.com/
"In other newsgroups, they killfile trolls."
"In rec.bicycles.racing, we coach them."

On Nov 28, 12:01*am, Ryan Cousineau wrote:

Nonetheless, CX events have become more popular in the last decade.
CrossVegas is a new event, but a much-loved spectacle at Interbike. This
does not mean CX will continue on its current growth trajectory.


dumbass,

'cross has one big advantage in that it is relatively easy to put on a
high level race, but i don't see it as a seriously viable spectator
(live or TV) sport in north america. i race bikes and i'm not even
that interested in watching a 'cross race.

but, more importantly ? why do people like kunich even care if 'cross
becomes a bigger "pro" sport. whether tim johnson makes $50,000 a year
or $2 million it makes absolutely no difference to me.

Ryan Cousineau wrote:


Nonetheless, CX events have become more popular in the last decade.
CrossVegas is a new event, but a much-loved spectacle at Interbike. This
does not mean CX will continue on its current growth trajectory.


You people are not lucid. Cross events have only become "popular" amongst the
people who attend Interbike - that is, cyclists and people in the cycling
industry. It has not become more popular with mainstream American fans. There
is no TV coverage of cross. Cross is in the toilet and your definition of
success and popularity is lame.


Thanks,

Magilla