"It's great to see the fans again. These races are always special for me." 🤩 Read more about @WoutvanAert's cyclocross program in the article below! 👇
"A sunny cross in January is a perfect scenario" - After thumb up from Pidcock and Van der Poel, Benidorm remain hopeful in adding Van Aert to startlist
CyclocrossThursday, 30 November 2023 at 17:30
With the three biggest stars of cyclocross having now revealed their calendars, both Tom Pidcock and Mathieu van der Poel are confirmed for Benidorm in January. Although Wout van Aert hasn't given the thumbs up to the cross just yet, race director Pascual Momparler remains hopeful.
"The best in the world are participating, proof that a sunny cross in January is a perfect scenario," a delighted Momparler says gleefully in conversation with Esciclismo. "Van Aert, however, makes it depend on the first crosses on his calendar. He wants to see how he gets through the Christmas period."
Securing the trifecta of cyclocross superstars would be a big win for Benidorm and as such, Momparler is going to do everything in his power to try and convince the Belgian. "Van Aert will be in Alicante with the Jumbo-Visma team by then, and he will take his cyclocross equipment with him," he explains. "We will all have to push him a little to convince him to participate in Benidorm. To say goodbye to his cyclo-cross season in this way."
"We are fortunate that we can now get the three best riders in the world to compete. That may no longer be possible in a few years," Momparler concludes, referencing the fact that this year, the Benidorm cross also an added challenge. "We want to put on a show, with a course that includes a more difficult climb. This way the race will be more split and not stay together for too long. It gives the attackers the opportunity to drive away."
claps 0visitors 162
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- That’s the most stupid thing I’ve read for a long time, did you not go to school and learn even the most basic physics? Aero depends on one thing only, drag, drag depends speed and the relationship is squared and apart from maybe at zero or the speed of sound or due to side winds that relationship is valid at all speeds, it dies not “suddenly” start at a magic number. Very simply, the faster you go the more the effect becomes important. If you think 25km/h is needed to have noticeable effects you’re delusional, athletic WR are cancelled as soon as winds top 2m/s that’s 7.2km/h, why because the assistance is already too important at that speed and the times prove it. You don’t even consider wind which can significantly increase the effective speed for aerodynamics and you underestimate speed of climbs, 6% is ridden more at 30 than 25km/h, a speed at which early generation high rims were considered to have more advantages than disadvantages. And finally, as in normal races you can’t just switch bikes according to terrain, it’s pretty pointless to discuss climbs as a separate situation, the aero will have justified itself plenty during the rest of the ride.Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- If you look at how much TP progressed in that 1 1/2 years you can no longer say that’s nothing. If Remco improves as much he’s a challenger!Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Froome wishing to ride the Vuelta...he won't even be selected for the team!frieders320-12-2024
- Keep telling yourself that Remco but you not only have Tadeg to beat but Jonas!frieders320-12-2024
- Seems farfetched - I agree. Mas has beaten him once. Giro d'Emillia I think - 2022mobk20-12-2024
- Barring injuries, by the time Pogacar's dominance fads there will be lots of new young talent. Pogacar is about 1 1/2 years older than Remco. That's nothing.Sweep20-12-2024
- I actually don’t find that too impressive. In my later forties I did similar figures for a 3.5% gradient as a total nobody with no wind assistance. Am sure there’s margin for improvement there, especially looking at all the names on that list.Mistermaumau20-12-2024
- Jonas', was 6 years agospock12320-12-2024
- The race where he overnight suddenly turned nuclear after being packfodder at best for several years. His Sky days after that Vuelta and Pogačar’s last season shall remain the darkest post Lance stuff cycling has witnessed. Good riddance Froome.
UltimateOpportunist20-12-2024 - Finishing the Vuelta seems to be a reasonably attainable goal. Getting on the team to do that will be the more difficult challenge.
santiagobenites20-12-2024