Hoogerheide, Netherlands—a power course with a few runups and flyovers but no barriers. What it does have is slog. Some of the most painful sections are the long straightaways with mud and not mud but not dry. So, lots of head down slogging. When there wasn’t slogging, there was the greasy. The greasy was everywhere the mud and not mud weren’t which included some sickkk rutty off-camber down-and-ups and especially that pooprut around the tree. Mmmmm, pooprut. Basically what I’m saying, it ain’t easy.
Everyone’s Lined Up—LET’S DO THIS!
Many smiling. Such jovial.
Unfortunately, this was the most we saw of Niels today. Also, J-Pow.
Breathe… Now, GO!!
VDH DOESN’T NEED TO HOLD A FREAKING LINE WHEN HE’S OUT IN FRONT.
‘DAT START DROP!!
Right from the jump it was apparent this was gonna be a fux-fest. First 2/3 got through unscathed. However, the final third suffered much scathing.
‘DAT START DROP (P1)
‘DAT START DROP (P2)
‘DAT START DROP (P3)
‘DAT START DROP (P4)
‘DAT START DROP (P5)
De Rest of De Rondes
Crashings! This drop would f**k with people all day.
Bina’s fux immediately started the downward spiral known as van der Haar’s day.
CX CATTLE OF MOOGERHEIDE!!
DON’T LOOKING AT ME!!
Stybar and Nys start to pull away.
Foreshadowing… Stybar decided to run while Nys stays seated. More on this later.
STYBAH’S A WICKED FAHKING MONSTAH!!
Braapito throwing down some drifts!
Meanwhile, back at the mudpit…
Sven Nys showing de #SVENNESS on this sickkk pittt.
Styby looking voor others to #dowork.
Picturesque pinwheel, one of 235. Soon Styby and Sven would perform a Lars-ectomy. Although technically, Lars removed himself…
Braapito getting loose in the pooprut. #stront #Larsectomy
“Ah HELLZ no I ain’t pulling through.”
What’s the motorized onomatopoeia so many commoners feel compelled to belch here?
Pauwels, sensing he was doing well, fixes that by having a mechanical incident.
Foreshadowing…
Onomatopoeia! Onomatopoeia! Onomatopoeia! Onomatopoeia
SYNCHRONIZED SVEN + STYBAR SHOULDERING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
This is the #SVEN-NOT-SO-NESS-LINE.
Nog 2 Ronden!!
These laatste twee rondes are some of the best CX racing I’ve seen to date. There are so many things happening as Nys and Stybar try to rid each other of, well, each other. Mistakes are made because they’re pushing so ridiculously haard, but they’re offset by the awe-inspiring skill exhibited at top speed and complete exhaustion.
Pretty sure I yelled, “OMFG!! SVEN F**KING NYS!!” right here. There may have been swooning involved.
Leaving just enough gaap to react, Sven throws down a genius sportsball move.
Sven’s looking real good like here, buuuuut…
Saad trombone voor Sven. De gaap is now gone, although I still think he would’ve had a hard time holding off Stybar regardless.
Click your heels, you’re almost home. Let’s do this.
LAATSTE RONDE!! LAATSTE RONDE!! LAATSTE RONDE!!
Stybar rode Sven’s wheel until just before the flyover. Going all in here—stretching the Nys one.
HTRWW #1: Stybar switches it up on this section, running it way early and ridiculously casual forcing Sven to grab a handful of brakes and dismount awkwardly.
HTRWW #2: Nys was the master of this slop all day, until he had to chase Stybar in it. Race. Over.
Sven’s definitely showing signs of fatigue; a rare sight indeed.
Stybar, on the other hand, still has some gas left. Clear gaap to Nys now.
Done. Nys has cracked, already realizing he won’t catch Stybar who’s already on the finishing straight.
Stybar thanking Morgan Hill.
Overwinnings voor Zdeněk Štybar, de nieuw Wereldkampioen Veldrijden!
De former Wereldkampioen graciously recognizing the crowd as he crosses the line in tweede.
