2024 Pro thread

[Requiem84]

If 'multi-WC' winner means multiple world cup winner then yeah. She won a few world cups in mountainbiking.

When? Are you also thinking of someone else?

2013 - 2015 she did some XC racing. Granted, it was a level below WC it seems.

https://mtbdata.com/riders/marianne-vos

[Karvalo]

If 'multi-WC' winner means multiple world cup winner then yeah. She won a few world cups in mountainbiking.

When? Are you also thinking of someone else?

2013 - 2015 she did some XC racing. Granted, it was a level below WC it seems.

So in answer to the question... never?

[Requiem84]

If 'multi-WC' winner means multiple world cup winner then yeah. She won a few world cups in mountainbiking.

When? Are you also thinking of someone else?

2013 - 2015 she did some XC racing. Granted, it was a level below WC it seems.

So in answer to the question... never?

Indeed, you were totally right.

[EtoDemerzel]

If I was a betting man, I would not bet against Vos if she decides to show up at Unbound or any other gravel race, or any Lifetime series event for that matter, even with her lack of MTB results.

Exactly.
And her skills elite level. Anyone that races cx or xc knows. armchair experts critiquing one of the greatest cyclists in history because it's "gravel racing" is Hilarious.

[LeDuke]

If I was a betting man, I would not bet against Vos if she decides to show up at Unbound or any other gravel race, or any Lifetime series event for that matter, even with her lack of MTB results.

Exactly.
And her skills elite level. Anyone that races cx or xc knows. armchair experts critiquing one of the greatest cyclists in history because it's "gravel racing" is Hilarious.

With her motor, particularly back in 2013-2015 (years when she won road and CX worlds), if she couldn’t make a single podium at the much-less-technical WC XCO courses of that era, she’d get absolutely shelled on a modern day course.

Her best WC XCO result was 11th at Albstadt, which was a very tame course.


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[TobinHatesYou]

I don't know what we're trying to argue here. While Vos may not have world champ level XC skills, that's not needed for Unbound. What you need at Unbound is the ability to do 322km worth of chunky gravel, silty gravel, peanut butter mud, etc. You also need next-level equipment preparedness, luck and a sturdy paint mixing stick.

[EtoDemerzel]

great summary of thoughts on the gravel Worlds by Nero
https://youtu.be/VukuafNVGMg?t=2933

[OJ]

If I was a betting man, I would not bet against Vos if she decides to show up at Unbound or any other gravel race, or any Lifetime series event for that matter, even with her lack of MTB results.

Exactly.
And her skills elite level. Anyone that races cx or xc knows. armchair experts critiquing one of the greatest cyclists in history because it's "gravel racing" is Hilarious.

With her motor, particularly back in 2013-2015 (years when she won road and CX worlds), if she couldn’t make a single podium at the much-less-technical WC XCO courses of that era, she’d get absolutely shelled on a modern day course.

Her best WC XCO result was 11th at Albstadt, which was a very tame course.


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Wasn't the argument here that Vos would be in somewhat of a disadvantage racing Unbound vs. gravel specialists and/or top MTB riders? I would not bet money against Vos at Unbound. I don't know how she would do on modern world cup XCO course, but I don't think modern XCO performance is much of a gravel race performance predictor.

[Tom14]

Ok, let's take a commercial perspective: I think it is much more interesting to position gravel as an alternative to road racing. The Worlds in BE right basically were more similar to a Strade Bianche race than to a real gravel race (think Unbound, Traka).

Marianne Vos won on 33mm tires (!) (ok, maybe the inflation system helped her here but still). VdP raced on 38mm (?). Most proper gravel races these days need 45mm tires or more. We also saw that most regular road riders without too much practice could easily compete at the front yesterday. A proper gravel race should result in pro gravel riders mixing it with the bigger engines of the road riders. If the course is as simple as it was yesterday, it will just be a road fest.

As a proposition to sell more bikes and to generate a slightly wider audience it would definitely help to go towards 'more gravel'. I have no clue about the gravel around Nice next year, but I head it will contain a fair bit more climbing? That at least sounds promising.

38mm is more than enough for Traka. If WT-roadies would compete in Traka, you would see the same result as in the Worlds. It's all about power.

The 'problem' is: in Flanders there aren't remote areas and the typical gravel roads like you see in Girona for example. But what you have in Flanders are tens of thousands spectators and that makes it super cool. I think that's the charm of gravel: very different surfaces and circumstances every race.

I think Valkenburg in The Netherlands would also be a perfect place for the gravel worlds.

[Lelandjt]

I don't know what we're trying to argue here. While Vos may not have world champ level XC skills, that's not needed for Unbound. What you need at Unbound is the ability to do 322km worth of chunky gravel, silty gravel, peanut butter mud, etc. You also need next-level equipment preparedness, luck and a sturdy paint mixing stick.

I get the impression that the ability to read the ground ahead and dodge rocks is huge at that race. Who flats or doesn't can't all come down to luck.

[Tifosiphil]

It's a tough one really as everyone quickly forgets that Kasia won Big Sugar by 9mins solo in her second ever gravel race. That was a pretty stellar performance and all of the top Lifetime athletes were there

[Requiem84]

I don't know what we're trying to argue here. While Vos may not have world champ level XC skills, that's not needed for Unbound. What you need at Unbound is the ability to do 322km worth of chunky gravel, silty gravel, peanut butter mud, etc. You also need next-level equipment preparedness, luck and a sturdy paint mixing stick.

I get the impression that the ability to read the ground ahead and dodge rocks is huge at that race. Who flats or doesn't can't all come down to luck.

It's a bit like 1950-2000 F1: drivers who could take better care of their equipment often won more than drivers that were trying to go fast everywhere.

Mohoric being the prime example here, he tried to race every descend and ultimately paid the price in this year's Unbound. It's not coincidence that the same riders in Unbound statistically have less punctures. It's a matter of carefully testing and validating equipment and tires AND getting experiences in knowing when to take risks and when to ride safely.

A big fail in Unbound this year was for example that some Specialized riders were offered a special Unbound tire in the week before Unbound. They couldn't (or at least not all of them) test the tire thoroughly in advance. Those who chose to run this tire didn't puncture indeed, but they did feel that the rolling resistance was massively higher and they all finished quite low.

[maquisard]

The alleged TdF for next year. It seems very traditional.

[howaboutme]

Mvdp at unbound next year? That would be huge. I would think lifetime is on it.

[Karvalo]

The alleged TdF for next year. It seems very traditional.

Surely not? 1997 called and they want their first week back!

Mvdp at unbound next year? That would be huge. I would think lifetime is on it.

He's speculated about taking a proper run at MTB worlds next year since the Kigali course is so unsuitable for him. If so, Unbound is bracketed by European XCO world cups the weekend before and after. They would probably make more sense in terms of season long goals if he was free to race anything at that time.