[Francis Cebedo]

I am just discovering this young man but what I'm learning is simply, simply devastating.

He has destroyed the notion of competition in cyclocross

This IS his spring of 2019

And what's happening in mountain biking is inconceivable.

 

[KingOfOrd]

He's got skills, and he's got a motor. He'll be fun to watch.

 

[IAmHolland]

I just hope he's not a doper. Outstanding performance, but seems almost too good.

 

[KingOfOrd]

I just hope he's not a doper. Outstanding performance, but seems almost too good.

I agree, and to be honest he does raise some red flags. I know he's coming off a hot CX season but he's not the only guy in peak condition right now but he's made a lot of big name riders look like fools.

 

[Radium]

I was completely unaware of this young man until fc began posting about him. Now, I really don't know what to think, except for another Mercx or such?

 

[Radium]

I was completely unaware of this kid until fc introduced his exploits to mtbr. I hope he is a true phenomena.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

I was completely unaware of this kid until fc introduced his exploits to mtbr. I hope he is a true phenomenon.

Some of my friend suspect doping. We all feel burned from the past so I looked into his history and everything about him is perfect. Not a flash in the pan who had no results last year.

Genetics, upbringing, size, skill, power, technique, mental, tactics, virtuosity. Everything is A+ since he was 10 years old.

So doping is less likely.

 

[twowheelmotion]

He did exactly what I wanted to see Sagan do. Back in the 80's, I watched LeMond transition to MTB, and it was mind blowing to see a disciplined road racer and TDF winner convert to dirt...

MVDP gets the benefit of the doubt from me. The kids are alright...

 

[Francis Cebedo]

He did exactly what I wanted to see Sagan do. Back in the 80's, I watched LeMond transition to MTB, and it was mind blowing to see a disciplined road racer and TDF winner convert to dirt...

MVDP gets the benefit of the doubt from me. The kids are alright...

Yeah, the promise of Peter Sagan, he is fulfilling.

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

^^^ That Goorin Brother's Lone Wolf hat....very nice.

 

[John Svahn]

I'm guessing his Dad is Adri, who was a baller 'cross racer I think with Rabobank in the 90s and prior in the late 80s. Might have been a world champ or close to it.

 

[chrisbtsc]

Since he has my last name he has to be great.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

I'm guessing his Dad is Adri, who was a baller 'cross racer I think with Rabobank in the 90s and prior in the late 80s. Might have been a world champ or close to it.

That's it. Grandpa too was legit.

 

[etuck]

I'm a european bike racing nerd and have been following this kid for a few years. What he did at the Amstel Gold Race was one of the most impressive things I've ever seen across sports. It was flipping insane. Generational talent for sure, and he seems like a good kid.

In my opinion, the type of young guy who dopes likely isn't the type of guy to commit to another season of MTB racing when he could have gone for World Tour money already. He's clearly not just motivated by money. He's also stayed on a small team when he could have found a way to be racing for Quickstep, et all next year.

It will be interesting to see if he fits into the grand tours at some point. If he stays healthy he's going to crush the one day races for foreseeable future.

He's still giving up time going downhill in world cup but that won't last for long I'm sure.

 

[etuck]

BTW - Sagan fulfilled plenty of promise. He's off this year but let's not sell that guy short. He's been the most successful male bike racer in the tour for a long time now and he should pull it together shortly.

Watching those two batter for 5 more years could be awesome.

 

[KingOfOrd]

He's still giving up time going downhill in world cup but that won't last for long I'm sure.

Who is he losing time to on the DH? We didn't get to see him much during the Albstadt coverage and he definitely held his own at Novo Mesto.

 

[etuck]

It was the Albstadt short track where I kept seeing him getting gapped on the descent and then closing it down after when they came back into the flats. Might be he just didn't want to crash in the wet.

 

[rafekett]

It was the Albstadt short track where I kept seeing him getting gapped on the descent and then closing it down after when they came back into the flats. Might be he just didn't want to crash in the wet.

Speculating as I cannot read minds, but that sounds like valid strategy. If he knows he's that much stronger on the flats and can bridge gaps there, why risk a flat or crash trying to hit the downhill as quickly as possible? The other riders need the advantage and have to take the risk.

Other thing -- being fast and smooth on the downhills is only going to take you so far in an XCO race, or any race that starts and stops at the same point. The majority of the time is going to spent on the uphills and flats, so there's a lot more time to gain being fast there. Obviously there's a limit, if you can't descend well at all or crash all the time doesn't matter how fast you are on the uphills and flats.

 

[nilswalk]

Other thing -- being fast and smooth on the downhills is only going to take you so far in an XCO race, or any race that starts and stops at the same point. The majority of the time is going to spent on the uphills and flats, so there's a lot more time to gain being fast there. Obviously there's a limit, if you can't descend well at all or crash all the time doesn't matter how fast you are on the uphills and flats.

It's true. But I think the last few years with Nino (and others) there was kind of a conventional wisdom that training was so scientific and optimized these days that (at least at the very top) power and endurance were so close that it was technical skill that was coming to the front as the differentiator. Definitely that was the feeling when Nino started to beat Absalon on a regular basis. It's interesting to now see someone come along who seems to be on another level in terms of raw power.

He really is the complete cyclist. It's so awesome to see him taking mountain biking just as seriously as the other disciplines.

 

[Francis Cebedo]

Who is he losing time to on the DH? We didn't get to see him much during the Albstadt coverage and he definitely held his own at Novo Mesto.

Yup, I don't see him giving up time on DH. Not unless he wants too.