Jim Feehan said:

I have Optimum and it shows as channel 151 on my guide. Thanks Marc, fingers crossed. Watching Hoogerheide on Cycling TV now. Muddy mess!

This is the kind of course that I think of, and drives me insane (#emperorsnewclothes) when everyone talks about how "technical" Euro courses are. Yeah, it's muddy...but...

CX Worlds was broadcasted last year by Universal. 

The best way to watch is with a good VPN (for example: Tunnel bear) and the UCI's you tube channel. They'll broadcast all the world cups live and on demand and Worlds champs too. Zero commercials.

For a VPN I've been using tunnel bear with great success, sometimes I connect to my work's London office, same success.

If you have VPN this is Hoogerheide women's race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8-ETigh5Wc

This is men's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gcPs-h81No

Full on replay on demand, no commercials.

What's the JPOW story?

TLDR version: World cup races have become a big deal, and the american men are doing the best they can, but basically swallowed by the talent around them.

Here's hoping for less excuses and more pedaling next week.

Powers, thanks to his UCI ranking, got a front-row start.  He didn't have position to complain about.

I also eyeballed the results.  The worlds, which I think limits Belgian participation to six, will be easier thanks to their absence.  Based on this World Cup, Powers will turn his 7th overall ranking to a 17th place.  

I think his only chance at a top ten finish is on a dry, fast course.  

Jeremy Places 31st in Hoogerheide World Cup

http://www.jpows.com/jeremy-places-31st-in-hoogerheide-world-cup

In Zolder earlier this year, Jeremy finished 16th at the World Cup, and he’s hoping to improve on that placing on Sunday.

Also, the course seemed to vex a lot of regular top performers too. Nys was 13th, 3:20 down, Van der Haar 7th 2:16 down.

But I tend to agree with Eloy who points to a mental component. For years JPow has been attempting to crack the code of European racing/travel. And every year he switches up the formula somewhat and has yet to get appreciably diff't results. A few good results (this year it was 3 top-20s) but really a hole lot of, "meh?"

I mean, finishing on the lead lap in Europe is no joke and if Jeremy Durrin where doing that instead of getting pulled with 4 laps remaining like he did today, I'd be psyched for Durrin.

But we're talking JPow and we all have increased expectations.

PS if they wanted real mud practice, they all should have come to Supercross. JK. Sort of.

PPS if they wanted *real* mud practice, they should have come to Supercross course remediation.

I don't know - Making up 20 places on that course and still finishing on the lead lap isn't shabby; it's hard to fault his head space for getting pinched on that start. Sometimes it really is just a cigar.

Two thoughts...obviously against the barriers is not where you want to be on that start and if you are called up 8th you don't have much choice, BUT, as much as most of us have witnessed Jeremy Powers execute ruthless, clinical attacks in races here, bottom line is he is a very nice guy, maybe too nice. It is hard to imagine Sven Nys in his prime being on receiving end of MVDP shoulder coming off the line and not pushing back at least as hard as he was pushed, come what may, whether the race is named for the guy's father, in his hometown or he's wearing the rainbow bands.

At that level, you have to be ready, willing and able to push back, hold your ground or risk taking everyone down if you want respect and success. If you read JPOW's post race comments, you know he was aware of the risk and consciously choose to back off rather than crash the World Champ and any number of others. I believe that there are others on that front line who never would have considered anything but going full speed ahead and let the chips fall where they may.

You have to remember that he has every right to push back because, unlike Wout he did nothing wrong. He has a right to protect his position. U.S. Riders can never be successful there by being too respectful and or wanting to be liked.

The flip side is that Jeremy Powers is a professional and as big as WC races are, he knows that the 

Big Show is next week and it does neither him nor his sponsors any good to have him break his collarbone or wrist and miss out on Worlds. You can't really fault that kind of logic, if that's how he sees it, particularly if he believes his chances are better next week due to fewer Belgians and maybe a course and conditions better suited to him. I have no doubt that he has continually trained with an eye towards Zolder, rather than Hoogerheide, so here's hoping the choice pays off. Nothing I would rather see than a great ride at Workds from Powrrs and Hyde.

I have to agree Jim; Powers not going all-in, all-the-time does have a whiff of longer term calculus than it does timidity.

@jules @Jim Feehan  totally agree...

as additional commentary, ultimately, this crazy pressure is something that Jeremy has placed onto himself. 

Good points, Both Eloy and Jules, the pressure has to be enormous for all riders at that level, both internal and external. These are young guys at the height of their profession who have given their all day in, day out for years to get where they are and made some unfathomable sacrifices to get there. You can imagine how much the pressure to succeed gets ratcheted up in Europe by the media where people are so much more invested.

I don't claim to have any particular insight into JPOWs mind but it's clear that the frustration is palpable in his comments. He knows how fit and ready he is and how hard he had worked on improving perceived "weaknesses" and the results, at least to him, don't reflect the effort.

He has worked hard to get the points to line up in the front row in Europe and his results consistently have him finishing at back if third row or in fourth row. That would make anyone nuts, particularly when you know you are prepared and ready to do your best ride.although he would probably never admit it, if you look at the results page after each race and you are 25-30, at some point, on some level, you must begin to question if that's really where you belong. All of us who race cross have an innate understanding of who "our group" is and I hope Powers is not questioning whether he actually belongs on that front row because it has to be impossible to succeed there if such is creeping into your thinking.

The brake check coming off the line on a World Cup when you get squeezed could be symptomatic of that kind of thought process or simply a professional approach to pursuing larger goals. For JPOWS sake I hope it's just keeping to the plan. 

Sorry to get long winded here, but I find this stuff intriguing. When I suggest that Powers may be too nice and/or respectful of the Euros I should clarify. I certainly applaud goes who race in respectful manner as to their professional colleagues. We are, after all, not discussing chopping a fellow professional going into a corner late in a race on a "battle" for 45th position. That is simply out of bounds and I suspect if you did it in European cross, you would find yourself eating s post in the next race courtesy of your victim. 

We are talking about holding your position at the start of a Workd Cup cross race. Failure to do so dooms you to mid pack start. Cross starts are often compared to road racing sprint finishes. There is always going to be contact and it would be hard to imagine Cav or say Robbie McEwen touching their brakes to avoid crashing the guy leaning on them.

Unfortunately, I suspect that JPOWS is seen as an oddity by his Euro peers, even at this point, because he isn't there week in, week out. I believe that most of them probably have a sense of entitlement to any ground he is occupying and if they want it they are going to take it. I am certain Van der Poel never thought to himself, "oh no, I'm going to put JPOWS in the barrier".
 There is no room for that thought in that moment, if you are going to win that race.

I understand that for most Americans living in Europe full time doesn't work, JPOWS included, who tried it. By the same token if you go over 2x year and race 5-6 races per year before Worlds, I think you only increase the pressure on each start and decrease probability of results reflective of your talent/fitness. Elite cross racing at World Cup level is the sharp tip of the spear and I believe you need that sense of entitlement to positions.

there is a big difference between having sense that you "belong" in a given spot and racing like an ass to get it. Witness Sven Nys' reaction to Gianni Vermerscb chopping him recently fir like 8th place. My concern for JPOWS is that he may not, deep down, believe he is a Legit podium threat each time he lined up. If you compare the way he carries himself and the way he races with other Americans who have had success in Europe, there seems to be a difference.

Jonathan Page and Tim Johnson, both of whom medaled at the Worlds, raced with, to my eye, more of an "edge" or chip on their shoulder than Powers seems to. Elite men's cross racing is different than any other group. These guys that Jpow is lining up with are the established superstars and in some cases legends of the sport. It is very easy, I suspect, to defer to them.

I think this is why US kids and women are more successful in Europe. They aren't awed by the people they line up against, with possible exception of Vos. They also see them more often. Many of the woman race against their Euro peers in the road of mtb regularly, which Elite men don't do. U.S. Juniors and U23 men make several trips and often race 8-10x year in Europe before Workds and guys like Logsn Owen race and beat the same guys on the road. Not true of Elite men.

Love the thoughtful discussion about JPow in Europe. I could swear I saw him in the first 10 places for a good portion of the first lap. If so, his explanation sounds like an excuse. Why, who knows, but I remain hopeful that he can have a good perfaance (and Hyde too!) Sunday. 

On a completely different topic, check out this cool onboard video of the Waregem NIGHT race in a city. I've never been to night weasels, but this seems much more red hook crit meets cyclocross to me. This would be awesome in NYC. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wdJGCzLVPDk

In other news...Supercross has joined the premier CX series for 2016.

Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series

http://www.vittoria.com/press-announcement/vittoria-earns-title-sponsorship-of-northeast-cyclocross-series/

1 month ago, JPow started on the front row on the same Zolder course he will tackle this weekend. Watch it again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QoNH_4SFu0

It was one of his best finishes, 16th out of 61. It's a fast course that appears to encourage group riding. If he makes the critical splits in the beginning, I can see both he and Hyde placing in the top 20 or better.

Also, the Durrins are moving to the UK. Gabby to be a marketing manager, Jeremy to race...

http://www.cxmagazine.com/gabby-durrin-moves-marketing-exec-role-neon-velo

Marc Bertucco said:

In other news...Supercross has joined the premier CX series for 2016.

Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series

http://www.vittoria.com/press-announcement/vittoria-earns-title-sponsorship-of-northeast-cyclocross-series/

The Vittoria Northeast Cyclocross Series joins Supercross!

FTFY

Trebon on CX worlds

http://hupunited.com/blogs/news/84535044-ryan-trebon-on-worlds-vermeersch-and-the-future-of-us-cross

Check out Durrin and Clark practicing the off-camber:

Wait, those GCN guys don't just make videos?

they do make videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD5YP_WR58s

As Kissena Cyclocross Heckling Club Champ I heartily endorse Georgia Gould's Heckling 101.

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/01/get-ready-for-cx-worlds-heckling-101-with-georgia-gould/

I am particularly fond of this one:

“You’re like a Ben folds song- sad and slow!”

#HeckleLikeAPro #CX

Helen Wyman go pro world's preview (not sure I love these, bcs everything looks basically flat)

quickie version with her stages power numbers:
https://player.vimeo.com/video/153173932

full lap:

Quick question/comment. So NBC online streaming live Worlds--women and men. But honestly, our best podium shots might be coming from the Juniors and "youth" category. Well, okay, the Katies are serious threats. Anyway...Tunnel Bear...is the free version going to cover the weekend?

"500mb of free data every month"

How many minutes/hours is 500mb of free data?