Let's go back to the Col du Vam and the Europeans of cyclocross. In the men's under 23 race, the one disputed "all in a group", an interesting technical detail emerged: in the muddiest sections (especially on the double straight including the pits, often a decisive result) Ryan Kamp preferred to carry the bike on his shoulders, while the Belgians were more inclined to push it.. IThe result was that in every similar situation, The Dutchman gained metres that his opponents were then forced to recover. It's true that there weren't that many stretches to be covered on foot, but in the end this too may have had its influence on the evolution of running.
Putting aside the arrival orders and the cold chronicle, We thought we'd get back to the topic with someone who's been involved in cyclocross for 35 years, Luca. Craved who had all four of his girls in the national team with two top 10 finishes: «The funny thing is that I never really learned how to shoulder my bike, let's say I made do.. Who instead was Vito was a real phenomenon By Tano: he loaded the bike and went fast as if he didn't have one, he earned a lot…».
So it's something you can learn…
Let's say it's largely a matter of personal attitude, it can't be taught. Let's start by saying that running with a bike on your shoulder and pushing it are two profoundly different things.When you load the bike, it means you have at least 7-8 kilograms on you, but mostly on one side, so it forces you to ride unbalanced and you are unable to move your right arm (the vast majority of people load on the right, many left-handed people do it too), so you have much less thrust. By pushing the bike you don't have this extra effort, but it's clear that on some routes like the Dutch one with such hard and sticky mud, the bike doesn't slide as you would like and it slows you down..
So is it true that Kamp had an advantage in the situation?
Yes, but that's one of its specific characteristics. Most people prefer to push the bike so as not to accumulate fatigue prematurely. A bike always gets dirty in the mud, and that also slows it down. The Europeans themselves have shown that in certain races, a lot of strategy is involved, choosing the best moment to change bikes.
Why are Belgians and Dutch more accustomed to carrying their bikes?
It depends a lot on the routes they take. Their tracks are always muddy or sandy, which forces them to put their feet down. Sometimes that happens here too. A Silvelle, eg, It is definitely advisable to carry the bike, because with so much mud you just can't push, unless that classic groove forms in which you try to slide the wheels as far as you can.
Are these channels prepared in advance by the organizers?
No, It is up to the riders, even during training to view the route, to try to "build" that passage which will then be useful in the raceAnother example that comes to mind is Koksijde, one of the tracks where you want it or not you are forced to run on foot more than in other races.
Is there a difference in this sense between the men's and women's competitions?
Enough. In the men's field there are many examples like Kamp's, even in the leading group there were those who tried to run with "ballast", but the Dutchman was evidently stronger and also more physically fit. Among girls there is a greater tendency to push, even if almost all of them know how to run even carrying the bike on their shoulders: one of the strongest and fastest is precisely the Brand, which releases power.
And what about the “three tenors”?
They make the difference especially on bikes, even if they perform very well on foot and train specifically for this. Still in Koksijde, Van der Poel e Van Aert They have the ability to push the pedals right up to the wall, and this helps them gain precious seconds. But there's another important aspect to consider...
What?
The climate. In these days of so much talk about climate change, it's true that the weather was often once more favorable than it is today, especially at certain times of the year. But the difference is not only temporal, but also geographical: In Holland and Belgium, racing in the rain and mud is almost standard practice and this means that the sections to be covered on foot are also quite long., this happens much less here…
