La Cyclocross World Cup Vermiglio is knocking on the door. Yesterday, Van Aert returned to racing in the Superprestige at Boom. on his new Cervélo and he immediately won. Then he took a breath and admitted that he'll arrive at the Trentino event full of doubts, because he's never raced on snow.
"The victory gives me confidence," he said. "It went better than I expected. Next week everything will be different, because there will be snow. I will go to Vermiglio with fear, because I have never been a specialist in snow racing., but I'm confident and curious to see how it goes."
The unknown is common, the curiosity is great. And if for the Val di Sole, as we wrote in July, this is a golden opportunity to launch the winter ski season, for Flanders Classics which organizes the World Cup and for the entire cross-country circus This is a great opportunity to take a few steps towards the Winter Olympics.
Van Aert, returning to cross-country, won yesterday in Boom: now he's aiming for Vermiglio The Belgian took advantage of Toon Aerts' fall, but was confident he could drop him. Pidcock also raced yesterday at Boom: he finished 7th. Tom will also race at Vermiglio.
Van Aert, returning to cross-country, won yesterday in Boom: now he's aiming for Vermiglio The Belgian took advantage of Toon Aerts' fall, but was confident he could drop him. Pidcock also raced yesterday at Boom: he finished 7th. Tom will also race at Vermiglio.
Cyclocross on the snow
But what does it mean to run in the snow? We asked Martino Fruet (in the opening photo Podetti), who about the race Val di Sole he has already been a testimonial in a video very exciting and that he has raced on snow before with mixed success. Is Van Aert right to be worried?
«It's true – he smiles – I ran two, in Nalles and Bolzano, and I understood that there are many variables. A bit like when you ski, it depends on the type of snow and the weather.If it's cool and dusty, you won't even get wet. If it's beaten by a cat and freezing, it feels like walking on asphalt. If it rains, if it's hot the day before, if..."
Got it, let's take it one step at a time. There's bound to be snow, right?
There is no doubt. It had snowed before I made the video and they are predicting snow on Wednesday too.Vermiglio is in a basin, so you can't see the sun at all. Above it is the Presena Glacier, where the video ends, so icy currents blow down below. The Belgians arrived yesterday to mark the route, then they will polish it upBut the point is the weather, as always.
Hard, well-treated snow: how do you run?
It's like asphalt and you go really fast. Maybe after a while the curves will dig in, but if it's really cold, the bottom holds up.I even tried pedaling on well-groomed ski slopes; it's difficult, but you can get by. To give you an idea, the only critical spots were those where the ski edges had dislodged the snow.
What if it rains the day before?
The snow is loosening and that water gets into your feet when you have to run on footLike last year in Nalles, when twenty of the good ones retired with two laps to go. In such cases, hands and feet stop working.Another option is if the day before is warm and melts it a bit…
And maybe it freezes at night?
Exact, you end up with… glass and in that case they can and must just add salt and wait for it to dissolve, otherwise you won't be able to stand up straight and if you fall you'll hurt yourself. If the rules don't change for this occasion, Studded tires are prohibitedand, if they don't put the salt, the last resort will be to find a line outside the ice.
Have you ever run in conditions like this?
I remember a race in Bolzano that Silvestri won, but they added salt.
What if it snows during the race?
Great show. If the bottom is beaten, nothing changes. If it's foggy, because it could happen in those valleys, then you risk not seeing anything. Even if There are 16 fixed cameras in a two and a half kilometer ring.
The Belgian Flanders Classics team has been working since yesterday to map out the Vermiglio route (photo by Podetti) Here are the wooden poles that will be planted along the entire route to delimit it (photo Podetti) Teams are at work; the ground is already icy. More snow is forecast for Wednesday.
The Belgian Flanders Classics team has been working since yesterday to map out the Vermiglio route (photo by Podetti) Here are the wooden poles that will be planted along the entire route to delimit it (photo Podetti) Teams are at work; the ground is already icy. More snow is forecast for Wednesday.
Do you use mud tires on ice?
That's the best solution. Dugast will send me some studded wheels, but they can't be used and would only be useful on ice. When we shot the video, I had a dry tire, with just a little bit of shoulderThe point is that the race will only be held on Sunday with the elite categories, so On Saturday after the tests, they will polish the route with the three snowcats already deployed.
Given this situation, perhaps we won't even have to change bikes?
I don't think they will, in fact. Unless the brake calipers freeze up, in case of extreme cold or due to continuous contact with snow.
What race do you expect?
Hard and spectacular to see. They covered the lawn, but if it rains and by dint of passing through it it comes out in mudHalf the race is done in the basin, then you go up on the left looking towards the Tonale Pass and you continue uphill. The uphill meadow has its own nice slope, so there will be 50-60 meters of difference in altitude per lap.
Winter Olympics, launch of the tourist season, and what else do you think?
Want the scoop? Alpine gravel launch, which could open some important doors. Just as we used to go and do mountain bike races on the banks, the ones we called “the panoce races”, so you can run on gravel in winter. But please (laughs, ed.), don't let anyone know that I told you...
