I had an article forwarded through email to me about the latest uci ranking. I thought to myself when I first saw it, wow! 5th place, that’s awesome. My goal from the get go this season has been to gather as many points as I can and then head to Europe with a bank robbers amount of points in my sack. The whoollleee problem with all these points is that Europe is far away. Not just physically, but every single way, from the food to the weather, its different. And I try hard to embrace it, and I do, a year hasn’t passed since 2003 that I’ve been in Europe less then a month straight. So anyway, I read this article and only understood a little of it, then I had it translated by a friend and this is what I got from it… So, leave a comment, tell me what YOU think of the article… Bitter? Correct, Pissed D) all of the above?
Seeya,
J
Nys leidt vertekende UCI-ranking
In de eerste UCI-ranking van het nieuwe veldritseizoen neemt Sven Nys autoritair de leiding voor Niels Albert. Opmerkelijk detail: De Amerikaan Jeremy Powers staat op plaats vijf.
Elke dinsdag na een wereldbekermanche wordt de UCI-ranking geupdatet. Deze van vandaag is de allereerste van het nieuwe seizoen. Sven Nys leidt met 420 punten, dat zijn er 21 meer dan Niels Albert. De nummer drie, Kevin Pauwels, telt al 136 punten achterstand. Bart Wellens sluit de top tien af, Lars Boom staat voorlopig pas 24ste.
JEREMY POWERS OP VIJF
Toch enkele interessante vaststellingen in deze eerste ranking van het nieuwe seizoen. De Amerikaan Jeremy Powers staat op plaats vijf, zijn landgenoot Ryan Trebon op zeven.
Trouwens, met Timothy Johnson op veertien, Geoff Kabush op vijftien en James Driscoll op zeventien doen de mannen van ‘oversea’ het in blok heel goed in het huidige klassement. Dat terwijl geen van hen zondag aan de start stond in Kalmthout.
VS OOK 2de in LANDENRANKING
Zijn de Amerikanen er dan zo op vooruitgegaan? Bijlange niet! Maar vooral Powers en Trebon domineren in de Verenigde Staten het veldritseizoen, waar bovendien -door het overaanbod aan wedstrijden- de toppers elkaar nog uit de weg gaan. Powers bijvoorbeeld won al vier A2-wedstrijden en één A1-cross. Ook Trebon heeft al vier overwinningen achter zijn naam staan. Zo dikken de puntjes goed aan. In de landenranking staat het Amerikaanse team zelfs op nummer twee. Weliswaar een eind achter onze leidende Belgen, maar wel vóór de Tsjechen.
Volgende week dinsdag krijgen we allicht al een meer reëel beeld van de UCI-ranking. Want de meest punten zijn uiteraard nog altijd te verdienen in de Wereldbekermanches. En daarin blijven de Amerikanen, op Jonathan Page na, opnieuw opvallend afwezig. Volgende dinsdag moet onze vrienden Powers en Trebon wellicht al plaats ruimen voor onder meer Vantornout, Wellens, Stybar en Simunek.
English Translation:
Nys in the lead of a skewed UCI-ranking
The first UCI-ranking of the new cyclocross season has Sven Nys clearly in the lead over Niles Albert. Interesting detail: The American Jeremy Powers is in fifth.
Every Tuesday after a World Cup race the UCI ranking is updated. Today’s ranking is the first of the new season. Sven Nys leads with 420 points, 21 points more then Niels Albert. Number three, Kevin Pauwels, is already 136 points behind. Bart Wellens closes the top ten, Lars Boom is only 24th for the moment.
JEREMY POWERS FIFTH
There are a few very interesting points in this first ranking of the new season. The American Jeremy powers is fifth, his countryman Ryan Trebon seventh.
With Timothy Johnson at fourteen, Geoff Kabush at fifteen and Jamie Driscoll at seventeen the guys from ‘oversea’ are doing well in the classification. And that even though none of these riders started in Kalmthout this past Sunday.
US ALSO SECOND IN COUNTRY RANKINGS
Have the American riders improved that much? Not really! But especially Powers and Trebon have been dominating the cyclocross season in the US this year. On top of that -because of the abundance of races- the top riders have been avoiding each other. For instance, Powers has already won four A2-races and one A1-race. Trebon has won four races as well. That way the points collect very nicely. In the country ranking the American team is second, quite far behind the Belgium team, but ahead of the Czechs.
Next week we will get a more real picture of the UCI ranking. The World Cup races still give the most points, and that’s were the American riders shine in their absence (except for Jonathan Page). Next Tuesday our friends Trebon and Powers will most likely have to make room for Vantornout, Wellens, Stybar, and Simunek.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:03 am
Sounds a little bitter.
I think all of Europe is just jealous of how awesome you are.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:13 am
just a reporter looking/hoping for controversy where there is none.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:17 am
haters, time to break out the furry hat and cane…
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:25 am
Just keep collecting those points and let them make their judgments after you bring the pain to Europe.
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 am
My take: It’s accurate, but with a rather dickish tone.
Don’t the North American riders usually rank higher in the early months? This is nothing new. This guy clearly doesn’t give you the respect you deserve, so head over there and prove him wrong!
I understand it must be a huge disadvantage to race over there. We have to much going on here in the USA. In Belgium, I believe the only two fall/winter activities available to the public are kicking dogs and watching cyclocross. Thus, cross is more popular over there, and there is much more money in it.
Good luck with the rest of your season!
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:21 am
Having your good name dragged through some (euro) mud by a biased press – shocking, I’d say, absolutely shocking! And you really have to stop avoiding the likes of Trebon and Johnson, or you won’t shine at all, not even in your absence!
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Most likely they have heard about your “personal cone” and are now out to de-throne, errr, de-cone you.
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:40 pm
It seems to be an egocentric viewpoint. Historically, they have proven to be the dominant grounds for developing Cross superstars but with every historic run there is an end. I see the similarities with our Olympic basketball’s ‘Dream Team’(s) where America brought basketball to the world in 1992 with the original DT and our renewed dominance has lessened since. I believe it is safe to say that Cyclocross has arrived in North America (simply look at PDX’s Cross Crusade results list ~100+ rider/category). With that, the NA competition has grown and the skills are being honed.
Anyone who watched the victory at Starcrossed or the tactics at Steilacoom knows that if JP, TJ, or Tree Fram can get good start positions in Belgium they are to be reckoned with. Let’s not forget that despite Page’s talent he does not come back to the State and blow the legs off these guys.
In short, as Clinton Sparks would say, ” Get familiar M*ther F*ckers”
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Hey Jeremie,
Yes. For sure you gone be angry at this. But need to remember that you do not big races. Huh? Sven Nys he does the bigges races. If he do go come over to America for to go cyclocross race he for sure gone to win at this competition. Why be so angry at this? I do not understand when you are so angry to be less great than the great Sven Nys? It is maybe impossible to beat him.
In my country we always say that you cannot beat Sven Nys, unless you gone do race he not gone do. But Sven Nys gone do all race he gone do, so for sure you can not win!
Jeremie my friend you gone come over to Belgium to race this year for sure. I have seen you rabbit hop the plank. It gone be a good race. Sven Nys gone be there you maybe gone beat him! HAHA. No for sure that not gone to happen.
See you soon,
Stein Van Der Hooven
http://www.vielerplog.be
October 24th, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I particularly liked the rabbit hop the plank…if Nys is so unbeatable why has he only won 1 World title?? Sure he is the greatest of the era, but he isn’t unbeatable…
October 24th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Dude, Rumsfeld was right…old Europe is wack!
October 28th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I wonder what good ol’ Stein thinks of Sven rabbit planting the plank with his noodle?
I’m not saying the man isn’t great… but he isn’t waling on water either…
The gap is getting smaller, you boys are killing it.
Ride hard and give em hell JP!
October 28th, 2008 at 10:27 am
by the way… I can’t type…
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:21 am
Yeah, those are pretty skewed. How the fuck is Nys ahead of you?
November 2nd, 2008 at 5:05 pm
They sound bitter, but they may have a right to be. How would the Americans do against the Euros? Compare with Page’s results in both places.