It’s all about the temperature in Saint Wendel cyclocross worlds championships

Ask anyone about the way this weekend’s racing will unfold at the cyclocross world championships in Saint Wendel, Germany, talk invariably turns to the thermometer. Above freezing? Below freezing?

The hills of southwestern Germany have spent much of the past week under cloud cover. There are few signs of the recent snows that have hit the area, with most of the valley snows having melted over the past week or so.

The weather forecast for the coming weekend calls for increasingly sunny skies, but temperatures will continue to hover around the freezing range. And that might all the difference in the world as riders line up on the 2.8-kilometer course, quite similar to that used the last time worlds were contested in St. Wendel in 2005.

Temperatures on Saturday and Sunday could be right at 0°C … or they could bump up a little above the freezing mark.

“That could change the course,” said American Tim Johnson of the twisting 2.8-kilometer course. “It will be tough, either way, but if it stays frozen it will be fast; if it begins to melt, it could makes some sections pretty scary.”

The U.S. team coach Geoff Proctor said variable conditions in recent days have rutted critical sections, especially at a fast descent into the second pass through the pit area.

“Really, we really have to put a lot of strategic thinking — based partially on weather — on our pick,” Proctor said. “A good spot for the first pass through the pits might put you at a disadvantage when they come through the second time. Opting for the middle isn’t much of an option if it warms up, because there’s sort of a natural drainage and it could get bad if things soften up there.”

Riders reconnoitering the course on Friday had a little of both. Slightly warmer conditions on Friday morning resulted in a bit of surface softening, causing rutted sections throughout the course. Those, in turn, solidified trapping some riders in the deeper grooves on now faster descents.

Work crews took a backhoe to one fast drop-off just to shave away the top surface.

“It’s a good thing, too,” said Johnson. “Smooth, it’s just a fast drop on to paving stones. With those ruts there, someone could get hurt.”

With starting slots on the second row, American riders may have a good shot at a strong start in Sunday’s men’s race.

“That start involves a little more than half a lap on the track – kind of like Munich in `97,” he said. “The obvious line is on the inside, because there’s a quick right turn after they leave the track. You could see some guys make a move from the outside and surge to the front and to the right on the last straight section before the turn.”

While the course poses a number of technical challenges, two sections on the back side of the route offer make-or-break opportunities for riders fighting to get back on after missing the hole-shot out of the stadium area.

“You look at those two sections and there’s probably 50 meters of climbing between them,” Johnson said. “On the first lap, that’s where someone can make up some time, if they have the legs … or the effort could pretty much put them out of it by the time they reach the top up there.”

The fast run down toward the finish takes riders through the pits for the second time, with the end of the pit area just 350 meters from the finish.

The rutted sections on the downhill leading into the pits appeared to pose challenges to riders warming up on the course on Friday, with several being force to take a line that took them into the service area and others even crashing over the fence on the left side of the course.

“It looks pretty dicey,” said Johnson, “and it could all be different on Sunday if the sun causes the surface to soften up.”

One rider hoping for a bit of solar benefit is American Katie Compton.

Proctor pointed out that the Planet Bike rider is “much better in the mud than Hanka (Kupfernagel) or even (Marianne) Vos.”

“She’d be much better off if this turns a little sloppy,” Proctor pointed out.

Compton and her mechanic, husband Mark Legg, rode the course at around 11 on Friday, the same time as the start of the women’s race on Sunday.

Compton – who has twice medaled at worlds but never scored a win – says she’s feeling comfortable with the course and her fitness. The muscle issues that have hampered her performance – and even forced early withdrawals from past championships – seem to be a thing of the past.

“I think I’ve managed to work through that,” she said. “I had thyroid issues – and one part of that is you tend to get depressed. I’ve gotten the thyroid thing treated … and my out look on things has improved.”

“I’m in a really good place right now. I feel good, my mood is good. I just really enjoy racing my bike at this point. Everything is a bonus, every day I’m out riding and I’m feeling good just makes me happy.”

That outlook may be improved even more on Sunday if Compton gets the one prize in cyclocross that has eluded her.

FILED UNDER: Cyclocross / News TAGS: Cyclocross World Championships

Charles Pelkey

Charles Pelkey joined VeloNews in 1994 after serving as press secretary for former GOP Whip Alan K. Simpson in the U.S. Senate. Pelkey has worked as a journalist since 1985 and held a number of editorial positions at VeloNews including Senior Editor of VeloNews.com. Pelkey earned a JD from the University of Wyoming College of Law and lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with Diana, his wife of 25 years, and their two children, Philip and Annika, whose presence serves as a constant reminder of what really matters. Pelkey left VeloNews in July, 2011, but continues to be a regular contributor. Charles can now be found at liveupdateguy.com

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