Live chat replay: World cyclocross championships preview

Join us Wed., Jan. 30 at 1:30 p.m. EST for our live chat with three of Canada’s top cyclocross racers. Canadian national champions Mical Dyck and Evan McNeely, and four-time podium finisher Aaron Schooler will discuss the upcoming world championships in Louisville, Ky. It will be the first time the championships will be held outside of Europe. It will also mark the largest contingent of Canadians at the worlds. What are their chances against the Belgians? How are the Canadians preparing? File-treads or mudders? Tune in right here and join the discussion.

[HTML1]World Cyclocross Championships Preview
(01/30/2013)
Wednesday January 30, 2013
1:27
Canadian Cycling – KF: Good afternoon and welcome to our live chat with Canadian national cyclocross team members Mical Dyck, Aaron Schooler and Evan McNeely.
1:27
Canadian Cycling – KF: All three were selected to compete at the cyclocross world championships held this weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. Unfortunately, Schooler is unable to participate because he separated his shoulder a few weeks ago.
1:28
MicalDyck: I’m here
1:28
Canadian Cycling – KF: Hello Mical and thanks for joining us today.

1:28
Aaron Schooler: Ditto!

1:29
evan mcneely: yup

1:29
Canadian Cycling – KF: Mical, congratulations on winning the elite women’s race at nationals. How did you celebrate your victory?

1:29
MicalDyck: No problem, staying out of the mud today

1:29
MicalDyck: Haha celebrated with pizza and ice cream, in bed
1:29
Mical Dyck won the elite women’s race at the 2012 Canadian cyclocross championships.
1:30
Canadian Cycling – KF: Aaron, we were all sorry to hear about your injury. Can you give us some details about how you crashed and separated your shoulder in Belgium and how long will it take to fully heal?

1:33
Aaron Schooler: It happened the day before the night race in Diegem, I went out for a routine ride to the bike shop and (kids don’t ever do this at home) took my hands off the bars to put something in y back pocket and a wind gust picked me up and re-directed me head on into a sea container at 30 km/hr. Initially doc said 6 weeks no competition which meant no worlds, but now I don’t have full range of motion which is alarming. Have a follow up appointment in 2 weeks. Hoping it’s minor.

1:33
Canadian Cycling – KF: While we are waiting for Aaron’s response, Evan, how did you prepare for the world championships? Did you spend time racing against the best in your field overseas during the ‘cross season?

1:33
MicalDyck: Ouch!

1:34
Canadian Cycling – KF: We hope you make a full recovery soon, Aaron. Will another rider take your place at worlds?

1:35
evan mcneely: I did not go to europe this year, or any year so far. I spent most of my time preparing for this race in my basement in Ottawa. I did go to St.Lucia for a family vacation in January to get outside in the sun

1:35
Aaron Schooler: Yes, I think road riders can be good cross riders as long as they don’t mind doing the work. Typically the stronger CX riders who ride the road are better sprinters, but you get the odd balls like me, just good all arounders.

1:35
Comment From ml
Do you feel that good road riders can become good cyclocross riders? Does fitness carry over?

1:36
Canadian Cycling – KF: Aaron, maybe you can answer the question above since you are also a road racer.

1:36
Aaron Schooler: No, they will stick with 4 riders in Elite Men because there wasn’t anyone else who made the selection who wanted to go. Derrick St. John Opted out of his spot.

1:37
Aaron Schooler: Yes, I think road riders can be good cross riders as long as they don’t mind doing the work. Typically the stronger CX riders who ride the road are better sprinters, but you get the odd balls like me, just good all arounders.

1:37
Canadian Cycling – KF: Are all of you in Louisville now, has anyone ridden on the worlds course?

1:38
MicalDyck: It’s not open yet but from a quick preview it looks similar to day 2 from the USGP this year. The harder of the two days!

1:38
MicalDyck: Uphill sandpit
1:38
evan mcneely: the worlds course has been closed to pre ridning until thursday, so nobody has ridden it yet. they are currently pumping lakes of water of the course after a rain/tornado/thuderstorm last night
1:38
MicalDyck: Ya some great weather last night!

1:39
Aaron Schooler: Cross is a unique set of technical skills and very different from MTB. It’s more just a matter of getting from A to B in the shortest time. I can honestly say my MTB technical skills are pretty bad, but they are quite good when it comes to CX.

1:39
Canadian Cycling – KF: What are the key features that you’re expecting. What sort of course conditions are each of you hoping for this weekend?

1:40
Aaron Schooler practising the muddy art of cyclocross.

1:40
MicalDyck: Going to be cold wet and slick!! The run ups and the sand pits I think are going to be really important and great places to watch

1:40
MicalDyck: I’m hoping for snow 🙂

1:40
evan mcneely: I’d actually like it to be dry and fast, because, I’m not afraid to admit I won’t be as sharp in the mud as some of the Europeans. wouldn’t mind snow either but that might be a little out of reach

1:41
Aaron Schooler: Weather network is calling for chance of snow on Saturday Evan, you might get your wish!

1:42
MicalDyck: Awesome!!!

1:42
Canadian Cycling – KF: Those are very different answers, how diverse do you need to be as an elite ‘cross racer?

1:43
MicalDyck: You can have such a wild range of conditions for cross because of the time of year the weather is always unpredictable.

1:43
evan mcneely: you need to be very diverse with conditions. Keep an open
mind to everything and anything

1:43
Canadian Cycling – KF: How important is it to participate in world-class cyclocross races if you want to be a contender at worlds from junior level to elite racing?

1:43
Comment From ml
Do you think Canadians have an advantage ’cause we’re used to adverse weather?

1:43
MicalDyck: Tire selection and starts are really important for nasty weather races

1:43
Aaron Schooler: The thing with CX is that the course can change even throughout the race itself. you need to be able to handle every conditions

1:44
MicalDyck: Haha my only really nasty race this year was nationals, its been such a mild cyclocross year again, even in Canada

1:45
evan mcneely: It certainly helps to be exposed to this international racing before a big even like world championships for sure

1:45
Canadian Cycling – KF: What do you three think, do Canadians have an advantage because we are used to adverse weather? (although, it is 20C in Toronto today!)

1:45
Comment From Stevenu
How do you guys deal with crashes? Any tips?

1:45
Aaron Schooler: I think Canadians are at a pretty big disadvantage when it comes to weather for the sole reason that our CX season is so short. the belgians race from September to February, and we only get 2 months in some places before the weather heads below 0 and stays there.

1:46
Canadian Cycling – KF: Slick mud and technical courses can certainly allow for more crashes to happen, any tips for dealing with crashes in a ‘cross race?

1:46
MicalDyck: Coming from Victoria I’ve learned to embrace rain and wet conditions. I think that gives me an edge because I’m upset or scared when its miserable out. And having a great mechanic taking care of my bikes makes a world of difference as well.

1:47
evan mcneely: Carrying that mentality of “were Candians, were tough” does help boost confidence before the race. However, at this level I think everybody will be spot on regardless

1:47
Aaron Schooler: In my preparation for Nationals this year (I was still living at home in Edmonton) I went out cross country skiing 3 times a week for the last 2 weeks. You have to get experimental when it comes to not being able to train on your bike outside (it was -15 on average.

1:47
MicalDyck: Always more crashes when it’s wet. Just get up fast!! Haha

1:48
evan mcneely: tuck’n roll!!

1:48
Canadian Cycling – KF: Good answer Mical, how important is it to have a spare bike waiting for you in the mechanic’s pit?

1:48
Aaron Schooler: Crashing is CX is typically easier to deal with than road or MTB because the speeds end up being so much less.

1:48
Comment From Bob
Do all the pro’s race with a spare bike on the sidelines?

1:49
evan mcneely: Yes. Most pros have more than one bike in the pit

1:49
Canadian Cycling – KF: Evan, you are a highly decorated Junior and Under 23 mountain biker and cyclocross racer. Is there one that you prefer over the other?

1:49
Evan McNeely raced to first place in the under-23 category at the 2012 Canadian cyclocross championships. (Photo: Doug Brons)

1:50
MicalDyck: On an event like this especially when it’s wet it could make or break your race having a great working spare bike in the pit. This is the first year I’ve had that option and now I have 2 Ridley X-Fires that are set up identical. If my start bike gets jammed up with mud, a quick switch to a new clean bike will give me an edge over someone with a dirty bike skipping gears

1:51
Aaron Schooler: YES! And some race with 3 or 4 in the pits in Europe. But it;s important to have 2 bikes that are identically setup with the same tires ideally on each bike (especially when it’s muddy) because at the top level things happen constantly, and you need to be able to slvage a result still. Having two bikes tends to take the bad luck percentage way down.

1:51
evan mcneely: I focus primarily on mountain biking since in Canada it’s the only one out of the two, CX and XC, where you can go far and get support doing it.

1:52
Canadian Cycling – KF: Evan and Mical, how do you both juggle back-to-back mountain biking and cyclocross seasons each year. Do you ever train specifically for cyclocross?

1:53
Comment From AT
What do you guys eat for these events? Maybe specifically for Aaron, I’m a big fan. Ever get HUNGRY during a race?

1:53
MicalDyck: This has been an interesting year for me, I cut my mountain bike schedule way back because I was working full time all summer, and decided to focus more on cyclocross this season. I started doing my CX specific workouts shorty before cross Vegas

1:53
evan mcneely: I believe mountain bike training is close to the same as CX training, it’s an easy switch. I have all the endurance I need from the mtb season so pay primary attention to higher-end power and speed going into cross season

1:55
Canadian Cycling – KF: Evan and Mical, what sort of start positions do you have for the big day and what are your performance ambitions at worlds?

1:55
Aaron Schooler: Haha, I’m always hungry. I typically eat a big meal with 2.5 to 3 hrs to go before the race, and then don’t eat anything until after my race. The bigger you are, the more you will need to eat. But 2.5 or 3 hrs gives the body enough time to get it all out of the stomach so you don’t get stomach cramps. I sometimes eat a cliff block or two closer to the race to top up some sugars.

1:56
MicalDyck: I haven’t seen the start positions yet, first row would be awesome but I think I’ll be third row. It’s a relatively small field, 32 women I think, but very stacked. I’m hoping for a top 15

1:57
evan mcneely: I think I will be about third row on the line. I’ve never raced any of these guys before so It’s hard to set a placing goal. I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think I could do well though; just going to go out, play my cards right and aim for top 15/10ish

1:57
Mical Dyck is chased by Wendy Simms at Daryl-Evans B.C. Grand Prix of Cyclocross, Nov. 18, 2012. They finished first and second, respectively. (Photo: Doug Brons)

1:57
Canadian Cycling – KF: Why is having a good start position so important, especially at a race like the world championships?

1:57
MicalDyck: I haven’t races since the USGP in Bend, but it’ll e interesting to see where my trainer fitness has gotten me

1:58
MicalDyck: Start position is so important because CX is a relatively short ever so every second counts. If you get stuck behind someone going even slightly slower then the group infront you can loose a lot of time

1:59
evan mcneely: It’s the big day, everybody’s going to go out hard and it’s easy to get caught of guard and fall back in the beginning. all things starting up front can help prevent

1:59
MicalDyck: With WC every one is gunning for the stripes so the starts are going to be that much faster. This is my first time racing most of these Europeans too, it’ll be interesting

2:00
Canadian Cycling – KF: Evan, the Belgians have dominated cyclocross for a very long time. We know Jonathan Page secured a silver medal in the past, do you think a North American rider will ever win the world championships (during your racing career)?

2:01
Aaron Schooler: In Europe I typically start right on the back of the races, and can sometimes depending on the course loose 2 minutes or more in the first lap, just due to traffic. When once the race gets going, I’m typically loosing less than 30 seconds to the leaders per lap. Start position is very important when the course is so narrow.

2:01
evan mcneely: Oh, for sure! Especially with the sport growing so fast in NA, it’s only a matter of time before we land another podium and eventually a win in the near future

2:02
MicalDyck: I think on the women’s side Katie Compton has a very real chance of winning this weekend

2:02
Canadian Cycling – KF: What do you think Aaron, will a North American rider win an elite ‘cross world title someday?

2:03
Aaron Schooler: CX is becoming more an International sport, it’s only a matter of time. The belgians are so good because they are CXers from age 5. We don’t have that here. Have you ever heard of Sven Nys’s kid rocking a full CX bike setup riding around at the European races? We just don’t have that here yet.

2:03
Aaron Schooler: Do you mean Elite men?

2:03
Canadian Cycling – KF: Agreed Mical, and Katie was actually the first North American to get on the podium at an elite ‘cross world championships (right before Page).

2:05
Geoff Kabush checks back at his pursuers, Evan McNeely (No. 4) and Steve Fisher (No. 15) at the Daryl-Evans B.C. Grand Prix of Cyclocross, Nov. 18, 2012. (Photo: Doug Brons)

2:05
Canadian Cycling – KF: Do you have any favourite picks for the winners of each of your fields this weekend? (aside from yourselves, of course!)

2:06
Aaron Schooler: I don’t know if you have seen the highlight video from the 2007 world championships in Hooglede-Gits where Page won his silver medal. It was phenomenal. But you have to watch what happens on his last lap with 300m’s to go. He hits a pot hole, and looses his speed. What if? It’s a bad question to ask, but he was so close to doing it then, on home soil, you never know.

2:06
MicalDyck: I think Evan McNeely!

2:06
Comment From rachel
Mical, you know if they make women’s specific cross bikes? Does it make sense?

2:07
evan mcneely: I’d like to see Nys pull it together for once. As well as Compton, she’s been so close to many times!

2:08
Comment From Ed
I presume you’re all racing on tubulars, what sort of tire pressure do you think you’ll be running?

2:09
Aaron Schooler: The guy I want to win is Geoff Kabush. First time he’s raced CX in a field of this nature. And none of the euro’s will know what he’s capable of.

2:09
MicalDyck: Rachel women’s specific really doesn’t make sense for me. I’m almost 6 feet and most women’s specific bikes are for women no taller then 5’8″. If you are a smaller woman then for sure, bar size tends to be smaller, levers are adjusted to fit smaller hands and seats are woman specfic. That being said, they do tens to be on the heavier side, so if your looking for a really light race bike you may be better off with a smaller men’s frame and make those adjustments yourself

2:09
Canadian Cycling – KF: Have any of you gotten any good advice before worlds from your veteran teammates on the national time like Geoff Kabush?

2:10
Aaron Schooler: The travel will play a huge factor to those guys who haven’t come across the pond yet. Look to Lars Van Der Haar to pull out a good result ashe’s used to the travel and know’s how to deal with it. Same with Jonathan Page.

2:10
Aaron Schooler: Bob, I’m racing on the Norco Threshold Disc bikes this year. I thought I’d try discs out and get a jump start on the technical changes happening with CX bikes. I had to have some specially made Wheels so I’m using Extralite hubs onto some Mavic Reflex Rims.

2:10
MicalDyck: Ed I’m racing Stan’s NoTubes, not tubulars, and ill probably run about 24 psi

2:11
Canadian Cycling – KF: Aaron, you’ve raced ‘cross in both Europe and North America, are there differences and what are they?

2:11
evan mcneely: hard to tell at this point Ed, I probably wont know for sure until the day of the race

2:11
Canadian cyclocross champion Mical Dyck races the B.C. Grand Prix of Cyclocross, Nov. 18, 2012.. (Photo: Doug Brons)

2:13
Canadian Cycling – KF: How important is selecting the right tire pressure during a ‘cross race and do you share that kind of information with your competitors before the start (or not)?

2:14
Aaron Schooler: On average, Europe is just muddier. The courses tend to be a bit wider and more open. During the Christmas block of racing I never once took out my file treads. In North America the range of conditions is so much more, that you have to be ready for anything. More commonly dry though. A bit more turns and single track style. But realistically the courses aren’t much different in design. Just the atmosphere and level of competition that’s mostly different.

2:14
MicalDyck: Tire pressure and choice is extremely important. Could mean the difference in staying up and railing corners or crashing at every turn. With the women there doesn’t seen to be any secrets with tire pressure, everyone is seems happy to share their opinion

2:14
Comment From Bob
Aaron, how do you like riding on discs? Any comments?

2:16
Aaron Schooler: I love the disc brakes. And I’m pretty sure we will all be on disc braked bikes in 5 years from now. There is still lots of technology updates that need to happen, but they give you a whole lot more control. You don’t have to brake until the last minute where as guys with rim brakes need to lay on the brakes to get the rims to warm up and shed the mud first.

2:16
Canadian Cycling – KF: Folks we will be wrapping up our chat in about five minutes. If you have any questions to ask our three cyclocross racers, please ask now. Thank you.

2:17
Canadian Cycling – KF: Aaron, cyclocross racing in Belgium is known for being top-notch and a little crazy. Can you tell us one of your craziest/memorable experiences from racing over there this year?

2:20
Comment From rachel
Does Catherine Pendral race cross? Is she there?

2:20
Aaron Schooler: There are so many drunk fans out at the races sometimes you just have to ride away from them. But I had the most fun this year with my New Zealand Friend Alex Revell. He has a really big moustache and is basically famous in Belgium. He gets bigger screams than Sven Nys sometimes. Zolder world Cup when he got introduced the crowd roared the loudest I’ve ever hear it! So much fun.

2:20
Canadian Cycling – KF: Hi Rachel, Catherine does race cyclocross but she is not competing at worlds.

2:21
MicalDyck: She’s getting ready to kill the MTB scene this year!

2:21
evan mcneely: Catherine runs her own cross series in BC, but does not do as much international racing herself.

2:22
Canadian Cycling – KF: In the spirit of cyclocross, does anyone have a favourite Belgian beer?

2:22
MicalDyck: Hmmm don’t think I’ve had a bad Belgian beer

2:23
evan mcneely: I ashamed to say it, but I do not enjoy traditional Belgian beer!

2:23
Aaron Schooler: I like the girlie drinks as Belgian beers a quite heavy for my taste. I like the cherry krieks.

2:23
MicalDyck: Chimay maybe

2:24
Comment From Dave
Good Luck We will be cheering from home.

2:24
evan mcneely: Thanks Dave!

2:24
MicalDyck: Thank you Dave!

2:24
Canadian Cycling – KF: I’m with you Mical, Chimay (blue label) is my beer of choice.

2:24
MicalDyck: Yes!

2:24
Canadian Cycling – KF: Thank you for joining our chat. Best of luck to Mical, Evan and the rest of our national team racers at the world championships this weekend. Aaron, we hope you recover very quickly from your injury.

2:24
MicalDyck: Thank you for having us!

2:25
evan mcneely: Thank you everyone

2:25
Aaron Schooler: Thanks Kristen and those who tuned in!