“Like somebody asked AI to make a video about cycling”: Chaos and carnage as cyclocross riders struggle and slide all over muddy “Takeshi’s Castle-style” hill; €8m a year Tadej Pogačar is “massively underpaid”, says former pro + more on the live blog

Now, we all know that cyclocross is a ridiculous – and brilliant – sport.

Road racing’s wacky, punky cousin, it almost always seems to deliver a heady blend of thrilling, all-out racing, extraordinary bike handling skills, terrible wintery conditions (mostly mud), often bizarre obstacles, and – especially when it’s in its spiritual home of Belgium – lots of beer and frites.

> “Don’t come to a bike race if you’re going to do this”: Cyclocross rider who stamped on rival’s bike has beer chucked on him by furious spectator

But while the best riders in the world spent their weekend racing under the watchful eye of a giant yellow duck (see what I’m talking about?) at the X20 Trofee race in Hamme, the sheer ridiculousness of cyclocross was cranked up a few notches at a race in Poland.

That’s because the first lap of the men’s elite race of the Superliga event in Władysławowo, in the north of Poland – and in particular one muddy, horribly off-camber hill and descent – delivered perhaps the best, and most chaotic, cycling clip of the year:

Cyclocross troubles 💩🛝 🇵🇱 pic.twitter.com/xXdKcknC6o

— Cyclocross24.com (@cyclocross24) November 19, 2024

Brilliant.

Faced with such a cruel cyclocross version of a kid’s water slide, a few of the leading riders did at least manage to glide up the grassier edge of the hill with little trouble (or at least were able to scramble their way to the top without sliding back down, clinging tightly to the mesh barriers at the side).

The rest, however, were left in a world of gripless misery, seemingly sucked into a doomed ‘cross vortex between the tree and the hay bale as the slippery surface claimed victim after victim.

And even if you did manage to make it to the top, there was still the threat of the quick downhill section, where – like young Tomasz Reca (number 25) – you could find yourself unceremoniously tumbling through the barriers and onto the road.

And spare a thought for the ‘star’ of the show, 19-year-old Šimon Tabara (number eight), who – despite entering the hill near the front – spent most of the clip getting closely acquainted with the tree while fruitlessly trying to regain his balance.

Šimon did, however, manage to make his way back down to the bottom for a second crack… only for history to repeat itself moments later. Poor fella.

And, if that wasn’t enough, the riders then had to tackle a section of sandy beach every lap. That’s just cruel. Although, it seems German Silas Koech didn’t mind, eventually beating home rider Ksawier Garnek by 33 seconds to take the win.

And at least the organiser’s barmy course kept everyone entertained.

“When people ask what does ‘off camber’ mean we have something to show to them,” said one Threads users, while another described the route as akin to madcap Japanese game show Takeshi’s Castle.

“This looks like somebody asked AI to make a video about cycling,” said Ville, and Alexander added: “What a mess”.

“If this were really cyclocross there would be drunk guys with mud in their beers screaming in the riders’ ears,” said John. Quite right too.

“I don’t understand who could possibly enjoy this,” pondered a baffled Maikel.

Simple – we do.

Some classic Lotto Dstny commotion now, as it’s been reported in the Belgian press that Maxim van Gils – the team’s promising classics star who had a breakthrough spring campaign in the Ardennes – has reportedly tried to rip up his contract in a bid to secure a better deal at a rival team.

Het Laatste Nieuws reported on Tuesday evening that Van Gils, who finished seventh at Milan-Sanremo, third at Strade Bianche, third at Flèche Wallonne, and fourth at Liège-Bastogne-Liège this spring, sent a formal letter of termination to Lotto Dstny.

The 24-year-old had originally extended his contract with the Belgian squad until 2026 earlier this year. But after his successful 2024, which also saw him win Eschborn-Frankfurt, the GP des Kantons Aargau, and the truncated Ruta del Sol, Van Gils now appears to be in a position to attract a more lucrative offer, with Ineos, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Astana, Movistar, and UAE Team Emirates all reportedly waiting in the wings.

> Lotto Dstny pro apologises for hitting rider after reacting to “dangerous behaviour” during sprint

Under European employment law, riders can unilaterally terminate their contracts with any team, though the Belgian courts may force Van Gils to pay Lotto the remainder of his salary, which Het Laatste Nieuws estimate to be around €1-1.2 million.

Another important factor to note is that the Belgian prosect is currently represented by Alex Carera, the Italian agent who forced through Cian Uijtdebroeks’ move from Bora-Hansgrohe to Visma-Lease a Bike last winter.

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

Carera has told Het Nieuwsblad that he will have further conversations with Lotto Dstny next week, either to reach a new deal for Van Gils or to secure his contract termination, which could involve an interested suitor paying a ‘transfer fee’ to secure the rider’s services.

Meanwhile, management at the cash strapped team – which will enter 2025 without co-title sponsor Dstny and big names such as Visma-bound Victor Campenaerts, Florian Vermeersch (who is heading to UAE), and the retiring Thomas De Gendt – are reportedly “shocked” at Van Gils’ move and unwilling to strike a deal.

> Ridley accuses Lotto Dstny of “disloyalty” and “reputational damage” as Belgian team looks to break contract with bike sponsor

However, in a statement issued last night, the team confirmed that talks are “ongoing” with their wantaway star.

“At this moment, Lotto Dstny Team is in discussion with Maxim Van Gils and his management to decide about their future together. Ongoing talks regarding a potential departure are part of this process,” the joint statement with the A&J All Sports agency said.

“All parties, however, wish for this to proceed in the most proper, legal, and serene manner possible. For the time being, we do not wish to provide further comments to ensure the discussions can continue calmly. Once there is official news, it will be communicated.”

The semi-final may have been done and dusted last night, but it looks like a certain world champion is attempting a last-ditch bid to win the Great British Bake Off:

 (Credit: Alen Milavec)

Because that’s exactly what he needs this year, another victory…

Like Greg LeMond 40 years ago, it’s fair to say that Tadej Pogačar is singlehandedly moving the goalposts when it comes to pro cyclists’ salaries, after the world champion penned a new six-year contract extension with UAE Team Emirates last month, totalling a whopping €50 million.

But despite Pogačar’s groundbreaking new deal – one that comes amid calls for a budget cap to be introduced to the World Tour – LeMond’s compatriot Tejay van Garderen reckons that the three-time Tour de France, considering the “star power” he brings to pro cycling, is “massively underpaid” compared to other sports.

“I definitely like seeing the rock getting pushed up the hill for cycling, it’s about time that the guys are getting the respect that they deserve,” Van Garderen, twice a fifth-place finisher at the Tour de France and now a sports director at EF Education-EasyPost, said on NBC’s Beyond the Podium podcast, when asked about the sums involved in Pogačar’s contract.

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

“But I’d still say that Tadej Pogačar, for all the star power he brings to the sport, is massively underpaid.

“Just in comparison if you look at the NBA, 8.3 million euros would get you… probably somebody coming off the bench, maybe a little bit of a journeyman, gets traded to some other teams here. The highest paid player, Stephen Curry, gets 45 million a year.”

While the Giro d’Italia stage winner noted that such comparisons were difficult, he also argued that the jump from the salaries enjoyed by the likes of Peter Sagan and Chris Froome a decade ago (which came to around €4 to €5 million a year) to Pogačar’s current earnings isn’t as steep as in other sports over the same period.

Van Garderen wins stage 18 of the 2017 Giro d'Italia (LaPresse)

“That’s a big step up,” Van Garderen said of the difference between Sagan and Pogačar’s deals. “But if you think about it that was all the way back in 2012 or 2013. and if you look at the highest paid basketball player at the time, Kobe Bryant – he was on €25 million and now it’s €45 million for the highest paid guy.

“I don’t know what cycling needs to do to kind of catch up because you can’t tell me that the viewership is not there.

“In July [for the Tour de France] the decks are clear, the NBA is no longer going, they finish up in June, [American] football hasn’t started yet. Cycling is a global thing that everyone’s watching.”

> Tour de France boss says cycling budget cap would help tackle “unbalanced investment from Arab countries” – and admits he “wasn’t a fan of the Sky era”

Meanwhile, despite the benefits it would bring to his own EF team, Van Garderen also said he is against the current calls, being investigated by the UCI at the moment, for a salary cap, a concept he admits he has flip-flopped on in the past.

“All you're going to do is artificially deflate the riders’ value, because you won’t pay them what they’re worth,” he said in the podcast.

“Cycling needs to pay riders what they deserve.”