After years of covering (or uncovering, as it were) the cyclocross season, we at BDIPC decided that it was high time for a Bangability update. With 28 Dudes on our have-done list in cyclocross alone, it was no easy job, particularly when you consider that we had three-plus entire seasons to review. Nonetheless, we put all hands on deck to bring this massive task to completion. We made some hard decisions after a rollercoaster ride of research (read: plenty of thrills; a handful of disappointments), and as ever, we’d love to hear how you feel about what we’re doing. Seriously, we would: feedback is always helpful, especially when it comes to evaluating and improving our own performance. Be vocal!
Jeremy Powers: We’re happy to see one of our first and favourite Dudes leading a new team (Aspire Racing) this season. He’s still in the national champion skinsuit we love so much, and hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still going hard and giving it everything he’s got, so Bangability is up.
Ryan Trebon: We were sad to see Ryan retire this season, but better to give it up than keep pounding away knowing the results aren’t coming, yes? Ryan moves to the BDIPC Hall of Fame as the Dude we have written about more than any other, and deservedly so.
Adam Myerson: Adam is also “retired,” but he could have fooled us. He’s still racing and organizing, but now also has the additional draw of being a total DILF. Bangability is up.
Ryan Knapp: We originally met Ryan as a CX racer, but his talents on the road have far outstripped his skills in the dirt. If we were considering both disciplines, his Bangability would be up; however, we are only interested in how dirty he’s been. Bangability holds steady.
Niels Albert: Forced to retire from racing, he’s moved into a position in which he can shape the talents of the Dudes who may one day themselves become Bangable. Niels moves into the BDIPC Hall of Fame.
Christian Heule: No longer racing, as far as we can tell, but still grinding away on the bike. A man who’s satisfied with his results leads by example. Heule slides into our Hall of Fame.
Chris Jones: Wherefore art thou, Jonesy? On the road? Acceptable, especially if he sticks with UHC for the upcoming road season. We look forward to seeing what he can do with BDIPC favourite Greg Henderson on his team. Bangability holds steady.
Marisuz Gil: Current Polish National Champ. And if your filthy mind works the way ours does, you know what we mean when we say we’d still polish him. Bangability holds steady, but trends upward (as most good things do).
Tim Johnson: Any excuse to run this image again. Now retired from cyclocross, he’s moved into using his knowledge of road cycling tictacs to bring us copious aural pleasure. We’re pretty sure he was baiting us during this year’s Tours of California and Utah, and he did it masterfully. Bangability is up.
Sven Nys: If anyone deserves to move into the BDIPC Hall of Fame, it’s Sven. He retired after the 2015-16 season, but has remained an active ambassador of our beautiful sport, and we hear he was even taking handups earlier this year in Chicago. He may be retired, but if he ever needs a hand up, we’re happy to help.
Zdenek Stybar: Styby’s been absolutely crushing it on the road, and we’re about to contradict ourselves. His 2015 wins include Strade Bianche and a stage at the TdF, and 2016 brought a win at Tirreno-Adriatico. We love a man who knows how to put his skills to use in a variety of situations, so obviously, Bangability is up.
Rob Peeters: Steady growth, consistent performances. He can only get better, and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can pull off in the remainder of this season. Bangability is up.
Kevin Pauwels: Steady, but still wearing that face. We looked through three years’ worth of photos and couldn’t find a single smile. He’s still turning in great performances, but honestly, Kevin. Can’t you at least pretend to enjoy it? Bangability holds steady.
Jamey Driscoll: Where’ve you been, Jamey? Oh, transforming into a DILF and still delivering pretty solid results? Cool. Bangability holds steady.
Jeremy Durrin: The Sausage King is heading up a new team (Neon Velo) and really, as with Tim Johnson, we just look for excuses to run his photo again. Bangability holds steady.
Francis Mourey: The nine-time French National Champion is still grindin’ away out there on the road, but our research failed to turn up any recent cyclocross results. Therefore, Bangability is down.
Jake Wells: Solid MTB seasons, still plugging away at CX, having a great time. Bangability holds steady, with the possibility of an increase depending on his late-season performances.
Marcel Meisen: Consistent results in races at the highest level means his Bangability is consistent, too. Steady with the possibility of a rise, depending on how he performs throughout the rest of the season.
Martin Zlamalik: Now retired, Martin is now pursuing a career as an airbrush artist, specializing in painting bike frames. It seems as if he gave up the ghost right around the same time as we did, so…we’re really not sure. He’s not quite Hall of Fame material, but it seems to be the way of things. Decision pending, okay?
Ian Field: He’s still racing, and he was as disappointed to miss out on Koksijde as we were. However, what we’re interested in is that he’s now coaching at Dig Deep. Dig. Deep. We’ll give you a moment to take that in, and then we’ll ask the question that’s on everyone’s mind: How deep? Since we’re still down to find out, we’ll let Bangability hold steady.
Brady Kappius: C’mon. He’s got a master’s degree, he’s president of his own company, and he still finds time to ride it like he means it all year long. This, friends, is what we call “the entire package.” Obviously, Bangability is up.
Sven Vanthourenhout: Consistent performances, a healthy handful of podiums, and this vintage photo from 2005 or whenever. We’d have given you a projob then, and we still would. Bangability holds steady.
Barry Wicks: Whenever we think of Barry, we think of that gold Speedo. And that’s literally all we think of. Let’s move Barry to our Hall of Fame. Now that it’s got both Twin Towers, we’re tempted to make a totally tasteless joke, but we won’t.
Danny Summerhill: Yup. Danny’s still gettin’ it, even if he didn’t deliver on the good time promised at Worlds in Louisville back in 2013. We’re open to the possibility of giving him another chance, so we’ll let Bangability rise.
Pete Webber: Pete’s got his hands full with his commitment to the future of North American cyclocross while he also does his own thing - rather successfully, might we add. We’re particularly sorry to have missed his wins at Nationals in 2014, 2015, and 2016, but we can imagine. Pete’s Bangability trends upward.
Klaas Vantornout: The two-time Belgian National Champion had a rough 2015 (and not in the fun sexy way, either). However, his 2016 is looking up, and we’re enjoying this thing we have for redheads right now, so obviously, Bangability is up.
Robert Marion: We haven’t heard a ton about Robert’s palmares lately, but research shows he’s still top-ten material all over the country, so we’ll let Bangability hold steady.
Stephen Hyde: We just wrote about him, so we’re baffled by his rising Bangability. It is, though. Up. And if he keeps showing us the goods over the next month or so, it’s gonna stay up. Don’t let us down, Stephen.
Photos: Aspire Racing // MTBS // BDIPC // Sporza // BDIPC // Marcel Meisen // Cycling Archives // Klaas Vantornout’s Twitter