Kategoriearchiv: International 2015

World Championships 2015 – Tábor

This time is the third time the cyclocross worl championships took place in Tábor in the czech republic. Beeing here in 2001 and 2010 the worlds best assembled once again in the bohemian town of great tradition in cyclocross. The sporting area is located at the outskirts of Tábor and is framed by impersonal and somehow desolate multistorey apartment houses. But the czech organisers managed to create a really well-made cyclocross party on this peripheral area. The kindness and dedication of the whole staff created a really warm and nice atmosphere for all visitors and athletes.

The undulating hills provide room for a fairly fast but still technical skilling parcours. In the beginning forecasts predicted some kind of frosty and snowy weather, but during the days of competition the weather came up fine. The only  outburst of snow was a short shower during the lady´s race on saturday. Due to the nights frost, the ground was still partially icy but where the sun managed to touch the ground the ice melted an left some muddy and slippery parts. These different conditions of the track were some major challengse for all riders. For some of them the selection of the correct tires should become a crucial factor during the race.

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XCO Champion emberrasses belgian specialists

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Hurdles like walls cannot impress an MTB world champion

Just before the worlds Eli Iserbyt, reigning belgian an european champion, was considered to be the number one contender for the rainbow jersey. Except for the world cup in namur the young rider from Harelbeke managed to win all races he participated in. But as mentioned before, the selection of material should turn out as fate for some riders. Eli Iserbyt decided to race using some all purpose tyres with a Grifo profile, but those didn’t work out well for him on this kind of track. It took almost half of the racing time until his mechanics managed to prepare a bike with Rhinos, a tyre beeing designed for muddy and slippery grounds.

In the mean time Simon Andreassen, Cross-Country world champion from Denmark managed to increase his lead from lap to lap. For all but the last lap, he managed to ride the fastest time of all contenders, and so he gained a fourty second lead ahead of his chasers at the end. Behind this lonely leader a thrilling contest for remaining medals unfolded. Ely Iserbyt who managed to consolidate his performance after a bike change fought against dutch rider Max Gulickx and the US american Gage Hecht. It was a tough fight between the three of them, and a decision was postponed untill the finish lane. Right a the end, a clearly disappointed Eli Iserbyt sprinted for silver medal just ahead of Max Gulickx.

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Allons enfants de la Patrie instead of Het Wilhelmus

You have to look far back remember last time that a differnt hymn but Het Wilhelmus sounded for the honour of a cross champion in the ladies category. Living legend of cycling and most successfull female bicycle rider of all time Marianne Vos had been perpetual world champion since 2008. But as other commitments like beeing an abassador for womens cycling rise the time remaining for preparation and recovery decreases. And to make matters worse, the congenial woman from ’s-Hertogenbosch sustained a pulled hamstring durin the race in Rucphen, Netherlands just a week ago. Obviously these were not the best conditions for gaining another title.

Close battle for Victory

At the end it was a close loss, Sanne Cant had to let Ferrant-Prevot go

Out of the sudden, it seemed as if this could be the time for french riders. Lucie Chainel-Lefevre and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot started to dictate the race. But just shortly after the first attack of the french riders a bigger group formed. Sanne Cant, who had to be considered to be a serious aspirate for gold due to her successes during this season, Marianne Vos, british rider Nikki Harris acompanied by local heroess Katarina Nash managed to close in with the two french girls. While Lucie Chainel-Levefre had to pay the price for the early attack and felt back, the remaining five started the most exciting race of this championships. It took until the fifth and last lap of the race  before Ferrand-Prevot and Cant manage to gain a short lead. Head to head both turned into the finishing line and started the sprint for gold. For a long time it looked as if Sanne Cant would crown her successfull season with a rainbow jersey. But with about fifty meters to go her power faded an she had to let Ferrant-Prevot go. A few seconds later Marianne Vos passed the finish line. The outriding champion embraced her teammate and friend Ferrand-Prevot for several minutes.

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U23 riders saved the day for belgium

The results of the first day could harldy been worse from the belgium point of view. Runaway favourite Eli Iserbyt missed gold at the juniors race and at the ladies race Sanne Cant was beaten by a an eylash.

After Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel decided to advance to the elite, the belgian equippe had two hot favourites for the U23 category : belgian champion Laurens Sweeck and former european champion Michael Vanthourenhout. But still Stan Godrie from the Netherlands and Clement Venturini from Italy were two aspirants who had to be taken into account seriuosly.

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Michael Vanthourenhout follows the path of his uncle

In conjunction with dutch rider Joris Nieuwenhuis those four formed a leading group which dictacted the race right from the beginning. But just after two laps Michael Vanthourenhout attacked and tried to force a decision. He managed to create a small gap towards his chasers, but never managed to gain a determining lead. Therefore Vanthourenhout had to fight right to the end to defend his small lead untill reaching the finishing. When crosssing the finish line Michael Vanthourenhout repeated the victory of his Uncle Sven Vanthourenhout who became U23 worldchampion in fourteen years ago right at the same place here in Tábor. Laurens Sweeck who fought hard to catch his compatriot gained silver right in front of Stan Godrie.

Maybe the toughest rider of the day - Jack Hogan

Maybe the toughest rider of the day – Jack Hogan

The title of the toughest guy of the weekend has to be given to young australian rider Jack Hogan. The U23 rider crashed into the barriers just two corners before the finish. When he looked down, he noticed a hole in his leg right above his patella. But this man from down under said to himself „I did not come this long way around the world to pull out and get a DNF“ and so he pedalled single leg to the finish where his supplier had to carry him of the track as he could not walk any more.

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Generationswechsel bei der Elite

So now it did happen after all. The two young guns of the U23 who hounded the elite riders during this season decided to move to the elite category and the UCI accepted the application of both of them. Many analysts estimated that both were to young to stand the mental pressure of a world championship.

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Matheiu van der Poel made an early attack

At least Mathieu van der Poel was not much impressed by the hurly-burly and took the initiative right from the start just putting pressure on his opponents. Wout van Aert managed to keep up with van der Poel. Some problems with his chain during the first lap threw the belgian back to fourth place at the end of the lap. Meanwhile a group built by Tom Meeusen and Kevin Pauwels started a chase on the young dutch champion. When four laps were nearly done Lars van der Haar manged to join the two chasers. After a short rest he attacked an went on chasing his compatriot on his own. Wout van Aert who took a lot of risk when he tried to regain contact after the troubles with his chain touched ground an was temporarily thrown back to sixth place. But the young belgian rider from Lille proved his extraordenary talent and his competitive spirit. He did not surrender but tried once again to reach those riding in front of him. After riding the fastest lap for four times in a row, he managed to close up to Lars van der Haar.

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Tom Meeusen was in reach of a medal for a long time

Mathieu van der Poel managed to start the last lap having a comforting lead and so he could finish the race in a steady an controlled ride. Tears of joy were rolling down his face a the dutch champion drove the last few meters towards the finish in a divine triumph. The sprint for silver was won by Wout van Aert ahead of  Lars van der Haar. But dispite of his second place van Aert was totally disappointed, as he felt as if he did not gain silver but lost gold. Especially when he thought how many best laps he managed to ride. But that does not help at all. It has to be noticed that Mathieu van der Poel showed an outstanding an error free race. Therefore he is the undisputed and dignified youngest world champion in cyclocross of all time.

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He rode an outstanding race – Marcel Meisen

 

UCI Worldcup – Hoogerheide

This race at the Wall of Brabant is an important part of the UCI Worldcup Series. Last year the GP Adrie van der Poel was the host of the world championships. But as so many times before, this years edition is the last big race before the worlds. For this reason the excellent race track suited as a last trail of strength for all those aspiring for a successfull participation in Tabor.

On Saturday it started to snow in the Netherlands, and so it looked as if the conditions would be quite similar to those in the czech republic next weekend. But just during the night, temperatures rose again, and so the contenders faced a soaked ground despite of ice and snow.

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Eli Iserbyt on the path to victory

Eli Iserbyt prooved one more time that he is the one who has to be beaten when it comes to the Worldchampionships for the Juniors. Right from the start, the belgian champion took the lead and never gave it away untill crossing the finish line. Dutch rider Roel van der Stegen gained second rank just before Gage Hecht from the United States of America. Iserbyt was the overall winner of the Worldcup 2015 allready before this race.

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A sweet victory after stormy days

Laurens Sweeck had to fear for his participation in the U23 Races. The belgian champion  surely is the main favorite for the rainbow jersey after Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel decided to skip the U23 category and advanced to elite. But out of the sudden the nomination of Sweeck was cancelled by the belgian cycling federation as his name was mentioned in connection with doping investigations against a belgian physician. Dr. Mertens is suspect of treating a couple of athletes with forbidden ozone therapie. Sweeck who did not even know that he was connected to this investigation had to appeal at the belgian court for abritration in sports to  be able to content in the worldcup and championship races.

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During the race Laurens Sweeck prooved that it is absolutely right to consider him as one of the main favorites for Tabor. Together with GC leader Michael Vanthourenthout Sweeck escaped from the rest of the bunch and managed to gain a remarkeable gap from the chasers. When Michael Vanthourenhout struggled a bit and had to dismount in an ascent, Sweeck took his chance an attacked. He gained a short lead immediately and managed to extend it continuously towards the finish. And so Laurens Sweeck passed the finish line exuberantly happy leaving last weeks turbulent distractions behind. Michael Vanthourenhout finished second managing to defend his position in the general classement. Fabien Doubey a french rider gained the last spot on the podium.

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The race of the champions

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When Sanne Cant came to Hoogerheide she had a comfortable lead of thirty points ahead of the first persuer Ellen van Loy.  Cant would have been able to start the race in a relaxed manner but she wanted to proove that she is a dignified GC winner and so she took the responsibilty for this race. But soon it became obvious that this day should see a different winner. Italian champion Eva Lechner managed to put he mark on the race. Very soon the young rider from Bozen was riding in front and racing a race of her own. Chasing Eva Lechner was a small group of champions assembled by belgian champion Sanne Cant, french champion Pauline Ferrand-Prevot and czech champion Katerina Nash.

One more time the barriers shoud play a inglorious role in a race. Sanne Cant got caught in the stands of one barrier and showed a spectacular salto. Fortunatly the young belgian wasn’t hurt but she lost contact to Ferrand-Prevot and Nash. At the end of the race, Katerina Nash managed to escape from Ferrant-Prevot who finished third. Sanne Cant defended her position in the GC finishing in fourth place. For the first time in history of women’s cyclocross a belgian girl won the general classification of a world cup. And so some small tears were to be seen on Cant’s face during the award’s ceremony.

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Endgültig in der Elite angekommen

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Last week both of the young rebels Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel announced their final decision to appeal for a change toward the elite category. As the UCI accepted this appeal, both are now bound to start in elite races only. And so a revanche of last years U23 world championship race was about to take place in a higher category. As van Aert managed to win last year, this time young dutchman Mathieu van der Poel managed to have the better end for himself. Right form the start of the race van der Poel went in front and put some pressure on his opponents. But no one was able to keep up with the brand new dutch champion.

Behind van der Poel belgian rider Gianni Vermeersch was chasing the leader having a  small lead agains a bigger chasing group. This group contained most of the other big names. Wout van Aert, Lars van der Haar, Sven Nys and Tim Merlier were racing head to head for a long time. Just three laps before the end, the group caught Gianni Vermeersch again. During the last lap Wout van Aert attacked and managed to escape from the chasing group, finishing in second place. Kevin Pauwels was safe for his GC win, and so he left the remaining place on the podium to his teammate Gianni Vermeersch. This success secured Vermeersch the last remaining ticket for the worlds.

Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert have to be taken as serious contenders for the world championships next weekend. But championships alway obey to their own rules, and so we might see someone completely different taking the rainbow jersery next sunday.

As a wise man said: „Forecasts are allways a bit tricky since they are related to the future“

Scheldecross Antwerpen

The Scheldecross, which ist located at the banks of the river Schelde in Antwerpen is scheduled shortly before the christmas season. This race does not belong to the both series of cross races with a GC, but is contianed in the group of Soudal Classics races, a small group of races which just share parts of the organisation and the title sponsors.

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During the last couple of years, this race was well poplulated with world class riders. As the race schedule was shifted one week further in the calendar this year, some of the important riders left Belgium for a training camp in Spain. Wout van Aert, Kevin Pauwels and Sven Nys decided to leave out this race. Even at the womens race, the peloton was thinned out, as last years winner Katie Compton, World-Cup leader Sophie de Boer and both british girls Helen Wyman and Nikki Harris were missing.

Was it due to the winterly temperatures or the rainy and stormy days before , or was ist the lack of many riders, you can’t tell. But the amount of spectators was smaller than the year before.

On the other hand the races lacked a bit of drama. For nearly all categories there was a clear and undisputed win, without any thrilling duells. The change in track-layout – Erwin Verwecken had inverted the course and shortened the passage in the sand of the banks – did the remaining part, to make the races less thrilling.

It was business as usual for the U17 category. Florian Vermeersch to the lead right at the start and increased it continiously untill the finish. At the end he noted his sixteenth win this season, with a distinct advantage of 43 seconds toward Arne Vrachte finishing second. Andreas Goeman, who won both races last weekend ended up in third place.

While european champio Eli Iserbyt stayed away the race of the juniors category promised to be a bit more interesting. In the beginning Max Gulickx took lead, but could not gain a sufficient gap in front of Jappe Jaspers and Thijs Wolsink. Half-Cross he was caught again by the both riders of Lares-Doltcini. While Jappe Jaspers moved to the front and started to drive away Gulickx managed to respond to the attack of Wolsink. At the end, Jaspers managed to defend his small lead at the finish line, while dutchman Max Gulickx gained second place ahead of his compatriot Thijs Wolsink.

Ellen van Loy meets Soudal Fix All

Truly Sanne Cant was the main favorite for the ladies category, as she performed very successfully during the last weeks. Ellen van Loy won the starting sprint one more time an lead the peloton into the field. Coming up to the first U-turn on a small hill, van Loy was stuck to a cushion carrying an advertisement of Soudal Fix-All a brand of industrial glue, and therefore lost a couple of places. Sanne Cant took the lead and extended it from lap to lap until the finish. Elen van Loy proved one more time, that she is in good shape this year and finished second despite of her small „accident“ in the beginning. Loes Sels completed the podium.

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Last years edition of the Elite Race was a thrilling competition between Niels Albert and the young gun Mathieu van der Poel. But for this time, there was only a short period of close competition between Laurens Sweek who was showing a strong performance on the one side as well as Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Meeusen on the other. But halfcross came and the horse had bolted, Mathieu van der Poel waved byebye to Tom Meeusen caught up Laurens Sweeck and passed him. From now on, the young dutchman rode a race on his own,  and finished 43 seconds ahead at the end. Laurens Sweeck rode in between van der Poel and the chasing group of Rob Peeters, Philipp Walsleben, Corne van Kessel und David van der Poel which closed the gap to Tom Meeusen. While Laurens Sweeck finished second, Tom Meeusen managed to escape from the chasing group and gained a short advantage to Rob Peeters who finished fourth at the end.

UCI Worldcup Koksijde

Many times the dunes of Koksijde served as the scene for thrilling races. Paul Heryrgers and Niels Albert for example gained their title as world champion on the airbase in the far west of belgium. As Albert had to face an early end of his career due to cardiac problemsearlier this year, this day become one of the emotionally most difficult days of this season.

But just stay in sequence. In Koksijde only women and men elite races count for the UCI worldcup. The younger categories assemble a simple international race without relevance for the worldcup. For this reason some of the top riders were missing here.

At the juniors race american rider Gage Hecht managed to to take the win ahead of Alessio Dhoore and Stefano Musseuw who is the youngest son of Johan Museeuw, the Lion of Flanders.

Glückwunsch Ludwig Cords 4ter in Koksijde

German champion Ludwig Cords finishing fourth

In the U23 category most of the top riders choosed not to start, but applied for the elite race. This season a new rule came into effect, that all riders who are in the Top50 of the world ranking are allowed to participate in the world cup races. Therefore most of the belgium toppers decided to race the elite world cup instead of the international U23 competition. For this reason, Dan Soete took the win of the U23 having a  short lead towards Diether Sweeck and  Quinten Hermans.

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U23 ready to rumble

The ladies race was the first race of the world cup competition. Right from the start Sophie de Boer and Sanne Cant took the lead oft the bunch of thirtynine riders. During the fourth lap european juniors champion Sabrina Stultiens,  who was thrown back to ninth place at the start. managed to close in. For the last two laps this trio lead the race side by side. But during a short an sandy climb in the final lap Sanne Cant managed to produce a small gap between her two opponents and herself. The reigning belgian and european champion managed to gain her first ever victory in a worldcup event. The remaining two ladies fought with a final sprint which was won by young Sabrina Stultiens ahead of Sophie de Boer. The latter proved one more time that she is in very good shape this season.

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Sanne Cant handles the sandy descent

For the first time during a race of the worldcup a clash of generations was about to happen. Due to the change in rules mentioned earlier, U23 world champion Wout van Aert and the dutch youngster Mathieu van der Poel participated in an elite worldcup race. Van Aert managed to win the Koppenberg Cross earlier this month, and van der Poel has been successfull in Gieten at the start of the season. So everybody eagerly waited how these crown princes would be able to play their parts in the concert of the big guns in such an important race like Kosksijde. The former star of the Duinencross Niels Albert had to stop his career earlier this year and stepped back into cycling business beeing the coach of belgian young gun Wout van Aert. How much of his experience could he handle over to his young trainee? But one thing was for sure, this day should become one of the hardest moments after his retirement. Beeing forced to watch the race without participating must have been quite stress and painfull for him beeing the winner of last year edition.

Der Meister und sein Schüler

The Master and his Padawan

But his work with Wout van Aert should become rewarded on this particular day. Just in the beginning of the race both of the youngsters , Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel took the lead and dictated the speed. Wheel on wheel both split the sandy track and it started to look as if this would become the duell of the day. But just halfway of the race Mathieu van der Poel started to produce little faults, and out of the sudden van  Aert found himself alone racing in front. Paul Herygers who became world champion at this decent place just twenty years ago feared that van Aert would have to pay heavily for his early lead later during the race. But the yound U23 champion undeviatingly raced at his own speed and increased his lead continiously during the second halftime of the race. Mathieu van der Poel continued to struggle but was caught by Kevin Pauwels who gained momentum in the second half of the race. Van der Poel could not keep the pace of Pauwels and had to fight to stay ahead of Tom Meeusen who kept running up to him. At the end, van der Poel managed to keep a small lead of two seconds at the finish line.

Wout van Aert decided to honor his trainer and mentor Niels Albert in a special way. On the home straight he jumped of the bike and on again (like Albert and Herygers did at their championship victories as well) , and started a typical Albert cheer to celebrate the victory. During the final award ceremony Albert had to fight his emotions heavily. When the national anthem faded he was overwhelmed by his emotions and tears broke free.

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An emotional moment for Niels Albert

Superprestige Asper-Gavere

Every year the the barracks of the belgian air force in Gavere openes the gates to host one of the most challenging races of the cross calendar. The hilly grounds of the surroundings at the castle Grenier exhibit some difficult descends and exhausting climbes in conjunction with typical flandrian mud ground.

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