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Cyclo-cross World Cup #7 - CDM
Hofstade, Belgium, December 26, 2005
Nys is back
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UCI number 1 Sven Nys (Rabobank) made up for his disastrous showing in Igorre a couple of weeks ago by winning the seventh round of the Cyclo-cross World Cup in Hofstade, Belgium. Although Nys had mechanical problems again today, he was still strong enough to beat Erwin Vervecken (Fidea) by 14 seconds and Gerben de Knegt (AA drink-Bejan) by 26.
"This was one of the best wins in my career," said a very happy Nys after the finish. "This week is already made, whether I win by own Grote Prijs or not. I was annoyed at myself after the stupid flat tyre. I had chosen slick tyres to ride with the turbo, but that's also risky. But when the aggression took over in me, I was unstoppable."
Nys also describe the atmosphere at the race. "The hair on my arms was standing on end, with all the spectators. After five setbacks [in the last five races] I was mentally very strong. Now I still have one big goal: a new world title, where everything has to go right."
Erwin Vervecken had to be content with another second place, and commented, "It was a bit strange today. I was not as good on foot, but I was riding really well through the sand. When Nys punctured, I decided not to go flat out. That was perhaps the wrong gamble."
Wellens was hurting again, as he finished just 10th today. "I've still got too much pain from my back. I couldn't go deep at all and furthermore I still had pain in my thigh. Because of that, I also couldn't run much. When Nys flatted, I could even follow him a bit, but I couldn't really push it. Tonight the physiotherapist has to bring me solace again.
How it unfolded
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The course in in the Bloso-centre in Hofstade was not an easy one to negotiate, being marked by deep sand in several sections, even if it was fairly dry. True to form, and despite realising a couple of days ago that it was probably detrimental to his winning chances, Gerben de Knegt (AA drink-Bejan) went out hard early on. He was joined by Enrico Franzoi (Lampre) and Erwin Vervecken (Fidea), with Sven Nys, Petr Dlask, John Gadret and Richard Groenendaal also making the cut later on. Bart Wellens (Fidea), with his leg heavily bandaged and suffering back problems after crashing two days ago, missed the rush at the start and sat in 10th position at around 10 seconds behind. He was never able to make contact with the front.
De Knegt continued his aggressive tactics, and accelerated to blow the leading group apart. Nys was easily able to match it, before Groenendaal, Vervecken and Dlask managed to claw their way back to the two leaders. But Groenendaal crashed, and his race was essentially over, even though he managed to regain seventh place.
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Nys tested the remaining group with an attack through the sand, but didn't get far as he punctured. He had already passed the pit zone, so had to let Vervecken, Dlask, De Knegt and Aernouts go past. But a lap later, Nys had recovered and was back in contention. The leaders began to attack each other and Nys was eventually able to get a small gap over Vervecken and De Knegt. Vervecken didn't give in and was just a few seconds behind the World Champion on the last lap, but Nys gave it everything and Vervecken had no answer.
In the women's race, World Cup leader Daphny van den Brand (ZZPR.nl) won with a comfortable 22 second gap over World Champion Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim) and a huge 1'42 advantage to third placed Maryline Salvetat (France).
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Luc Claessen/www.actiefotos.be
- Sven Nys (Rabobank) leads the pack through the sand
- Sven Nys (Rabobank) en route to winning round 7
- Sven Nys (Rabobank) keeps the bike upright through the sand
- Bart Aernouts (Rabobank) finished top five today
- Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) in search of the leaders
- Richard Groenendaal (Rabobank) sprints past the crowd
- Bart Wellens (Fidea) going for 10th, still suffering from his leg injury
- Bart Wellens (Fidea) gets aggro through the sand
- Sven Vanthourenhout (Rabobank) puts the power down
- Sven Vanthourenhout (Rabobank) rides through the sand
- Jan Verstraeten (Fidea) getting rid of his Xmas day hangover
- Jonathan Page (Liberty) finished 41st in the men's race
- Sven Nys (Rabobank) celebrates his victory
- The podium (L to R): Erwin Vervecken (2nd), Sven Nys (1st), and Gerben de Knegt (3rd)
- Daphny van den Brand (ZZPR.nl) looking good in her world cup leader's colours
- Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen) focusing as she shoulders her bike
- Maryline Salvetat (France) heading for third in the women's event
- Reza Hormes-Ravenstein was fourth in the women's race
- Daphny van den Brand (ZZPR.nl) wins the women's race comfortably
- Hanka Kupfernagel (Vlaanderen) was happy to finish second
- The women's podium (L to R): Hanka Kupfernagel (2nd), Daphny van den Brand (1st) and Maryline Salvetat (3rd)
Results
Elite 1 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 0.14 3 Gerben De Knegt (Ned) AA drink-Bejan 0.26 4 Petr Dlask (Cze) Empella Czech Team 0.32 5 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank 0.39 6 Wilant Van Gils (Ned) ZZPR.nl 0.44 7 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank 0.50 8 John Gadret (Fra) Jartazi Granville Team 0.55 9 Martin Bína (Cze) Author Praha 1.02 10 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 1.12 11 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Lampre - Caffita 1.25 12 Michael Baumgartner (Swi) 1.36 13 Camiel Van Den Bergh (Ned) Stevens Racing Team 1.43 14 Christian Heule (Swi) Stevens Racing Team 15 Simon Zahner (Swi) 16 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Palmans-Sapim-Collstrop 17 Wim Jacobs (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 18 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team 19 Martin Zlámalík (Cze) Author Praha 20 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Rabobank 21 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Morgan Blue 22 Jan Verstraeten (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 23 Vladimír Kyzivát (Cze) Johnson Controls As MB 24 Ryan Trebon (USA) 25 Radomir Simunek (Cze) 26 Thorsten Struch (Ger) 27 Kamil Ausbuher (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 28 David Derepas (Fra) 29 Eddy Van Yzendoorn (Ned) 30 Thijs Al (Ned) B & E Cycling Team 31 Finn Heitemann (Ger) 32 Johan Van De Ven (Ned) 33 David Rusch (Swi) 34 Felix Gniot (Ger) 35 Milan Barenyi (Slo) 36 Alexander Moos (Swi) 37 Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spa) 38 Marco Bianco (Ita) 39 Barry Wicks (USA) 40 Erik Tonkin (USA) 41 Jonathan Page (USA) Liberty/Cervélo 42 Malte Urban (Ger) Stevens Racing Team 43 Nicolas Bazin (Fra) 44 Bart Dirkx (Ned) AA drink-Bejan 45 Václav Metlicka (Svk) Team Kral R.C. Pfeil Hof E.V 46 Joachim Parbo (Den) Cycling Aarhus 47 Tsujira Keiichi Japan 48 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly - Pool Gel 49 David Collins (GBr) 50 Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) 51 Jody Crawforth (GBr) 52 Gusty Bausch (Lux) 53 Anders Klinkby (Den) 54 Jens Reuker (Ger) RC Olympia 55 Kashy Leuchs (Can) 56 Brandon Dwight (USA) Women 1 Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned) ZZPR.nl 2 Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger) Vlaanderen-Capri Sonne-T Interim 0.22 3 Maryline Salvetat (Fra) VSLL Castres 1.42 4 Reza Ravenstein (Ned) 5 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) 6 Helen Wyman (GBr) 7 Marianne Vos (Ned) 8 Birgit Hollmann (Ger) 9 Nadia Triquet (Fra) 10 Sabine Spitz (Ger) 11 Kathy Ingels (Bel) 12 Lyne Bessette (Can) 13 Anja Nobus (Bel) 14 Nicol Kampeter (Ger) 15 Britt Jochems (Ned) 16 Arenda Grimberg (Ned) Therme Skin Care 17 Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) 18 Nicole De Bie- Leyten (Ned) 19 Nicoletta Bresciani (Ita) 20 Christine Vardaros (USA) 21 Katrien Aerts (Bel) 22 Alexandra Bahler (Swi) 23 Milena Cavani (Ita) 24 Annekatrin Nietsche (Ger) 25 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 26 Paola Bortolin (Ita) 27 Petra Hofs (Ned) 28 Francesca Cuccinello (Ita) 29 Susy Godart (Lux) 30 Valeria Taglaibue (Ita) 31 Anne Arnouts (Bel) 32 Sarra Massaglia (Ita) 33 Veronica Allessio (Ita) Under 23 1 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 2 Sebastiaan Langeveld (Ned) 0.05 3 Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) 4 Lukas Flückiger (Swi) 0.25 5 Jan Soetens (Bel) 0.40 6 Kenny Geluykens (Bel) 1.00 7 Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) 8 Mike Thielemans (Bel) 9 Maxim Debusschere (Bel) 10 Rik Van Yzendoorn (Ned) 11 Andreas Moser (Swi) 12 Egon Van Kessel (Ned) 13 Troy Wells (USA) 14 Rikke Dijkxhoorn (Ned) 15 Jan Van Dael (Bel) 16 Dries Dewit (Bel) 17 Frederik Herpol (Bel) 18 Jan Arnouts (Bel) 19 Jesse Anthony (USA) 20 Daan De Jong (Ned) 21 Stijn Huys (Bel) Palmans-Sapim-Collstrop 22 David Claerebout (Lux) LG Alzingen 23 Dennis Verhoeven (Bel) 24 Morgan Schmitt (USA) 25 Adam Mcgrath (USA) 26 Andreas Sinskery (Ger) 27 Mitchell Petterson (USA) 28 Tim Milis (Bel) 29 Carlo Kempeneers (Bel) Juniors 1 Robert Gavenda (Slo) 2 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) 3 Dave De Cleyn (Bel) 4 Dries Pauwels (Bel) 5 Marcel Meysen (Ned) 6 Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) 7 Matthias Fluckiger (Swi) 8 Kristof Zegers (Bel) 9 Pascal Meyer (Swi) 10 Lukas Winterberg (Swi) 11 Nico Brungger (Swi) 12 Jens Treichel (Ger) 13 Tim Debusschere (Bel) 14 Stephan Sprinke (Ger) 15 Peter Freye (Swi) 16 Julien Ertveldt (Bel) 17 Pierre Kaeslin (Swi) 18 Morten Gregersen (Den) 19 Kevin De Schrijver (Bel) Novices 1 Stef Boden (Bel) 2 Gerry Druyts (Bel) 3 Stijn Van Driessche (Bel) 4 Yannick Pauwels (Bel) 5 Ben Remijsen (Bel) 6 Nico Thomas Gollnick (Ger) 7 Nick Vermunicht (Bel) 8 Valentijn Martens (Bel) 9 Jens Berghmans (Bel) 10 Nick Van Den Eynde (Bel) 11 Kelly Druyts (Bel) 12 Joachim Janssens (Bel) 13 Inge Allaert (Bel)
