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Cyclo-Cross World Cup #1 - CDM
Wortegem-Petegem, Belgium, October 10, 2004
Mlynar surprises to win first round
By Jeff Jones
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Czech rider Zdenek Mlynar upset the Belgians on their home ground to win the first round of the Cyclo-cross World Cup in Wortegem-Petegem today. At the end of a fast and dry race, Mlynar led out the sprint with a powerful jump to hold off Belgians Sven Vanthourenhout (Quickstep-Davitamon) and home town hero Mario de Clercq (MrBookmaker.com-Palmans) for the surprise victory. Mlynar was certainly among the strongest riders on the day, and recovered from a mid-race crash to rejoin the front group.
How it unfolded
The 11 lap race was run in cool, perfectly dry conditions over what turned out to be a fast parcours, with a few obstacles per lap. Many of the riders were wearing their trade team jerseys instead of national colours, in accordance with the new UCI rules.
Czech rider Zdenek Stybar led for most of the opening lap, followed by Brit Matthew Ellis, with the favourites Wellens and De Clercq close behind. Wellens' teammate Erwin Vervecken punctured on the first lap and had to change his bike, which meant he was in last wheel across the start/finish line at the end of the lap. It was the start of a bad race for Vervecken, as with under two laps to go he couldn't avoid colliding with teammate Wim Jacobs, who fell off on a corner.
The peloton remained together until the fifth lap when De Clercq, Wellens, Mlynar, Nys (Rabobank), Heule (Stevens) and Berden (Saey-Deschacht) gapped the rest by 10 seconds. Mlynar crashed on a downhill corner but was amazingly quick at getting back on his bike, rejoining the next group and eventually towing it up to the leaders.
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Ben Berden needed a bike change at the end of lap 6 after a puncture, but was quickly able to rejoin the pack, which had reduced in size somewhat. On lap seven, Tom Vannoppen (MrBookmaker.com) attacked hard and strung out the peloton. He was joined by Nys on lap 8, with De Clercq and Vanthourenhout (Quick.Step) chasing, but the break did not stay clear. At the end of the lap, Vannoppen went again and got a gap as Nys looked to the rest to chase. Italian Enrico Franzoi (Saeco) did the work and the bunch was together again.
Fidea teammates Wim Jacobs and Erwin Vervecken crashed out of contention on lap 10, while the rest of the favourites battled for position at the front. On the final lap, Nys, Vanthourenhout, De Clercq, Mlynar, Vannoppen and Berden created a little gap, but it wasn't a killer blow. On the final time up the steps, Nys and Vanthourenhout went again but again, Mlynar and De Clercq were there. The Czech rider had played his cards right and led out the sprint from a long way to take the victory and the World Cup jersey ahead of Vanthourenhout and De Clercq. Belgians occupied the next five spots but this time they were denied the big prize.
Photography
Images by AFP
- Zdenek Mlynár (Czech Republic) in the World Cup jersey - a rare sight to see a non-Belgian rider wearing it!
Images by Delphine Page/www.cycling-photos.net
- Italian Enrico Franzoi warms up.
- John Gadret (Chocolade Jacques) finished 14th.
- Zdenek Mlynár (Czech Republic) en route to victory.
- Spain's Isaac Suarez Fernandez takes in some deep breaths.
- Frenchman Pierre Bernard Vaillant.
- Camiel van den Bergh (Saey-Deschacht) on the second lap.
- Tom Vannoppen (MrBookmaker.com - Palmans) on the attack in the final lap.
- Zdenek Mlynár (Czech Republic) takes the win, with a David Etxebarria-like victory salute.
- Deep discussion going on at the podium.
- The podium - (L to R) Sven Vanthourenhout (Quickstep - Davitamon, 2nd), Zdenek Mlynár (Czech Republic, 1st) and Mario de Clercq (MrBookmaker.com - Palmans, 3rd).
Results
1 Zdenek Mlynár (Cze) Czech Republic 59.22
2 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Quickstep - Davitamon
3 Mario de Clercq (Bel) MrBookmaker.com - Palmans
4 Ben Berden (Bel) Saey-Deschacht
5 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank
6 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) MrBookmaker.com - Palmans
7 Kamil Ausbuher (Cze) Czech Republic
8 Camiel van den Bergh (Ned) Saey-Deschacht
9 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank
10 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cyclocrossteam
11 Petr Dlask (Cze) Czech Republic
12 Steve Chainel (Fra)
13 Christian Heule (Swi) Stevens International Cyclocross Team
14 John Gadret (Fra) Chocolade Jacques
15 Thorsten Struch (Ger)
16 Wilant van Gils (Ned) Rietveld WTC wielerteam
17 Michael Baumgarter (Swi)
18 Maarten Nijland (Ned)
19 Vladimír Kyzivát (Cze) Czech Republic
20 Enrico Franzoi (Ita)
21 Robert Glajza (Svk) 0.15
22 Jonathan Page (USA) Cervelo/HotTubes/Adidas/Mavic
23 Marco Bianco (Ita)
24 Peter Presslauer (Aut) Stevens International Cyclocross Team 0.21
25 Alessandro Fontana (Ita)
26 Jean-Baptiste Beraud (Fra)
27 Julien Belgy (Fra) 0.28
28 Jirí Pospisil (Cze) Stevens International Cyclocross Team
29 David Derepas (Fra) 0.47
30 Jens Schwedler (Ger) Stevens International Cyclocross Team
31 Peter Van Santvliet (Bel) Fidea Cyclocrossteam 0.58
32 Matthew Ellis (GBr)
33 Jens Reuker (Ger)
34 Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spa)
35 Arnaud Labbe (Fra)
36 Jeremy Powers (USA)
37 Mariusz Gil (Pol) 1.06
38 Václav Metlicka (Svk) 1.31
39 Francis Mourey (Fra) 1.40
40 Jan Ramsauer (Swi)
41 Tadeusz Korzeniewski (Pol)
42 Beat Morf (Swi)
43 Jean-Pierre Leijten (Ned)
44 Tommy Nielsen (Den)
45 Pierre Bernard Vaillant (Fra) 1.42
46 Mike Muller (Ger) 1.52
47 Martin Zlámalík (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 2.43
48 Radomír Simunek Jr (Cze) Author Praha 3.23
49 Dariusz Gil (Pol)
50 Anders Klinkby (Den) Vejen BC
51 Adrian Timmis (GBr) 3.53
52 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Czech Republic 4.46
53 Luca Damiani (Ita)
54 Beat Wabel (Swi)
1 lap behind
55 Alessandro Di Tano (Ita)
DNF Wim Jacobs (Bel) Fidea Cyclocrossteam
DNF Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cyclocrossteam
DNF David Seco Amadurain (Spa)
DNF Kzysztof Kuzniak (Pol)
Juniors
1 Ricardo van der Velde (Ned) 39.30
2 Wim Leemans (Bel)
3 Jan Arnouts (Bel)
4 Thomas Vernaeckt (Bel) 0.32
5 Ben Arnouts (Bel)
6 Tom Meeusen (Bel)
7 Anthony Cailleau (Fra)
8 Quentin Bertholet (Bel)
9 Robert Gavenda (Svk) 0.39
10 Ivar Hartogs (Ned) 0.43
11 Sacha Wagner (Ger) 0.48
12 Niek Tielemans (Bel) 1.16
13 Laurens De Vreese (Bel)
14 Remco te Brake (Ned) 1.22
15 Gianni Denolf (Bel) 1.26
16 Kevin Van Compernolle (Bel) 1.30
17 Romain Renaux (Fra) 1.39
18 Brecht Lippens (Bel) 1.45
19 Kevin Ryckaert (Bel) 2.02
20 Jan Van Dael (Bel)
21 Kevin Demeester (Bel)
22 Tim Ulrich (Ger)
23 Mattijn Motshagen (Ned) 2.13
24 Bart Senders (Ned) 2.41
25 Dave De Cleyn (Bel) 2.52
26 Mick Du Prie (Ned) 3.02
27 Jonas De Vlieger (Bel) 3.32
28 Lorenzo Van Slycke (Bel)
29 Thomas Demets (Bel)
30 Thomas Volckaert (Bel) 3.37
31 Lorenzo Zauters (Bel) 4.53
32 Jo Van Rechem (Bel) 5.03
33 Benny De Rocker (Bel) 5.07
34 Angelo Zauters (Bel) 5.11
35 Ruben Depoortere (Bel) 5.16
36 Matthias Holvoet (Bel) 5.47
Starters: 43
Novices
1 Jim Aernouts (Bel) 30.00
2 Joeri Adams (Bel)
3 Frederik Catrysse (Bel) 0.07
4 Matthias Moeyaert (Bel) 0.23
5 Kim Goethals (Bel) 0.33
6 Kevin De Schrijver (Bel) 0.40
7 Kenneth Bultynck (Bel) 0.45
8 Kenneth Mariën (Bel)
9 Kevin Van Synghel (Bel) 1.12
10 Pieter Cordeel (Bel) 1.26
11 Vincent Renaux (Fra)
12 Jarn Van de Casteele (Bel) 1.44
13 Kaell Pizzy (Bel) 2.19
14 Kevin Verstaen (Bel) 2.45
15 Geert Van der Horst (Ned)
16 Kenneth Verhoeven (Bel) 2.49
17 Dimitri Stevens (Bel) 3.27
18 Arne Verstraete (Bel) 3.40
19 Kevin Heirwegh (Bel)
20 Joachim Lammens (Bel) 5.05
21 Sam De Winne (Bel) 5.08
22 Kevin Callewaert (Bel) 5.15
23 Michiel Van Thielen (Bel) 6.58
Starters: 23
World Cup standings after round 1
1 Zdenek Mlynar (Cze) Czech Republic 2 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Quickstep - Davitamon 3 Mario de Clercq (Bel) MrBookmaker.com - Palmans 4 Ben Berden (Bel) Saey-Deschacht 5 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 6 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) MrBookmaker.com - Palmans
