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Vlaamse Houtlandcross Eernegem - C2
Eernegem, Belgium, November 8, 2008
2007 Results Results Past winners
Nys wins last test ahead of World Cup
By Brecht Decaluwé in Eernegem, Belgium
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Belgian champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner) won the Houtlandcross in Eernegem in a sprint against local hero and last year's winner Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb Projob Cycling Team). A few seconds later Dutchman Thijs Al (AA Drink - BeOne) held off Dieter Vanthourenhout (Palmans - Cras ) for the remaining podium spot while American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) came in as last rider of this group, finishing fifth.
World champion Lars Boom and World Cup leader Niels Albert preferred to skip the race in Eernegem in order to be fresh enough for tomorrow's World Cup race in Pijnacker, The Netherlands.
Nys wasn't expected to start in Eernegem, but nevertheless the Belgian champion showed up and grabbed his sixth victory of the season.
"This wasn't an easy victory," Nys said to Cyclingnews. "I was going by how I felt here, but it was necessary to ride at the front of the race on this course. Gaps were easily created in the technical zone at the playground with the twists and turns.
"Since I didn't start too well, I steadily moved up positions. Just past halfway in the race, I accelerated and felt that I could win here as I gained a gap on the others," Nys said.
At that point in the race, Nys, Vantornout, Kevin Pauwels (Fidea Cycling Team), Dieter Vanthourenhout, Al, Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas), Martin Bina (Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor) and Page comprised the lead group. Coming back after a bad start, Page was sitting on Nys' wheel when the Belgian attacked. Page wasn't planning to close the gap on his own and forced the local riders to play their cards in front of their home crowd.
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With three laps to go, Nys was chased down by local riders Vantornout and Vanthourenhout, and a few moments later Al and Page joined the leaders, too, although the two non-Belgians were clearly having trouble hanging onto the three Belgians.
Last year Vantornout decided the race's outcome in the last lap with an acceleration in the technical zone. This year, he launched a sprint toward the same zone and took over the lead. Vanthourenhout was struggling to stay on his wheel, and Nys noticed he needed to move up or miss out on the win.
Vantornout couldn't drop Nys, and halfway through the final lap, he was overtaken as Nys moved into the lead. The Belgian champion started his sprint from far out – with half a lap around the football pitch in Eernegem to go – and Vantornout didn't have enough course left to overtake Nys before the finish line.
"Nys surprised me by starting the sprint from far out, very far out. Then again, it's not a shame to lose to Nys. I think the two of us were the best riders today," Vantornout said.
While Al managed to outsprint a disappointed Vanthourenhout for the remaining podium spot, the American Page was sitting too far back to take part in the sprint for the podium. Still Page was content with his performance in Eernegem.
"It would have been nicer to be on the podium, of course, but my form is going into the right direction," Page said to Cyclingnews.
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The Planetbike rider crashed in the first lap and took a long time before coming back to the front. "I spent a lot of energy and time in that pursuit together with [Enrico] Franzoi, but I feel that I'm ready for the World Cup tomorrow," Page said.
Franzoi was dropped when Nys attacked on lap six, but the Italian wasn't too far back, finishing sixth a little more than a half of a minute down from winner Nys. Radomir Simunek (Palmans - Cras), who cornered into the swing on the playground during the third lap, crossed the line a few seconds later. Kevin Pauwels (Fidea Cycling Team) rode near the front until two laps to go, but once dropped, he took it easy eventually finished eighth.
Another young Belgian, Tom Van Den Bosch (Rendementhypo Cycling Team), confirmed his excellent form with a ninth place ahead of Czech talent Bina, whose strong first half of the race saw him suffer. A lack of stamina meant he could not stick with the leaders for the second half.
Erwin Vervecken (Fidea Cycling Team) seemed to be riding more backwards than forward in Eernegem. The former World Champion may soon need to worry about his chances for Belgian team selection for the World Cup races as he was unable to play any role of importance; the former World Champion finished an anonymous fourteenth in Eernegem.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Cyclingnews.com
- Vantornout took control initially
- Sven Nys almost looks devastated here but no worries, he was in control again.
- Sven Nys accidentally unclipped here but soon was in charge again.
- Klaas Vantornout hurries up the stairs so he can quickly jump on his bike again.
- Radomir Simunek (Palmans Cras) is also confined to running.
- Martin Bína (Budvar Tábor) is the Czech hope for a bright cyclo-cross future.
- Ben Berden (Revor Cycling Team) won the event in 2003
- Marco Bianco (L'Arcobaleno Carraro) concentrates ahead of the descent.
- Ervin Vervecken (Fidea) has enough experience to make this descent look easy.
- Tim de Kort (r) and Davy Commeyne steam through and try to stay close to the leaders.
- Road specialist Jurgen Van de Walle tried his luck on the cyclo-cross
- Enrico Franzoi powers through
- Simunek at the stairy section
- Vervecken realized there was no elevator and he had to take the stairs.
- Jan Verstraeten (Sunweb) had a smile on his face when he heard that others were looking for an elevator....
- Marco Fontana with his unique bike carrying technique.
- Robert Gavenda rides for the strong Fidea team.
- Tom Desmet (Asfra Racing Team) enjoyed the racing in his native Belgium.
- Jurgen Van de Walle was handicapped by a bad starting position, s he usually only races on the road.
- Bína gives it a go
- Fontana goes all out in his effort.
- Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) in the stadium section of the parcours.
- Van de Walle used the cross as a diversion in his road training.
- Geert Wellens (AVB-USSspa) rolls along
- Dieter Vanthourenhout (Palmans) raced strongly and finished fourth.
- Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) rode a good race in Belgium.
- Sven Nys concentrates while storming away from the competition.
- Nys ahead of the rest and showing his dominance once again.
- Nys alone at front for a while, but the others clawed their way back into the race.
- Nys couldn't be stopped by some stairs either.
- Nys and Vantornout sprint it out for the win.
- Nys takes it
- Another great win for the Belgian
- The podium with winner Nys in the centre and runner up Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb) on the right. Third-placed Thijs Al (AA Drink - BeOne) is on the left.
Images by Stijn Vercaemer/www.CyclingView.be
- Thijs Al takes the lead on the first lap
- Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb) rode a great race and finished on the second place
- Jan ‘jakke’ Verstraeten gave all he got in the sand of Eernegem
- Robert Gavenda (Fidea) was well down the standings
- Kevin Pauwels (Fidea) rides in the sand
- Former Italian champion Enrico Franzoi (Liquigas) rode well today
- Ben Berden (Revor) made it a solid day for the Revor team
- Davy Commeyne (Revor) took 11th against some strong competition
- Kevin Pauwels (Fidea)
- Sven Nijs (Landbouwkrediet) turns back for another lap
- Pieter Ghyllebert (Topsort Vlaanderen) gets into 'cross for the off season
- One of the local boys riding for the Easypay crew
- Radomir Simunek (Palmans) on the hurdles
- Jakke Verstraeten (Sunweb)
- Former US national champion Jonathan Page rode well to take fifth
- Kevin Pauwels (Fidea) finished the day in ninth
- Jonathan Page took the stairs powerfully
- Erwin Vervecken (Fidea) had an unlucky day, finishing in 13th
- The podium (l-r): Thijs Al, Sven Nys and Klaas Vantornout
- Klaas Vantornout's camper is a bright little number
Results
1 Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 2 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team 3 Thijs Al (Ned) AA Drink - BeOne 4 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Palmans - Cras 5 Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike 6 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas 7 Radomir Simunek (Bel) Palmans - Cras 8 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 9 Tom Van den Bosch (Bel) Rendementhypo Cycling Team 10 Martin Bína (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 11 Davy Commeyne (Bel) Revor Cycling Team 12 Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber 93 13 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 14 Ben Berden (Bel) Revor Cycling Team 15 Tim Van Nuffel (Bel) Easypay Cyclocross Team 16 Wim Leemans (Bel) AVB Cycling Team 17 Gianni Denolf (Bel) Palmans - Cras 18 Marco Bianco (Ita) L´Arcobaleno Carraro Team 19 David Willemsens (Bel) Revor Cycling Team 20 Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita) 21 Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) Povoa Cycling Club 22 Robert Gavenda (Svk) Fidea Cycling Team 23 Geert Wellens (Bel) AVB-USSspa Cycling Team Kasterlee 24 David Collins (GBr) Science In Sport - Trek 25 Dimitri Stevens (Bel) MEZ Team Belgium Snellegem 26 Hugo Martinez Rus (Spa) 27 Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Adinkerkse 28 Jorge Rodriguez Garcia (Spa) 29 Jerry Kallenfels (Ned) Easypay Cyclocross Team 30 Jeffrey Depuydt (Bel) Jonge Renners Roeselare 31 Tom Desmet (Bel) Asfra Racing Team 32 Javier Heras Salichs (Spa) 33 Steven De Schoesitter (Bel) Rudyco Cycling Team 34 Carlos Hernandez Garcia (Spa) 35 Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step 36 Keith Murray (GBr) 37 Bragando De La Fuente (Spa) 38 Dries Cauwelier (Bel) Cycling Team Cauwelier Roeselare
Past winners
2007 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 2006 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Rabobank 2005 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 2004 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Quickstep - Davitamon 2003 Ben Berden (Bel) John Saey-Deschacht 2002 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites
