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GP Tabor/Vella Cena Tabora - C1
Tabor, Czech Republic, October 28, 2002
Bart Wellens best in Tabor
By Sam Alison
Extremely windy weather overnight in the historical town of Tabor just south of Prague, and indeed across Europe, threatened that the race might be cancelled. Some hard work by the organisers during the morning of what was a national holiday for most, got the course in shape for a 2pm start.
Although some of the big names, like last year's race and overall World Cup winner Sven Nijs and ex-World Champion Erwin Vervecken were missing, a star studded international field lined up against the biggest Czech 'cross stars for 9 laps of the 2.8km course.
The first two laps were run at a steady pace while the field familiarised itself with the intricacies of a difficult course which contained three stair run-ups and two sets of barriers. Setting the early pace was Polish champion Tadeusz Korzeniewsky, though soon an elite group of five was established off the front, containing Bart Wellens (Bel), Richard Groenendaal (Ned), Peter Van Santvliet (Bel), Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel), and Czech champion Jirí Pospísil. Despite the support of a solid crowd who turned out in very ugly conditions, Pospísil seemed to be struggling and was on and off the back of this group and for a while it looked uncertain whether he would be able to maintain contact.
These five stayed together until on lap 6 Vanthourenhout punctured and Wellens took the opportunity to attack. This proved to be the defining moment of the race, he put on an incredible turn of speed, showing powerful and smooth technique through the tight sections to quickly establish a gap on the rest of the bunch.
The pace rapidly splintered the chase group, with Pospísil and Vanthourenhout pulling away from Groenendaal and Van Santvliet. Their battle for second provided the most excitement from the race, with Vanthourenhout jumping early to come in 36 seconds behind Wellens, who never looked threatened once his lead was consolidated.
Groenendaal seemed not to have yet found his top form and faded to finish 6th, being passed by promising young Czech Václav Jezek. The anticipated strong return of World's silver medalist in 2001 Petr Dlask (Cze) after last year off due to injury didn't materialise, he seems to have some way to return to his best having finished 8th, 3.30 down.
Results - Elite, 9 x 2850m
1 Bart Wellens (Bel) Spaar Select 1.02.07 2 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 0.36 3 Jiri Popisil (Cze) Author Praha 0.40 4 Peter Van Santvliet (Bel) Spaar Select 1.06 5 Vaclav Jezek (Cze) Author Praha 1.32 6 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank 2.10 7 Tadeusz Korzeniewski (Pol) 2.25 8 Kamil Ausbuher (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 2.51 9 Petr Dlask (Cze) Author Praha 3.32 10 Pavel Prosek (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 4.05 11 Martin Bina (Cze) Author Praha 4.35 12 Radek Tichy (Cze) Tatra Mleko 5.09 13 Ondrej Lukes (Cze) Tatra Mleko 5.37 14 David Kasek (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 5.42 15 Josef Soukup (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 6.16 16 Mariusz Gil (Pol) 6.26 17 Martin Zlamalik (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tábor 6.37 18 Ales Mudroch (Cze) Tatra Mleko 6.43 19 Pawel Cierpikowski (Pol) 6.57 20 Vaclav Metlicka (Svk) 7.20 21 Wim De Vos (Ned) Spaar Select 1 lap Women, 4 x 2850 m 1 Jindriska Bejstova (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 39.46 2 Katerina Bohata (Cze) Rostex - Quantum 1.06 3 Sarka Chmurova (Cze) Max Cursor 1.29 4 Pavla Neradilova (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 1.48 5 Barbora Bohata (Cze) Rostex - Quantum 4.34 6 Helena Vseteckova (Cze) Anlen Cyklo Svec Galaxy 1 lap 7 Lucie Vondrackova (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 8 Lucie Velechovska (Cze) M.K.V Sport Men Junior, 6 x 2850 m 1 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 46.47 2 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 1.45 3 Ladislav Sulc (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 2.43 4 Jan Sel (Cze) Yogi Racing Ostrava 3.09 5 Frantisek Kloucek (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 3.49 6 Slawomir Pituch (Pol) 4.13 7 Jiri Novak (Cze) Kooperativa MTB 4.28 8 Jan Skarnitzl (Cze) CK Fastum 4.49 9 Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 5.37 10 Vaclav Hlavac (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 5.42 11 Michal Trunec (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 6.23 12 Lukas Fus (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 6.39 13 Jiri Friedl (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 6.44 14 Jan Safrata (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 8.01 15 Michal Prachar (Svk) 8.15 16 Zdenek Fukac (Cze) TJ Favorit Brno 8.23 17 Petr Novotny (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 8.26 18 Filip Rufer (Cze) CK Pribram 9.21 19 Michal Stastny (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 9.55 20 Jan Korous (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 1 lap 21 Jiri Vejvoda (Cze) Klub Cyklistu Luz e-Kosumberk 22 Pavel Vales (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 23 Ondrej Maly (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 24 Juraj Uhlarik (Svk) Slovensko 25 Ondrej Hanus (Cze) TJ Cykloprag 26 Dusan Jandúch (Svk) Slovensko 27 Tomas Podrazil (Cze) TJ Sokol Hole Vrchy 28 Ivo Jerabek (Cze) Slavia Sce Decin - Cyklistika 29 Peter Ciz (Svk) Slovensko 30 Tomas Pospisil (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 31 Lubos Hricak (Cze) Slovensko 32 Jan Simek (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 33 Tomas Vorisek (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 34 Tomas Vosyka (Cze) Kooperativa MTB 35 Petr Janda (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 36 Lukas Sibr (Svk) Slovensko 37 Jiri Vondracek (Cze) TJ Cykloprag 38 Ondrej Bilek (Cze) Kerda Ams Liberec 39 Jiri Hochmann (Cze) TJ Favorit Brno 40 Michal Kubac (Cze) Top Ten Team Teplice 41 Michal Svestka (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 42 Marek Mixa (Cze) CK Bitovska, Praha 43 Ondrej Kutis (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 44 Ondrej Macak (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 45 Jakub Psenicka (Cze) V.C Lugano Mb 46 Zdenek Dufek (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 47 Antonin Tomsu (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 48 Petr Kunta (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 49 Ondrej Horak (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 50 Ondrej Pavelka (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 51 Martin Ruzicka (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 52 Tomas Formanek (Cze) CK Pribram 53 Daniel Vejmelka (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 2 laps Cadets 1987-88, 4 x 2850 m 1 Jiri Hajek (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 34.30 2 Ondrej Bambula (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 0.15 3 Robert Gavenda (Svk) Sk Pikolo Trencin 0.44 4 David Menger (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 0.45 5 Lukas Kloucek (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 1.18 6 Lukas Martinek (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 1.28 7 Martin Nemecek (Cze) Velo - Club Ceske Budejovice 1.44 8 Ondrej Zelinka (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 1.50 9 Michal Kohoutek (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 2.02 10 Michael Kocner (Aut) Team Gericom Bikedrive 2.10 11 Vojtech Hacecky (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 2.22 12 Ondrej Vobora (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 2.35 13 Robert Bachraty (Svk) Slovensko 2.42 14 Bohumil Elsnic (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 2.51 15 Petr Mancik (Cze) TJ Cykloprag 3.19 16 Jan Dostal (Cze) TJ Sokol Ceska Trebova 3.26 17 Michal Nemec (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 3.34 18 Ales Broz (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 3.36 19 Karel Kanka (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 3.42 20 Vaclav Zahalka (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 4.01 21 Lukas Korous (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 4.07 22 Jakub Danacik (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 4.08 23 Jan Pohan (Cze) Cyklo Team Budvar Tabor 4.30 24 Jan Zeithammer (Cze) Sc Bournak 4.39 25 Petr Loula (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 4.47 26 Jan Lorenc (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 4.55 27 Lukas Prihoda (Cze) Tatra Mleko 5.00 28 Adam zizka (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 5.08 29 Vit Mrtvy (Cze) Sk Olomouc Sigma Mz 5.32 30 Petr Vachek (Cze) TJ Cykloprag 5.35 31 Zdenek Machac (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 5.37 32 Jan Macner (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 5.39 33 Marek Mach (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 5.41 34 Ondrej Senk (Cze) Sc Bournak 5.43 35 Jiri Podrazil (Cze) TJ Sokol Hole Vrchy 5.52 36 Matej Cepicka (Cze) CCC-Vella Trutnov Team Kolin 5.54 37 Lubos Jan (Cze) Velo - Club Ceske Budejovice 6.16 38 Tomas Fus (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 6.37 39 Martin Hacecky (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 6.54 40 David Bouse (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 6.58 41 Jakub Stastny (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 7.22 42 Vaclav Kopecek (Cze) TJ Slezan Frýdek Mistek 7.25 43 Jakub Stepanek (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 7.36 44 Lukas Gallo (Cze) Velo - Club Ceske Budejovice 7.42 45 Jakub Foglar (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 8.28 46 Jan Cvik (Cze) Wustenrot-Zvvz 8.58 47 Jakub Sibr (Svk) TJ Druz stevnik Mnichova Lehota 9.08 48 Jakub Novak (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 9.24 49 Ondrej Novak (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 9.30 50 Tomas Blecha (Cze) Wustenrot-Zvvz 9.32 51 Jindrich Fiser (Cze) Sc Bournak 11.13 52 Jaroslav Kucera (Cze) Sc Bournak 1 lap 53 Ondrej Zastera (Cze) CK Bitovska, Praha 54 Antonin Gavenda (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 55 Jakub Vrbicky (Cze) CK Pribram Youth 1989-90, 2 x 2850 m 1 Josef Tomek (Cze) Caska Invest - Cyklist Oddil 19.48 2 Jiri Sotona (Cze) Johnson Constrols AS MB 0.07 3 Jiri Bares (Cze) ASD Dukla Praha 0.22 4 Tomas Havelka (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 0.57 5 Adam Pecl (Cze) Cyklo VeleSin 1.56 6 Patrik Jares (Cze) CK Pribram 2.06 7 Jakub Husek (Cze) CK Pribram 2.27 8 Vladimir Kusy (Cze) Anlen-Australian Bodycare 2.30 9 Jan Obst (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 2.32 10 Stanislav Pelc (Cze) TJ Lokomotiva Beroun 2.36 11 Jakub Sperlich (Cze) SKP Duha Fort Lanskroun 2.42 12 Jiri Polnicky (Cze) TJ Sokol Hole Vrchy 2.44 13 Jan Sabol (Cze) CK Pribram 2.52 14 Marek Farkas (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 3.07 15 Jan Kubac (Cze) Top Ten Team Teplice 3.08 16 Martin Stanek (Cze) Cyklo VeleSin 3.09 17 Jiri Kankovsky (Cze) Sk Olomouc Sigma Mz 3.10 18 Tomas Novy (Cze) TJ Sokol Hole Vrchy 3.21 19 Vaclav Pavlovsky (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 3.31 20 Marek Benda (Cze) TJ ZCE Cyklistika Plzen 3.33 21 Martin Cerny (Cze) Sc Bournak 3.47 22 Tomas Tykal (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 3.50 23 Lukas Maly (Cze) Sc Bournak 4.04 24 Marek Zaoral (Cze) Sk Olomouc Sigma Mz 4.10 25 Matous Augusta (Cze) M.K.V Sport 4.17 26 Adam Jurcik (Cze) Anlen-Australian Bodycare 4.20 27 Jan Petrou (Cze) Cyklo VeleSin 5.35 28 Jan Bocek (Cze) TJ Stadion Louny 6.46 29 Stepan Mrtvy (Cze) Sk Olomouc Sigma Mz 6.52 30 Lucie Velechovska (Cze) M.K.V Sport 7.12 31 Richard Lane (Cze) Sk Olomouc Sigma Mz 7.30 32 Martin Ded (Cze) Da - Ba 10.00
Past winners
2002 (2) Bart Wellens (Bel) 2001 (2) Sven Nijs (Bel) 2000 Bart Wellens (Bel) 1999 (2) Mario De Clercq (Bel) 1998 Sven Nijs (Bel) 1997 Mario De Clercq (Bel) 1996 Paul Herijgers (Bel) 1995 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) 1994 Jiri Pospisil (Cze) 1993 (2) Pavel Camrda (Cze) 1992 Pavel Camrda (Cze) 1991 Pavel Elsnic (Cze) 1990 Stanislav Bambula (Cze) 1989 Radomir Simunek (Cze) 1988 Karel Camrda (Cze) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
