Ruddervoorde, Super Prestige Trophy, Round 1

Belgium, October 24, 1998

The 1998-99 Super Prestige Cup

                                                          
Round 1, Ruddervoorde, Belgium, October 24, 1998
Round 2, Asper, Belgium, November 15, 1998
Round 3, St. Michielsgestel, Netherlands, November 22, 1998
Round 4, Gieten, Netherlands, November 29, 1998
Round 5, Silvelle, Italy, December 8, 1998
Round 6, Overijse, Belgium, December 13, 1998
Round 7, Hoogstraten, Belgium, December 23, 1998
Round 8, Diegem, Belgium, December 27, 1998 
Round 9, Surhuisterveen, Netherlands, December 30, 1998
Round 10, Wetzikon, Switzerland, January 24, 1998
Round 11, Harnes, France, February, 7, 1998

Report

Belgian cross sensation Sven Nijs, who is riding for the Dutch Rabobank team this season won the first round of the Super Prestige Trophy at Ruddervoorde in Belgium. The conditions could not have been worse for the opening round - a wet and muddy parcours and continual rainstorms and only 10 degrees celsius.

Last year's Super Prestige winner Richard Groenendaal encountered mechanical problems on the first lap - a chain - and he was forced to run 500 metres to the first check-point and lost 1 minute in the process. Nijs and World Champion Mario De Clercq got away to a flying start with Van Der Poel and little known Belgian rider Peter Willemsens.

Nijs was aggressive on the front and held a 20 second gap to the other three after the first laps. Once Groenendaal had sorted out his bike he tore through the field and was back in 5th place with half the race to go. Nijs had a lead of 1 minute after 45 minutes and the chasing bunch was now De Clercq, Van Der Poel, Willemsens and Groenendaal.

That is the way it stayed with Groenendaal unable to keep up the momemtum on Nijs, and taking 2nd place from De Clercq.

Round 1, Ruddervoorde, Belgium, NOctober 24, 1998

 1. Sven Nijs (Bel)
 2. Richard Groenendaal (Bel)
 3. Mario de Clercq (Bel)
 4. Adri van der Poel (Ned)
 5. Erwin Vervecken (Bel)
 6. Peter Willemsens (Bel)
 8. Daniele Pontoni (Ita)
 9. Peter van Santvliet (Bel)
10. Paul Herijgers (Bel)
11. Ben Berden (Bel)
12. David Willemsens (Bel)
13. Maarten Nijland (Ned)
14. Peter van den Abeele (Bel)
15. Bjorn Rondelez (Bel)

Super Prestige Trophy Standings after Round 1:

 1. Sven Nijs (Bel)			15
 2. Richard Groenendaal (Bel)		14
 3. Mario de Clercq (Bel)		13
 4. Adri van der Poel (Ned)		12
 5. Erwin Vervecken (Bel)		11
 6. Peter Willemsens (Bel)		10
 7. Marc Janssens (Bel)			 9
 8. Daniele Pontoni (Ita)		 8
 9. Peter van Santvliet (Bel)		 7
10. Paul Herijgers (Bel)		 6
11. Ben Berden (Bel)			 5
12. David Willemsens (Bel)		 4
13. Maarten Nijland (Ned)		 3
14. Peter van den Abeele (Bel)		 2
15. Bjorn Rondelez (Bel)		 1