2001 Results Preview Start List Program Past winners PreviewBy Jeff Jones The World Cyclocross Championships return to Belgium this year for the first time since 1994, when they were held in Koksijde. The venue for the 2002 championships is Zolder, a small town about 10 kilometres from Hasselt. In the elite men's division, the Belgians are the out and out favourites to take the title, and may well clean sweep the podium. Riders include defending champion Erwin Vervecken, World Cup champion Sven Nijs, dual World Champion Mario De Clercq, and rising star Bart Wellens. They will be strongly supported by Ben Berden and Tom Vannoppen. The challengers include the Dutch, with 2000 World Champ Richard Groenendaal and Gerben De Knegt leading the way. The Czech Republic did well on their home ground last year with Petr Dlask taking the silver medal. Jiri Pospisil is probably their best hope for another medal. The Spanish are led by national champion David Seco, while the French will count on Dominique Arnould, David Derepas and John Gadret. The Italians will be counting on Luca Bramati and Valeriano Vandelli in the absence of their top rider, Daniele Pontoni, who has been altogether shut out of the Italian team this season. The USA will race with five men, including national champion Todd Wells, and Marc Gullickson, Tim Johnson, Jonathan Page and Jonathan Sundt. Roger Hammond (GBr), Jens Schwedler (Ger), Robert Glajza (Svk), Tadeusz Korzeniewski (Pol), Thomas Frischknecht (Swi), Gusty Bausch (Lux), Kim Petersen (Den), Peter Presslauer (Aut) will carry the flags for their respective countries on Sunday. The women's race has been dominated by German Hanka Kupfernagel for the past two years - since the World's were contested by women. She faces a more difficult challenge this year from riders such as Alison Dunlap (USA), winner of the last round of the World Cup; her teammates Ann Grande and Carmen DŽAlusio; Dutch star Daphny Van Den Brand and Belgian champion Anja Nobus. It may well be that Kupfernagel loses her title to one of the Americans, but she is an expert competitor in this discipline. The Junior and U23 Men will start the proceedings on Saturday, February 2, with the juniors getting under way at 11:00. Sunday sees the Elite Women and Men's races, also starting at 11:00.
Past winnersElite Men
|
||||