GP de Czech Republic, Cyclo Cross World Cup, Round 2

Prague, Czech Republic, November 22, 1997

Race Report

Swiss rider Dieter Runkel won the second round of the Cyclo Cross World Cup on Saturday, November 22. The race was held in bleak conditions (fog and low temperatures) and saw Runkel hold off the joint Dutch challenge of Cross Aces Adri van der Poel and Richard Groenendaal.

From the beginning a group of 7 riders formed which included Dutchmen Adri van der Poel, Richard Groenendaal, and Wim de Vos, Belgians Erwin Vervecken and Mario De Glercq, Czech and local favourite Radomir Simunek and eventual winner Runkel.

The first attacks came in lap 3 with Runkel and van der Poel dropping Groenendaal and the others. Runkel attacked again on the 8th lap and he had a 10 second gap on van der Poel as they went through the start for the 9th lap.

The gap between Runkel and van der Poel persisted with Groenendaal gaining some ground in the next two laps. The final order was maintained at the end.

Elite Men - 29.35 km:

 1. Dieter Runkel (Swi) 	     1.00.57
 2. Adri van der Poel (Ned) Rabobank	0.14
 3. Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank	0.18
 4. Erwin Vervecken (Bel) 		0.38
 5. Mario de Clercq (Bel) Palmans	0.43
 6. Peter van Santvliet (Bel)
 7. Jiri Pospisil (Czech Rep)
 8. Daniele Pontoni (Ita) 		0.48
 9. Roland Schätti (Swi) 		1.09
10. Wim de Vos (Ned) 			1.16
11. Marc Janssens (Bel) Palmans		1.33
12. Radomir Simunek (Czech Rep) 	1.35
...
14. Thomas Frischknecht (Swi)  		2.06
15. K. Aushuber (Czech Rep)
16. Patrick Blum (Swi)  		2.15
17. O. Lukes (Czech Rep) 
18. F.J. Nieberding (Ger)
19. L. Bramati (Ita)
20. Henrik Djernis (Den)
21. B. Berden (Bel)
22. J. Arenz (Ger)
23. Erik Boezewinkel (Ned)
24. A. Mudroch (Czech Rep) 
25. T. Cabla (Czech Rep)
26. J. Chiotti (Fra)
27. Rob Glajza (Slo)
28. P. Elsnic (Czech Rep)
29. M. Jörgensen (Den)
30. D. Süssemilch (Czech Rep) 
31. C. Duval (Fra) 
32. D. Pagnier (Fra)
33. P. Camrda (Czech Rep) 
34. G. Gommers (Ned)
35. T. Nestlé (Ger)
36. S. Blunt (GB)

dnf Beat Wabel (Swi)

World Cup Standings after Round 2 of 6

		        	1   2  3  4  5  6   Total

  1. R. Groenendaal (Hol)      50  30  -- -- -- --   80
  1. A. v.d. Poel (Hol)        40  40  -- -- -- --   80
  3. D. Runkel (Swi)           18  50  -- -- -- --   68
  4. M. de Clercq (Bel)        20  22  -- -- -- --   42
  5. E. Vervecken (Bel)        15  26  -- -- -- --   41
  6. P. van Santvliet (Bel)    19  20  -- -- -- --   39
  7. J. Pospisil (Csz)         16  19  -- -- -- --   35
  8. B. Wabel (Swi)            30  --  -- -- -- --   30
  9. R. Simunek (Csz)          26  --  -- -- -- --   26
 10. L. Bramati (Ita)          22  --  -- -- -- --   22
 11. D. Pontoni (Ita)          --  18  -- -- -- --   18
 12. R. Schätti (Swi)          17  --  -- -- -- --   17
 13. M. Janssens (Bel)         14  --  -- -- -- --   14
 14. D. Pagnier (Fra)          13  --  -- -- -- --   13
 15. A. Büsser (Swi)           12  --  -- -- -- --   12
 16. C. Duval (Fra)            11  --  -- -- -- --   11
 17. W. de Vos (Hol)           10  --  -- -- -- --   10
 18. D. Arnould (Fra)           9  --  -- -- -- --    9
 19. D. Süssemilch (Swi)        8  --  -- -- -- --    8
 20. P. Blum (Swi)              7  --  -- -- -- --    7
 21. E. Boezewinkel (Hol)       6  --  -- -- -- --    6

Espoirs/U23 - 24.05 km

 1. Zdenek Mlynar (Czech Rep)          51.03
 2. Pavel Prosek (Czech Rep) 		0.11
 3. David Derepas (Fra) 		0.55
 4. Stefan Bünter (Swi) 		1.08
 5. Petr Dlask (Czech Rep) 		1.17
 6. Roman Peter (Swi) 			1.26

Juniors - 18.75 km

 1. Sven van Thourenhove (Bel) 	       41.03
 2. Davy Commeyne (Bel) 		0.10
 3. Michael Baumgartner (Swi) 		0.46
Kindly supplied by Stefan Girschweiler