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GP AVB Zonhoven - C2
Zonhoven, Belgium, October 5, 2008
2007 Results Results Past winners
Albert storms away to second season win
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22 year-old Niels Albert jumped away from the gun at the start of the GP Zonhoven, and was never to be seen again by his competitors. The rider from the Palmans-Cras team held a 30 second advantage over Klaas Vantornout, who fought off a chase from the Fidea duo of Zdenek Stybar and Bart Wellens to secure second place.
Albert, the winner of the Steenbergcross seems to have recovered fully from a nasty crash in the GP Neerpelt last week, and never showed any sign of the sore ribs which he came away with from that wreck. "After my fall in Neerpelt, I stayed off the bike three days," Albert said to sporza.be. "Then I trained hard despite the wind and rain, but I didn't know where I stood. I attacked from the start, and when I had a 30 second advantage, I limited myself to holding it. I wasn't here to win with a three minute advantage."
Vantornout, the winner of the season opener in Dudzele, was being chased by Stybar and Wellens until the latter flatted on the final lap. He was surprised to do so well as he was sick all week. "Yesterday I was thinking I would not start," Vantornout said, "but later decided to try anyway. All in all it was a good day."
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by AFP Photo
- Belgian U23 cyclocross champion Tom Meeusen of the Fidea team celebrates after winning the Zonhoven GP cyclocross
Images by Isosport
- After a week of rain, Niels Albert found a muddy course in Zonhoven.
- Bart Wellens (Fidea) was chasing third place until he got a flat tire on the final lap.
- Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb - ProJob) was surprised with second as he has been sick all week.
- Zdenek Stybar (Fidea) chases for third place through the sand.
- Niels Albert (Palmans Cras) got the gap early and focused on maintaining it throughout the race.
- Dutch cyclist Thijs Al in action
- Wilant Van Gils rides through the mud.
- Wesley Van der Linden (Sunweb Projob) rides in the mudweb.
- Bart Wellens (Fidea) tries to keep his outfit white, with questionable success.
- Niels Albert (Palmans) concentrated during his efforts.
- Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Projob) powers through the mud.
- Gerben De Knecht started to look like his surroundings.
- Ervin Vervecken opted to go gloveless through the cold rain.
- Rob Peeters (Landbouwkrediet - Tönissteiner) out of the saddle as he tried to stay on course.
- The dirt became noticeable everywhere
- Vantornout had to push his bike through the deepest mud sections.
- Richard Groenendaal (AA Drinks) also showed off his running skills.
- Vervecken shouldered his bike as he ran through the mud.
- Zdenek Stybar (Fidea) ahead of teammate Wellens.
- Stybar at the top of the climb.
- Petr Dlask was another member of a strong Fidea team.
- Vantornout suffers through the start-finish area another time.
- Stybar finishes the rainy affair
- Dlask heads home
- A muddy Wellens rides in
- Wellens was cold in the end
- Kevin Pauwels of Fidea gets done with the race.
- Dieter Vanthourenhout (Palmans) has the race track all over his face.
- Niels Albert (Palmans Cras) overcame a bad crash last week to win in Zonhoven.
- Niels Albert (Palmans Cras) takes his second win of the year.
- Nasty weather didn't slow Niels Albert or discourage fans from coming out for the GP Zonhoven.
Results
1 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans-Cras 2 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Projob 3 Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team 4 Petr Dlask (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team 5 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 6 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 7 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 8 Thijs Al (Ned) BeOne Chainreactions Cycles 9 Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet 10 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) AA Cycling Team 11 Wilant Van Gils (Ned) ZZPR.NL 12 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Palmans-Cras 13 Ben Berden (Bel) Revor Cycling Team 14 Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Rabobank Continental Team 15 Jan Soetens (Bel) Revor Cycling Team 16 Jan Verstraeten (Bel) Sunweb Projob 17 Tom De Kort (Bel) AVB Cycling Team 18 Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) 19 Nico Berckmans (Bel) DCM-GB Vorselaar Cycling Team Vzw 20 Jimmy Tielens (Bel) 21 Mariusz Gil (Pol) 22 Geert Wellens (Bel) AVB Cycling Team 23 Kristof Luyten (Bel) Pro Cycling Team Vzw - Neerpelt 24 Jerry Kallenfels (Ned) EasyPay 25 Steven De Schoesitter (Bel) Rudyco Cycling Team 26 Peter Goeman (Bel) Asfra Racing Team
Past Winners
2007 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 2006 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank
