Cyclocross Primer: Part 2

[editor's note, by chris] See Part 1 below too.

Part 2 - the races

The UCI rates and give points for each sanctioned cyclocross events with a World Cup, C1, or C2 classification. There are about 10 World Cup events each year, there was definite interest in having a World Cup event in the US this year, but the logistics couldn't get finalized. Maybe next year. Usually even the largest USA races are rated C2, but the Supercross #1 in New York got a C1 rating. Erwin Vervecken came to the USA and won that race. The UCI points not only determine the World Cup series winner, but also your critical start position at the World Championship race. Earlier this year a few European pros were racing in the USA to "cherry pick" a few precious points.

Superprestige is an series of C1 races in Belgium and the Netherlands. They are a series in themselves and wildly popular among the locals. Sven Nys owns this series, winning all 8 races last year and the series 7 out of the last 9 years. The website is http://www.superprestigecyclocross.com/

The Gazet van Antwerpen (GVA) are a series of C1 races held near Antwerp. Similar to Superprestige, this is a 8 race series. When looking at the race listings these are harder to pick out because the race name have unique names like: Jaarmarktcross, GP Sven Nys, or Krawatencross. But this is also a highly coveted trophy to win. Nys also won this series last year, but not quite in the dominant fashion as Superprestige.

And there is the World Championship. The cyclocross world championship is probably the most coveted of all titles. Unlike its road race counterpart, everyone is on good form after a full season of racing. And also unlike the road race, which can favor specialists depending on parcours, the cyclocross champion almost always goes to the strongest rider.

For the past 10 years, it's been (almost) all Belgium, except for the controversial 2000 race. Richard Groenendaal (Ned) was out in front, being chased by Mario de Clerq and Sven Nys, both Belgians. Nys refused to help de Clerq chase down his Rabobank team captain, and Groenendaal went on to win. Nys was harshly criticized in the Belgian media, but eventually all was forgotten. Despite being nearly unbeatable during the season, Nys has had some forgettable Worlds even though the Belgian team has been so utterly dominant. Their basic technique is to get to the front and run a virtual team time trial until everyone else dropped. Here is a perfect picture of the machine in action.

There really hasn't been a challenge to recent Belgium superiority, but last year Jonathan Page was just 1 Vervecken bobble away from taking it all.

Here are the results from last season

World Cup
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UCI World Cup, Aigle (Swi) - Nys, Wellens, Vervecken
UCI World Cup, Kalmthout (Bel) - Nys, Mourey, Vervecken
UCI World Cup, Tabor (Cze) - Simunek, Wellens, Vervecken
UCI World Cup, Treviso (Ita) - Mourey, Nys, Vervecken
UCI World Cup, Pijnacker (Ned) - Nys, Mourey, de Knegt
UCI World Cup, Koksijde (Bel) - Nys, Wellens, Vanthourenhout
UCI World Cup, Igorre (Spa) - Nys, Wellens, Vantornout
UCI World Cup, Milan (Ita) - Wellens, Nys, Vanthourenhout
UCI World Cup, Hofstade (Bel) - Vervecken, Dlask, Al
UCI World Cup, Nommay (Fra) - Nys, Wellens, de Knegt
UCI World Cup, Hoogerheide(Ned) - Nys, Dlask, Vervecken

Superprestige
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Ruddervoorde (Bel) - Nys, Vanthourenhout, Wellens
Sint-Michielsgestel (Ned) - Nys, Pauwels, Groenendaal
Asper-Gavere (Bel) - Nys, Vervecken, Gadret
Gieten (Ned) - Nys, de Knegt, Vantornout
Bollekescross, Hamme-Zogge (Bel) - Nys, Wellens, Vervecken
Diegem (Bel) - Nys, Wellens, Pauwels
Hoogstraten (Bel) - Nys, Groendaal, De Knegt
Vorselaar (Bel) - Nys, Vantornout, Vervecken

GVA Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy
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Koppenberg (GP Willy Naessens) - Nys, Groendaal, Gadret
Niel (Jaarmarktcross) - Wellens, Groendaal, Nys
Essen (GP Rouwmoer) - Nys, Wellens, De Knegt
Loenhout (Azencross) - Albert, Nys, Vervecken
Baal (GP Sven Nys) - Nys, Boom, Albert
Lille (Krawatencross) - Nys, Groendaal, De Knegt
Oostmalle (Int. Sluitingsprijs) - Albert, Nys, Page

Worlds Championship
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World Championship, Hooglede-Gits, (Bel) Vervecken, Page, Franzoi