Cyclocross Corner

Another exciting cyclocross weekend in the Low Countries, unfortunately, I was in California, so I had to watch football instead.  There was a World Cup race on Saturday in Koksijde, Belguim, known for long plentiful sandy sections.  Sunday was a Superprestige race in Gieten, Netherlands, held in typical muddy conditions.

But first I'll recap from the previous weekend with a GVA-Trofee race in Hasselt, Belguim and a Superprestige in Hamme-Zogge, Belguim.  The NACT also rapped up in the Hamptons.

Bart Wellens won GVA-Trofee #4, GP Van Hasselt, giving him his first win of the season.  Kevin Pauwels got second and Rob Peeters third, with Erwin Vervecken and Sven Nys, in fourth and fifth, respectively.  Fidea almost swept the podium, if Rob Peeters hadn't come out of nowhere. 

The following day was Superprestige #4, in Hamme-Zogge, where conditions were snowy.  Nys won the race in commanding fashion, with Klaas Vantornout, and Wellens filling out the podium.  If you watch any highlight, this is the one, it makes me want to race in the snow, but only for one or two laps, not the whole hour.

What happened in America last weekend, you ask.  The last two NACT (North American Cyclocross Trophy) races at the Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup.  Ryan Trebon won ahead of Jeremy Powers and Todd Wells on Saturday securing the NACT title to Trebon.  Sunday went to Wells with Jamey Driscoll and Trebon, second and third respectively.  Unfortunately, Tim Johnson could not compete for the NACT overall because of a knee injury from the previous weekend. Barry Wicks was also absent, he was in Japan competing in the Kansai cross, where he placed second to Japanese National Champion Keiichi Tsujiura.

Now for our most current weekend.  World Cup #4, in Koksijde, was in very sandy conditions.  There were five deep sand sections, which makes for a lot of running.  This is Vervecken's element and he won here for the fifth time, narrowingly beating Nys in a sprint.  Zdenek Stybar came in third. 

In the women's race, Katie Compton beat the current World Champion, Hanka Kupfernagel in a sprint, with Daphny Van Den Brand securing third.  Kupfernagel led Compton onto the finishing straight, where Compton jumped around her for the win.  Kupfernagel still leads the World Cup standings with Van Den Brand in second and Pavla Havlikova in third.  Compton has moved up to seventh, giving her a front line start for the World Championships, assuming she maintains or improves her standing.

Sunday, November 30, 2008, was Superprestige #5 in Gieten, Netherlands.  Here Vantornout beat Wellens in a sprint, with Nys taking the last podium place.  Wellens and Nys were riding together towards the end of the race with Vantournot ahead.  Vantornout crashed and Wellens bridged, but it cost him too much energy for the sprint.

What were the Americans doing this weekend?  A variety of things.  The Wells brothers, Todd and Troy, competed in Jingle Cross Rock on both days, with Troy beating the elder Wells on Saturday and Todd beating Andy Jacques-Maynes on Sunday.  Jamey Driscoll won the Baystate Cyclocross. 

Injury Updates:

You may have asked yourself, where was Lars Boom, the current World Champion these past races?  Well, he's been out with a Urinary Tract Infection and his doctor thought it best he wait another week before racing. 

Neils Albert is still out with his ruptured spleen.  Hopefully they both saw the "Get Well" sign that JFS_PGH was taking to Gieten.

I've included some highlights from sporza.be, go to the links and click on wedstrijdverslag for the highlights.  Some races also have the last lap, click on laatste ronde.