February 1/09 8:35 am - Cyclocross World Championships: Men's Updates

Posted by Editoress on 02/1/09
 

The men are off to race for 60 minutes (~ 10 laps) on this very fast course. The sun is out but it is still cold (for Europe that is)

Early in the 1st lap it is a long, long line of riders and setting a stiff pace at the front are the favourites. By the 1/2 way point gaps are starting to already open up at the back are riders not able to match the pace. Lap 1 completed in a time of 6 min 50 seconds.

Lap 2 Niels Albert (Belgium) attacks just after the start of the lap and is being chased by Steve Chainel (France). Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) is at the front of the chasers.. still a long line of 20+ riders

Sven Nys , Sven Vanthourenhout (correction) (Belgium) and Stybar are bridging up. Boom is nowhere to be seen. Lap 2 completed in 6:04

Lap 3 Boom has a mechanical problem, but can't afford to stop until the pits and laps' end. Stybar is leading the chase with Nys on his wheel.

Derrick St John and Aaron Schooler are at the back, well back off the pace.

Lap 4 Lap completed in a time of 6:02. Albert still away with Stybar chasing at 10 seconds. Nys and Sven Vanthourenhout are caught by a large chase group at 30 seconds. Boom gets a new bike, but is having trouble getting back up to speed. Bart Wellens (Belgium) has jumped off the front and is attmpting to bridge up to Stybar

Lap 5 8:55am EST - Still Albert, with Stybar chasing at 11 seconds, Wellens at 26 seconds and the group at 37 seconds. At lap end the Cnucks are sitting 55th for St. John and 59th for Schooler.

Lap 6 Albert still leading with Stybar slowly reeling him inand the entire Belgian contingent being led by Nys, is at the front of the chase group, time trialing up to the leaders. Wellens is caught. Boom and the Dutch squad are nowhere to be seen.

Lap 7 9:08am EST - 4 to go. As he hits the line, Albert has 11 seconds on Stybar. The bunch ~ 10 with 4 (or 5) Belgians (Nys, Wellens, Vantornout), 2 French and 1 Dutch (?) is at 57 seconds back.

St. John has broken his chain and is running to the pit

Halfway through the lap, Nys has attacked the chase group and gone clear. Stbar has Albert in his sights as the approach the end of the lap.

Lap 8 9:16am EST - As they start the lap the gap from Albert to Stybar is 14 seconds. Nys at 51 seconds and group at 57 seconds

Lap 10 1 to go. Albert (6:15) , Stybar at 19 seconds, Nys still 3rd but well back, then a large gap to the chasers.

1 Canadians has been lapped.

Final

Unofficial

1 Niels Albert (Belgium), 1:02:24