January 31/10 7:56 am - Cyclo-cross World Championships - Men UPDATES

Posted by Editor on 01/31/10
 

It is -3 with a stiff breeze blowing making it feel -10 in Tabor as the men line up to start the  1 hour World Championship

Coverage of the 2010 Cyclo-cross World Championships provided with the support of Shimano

Some news:

German champion Philipp Walsleben may not start - coming off the flu.  According to German press he has already been scratched.

Sven Nys had planned on retiring after 2012, but says now he will stay on for Worlds in U.S.

The Apollo disco appears to be the favourite night spot - lots of dry ice, light shows and gyrating dancers.  The Belgians took over the place last night, and a booing match ensued between rival camps of fans (Nys, Vervecken, Albert).

There are no Canadian entries this year

Lap 1

And they are off.  Those first corners will be interesting with this size of field

8:02 am

Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) setting the pace in front of a very delighted home crowd.  He is followed by a long long line, with the predominent jersey being Belgian

8:04 am

Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) has joined Stybar

8:06 am  Vantornouthas dropped Stybar, Sven Nys (Belgium) now 2nd, Stybar 3rd and dropping back and has stopped at the pit and taken a new bike.

Lap 2 (7:49)

Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) goes through first leading 3 others,  Stybar now 14 sec back

Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic) now taking the lead and slowing things down? leading Vantornout, Sven Nys (Belgium), Francis Mourey (France), Christian Heule (Switzerland)

8:13 am - Up the step Simunek and Vantornout have a few seconds gap on Ny and Heule.  Stybar is making his way back up but the pace being set at the front by his teammate is sheding a lot of riders

8:15 am - heading to lap end there is a group of 5 formed at the front

Lap 3 (7:35)

Heule, Kevin Pauwels, Nys,  Vantornout (Belgium) Simunek,  Stybar and Mourey at 2 sec

8:18 am Heule now at the front and gains some advantage as riders change bikes.  Pauwels crashes on the barriers

8:20 am - Heule still leading, Vantornout,  Mourey, Stybar.  Lots of slipping in the corners

Lap 4 (7:36)

4 at the front now with a 2 second gap on chasers.  Heule, Vantornout,  Mourey, Stybar

8:25am -   Stybar back in the lead with a small gap on the other 3 with Martin Bina (Czech Republic) just behind them then Radomir Simunek, Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic)

Hading to the end of the lap now and Stybar still leading with 4 chasers

Lap 5 (7:23)  5 to go

Stybar with Nys, Heule, Vantornout, and Radomir Simunek  at 18 seconds.  Bina, Mourey at 24 sec

8:34  Nys seems to be finding his legs and starting to ride away from the others

Lap 6

Stybar goes through with 3 chasers at 20+ sec: Vantornout, Nys, Bina

8:40 am - Bike change for Stybar

Nys with Bina have attacked . Vantornout is starting to tail off

Stybar is riding away with this race now

Lap 7 (7:36)

Stybar with Nys, Bina and Vantornout at 32 sec.  Next 2 riders (Mourey and Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic)) at 40 sec

8:50 am

Nys is bunny hopping the barriers to great delight of the fans

8:52 - Stybar heads to the end of the lap with an ever increasing gap on the chasers - now only Vantornout with  Nys and Bina off the back

Lap 8 (7:38) - 2 to go

Stybar with Vantornout at 27 sec.  Nys and Bina at 39 sec  Then Mourey and another Czech Republic rider

Lap 9 (7:44) last lap

Stybar, Vantornout at 20 sec, Bina at 45 sec, Nys at 47 sec and Mourey at 58 sec

9:03 am - Nys has caught Bina.  Radomir Simunek is closing the gap to them with  Mourey behind

9:06  Nys attacks and drops Bina, but Bina comes back and Mourey is chasing hard slowly shortening the gap

9:08 Stybar heads to the line with a huge smile

Final

Unofficial

1    Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic)    1:18:58
2    Klaas Vantornout (Belgium)            at 0:21
3    Sven Nys (Belgium)                          0:38
4    Martin Bina (Czech Republic)             0:40
5    Francis Mourey (France)                    0:56
6    Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic)       1:02
7    Christian Heule (Switzerland)            1:07
8    Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic)    1:18
9    Gerben de Knegt (Netherlands)         1:49
10    Bart Wellens (Belgium)                   2:13

14    Timothy Johnson (United States Of America)    2:37
19    James Driscoll (United States Of America)    3:07
30    Jeremy Powers (United States Of America)