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GP de Ster Sint-Niklaas - C2
St. Niklaas, Belgium, January 2, 2007
2006 Results Results Past winners
Nys' star keeps shining in GP de Ster
Maxime Lefèbvre almost upsets cyclo-cross world
By Brecht Decaluwé in Sint-Niklaas
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UCI-leader and Belgian champion Sven Nys (Rabobank) won his third 'cross in three days in Sint-Niklaas. Although the startlist didn't feature the likes of world champion Erwin Vervecken, Bart Wellens and Sven Vanthourenhout, the 'cannibal of cyclo-cross' did need to work hard to get the victory.
Somewhat unknown French rider Maxime Lefèbvre (Josan) managed to push Nys to the limit - Lefèbvre rode in front all race long and Nys needed an ultimate acceleration to get rid of the Frenchman. "It wasn't an easy race and I tried to control a bit from the back; I came to the front when I noticed Lefèbvre was going really hard and my team mate Groenendaal looked unable to get him back," Nys explained.
The organisers may have been surprised to see Lefèbvre at the start after he missed a doping control at the Middelkerke cross last week, but the French rider didn't seem care much about that. "I did all I could to get rid of Nys but I couldn't get away from him. Nys was really strong, but he has been very strong all season long," said Lefèbvre. Asked about the missed doping control in Middelkerke, Lefèbvre said, "I didn't see or hear anything."
American Jonathan Page continued his impressive comeback from injury with another fine performance. "It was good...fifth is good, although fourth is better so I'm a little disappointed for that," Page said.
Barry Wicks (Kona) and Jeremy Powers (Jelly Belly) rode together for most of the race and managed a decent eleventh and twelfth place. "It was back and forward between he and I; we were just racing together and we kept getting one guy here and there; we both had a good race," Powers explained. American Ryan Trebon was ill and didn't start in Sint-Niklaas.
How it unfolded
Zdenek Mlynar got the whole shot but disappeared from the front when Richard Groenendaal accelerated. The Dutch veteran got away with Lefèbvre, Radomir Simunek Jr (Palmans) and Jonathan Page (Morgan Blue). Nys needed more time to get to the front but managed to do so together with David Willemsens (Sunweb).
Willemsens and Simunek couldn't follow the group when Lefèbvre took the initiative; Page literally fell away in front. When Lefèbvre accelerated again only Nys could follow and Groenendaal got dropped. During the last lap Nys attacked for the first time and had a little gap on Lefèbvre at the finish. Groenendaal got third while Simunek beat Page for fourth.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Luc Claessen/www.ctm-images.com
- Richard Groenendaal with Simunek.jpg
- Steven Decaluwe (Sunweb-projob) finishing
- Sven Nys near the water
- Sven Nys goes after Groenendaal and Lefevre
- The podium
- The race scene in St Niklaas
- Tom Steels
- Leif Hoste, former Discovery Channel team member
- Wim Devocht of Lotto-Predictor
- Wim Vansevenant of Lotto-Predictor
- Groenendaal and Lefevre leading
- Racing in the mud
- Johan Vansummeren balancing
- Johan Vansummeren in the mud
- Nys at the finish
Images by Brecht Decaluwé/Cyclingnews
- Zdenek Mlynar can't find his early season's form
- Tom Steels, Wim Vansevenvant and Nic Ingels
- The road cyclists from Predictor-Lotto showed up for charity purposes.
- David Willemsens in his new Sunweb outfit.
- Jeremy Powers at the front row.
- Jonathan Page showed up with a smiling face.
- Erik Tonkin focusing/dreaming before the start.
- Sven Nys right before the start.
- And off they go... with Kristof d'Hollander at the back.
- Jonathan Page accelerating at the beach.
- Belgian U23 champion David Willemsens leads Maxime Lefčbvre at the beach.
- Sven Nys leads Barry Wicks at the beach.
- Barry Wicks searching for dry land...
- James Driscoll working hard in Sint-Niklaas.
- Wim De Vocht managed the best performance from all Predictor-Lotto riders (25th)
- Bjorn Selander on the beach in Sint-Niklaas.
- Radomir Simunek Jr plowing his way trough the mud.
- Jonathan Page leads Richard Groenendaal.
- Sven Nys running in the mud.
- Jan Soetens in the mud, and abandoned later on.
- Leif Hoste and co were uncomfortable with cyclo-cross.
- Tom Steels handling the obstacles in his own style.
- Maxime Lefčbvre tried to get away from Sven Nys.
- Jeremy Powers gets respect from the serious spectators for hopping over the obstacles.
- Sven Nys wins de GP de Ster in Sint-Niklaas.
- Maxime Lefčbvre got second in Sint-Niklaas.
- Maxime Lefčbvre after the finish in Sint-Niklaas.
- Jonathan Page (5th) greets little Emma after the finish.
- The podium in Sint-Niklaas: Lefčbvre, Nys and Groenendaal.
- Erik Tonkin gets in touch with his local fan club.
Results
1 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2 Maxime Lefebvre (Fra) Josan Team 3 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank 4 Radomir Simunek (Cze) Palmans Collstrop - Sapim 5 Jonathan Page (USA) Morgan Blue - BSI 6 David Willemsens (Bel) Sunweb-Projob Cycling Team 7 Arne Daelmans (Bel) Palmans Collstrop - Sapim 8 Zdenek Mlynár (Cze) Max Cursor 9 Stijn Penne (Bel) Onder Ons Parike 10 Ronald Mutsaars (Ned) Pro Cycling Team ZZPR.nl 11 Barry Wicks (USA) Kona 12 Jeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly - Pool Gel 13 Bjorn Rondelez (Bel) Lingier-Versluys 14 Dariusz Gil (Pol) KS Scout 15 Mariusz Gil (Pol) LKS Pom Strzelce 16 Erik Tonkin (USA) Kona 17 Marek Cichosz (Pol) Entente Cycliste Raismes 18 Kristof Roodhooft (Bel) Palmans - Collstrop 19 Greg Reain (Can) Stevens Racing Team 20 Nico Clarysse (Bel) Saey Deschacht 21 Todd Wells (USA) Slipstream Sports, powered by Chipotle 22 Ian Bibby (GBr) Trek UK 23 Bjorn Selander (USA) Alan Factory Team 24 Steven Decaluwe (Bel) Sunweb-Projob Cycling Team 25 Wim De Vocht (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 26 Bjorn Traen (Bel) 27 Molly Cameron (USA) Vanilla Bicycles 28 Morgan Schmitt (USA) Hagens - Berman 29 Nic Ingels (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 30 Lukasz Mudyn (Pol) Bazta Bytow 31 Daniel Neyens (USA) Hagens - Berman 32 Nicholas Weighall (USA) Alan Factory Team 33 Chance Noble (USA) California Giant Strawberries 34 Johan Myngheer (Bel) De Zilverbergvrienden Rumbeke 35 James Driscoll (USA) Fiordifrutta 36 Ian Legg (GBr) Red Kite Cycles - Torq Bar 37 Tony Heirbaut (Bel) 38 Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 39 Steven De Schoeisitter (Bel) 40 Sten Raeymakers (Bel) 41 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor - Lotto 42 Adam Bycka (Pol) 43 Shaun Adamson (Can) 44 Olivier Bordeleau (USA) 45 Mark Cotton (GBr) 46 Freddy De Meester (Bel) Gentse Velosport 47 Erik Myngheer (Bel) De Zilverbergvrienden Rumbeke 48 Kristof D'Hollander (Bel)
Past winners
2006 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank
2005 Tom Vannoppen (Bel) Palmans-Sapim 2004 Peter Van Santvliet (Bel) Spaar Select 2003 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2002 Mario De Clercq (Bel) Domo-Farm Frites 2001 Sven Nys (Bel) 2000 Sven Nys (Bel) Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
