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Superprestige #3 Gavere - C1
Gavere, Belgium , November 16, 2008
2007 results Stage List Preview Start List Past winners
The Races
- Race 1 - November 16: Juniors
- Race 2 - November 16: U23 Men
- Race 3 - November 16: Elite Women
- Race 4 - November 16: Elite Men
Down and dirty 'cross in Asper-Gavere
By Laura Weislo
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The third round of Belgium's Superprestige cyclo-cross series heads deep into the heart of East Flanders for a messy 'cross in a cow pasture at Asper-Gavere. With rain in the forecast for the weekend, the course should revert to the type of ankle-deep muck that eats drive trains for breakfast of two years ago. The course typically involves the kinds of tight, off-camber turns and muddy ascents which favour the most powerful and skilled riders in the peloton.
For the past four years in a row, that rider has been Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner), but the Belgian champion isn't dominating this season like he has been in recent years. Niels Albert (Palmans-Cras) and Nys are tied one-one in the series, with Nys out-sprinting Albert and Sunweb-Projob's Klaas Vantornout in Ruddervoorde, and Albert putting in a spectacular performance in Veghel-Eerde.
Nys, who raced the last round in the Netherlands with a dislocated finger sustained during his winning ride in Oudenaarde should be all healed up from two weekends of injuries, and will be looking for revenge after taking a sound beating by world champion Lars Boom in the Pijnacker World Cup.
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Speaking of Boom, the young Dutchman is coming on strong, and has been unbeatable in the last two mud-slinging contests, including Tuesday's romp in Niel. Boom is the best candidate to break Nys' string of victories in Gavere, if he can make sure to avoid the devious traps the organisers deliberately include in order to give the beer-drunk fans plenty of crashes to watch. Fortunately for the riders, they've begun adding air bags to the more dangerous sections.
The fun in the mud isn't just for the elite men, as the organisers have UCI fields for U23 men, elite women and juniors, too. The re-emergent American Katie Compton (Spike) overcame a muscular problem which hampered her early season to nearly take the win in Pijnacker. A last-lap mishap ruined her chances at a repeat win there, but in Belgium will be free from her nemesis, Hanka Kupfernagel, the world champion and UCI leader. She will have to contend with Kalmthout World Cup winner, Daphny Van den Brandt.
In the espoirs race, Jan Van Dael (Sunweb Projob) will be hoping to defend his series leader's jersey from the mud and from the threat of German Philipp Walsleben, the winner in Ruddervoorde, and surprise contender, Marek Konwa from Poland, who is in his first year in the U23 ranks. The two are tied in second with 15 points.
Start list
Elite 1 Lars Boom 2 Sven Nys 3 Bart Wellens 4 Niels Albert 5 Zdenek Stybar 6 Richard Groenendaal 7 Klaas Vantornout 8 Sven Vanthourenhout 9 Gerben De Knegt 10 Radomir Simunek 11 Bart Aernouts 12 Kevin Pauwels 13 All Thys 14 Wilant Van Gils 15 Dieter Vanthourenthout 16 Martin Zlamanik 17 Jonathan Page 18 Thys Van Amerongen 19 Jempy Drucker 20 Jan Van Dael 21 Rob Peeters 22 Wesley Van Der Linden 23 Jan Verstraeten 24 Erwin Vervecken 25 Ben Berden 26 Davy Commeyne 27 Jan Soetens 28 Francis Mourey 29 Marco Fontana 30 Kendric Van Grembergen 31 Stephen Dessaint 32 Steven Deschoesitter 33 Freddy De Meester 34 Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga 35 Stijn Huys 36 Tom Vandenbosch 37 Christian Heule 38 Marek Chicosz 39 Magnus Darvell Women 1 Christine Vardaros 2 Nancy Bober 3 Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn 4 Daphny Van Den Brand 5 Van Nieuwpoort Tessa 6 Francis Keizer 7 Kim Van Renterghem 8 Katrien Pauwels 9 Katie Compton 10 Helen Wyman 11 Sharon Defoor 12 Iris Ockeloen 13 Maaike Lanssens 14 Anja Nobus 15 Ilse Vandekinderen 16 abrina Stultiens 17 Gertie Willems 18 Katia Verstraete 19 Nicolle De Bie-Leyten 20 Mika Ogishima 21 Dorien Raeymaekers 22 Mascha Pijpers 23 Thamara Pijpers 24 Anne Arnouts 25 Patsy Larno 26 Lana Verberne 27 Jo Blanchaert 28 Sophie De Boer 29 Sophie Borra 30 Sarah Liekens 31 Nikki Harris U23 Men 1 Arnaud Gouffroy 2 Tom Meeusen 3 Lucas Kloucek 4 Robert Gavenda 5 Joeri Adams 6 Stef Boden 7 Marcel Meisen 8 Ramon Sinkeldam 9 Vincent Bastaens 10 Quentin Bertholet 11 Jim Aernouts 12 Kenneth Van Compernolle 13 Geert Van Der Horst 14 Tom De Smet 15 Jan Denuwelaere 16 Lorenzo Messine 17 Jonas De Boey 18 Sonny Van Herve 19 Laurent Moulin 20 Vincent Van Hooste 21 Bart Hermans 22 Peer-Max Gensing-Podschun 23 Kaj Slenter 24 Mitchell Heunders 25 Mickael Winterberg 26 Nico Brungger 27 Matthias Fluckiger 28 Jonathan Bervoets 29 Jelle Brackman 30 Marco Minnaard 31 Dennis Verhoeven 32 Robby Cobbaert 33 Jasper Ockeloen 34 Jan Van Dael 35 Ivar Hartoghs 36 Petrus Lubomir 37 Arnaud Jouffroy 38 Aurelien Duval 39 Philippe Walsleben 40 Dave De Cleyn 41 Bart Bakhuis 42 Simon Geets 43 Christophe Delvaux 44 Matthias Onghena 45 Harm Van Der Sanden 46 Sven Beelen 47 Steven Galens 48 Michiel Dieleman 49 Ruben Veestraeten 50 Davy De Scheemaecker 51 Kristof Zegers 52 Gianni Denolf 53 Cristian Izquierdo 54 Zeb Willems 55 Kevin Citeren 56 Kevin Smit 57 Dany Lacroix 58 Jorn Van Veen 59 Kevin Cant 60 Jackson Vivjarona 61 Thomas Vernaeckt 62 Marek Konwa 63 Kasper Szepaniak 64 Matthias Nilsson Juniors 1 Niels Koyen 2 Lars Van Der Haar 3 Jens Joosen 4 Gianni Vermeersch 5 Karl Peeters 6 Dieter Peeters 7 Guillaume Van Keirsbulk 8 Daan Meijers 9 Matthias Bossuyt 10 Robin Delanghe 11 Bart Van Dongen 12 Mike Teunissen 13 Floris De Tier 14 Sean De Bie 15 Olivier Van De Vijver 16 Tijmen Eising 17 Robin Wennekes 18 Lukas Muller 19 Peter Joel 20 Gert Ceulemans 21 Elmar Reinders 22 Zeb Veestraeten 23 Corne Van Kessel 24 Wilco Van Beusecom 25 Michiel Van Der Heijden 26 Angelo De Clercq 27 Kenny Bultinck 28 Kenzie Baute 29 Florian Blazard 30 Dimitri Michielsen 31 Flavien Dassonville 32 Wietse Bosmans 33 Sieen Veestraeten 34 Jesper Baelen 35 Xandro Meurisse 36 Ritchie Denolf 37 Olivier Vernaet 38 Kris Vermeir 39 Joshua Omez 40 Hendrik Sweeck 41 Olivier Vandevijver 42 Niels Wytinck 43 Valentijn Van De Velde 44 Milan Van Den Ende 45 Jelle Lugten 46 Mikel Elorza Pagaldai 47 Laurens Van Gansbeke 48 Bas Krauwel
Past winners
2007 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2006 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2005 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2004 Sven Nys (Bel) Rabobank 2003 Bart Wellens (Bel) Spaar Select 2002 Bart Wellens (Bel) Spaar Select 2001 Sven Nijs (Bel) Rabobank 2000 Peter Van Santvliet (Bel) Spaar Select 1999 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) Rabobank Past winners by Mario Stiehl, www.world-of-cycling.com
