Cyclo-cross World's: Kupfernagel top favourite

Hanka Kupfernagel is the big favourite for the women's Cyclo-cross World Championship this Sunday, January 30 in St. Wendel, Germany. The 30 year-old wants her third World Championship title after winning in 2000 and 2001. With that in mind, the rider from Thüringen has been training hard in recent months and is looking forward to the challenge with a lot of confidence.

"I've been refining my technique day after day and improved my running above all after specific training," said Kupfernagel, who believes she's in the best possible shape for the World Championships. "My big goal is the world title, of course."

There are three riders in particular who might stop her: the current world champion Laurence Leboucher from France, who has been keeping something back in international races so far, her teammate and national champion Maryline Salvetat or her Dutch colleague Daphny van den Brand, whom Hanka Kupfernagel describes as very ambitious. After her World Cup wins in Pijnacker and Milan, Van den Brand should be the German's biggest challenger.

Hanka Kupfernagel is hoping for a "home town advantage" in St.Wendel and the support of the many German spectators. Apart from Kupfernagel the German team for the World Championships is Sabine Spitz (Murg-Niederhof/Fusion), Birgit Hollman (Zugvogel Berlin), Nicole Kampeter (Endspurt Herford) and Susanne Juranek (RSC Oldenburg).