Stybar wins in Roubaix

Czech champion Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) took over the lead in the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup from World Champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) by winning the World Cup round in Roubaix on Sunday in grand style. Stybar threw his fists in the air on the famed Paris-Roubaix vélodrome and won ahead of Belgians Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor), Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet), Erwin Vervecken and Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea). Albert finished on a disappointing eighth place in Roubaix and now trails Stybar by 16 points in the World Cup standings with only one round left in the series.

"This is unbelievable. Of course, I'm happy but I didn't expect it," Stybar said. "I've only just returned from a training week in Majorca, and I was feeling tired. The first few laps were reasonable, but then I was doing worse, and I lost positions."

"At one moment, I was able to move back up, and suddenly I was in the lead," Stybar said, recalling his acceleration during the sixth of nine laps. "It was ideal because I ended up leading the race together with my teammate [Bart] Wellens who was very motivated because he was still fighting for a spot in the Belgian selection for the World Championships."

Besides a minor dropping in places by Belgian champion Nys, who recovered well, the first half of the race, was marked by a natural selection that created an eight-man leaders' group including Stybar, Albert, Vantornout, Nys, Vervecken, Wellens, Gerben De Knegt (Rabobank) and local hero Steve Chainel (Bbox Bouygues Telecom).

Disappointing the local crowds, Chainel fell off the pace of the rest of the group and the first chasers after an acceleration from Stybar and Wellens. However, he Chainel eventually finished as first French rider in ninth place.

After the sixth lap, Stybar and Wellens had 20 seconds on Nys, Vantornout, Vervecken and Albert, who was unable to bring the chasers back to his closest rival in the World Cup standings. Half a lap later, Albert had to say goodbye to the first chase group, too. He would go on to finish in eighth, one spot ahead of Chainel.

"This way it wasn't possible to race. I suffered a lot because of my chest [Albert broke a rib last weekend. - Ed.], and it's very sad that I could not defend my chances in a fair way," Albert said.

Stybar was able to ride the seventh lap 15 seconds faster than anybody else and thus he rode Wellens off his wheel. Nys, Vantornout and Vervecken were trailing Stybar by 25 seconds at that moment in the race.

During the remaining laps, Stybar was never in trouble and the popular Czech got to start celebrating his win before he actually hit the track for the final stretch of the race.

Vantornout had most energy left of the chasers, and he stormed toward second place ahead of Nys, Vervecken and Wellens, who was running on empty during the last lap. Once again it was "close but no cigar" for Vantornout, who never came closer to a World Cup victory this season.

"I'd rather win, and I was not far away from doing so. The first four laps I wasn't feeling good, but in the end I was getting stronger every lap," Vantornout said.

Belgian champion Nys explained that a hectic week kept him from being fresh at the start in Roubaix. "Every day there was something going on that kept me from training on a normal way. Whereas the Czech champion can travel to Majorca the day after the championships, the Belgian champion has to race in Otegem. Then there was also a team presentation... . I simply wasn't fresh enough to win today,."

When Vervecken raced in Roubaix in 2007, he claimed a win over De Knegt. And while he finished fourth today - better than he'd expected, it wasn't quite as good. "I had a good day, but I suffered an awful lot. I'm very happy, and I think I showed that I'm a level above the other two riders who're claiming a spot [in the Belgian selection for the World Championships]," Vervecken said to Cyclingnews.

link: http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/cross.php?id=cross/2007/jan07/roubaix07

The American riders didn't have their best day in Roubaix. Before the race, Jonathan Page was expected to go well on the muddy course that includes lots of running, but Page messed up his start and punctured during the third lap, forcing him to ride all along the track and beyond with a flat tyre.

Page got going on the fourth lap. "I'm disappointed that I had that flat tyre and a bad start. Maybe a top-10 result was possible, but I wasn't give the chance to see if that was true. The start was terrible, and I ended up riding on the inside, off the track. That flat tyre soaked a lot of energy even though I tried hard to control damages."

"Eventually I rode my own race and figured I'd better use the race as a good training," said a muddy post-race Page to Cyclingnews.

Compatriot Ryan Trebon rode his first European race of the season in Roubaix; the tall American has a love-hate-relation with the legendary vélodrome. "Last year I said I would never come back and now I remember why. It's so hard, I've never been so f*****d up."

"It was impossible to stay with anybody as everybody's riding at his own speed on this course. There was so much running, and when you got back on the bike the concrete was hard to get through. My bad start didn't help, of course. I blew up my engine before halfway and actually I hoped Stybar would lap me so I wouldn't have to complete another lap," Trebon said to Cyclingnews.

As if he hasn't suffered enough, the former US national champion also had his wheels stolen from the pit during the race. "Things like that happen at a small race, but you wouldn't expect that at a World Cup event where the pit is only accessible for official pit crew," Trebon said. Other American riders like Jamey Driscoll and Troy Wells were lapped during the penultimate World Cup round.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet - Fidea1:02:19
2Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor0:00:08
3Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet0:00:16
4Erwin Vervecken (Bel)0:00:25
5Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:00:38
6Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Rabobank0:01:00
7Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank0:01:12
8Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:01:32
9Steve Chainel (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom0:01:43
10Enrico Franzoi (Ita) BKCP - Powerplus0:01:55
11Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:02:03
12Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor0:02:12
13Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:02:41
14Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus0:03:02
15Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus0:03:03
16Wilant Van Gils (Ned)0:03:06
17John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:03:13
18Jonathan Page (USA)0:03:20
19Christian Heule (Swi)0:03:26
20Mariusz Gil (Pol)0:03:34
21Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux0:03:37
22Petr Dlask (Cze) Telenet - Fidea0:03:41
23Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned)0:03:53
24Thijs Al (Ned)0:04:44
25Nicolas Bazin (Fra)0:04:50
26Arnaud Labbe (Fra)0:05:18
27Martin Bina (Cze)0:05:26
28Marek Cichosz (Pol) Legia - Felt0:05:27
29Marco Bianco (Ita)0:05:30
30David Derepas (Fra)0:05:31
31Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned)0:05:32
32Laurent Colombatto (Fra)0:05:43
33Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Continental Team Differdange0:06:22
34Joachim Parbo (Den)0:06:41
35Martin Zlamalik (Cze)0:06:55
36Marcel Wildhaber (Swi)0:07:04
37Fabio Ursi (Ita)0:07:19
38René Lang (Swi)0:07:33
39Ryan Trebon (USA)0:07:42
40Jérome Chevallier (Fra)0:07:56
-1lapOndrej Bambula (Cze)Row 40 - Cell 2
-1lapVladimir Kyzivat (Cze)Row 41 - Cell 2
-1lapMagnus Darvell (Swe)Row 42 - Cell 2
-2lapsJames Driscoll (USA) Jamis - Sutter HomeRow 43 - Cell 2
-2lapsMike Garrigan (Can)Row 44 - Cell 2
-2lapsRobert Glajza (Svk)Row 45 - Cell 2
-2lapsAndreas Moser (Swi)Row 46 - Cell 2
-2lapsIvar Hartogs (Ned)Row 47 - Cell 2
-2lapsGusty Bausch (Lux)Row 48 - Cell 2
-3lapsRoy Van Heeswijk (Ned)Row 49 - Cell 2
-3lapsKeiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)Row 50 - Cell 2
-4lapsMartin Haring (Svk)Row 51 - Cell 2
-4lapsErik Box (Can)Row 52 - Cell 2
-5lapsBoldbaatar Bold-Erdene (Mgl)Row 53 - Cell 2
-5lapsAriunbold Naranbat (Mgl)Row 54 - Cell 2
DNFTroy Wells (USA)Row 55 - Cell 2
DNFMilan Barenyi (Svk)Row 56 - Cell 2
DNFIan Field (GBr)Row 57 - Cell 2
DNFMarco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)Row 58 - Cell 2
DNSVaclav Metlicka (Svk)Row 59 - Cell 2

Elite men World Cup standings after eight rounds

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet - Fidea565pts
2Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus551Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet480Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor457Row 3 - Cell 3
5Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Rabobank380Row 4 - Cell 3
6Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet - Fidea375Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank355Row 6 - Cell 3
8Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux332Row 7 - Cell 3
9Erwin Vervecken (Bel)326Row 8 - Cell 3
10Christian Heule (Swi)313Row 9 - Cell 3
11Enrico Franzoi (Ita) BKCP - Powerplus312Row 10 - Cell 3
12Steve Chainel (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom274Row 11 - Cell 3
13Martin Zlamalik (Cze)268Row 12 - Cell 3
14Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus267Row 13 - Cell 3
15Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus244Row 14 - Cell 3
16Martin Bina (Cze)243Row 15 - Cell 3
17Petr Dlask (Cze) Telenet - Fidea240Row 16 - Cell 3
18Mariusz Gil (Pol)237Row 17 - Cell 3
19Thijs Al (Ned)231Row 18 - Cell 3
20Jonathan Page (USA)223Row 19 - Cell 3
21Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea222Row 20 - Cell 3
22Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned)221Row 21 - Cell 3
23Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Revor213Row 22 - Cell 3
24Marco Bianco (Ita)195Row 23 - Cell 3
25Kamil Ausbuher (Cze)159Row 24 - Cell 3
26John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale150Row 25 - Cell 3
27Laurent Colombatto (Fra)141Row 26 - Cell 3
28Marcel Wildhaber (Swi)139Row 27 - Cell 3
29Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned)135Row 28 - Cell 3
30Wilant Van Gils (Ned)127Row 29 - Cell 3
31Jan Verstraeten (Bel)126Row 30 - Cell 3
32Ondrej Bambula (Cze)120Row 31 - Cell 3
33Nicolas Bazin (Fra)117Row 32 - Cell 3
34Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)116Row 33 - Cell 3
35Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus113Row 34 - Cell 3
36David Derepas (Fra)111Row 35 - Cell 3
37Alessandro Gambino (Ita)98Row 36 - Cell 3
38Luca Damiani (Ita) Kenda Presented By Gear Grinder98Row 37 - Cell 3
39Fabio Ursi (Ita)96Row 38 - Cell 3
40Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Van Vliet EBH Elshof88Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jérome Chevallier (Fra)86Row 40 - Cell 3
42Jonathan Lopez (Fra)71Row 41 - Cell 3
43Ian Field (GBr)71Row 42 - Cell 3
44Milan Barenyi (Svk)70Row 43 - Cell 3
45Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - Fidea59Row 44 - Cell 3
46Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa)54Row 45 - Cell 3
47Ivar Hartogs (Ned)54Row 46 - Cell 3
48Joachim Parbo (Den)49Row 47 - Cell 3
49Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Continental Team Differdange48Row 48 - Cell 3
50Johannes Sickmueller (Ger)48Row 49 - Cell 3
51Arnaud Labbe (Fra)47Row 50 - Cell 3
52James Driscoll (USA) Jamis - Sutter Home46Row 51 - Cell 3
53Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)43Row 52 - Cell 3
54Robert Glajza (Svk)43Row 53 - Cell 3
55Pawel Szczepaniak (Pol)41Row 54 - Cell 3
56Marek Cichosz (Pol) Legia - Felt40Row 55 - Cell 3
57Vaclav Metlicka (Svk)37Row 56 - Cell 3
58Robert Gavenda (Svk) Telenet - Fidea35Row 57 - Cell 3
59Lukas Flückiger (Swi)33Row 58 - Cell 3
60Lukas Kloucek (Cze) Sunweb - Revor30Row 59 - Cell 3
61Elia Silvestri (Ita)29Row 60 - Cell 3
62Sascha Weber (Ger)28Row 61 - Cell 3
63Martin Haring (Svk)28Row 62 - Cell 3
64Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze)27Row 63 - Cell 3
65Roy Van Heeswijk (Ned)26Row 64 - Cell 3
66Sascha Wagner (Ger)26Row 65 - Cell 3
67Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spa)25Row 66 - Cell 3
68Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa)24Row 67 - Cell 3
69Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)23Row 68 - Cell 3
70René Lang (Swi)23Row 69 - Cell 3
71Marco Ponta (Ita)21Row 70 - Cell 3
72Jan Soetens (Bel)20Row 71 - Cell 3
73Troy Wells (USA)20Row 72 - Cell 3
74David Seco Amundarain (Spa)16Row 73 - Cell 3
75Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spa)15Row 74 - Cell 3
76Andreas Moser (Swi)15Row 75 - Cell 3
77Bram Schmitz (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh Elshof14Row 76 - Cell 3
78Daniel Ruiz Echeandia (Spa)14Row 77 - Cell 3
79Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze)13Row 78 - Cell 3
80Zdenek Mlynar (Cze)13Row 79 - Cell 3
81Ryan Trebon (USA)12Row 80 - Cell 3
82Jody Crawforth (GBr)11Row 81 - Cell 3
83Tommy Nielsen (Den)11Row 82 - Cell 3
84Julien Pion (Fra)10Row 83 - Cell 3
85Jens Westergren (Swe)10Row 84 - Cell 3
86Gusty Bausch (Lux)10Row 85 - Cell 3
87David Lozano Riba (Spa)9Row 86 - Cell 3
88Clément Bourgoin (Fra)9Row 87 - Cell 3
89Magnus Darvell (Swe)8Row 88 - Cell 3
90Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)7Row 89 - Cell 3
91Mike Garrigan (Can)6Row 90 - Cell 3
92Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram6Row 91 - Cell 3
93Peter Presslauer (Aut)4Row 92 - Cell 3
94Marek Canecky (Svk)3Row 93 - Cell 3
95Zoltan Tisza (Hun)2Row 94 - Cell 3
96Jean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne1Row 95 - Cell 3
97Rafael Visinelli (Ita)1Row 96 - Cell 3

 

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