Photo gallery: Nys, Albert and company arrive in St. Wendel
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Belgium's Niels Albert leads US U23 team member Zack McDonald on a Worlds course recon. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Deep ruts in the mud greeted the riders for the preview (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The frozen mud was quite slippery, riders found (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Zdenek Stybar (Telenet Fidea) gets a good look at the St. Wendel course (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Defending world champion Marianne Vos hoses down her bike (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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Lars van der Haar (The Netherlands) previews the course in St. Wendel (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
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The Belgian team looks to be the strongest in the race. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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American U23 champion Danny Summerhill gets some training time in on the world championship course one day prior to the U23 race. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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British champion Helen Wyman will be a contender in the women's world championship on Sunday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgian U23 team member Vinnie Braet pre-rides the course one day prior to his world championship race. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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One of Spain's 'cross Worlds team members pre-rides the course on Friday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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"You go first...No, you go first." (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Members of Spain's world championship team look for the best line down a rutted descent. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Stan Godrie (Netherlands) will compete in the Junior men's championship on Saturday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Riders tackle a rutted descent on foot one day prior to the opening day of the 'cross world championships. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgian U23 champion Joeri Adams is a picture of concentration. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgium's Laurens Sweeck, winner of the Junior men's 'cross World Cup, pre-rides the St. Wendel circuit. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgian U23 team member Vincent Baestaens runs the stairs. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Riders tackle a flight of stairs during Friday's training session. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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American Jonathan Page trains on the St. Wendel, Germany world championship course. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgian champion Niels Albert is a strong favourite for Sunday's elite men's world championship. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgian champion Sanne Cant pre-rides the St. Wendel circuit. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Germany's Hanka Kupfernagel seeks her fifth 'cross world championship on Sunday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Zach McDonald, a member of the USA's U23 squad, negotiates a section of frozen mud. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgium's Tom Meeusen pre-rides the course. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Marianne Vos (Netherlands) will defend her world championship on Sunday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Riders check out a tricky descent. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgium's Joeri Adams, a medal contender for the U23 race on Saturday, speaks to the press. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgium's Laurens Sweeck is a favourite for the Junior men's event on Saturday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Belgium's Wietse Bosmans will vie for the U23 men's championship on Saturday. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Cold temperatures have frozen the mud on the St. Wendel circuit. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Deep ruts have frozen into the mud on the world championship circuit. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Switzerland's Lars Forster, the Junior men's European 'cross champion, is one of the favourites for Saturday's Junior men's championship. (Image credit: www.ispaphoto.com)
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Map of 2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships course in St. Wendel, Germany (Image credit: UCI)
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Sven Nys is aiming to take home the rainbow jersey. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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The Spanish team train on the course. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Difficult conditions will face the riders on Sunday. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Bart Aernouts has arrived in St. Wendel. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Tom Meeusen is ready for the Worlds. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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The distinctive colours of the Belgian national team. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Kevin Pauwels will be in the mix on Sunday. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Niels Albert talk to the media. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Niels Albert at the Belgian team's pre-race press conference. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Bart Wellens has two world titles to his name already. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Niels Albert (Belgium) is the man on form for the Worlds. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
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Bart Wellens will be a key figure in the Belgian line-up. (Image credit: ispaphoto.com)
Lots of mud in Sankt Wendel, Germany, would be good for the Belgians at the UCI cyclo-cross world championships this weekend, according to the national coach.
Belgian national coach Rudy De Bie checked out the course. “There is a lot of water,” he told HLN.be. “That makes it pretty muddy in some places. Really great for us Belgians as it is now.
“But it may well change. For the weekend, they are calling for heavy freezes. If that happens, the conditions will be different. On a fast track, we will have fast races, but if the sun comes out, it may be quite slippery in the afternoon. Wait and see.”
The current weather forecast calls for overnight temperatures of -4° to -5° C over the weekend, with sun and highs of 1° C.
Belgium, which has won eight of the last ten world titles, is again sending the favourites to the race. Niels Albert has had a stellar season in which he stands atop the UCI rankings, won three World Cup rounds en route to the overall title and captured his first Belgian elite national championship. Sven Nys, who won his one elite world championship in Sankt Wendel in 2005, can never be counted out, particularly in muddy conditions, and Kevin Pauwels has come on strong at the end of a consistent season.
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