Mourey triumphs in Namur World Cup

In stormy weather conditions French champion Francis Mourey (FDJ.fr) powered in impressive style to his second ever World Cup victory at the similarly impressive citadel in Namur, Belgium. The 33 year-old Frenchman soloed away halfway through the race, winning with a respectable margin over Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) and Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus).

Sven Nys (Crelan-KDL) waged an impressive comeback from a flat tire off the line to challenge for the podium, but a mistake in the off-camber section scuttled his chances. World Cup leader Lars van der Haar bounced back from a nasty crash halfway the race to strengthen his overall lead with a blistering fast final lap to take fifth. His closest rivals in the World Cup, Philipp Walsleben (BKCP-Powerplus) and Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), disappointed with ninth and twelfth places, respectively.

In 2007 Mourey captured his first win in a World Cup round at the fast course in Treviso, Italy. The Frenchman failed to claim big wins ever since then, though he didn't regard this win extremely high. "It's not the most beautiful win of my career but since it's a World Cup round it is a nice race to win," Mourey told Sporza.

"The physical course suits me a lot. I felt great and it helped me that I was more more fresh than the others." When asked which race was the most beautiful to win Mourey didn't look back but forward. "Winning the world championships in Hoogerheide. This win offers me some comfort. Things are going well and hopefully it remains like that until the world championships."

The win from Mourey was more than deserved, although some will argue that Nys was the strongest man in the race. Mourey might remind them about the extremely muddy 2007 World Cup round in Igorre, Spain, when he was the strongest man in the race until his derailleur let him down and Nys went on to win the race.

This time around Nys was the man who ran into bad luck as he flatted right after the race got under way. The world champion found himself at the back of the pack after switching bikes. "The next few laps I lost even more time as I got caught in traffic," Nys said.

Meanwhile Mourey set the pace up front during the opening lap. During the second and third lap Julien Taramarcaz (BMC) and Philipp Walsleben surged forward but halfway through the race they were caught back by a group which included Mourey, Thijs van Amerongen (AA Drink/Leontien.nl), Albert and Vantornout.

Mourey took the initiative for most of the fifth lap - with more rain and wind torturing the riders' backs - without causing much damage. At the end of that lap though, when climbing back up to the start-finish, the French champion rode solo.

"The moment Francis accelerated I had no answer ready. Already before the race I decided to ride my own pace on this tough course," Albert said. A little later Albert glanced back several times as he noticed Nys was closing in on him. During the penultimate lap Nys bridged up with the group at the tough off-camber section, in which he rode past everybody. "Sven was the strongest rider today. Overtaking those first forty riders is rather easy but then it gets really hard. It's quite the achievement he pulled off," Albert said.

Once in front of the chase group, Nys clearly wanted more than a second place to finish off his comeback ride. Meanwhile, Mourey was only leading the group by a fragile 15 seconds. Two things helped Mourey to the victory at that moment. The first factor was the ability of the French champion to clock two blistering fast final laps, the second was the crash from Nys in the mud. "I overdid it there," Nys said. "Instead of waiting for the last climb and focusing on second place I hoped for a mistake from Mourey and the victory." Instead Vantornout and Albert took profit and flanked Mourey on the podium.

On Boxing Day, December 26, the fifth round in the World Cup is held on the former F1 car circuit in Zolder. Van der Haar heads to Zolder with a lead of 13 points over Walsleben, and 22 points over Albert. Mourey will opt to stay at home for Christmas and skip Zolder.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ.fr1:00:49
2Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:00:24
3Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team0:00:30
4Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan KDL Cycling Team0:00:35
5Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank Development Team0:00:36
6Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:00:41
7Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team0:00:52
8Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team0:00:54
9Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-PowerplusRow 8 - Cell 2
10Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:00:59
11Marcel Meisen (Ger) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team0:01:18
12Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:01:30
13Martin Bina (Cze) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team0:01:38
14Fabien Canal (Fra) ASPTT Definitive Tec0:01:42
15Michael Wildhaber (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:01:43
16Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:01:51
17Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cycling Team0:01:57
18Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:02:11
19Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti0:02:26
20Jonathan Page (USA) Fuji-Spy-Competitive Cyclist0:02:46
21Wietse Bosmans (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team0:03:14
22Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Development Team0:03:20
23Ondrej Bambula (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tabor0:03:22
24Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:03:26
25Sascha Weber (Ger) Team Differdange-Losch0:03:30
26Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:03:38
27Arnaud Grand (Swi) BMC Development Team0:03:49
28Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa)0:03:57
29Martin Haring (Svk) CK Banska Bystrica0:04:08
30Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles0:04:14
31Javier Ruiz de Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa) MMR Spiuk0:04:16
32Patrick van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:04:56
33Twan van den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:05:10
34Lukas Winterberg (Swi) MG Cycling Team0:05:21
35Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze) Johnsons Controls AS Mlada Boleslav0:05:41
36Mariusz Gil (Pol) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team0:05:58
37Ludovic Renard (Fra) VS Chartrain0:06:06
38Micki Van Empel (Ned) Crelan KDL Cycling Team0:06:19
39Ole Quast (Ger) Stevens Racing Team0:06:20
40Robert Gavenda (Svk) Dukla Trencin Trek0:06:40
41Kenneth Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Haderslev0:06:51
42Guillaume Perrot (Fra) EC St Etienne - Loire0:06:52
43 (-1 lap)Michal Malik (Cze) KC Kooperativa SG JablonecRow 42 - Cell 2
44Emil Hekele (Cze) Stevens Bikes - Emilio SportRow 43 - Cell 2
45Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) Team Natubalans-ApexRow 44 - Cell 2
46Johannes Sickmueller (Ger) Stevens Racing TeamRow 45 - Cell 2
47 (-2 laps)Christian Helmig (Lux) Trisport Echternach Presented By ElbowRow 46 - Cell 2
48Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R BlockRow 47 - Cell 2
49Agustin Navarro Vidal (Spa) Ciudad De Oviedo - NestaRow 48 - Cell 2
50Luc Lutsen (Fra) VC TOUCYRow 49 - Cell 2
51Mike Garrigan (Can) Van DesselRow 50 - Cell 2
52Magnus Darvell (Swe) Team Kalas MeridaRow 51 - Cell 2
53 (- 3 laps)Jeremy Durrin (USA) Optum p/b Kelly Benefit StrategiesRow 52 - Cell 2
54Angus Edmond (NZl)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Alexander Revell (NZl) PNP Cycling ClubRow 54 - Cell 2
56Jose Antonio Diez Arriola (Spa)Row 55 - Cell 2
57 (-4 laps)Christoph Ambroziak (Ger) Gunsha Racing TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58 (-6 laps)Michel Vuelta Izquierdo (Spa) Nestor MartinRow 57 - Cell 2
59Yannick Mayer (Ger) Team Baier LandshutRow 58 - Cell 2
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World Cup standings after 4 races
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank Development Team257pts
2Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus244Row 1 - Cell 3
3Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team235Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Napoleon Games Cycling Team231Row 3 - Cell 3
5Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Napoleon Games Cycling Team229Row 4 - Cell 3
6Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ.fr210Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cycling Team185Row 6 - Cell 3
8Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team175Row 7 - Cell 3
9Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team165Row 8 - Cell 3
10Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti156Row 9 - Cell 3
11Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team150Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan KDL Cycling Team149Row 11 - Cell 3
13Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team143Row 12 - Cell 3
14Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank Development Team137Row 13 - Cell 3
15Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team134Row 14 - Cell 3
16Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team132Row 15 - Cell 3
17Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team132Row 16 - Cell 3
18Marcel Meisen (Ger) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team131Row 17 - Cell 3
19Michael Wildhaber (Swi) Scott Swisspower MTB Racing Team118Row 18 - Cell 3
20Martin Bina (Cze) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team112Row 19 - Cell 3
21Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles109Row 20 - Cell 3
22Martin Haring (Svk) CK Banska Bystrica108Row 21 - Cell 3
23Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team106Row 22 - Cell 3
24Twan van den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team104Row 23 - Cell 3
25Fabien Canal (Fra) ASPTT Definitive Tec97Row 24 - Cell 3
26Mariusz Gil (Pol) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team95Row 25 - Cell 3
27Jonathan Page (USA) Fuji-Spy-Competitive Cyclist92Row 26 - Cell 3
28Patrick van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team90Row 27 - Cell 3
29Wietse Bosmans (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus Cycling Team87Row 28 - Cell 3
30Ondrej Bambula (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tabor80Row 29 - Cell 3
31Egoitz Murgoitio (Spa) Grupo Hirumet Taldea76Row 30 - Cell 3
32Sascha Weber (Ger) Team Differdange-Losch74Row 31 - Cell 3
33Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team68Row 32 - Cell 3
34Marco Ponta (Ita) Centro Sportivo Esercito68Row 33 - Cell 3
35Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze) Johnsons Controls AS Mlada Boleslav66Row 34 - Cell 3
36Micki Van Empel (Ned) Crelan KDL Cycling Team60Row 35 - Cell 3
37Javier Ruiz de Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa) MMR Spiuk59Row 36 - Cell 3
38Kenneth Hansen (Den) Cannondale-Haderslev51Row 37 - Cell 3
39Robert Gavenda (Svk) Dukla Trencin Trek46Row 38 - Cell 3
40Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team35Row 39 - Cell 3
41Lukas Winterberg (Swi) MG Cycling Team34Row 40 - Cell 3
42Radomir Simunek (Cze) Kwadro-Stannah Cycling Team32Row 41 - Cell 3
43Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) Team Natubalans-Apex32Row 42 - Cell 3
44Vaclav Metlicka (Svk) Johnsons Controls AS Mlada Boleslav30Row 43 - Cell 3
45Magnus Darvell (Swe) Team Kalas Merida29Row 44 - Cell 3
46Yannick Mayer (Ger) Team Baier Landshut26Row 45 - Cell 3
47Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Bigmat - Auber 9325Row 46 - Cell 3
48Ole Quast (Ger) Stevens Racing Team25Row 47 - Cell 3
49Arnaud Grand (Swi) Bmc Development Team24Row 48 - Cell 3
50Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa)23Row 49 - Cell 3
51Michal Malik (Cze) Kc Kooperativa Sg Jablonec23Row 50 - Cell 3
52Andreas Moser (Swi) Zaunteam Mittelland22Row 51 - Cell 3
53Milan Barenyi (Svk) Trek Kck Oslany22Row 52 - Cell 3
54Jordy Luisman (Ned) Team Lemelerveld18Row 53 - Cell 3
55Inigo Gomez Elorriaga (Spa) Bioracer-Caravanos Erandio18Row 54 - Cell 3
56Ludovic Renard (Fra) Vs Chartrain14Row 55 - Cell 3
57Joachim Parbo (Den) Cielo-Challenge-Bicyclista14Row 56 - Cell 3
58Marco Bianco (Ita) Carraro Team Trentino14Row 57 - Cell 3
59Christian Helmig (Lux) Trisport Echternach Presented By Elbow11Row 58 - Cell 3
60Jon Gomez Elorriaga (Spa) Bioracer-Caravanos Erandio10Row 59 - Cell 3
61Angus Edmond (NZl)10Row 60 - Cell 3
62Guillaume Perrot (Fra) Ec St Etienne - Loire9Row 61 - Cell 3
63Yu Takenouchi (Jpn) Colba-Superano Ham8Row 62 - Cell 3
64Emil Hekele (Cze) Stevens Bikes - Emilio Sport7Row 63 - Cell 3
65Jan Nesvadba (Cze) Madeta Fitness-Specialized7Row 64 - Cell 3
66Christoph Ambroziak (Ger) Gunsha Racing Team7Row 65 - Cell 3
67Filip Adel (Cze) Kc Hlinsko6Row 66 - Cell 3
68Johannes Sickmueller (Ger) Stevens Racing Team5Row 67 - Cell 3
69Fredrik Edin (Swe) Cykloteket Racing Team4Row 68 - Cell 3
70Aaron Schooler (Can) Team H&R Block3Row 69 - Cell 3
71Agustin Navarro Vidal (Spa) Ciudad De Oviedo - Nesta2Row 70 - Cell 3
72Lukas Batora (Svk) Ck Banska Bystrica2Row 71 - Cell 3
73Luc Lutsen (Fra) Vc Toucy1Row 72 - Cell 3
74Michel Vuelta Izquierdo (Spa) Nestor MartinRow 73 - Cell 2 Row 73 - Cell 3

 

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