Newsflash: Listerijn will race "for Ansbach, not for Superprestige."
As one of the riders trying to swallow a huge amount of disappointment after missing out on their goals at the World Champs, Milan Listerijn seems unnaturally bright and cheerful.
"Yes I'd rather have a race win and fall outside the top ten for tiredness Tommorow, it's such a grand old race, one I'd love to win in my career." he says jovially. Of course, whilst Francis Vague was the top dog in Siena with an outstanding display, for the first time many remembered that there was another Belgian to accompany the new rainbow man and Visconti in the top ten. Yes, the rumour mill is in full swing and many are talking of a third Belgian hype, albeit if there was an unnatural amount of black on his jersey in Italy.
"A return to a Belgian license? Practically it's possible if legal ramifications are passed, even for next year. I'm not actively hunting for it but within the next 12 months I'd love to return to my home nation." he replies, and one could tell by the look in his eyes that he would like to say more, the words picked carefully, none of it overemphasized. But wouldn't the perfect way to return be with a Belgian trade team next year. There is a spot at Lotto-Fidea free, after all?
"I won't lie, it's something I've discussed. Especially the prospect of working with, if not riding with, my hero Cornelis. Farewell from the peloton for when you go, Dries. You were my hero for literally when I knew really what Cyclocross is." the 19-year-old says, he eyes lighting up slightly, before adding, "But they have told me they are holding out for Vague. Go figure [laughs]."
And so tommorow? He is 8th in the Superprestige? "Yes a top ten in this trophy would cap off a dream season for me, but as I said, a victory tomorrow would best a top ten overall. It's a long shot but I'm giving my all, even if I must abandon on the Kwaremont because my legs are so tired I get passed. It's a tough course, you have to have all the skills to win. I hope less power isn't my undoing for three races in a row."
I sat on the startline with barely enough time to compose my thoughts before the race burst into action. The World Championships were everything I had dreamed of, and now I was participating. Some even said I had an outside chance. I told myself to keep calm and take the race as it was any other.
Soon the gun went and I could think no more. I didn't go off too quickly and moved up into the top 10 slowly, feeling good. We hit the main climb soon enough, and it was a killer with a long, slow gradient. I managed to cling onto the lead group though.
Lap 2, and I began to notice a lack of concentration within the group. Without thinking, I jumped away. I saw my name in lights and just kept riding as fast as I could, until I finally looked behind. It was just me and Eldfjallson, alone at the front of the world championships.
I knew I would fade away as the likes of Vague and Cook caught me. Those guys are way out of my league for now. What a feeling it was though to lead the world championships, to be on top of the world. I hope I get to feel it again.
For Guido Visconti, the World Championships were a true success. Early on, he got wished good luck by his dad and then he set out for a cruise of 68 minutes, from the bottom to the top.. well, almost. Top 10. But wow, woah a Top 10 it was. But boy, because his father hoped proudly he finished on the podium, he did kinda embarrass his father.. but come on, we all know that a mere father's wish was the origin of this hope.
Visconti was picked to help Cornelis but the Old Lion had messed up his start and on this course there was no coming back, not even with all the experience you can imagine. In return, Visconti tried his best to come back to the front but his moves were of little success. At first.
Guido did for his level a fantastic race and marginally climbed the ladder lap for lap. In the end, he outsprinted Irish man Shay Gormley and fulfilled a tiny part of his greater dream by making first waves at the World Championships. There's still a long way to but Visconti's talents have been well observed in recent weeks.
Even so much that now that Dries Cornelis has announced his retirement, Lotto Fidea isn't waiting for Guido and his father to come around. It's the last month of the season and the contract talks are starting to come in full swing. Lotto-Fidea has indeed offered Guido a new contract with a much bigger pay-check. Of course the young Belgian hasn't thought twice about it; they have even lured him more with an optimized training plan. Apparently most of the coaches were employed with keeping Cornelis fit, who knew? Now with the huge portion of budget being freed up, Visconti can see the euro signs in front of his eyes. Now he only has to win something someday.
Edited by Shonak on 03-11-2015 21:44
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The first race after the World Championships is always a bit strange. We see Lipawsky back in a team kit, though he'll wear those rainbow sleeves forever. Vague looks amazing in his new kit. It looks like he was made for it. Welcome in Ansbach!
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 4° C
Precipitation: Rain, Heavy.
Wind: 2 Beaufort
Start Line: Last year, we had a formidable solo by Shay Gormley. This year, the Irishman doesn't seem quite in form. His season has gone downhill after winning the opening cross of the season.
Baris Dao is back after the Worlds. He's recovering but will he be in a fighting form before the end of the season, that's the question.
It's pouring down rain here, so that will play in the hands of the attackers and technically gifted riders.
Lap 1: And the riders are off! Dangerous start in this rain, but everyone stays upright. Cornelis with a decent start, very disappointed after his World Championships, where he missed his start but never really got back in the race. His announced retirement has been the topic of many a conversation this week. It's a modern legend of the sport.
Just like this man. Francis Vague comes to the front and dives into the field. His first time at the front of a peloton in this jersey, and believe me, it won't be the last time!
He wants to race, that much is certain. The pace increases. The usual suspects follow the pace; Cook, Cornelis, Lipawsky, Listerijn, Mazzarelli...
Mazzarelli has been in a great shape lately, but can he cash it in before the season ends? Last year, he won the Kwaremont cross in style! Can he repeat that feat tomorrow? Or can he win today?
Lap 2:The rain is not bringing the damage we had expected of it. At least, not yet. Seven laps in total, six to go now.
Besides Vague, we haven't seen anyone initiate anything here. They're playing a waiting game.
One man who doesn't like waiting-games is Elliot Cook, he now attacks! On the cobbles in Ansbach! Lipawsky is quick to react! Cornelis senses an opportunity and goes along with him! Of course, Vague can't let this happen so he gets out of the saddle to react. But it doesn't look as smooth.
And Vague doesn't manage to follow the attack! The World Champion now sits back down and decides to ride his own pace. And so we have Cook, Cornelis and Lipawsky at the front.
Mazzarelli has a technical problem and can't ride anymore. He'll have to walk to the technical zone. That's race over for him, it's a long walk there. But we see him running with his bike in his neck. The Superprestige is still at stake, he wants to go for every point.
Listerijn has now come to Vague's assistance. Obviously, Listerijn also knows he can't let the trio up front ride away like that, so he needs to help with the chase.
The rain is making this race hard. The cobbles are slippery and we've seen many falls already. A few abandons, too.
Lap 3: And that's it for Stolz. He can watch the rest of the race on the television. One of the many abandons. We won't make 30 finishers today, mark my words.
Cook is beasting it right now. Is he looking for revenge after the missed opportunity at the World Championships? Either way, both Cornelis and Lipawsky have to let him go now in this sand section. He takes a few meters immediately!
In the back, Vague and Listerijn are left alone to the chase. The peloton is blown into small pieces. The rain is making it impossible to try and hang on. You have to ride your own pace, or you go down.
Vague doesn't impress that much in his first race as a World Champion, but that's nothing unusual. Still, the names of the riders he's left behind: Goldenberg, Schiltz, Gormley, Hammarling, Mutahi, Visconti. Not the absolute top, but not bad either.
Lap 4: Cook has 18 seconds on Cornelis and Lipawsky. Well, the gap has been made. With someone like Cook, you're bound to say he's gone for the race victory, bar accidents.
Schiltz, Goldenberg and Eldfjallsson have now teamed up to try and set up a chase. They are one cobbled section behind Mutahi and Mazzarelli, who on their turn are trying to regain contact with Listerijn and Vague.
Lipawsky likes this sort of weather, but Cornelis has the experience. Two ex-World Champions, but it's Cornelis who leaves Lipawsky behind now. No real attack, just flawless riding through the rain.
A coincidence or no, but the three riders fighting for the race win at the moment are three riders who were visibly disappointed by their World Championships. Ansbach is a good place for revenge.
Lap 5: Cook has got half a minute on Cornelis and he's slowed down a bit. Probably smart of him, building in some safety, instead of going full gas until the end. He can now control the gap and finish easily, if he can handle the conditions.
Lipawsky is going through a rough time and can see Listerijn and Vague coming for him. He'll want to keep them off as long as possible, though.
Several riders are fighting just to stay in the race. In this weather, it's not that easy for some. One boy who is doing a great job is Visconti. He still has a shot at the top 10. He's really making progress later and has been rewarded with a better contract recently.
And talking about contracts, there is some speculation on this man: Goldenberg. He just left Schiltz and Eldfjallsson behind on one of the more technical sections of the profile. Will he stay with Blue Bell? And what about Baris Dao? Can they keep their "dream team" together for another season?
Lap 6: Cook is using his head. The gap is status quo, he's keeping Cornelis at 30 seconds and can avoid risks. Cornelis has played this game many times before in his career, but usually he was the one up front. He realizes the only chance he has is to keep going and hope for Cook to either crack or make a mistake.
Not the best race of the season from the World Champion. Listerijn thinks the pace isn't high enough and leaves the World Champion behind. He can almost smell Lipawsky ahead. We'll see a nice battle for the third place!
Further down the field we still have Mazzarelli and Mutahi. The Italian is mainly riding to defend his Superprestige place, though. Or at least, that's how it looks from here. They are a minute behind Cook.
Lap 7: Cook can start his final lap with a 29 second lead. He's not made any mistake this race and it's really an impressive performance from the Brit.
Cornelis is better than last Sunday, but it looks like he'll have to settle for a second place. Can he still take a late victory this season and end his career on a high? We'll have to wait and see, but don't think he'll slow down. He'll go 100% until the very end.
Lipawsky is doing his best to hold off Listerijn. He's got a 5 second lead.
Eldfjallsson now attacks Schiltz! And he rides away from him! This is over a minute and a half down the field, though.
The victor of the day is here. No discussion, no doubt. Elliot Cook. A week too late, but still a beautiful victory. The 2016 Ansbach Cross goes to Cook. He takes his third Superprestige win, after Blaarmeersen and Hagfors. The man of the season? We'll let you decide.
Here comes Cornelis. A good result and he proves he will still fight for a win in his last four races in this beautiful sport.
Lipawsky has managed to hold off Listerijn and is third. World Champion Vague is fifth. Not a bad result, but he didn't have the legs to aim any higher today. Spend a bit too much time celebrating? Or just an off-day? Who knows.
Mutahi and Mazzarelli make it 6 and 7. Another great result for the Kenyan. Mazzarelli could've fought for the win today if it wasn't for that technical error. Too bad for the Italian, but he returns to the Kwaremont tomorrow. It'll bring back good memories to him and he's in great shape. Can that be enough for another victory?
Goldenberg is 8th. Eldfjallsson 9th and Schiltz makes it 10. Visconti just missed out on the top 10 today.
Don't think Cook or Vague don't care about that first spot in the UCI Classification, too. Cook already said it a few times it's a season target. With four races left, we'll see some nice battles for the last remaining UCI Points!
See you tomorrow at the Kwaremont Cross for the conclusion of the Superprestige! With 15 points still to be earned, Vague isn't in the clear just yet. The Kwaremont will decide everything, tomorrow. Don't miss it!
Noticeably tired after this race, Vague was reluctant to come to the journalists and to answer the typical questions. Indeed the race was tough enough as it was, even without having had to deal with the fruits & new pressures of becoming World Champion.
"For me, today was about limiting the damage. Now I need to bring the Supeprestige home." Vague knows that this won't be easy. Indeed Cook seems to be on some all-time high peak ever since New year's eve. The situation will be difficult as it sees in Oude Kwaremont, but Vague trusts in his home bonus and the new-found confidence of the rainbow jersey.
"Ansbach Cross does not suit me too well but I found some valuable help in Listerijn along the way and so we two were good enough to keep others at bay. But the Kwaremont will be a whole other story. I think kindly back on last year, where I only finished second but it was the best second place I've ever achieved.. Tomorrow I want to improve on that."
The mud, rain and the pavé of the Ansbach Cross made for yet another stunning scenery in terms of Cyclo-Cross. And a tricky one as well. "After Trondheim I may have taken a few turns easier than I normally would have. There's no reason to risk it all just yet. In this weather, it's better to keep control than risk it over one, two points. Especially because the lead is still quite good."
The race had much featured of what is desired of a great race, but the strength of Cook and the early gaps without too much action in between made for some dull viewing experience for some TV watchers but it was a very challenging, demanding race for the riders themselves. In pure CX weather and conditions. If it's up to Vague, he has promised fireworks tomorrow at the Oude Kwaremont.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
Herne Hill. It has to be one of the oldest and most famous crosses in history. The cross was first raced in 1925 and quickly turned into one of the best crosses around. It became part of the Superprestige in 1955 and kept its position until 1982. In 1983, it was featured as a World Cup race. This lasted until 2004, where the race saw its last edition. In 2005, the race was cancelled after financial difficulties.
Now, it is rumoured the race will return to the cross calendar. As a Superprestige race, World Cup or even a Classic. Herne Hill has the tradition of hosting the race in and around the Herne Hill Velodrome, South London.
Apparently, a new organiser has taken charge of the Velodrome race and wants to bring it back to the audience and to the sport.
Let's hope there's truth to this rumor and that we can enjoy an old Herne Hill next season!
As he sprints all full tilt towards the line to try and catch a prestigious podium, Milan Listerijn falls short but manages a weak smile as he avoids hitting the hoardings neatly and claps Lipawsky on the shoulder after a close-run chase.
Milan, another consistent showing but you couldn't find the right break in the end. Your thoughts?
Wow, just... This is the bloody Ansbach Cross mate! I just went with it from the start, I was in a bad place on the cobbles when the break went, it was a slight incline and I couldn't get to the crown to match the acceleration. I caught Vague after a while though, and I thought we worked well together, it's the first time I've rode with him just the two of us, and he is so good technically it's hard to comprehend, even on maybe a bad day for him today I was caught with my trousers down, so to speak.
But in the end you dropped him and set off in pursuit of another man with rainbow on his jersey, Lipawsky. How did you feel?
Very good, I could see in Vague's eyes, I think, not weakness so much as resignation to battling for fourth and even our top five against Mutahi and Mazzarelli, that he couldn't quite be on the level of Lipawsky. The pace slowed as he took a turn and I made a quick dig, enough to free myself. I had just a couple of hundred meters of road less until the finish to catch Lipawsky. Still, fourth is amazing and I'll take it with promise ahead of the mighty Oude Kwaremont tomorrow.
The rumour mill is in full swing as always, your name crops up third on our list of trending for rumors. Your take?
Wow third? Vague and the other young hype, Van Niek, I suppose [laughs]. Really I'm close to a deal, maybe next week at the Ardennes I can say done or not. As for a return for Belgium, the UCI have been calling for licenses renewals, rather late this year. There's a hitch, you could say, but maybe I can be racing in red yellow and black next season at the Worlds. I'm focused on the racing until after Dunkerque is completely over for now, though.
What about other riders? Vague, Dao, Goldenberg. Also the return of Herne Hill is a rumour with creditable evidence, too...
Herne Hill? Wow, I rode their once at an amateur event, it wasn't the best kept with no financial backing but it's an amazing course and unique velodrome finish. If they can return it to past glories it will be a monument to behold an I race I would love dearly to compete in. As for other riders, I don't read the tabloids or rumour mill magazines but Vague seems comfortable at BKCP, but don't tell Lotto that too loudly [chuckle]! Goldenberg and Dao, they say one will stay and one will go in the pack, I say Goldie will resign, not least because in Markson they have a rider similair to Dao. But that's none of my business...
You are now comfortably in the front row, and the best neo-pro. Is that a goal to maintain?
I did notice that and it's great to be front row, Dao's injury, if unfortunate, helped me out a lot. Staying above Goldenberg would be very nice but hard to achieve. Gormley could be hard to shake in Arenberg and Dunkerque, but I hope 200 odd points is enough. Also I'm within 20 points of Bollinger. He's been outstanding this year but it would be a nice little personal win for me to finish top of the team, even if he maybe deserves it more.
And finally, we are back in Belgium. The World Champion will be eager to show his new jersey before his home crowd, though you could argue the Ardennes Cross in Wallonie is even more home crowd for him than the Kwaremont. Either way, it's great to be back in the country where cyclo-cross has its roots after a long and exciting season.
The Kwaremont Cross is an ancient and one of the giants on the calendar. It's also the last race of the Superprestige. Two riders are still in the running for the Superprestige and those two are Francis 'What-the-hell-does-N-stand-for-anyway?' Vague (132 pts) and Elliot 'Don't-need-a-second-name-cuz-he's-cool-enough-without-it' Cook. (126 pts). Yet last year it was Matt Mazzarelli who was the victor here, after a long season of looking for a win.
Prepare for a hard fought and tough race!
Race Information
Country: Belgium
City/Place: Oude Kwaremont
Classification: Superprestige
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h30
Favorites: Matt Mazzarelli, Elliot Cook, Francis N. Vague.
Record: 10x Pieter Gasthuys (1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1995)
Race History: The Kwaremont Cross is older than human memory. Well, at least my memory. The Kwaremont Cross has brought forth legends, mostly. Looking over the list of winners, we almost only see giants of the sport. A young Pieter Gasthuys took his very first professional victory here, on the slopes of the Oude Kwaremont. In the next fifteen years of his career, his dominance was reflected in this race. On the Kwaremont, he was practically unbeatable. The Flandrien got his own museum only 200 meters from the foot of the climb. If you're coming to see the race, this is definitely worth checking out!
Route Information
Technical: 3
Sand: 0
Uphill: 5
Cobblestones: 5
A killer profile. Of course, the riders don't ride the Kwaremont all the way up. With 2.2 kilometers, they'd have to go down and you'd quickly have a race route of more than 5 kilometers. Instead, the riders start the race in the field. The Kwaremont Cross doesn't feature a single meter of tarmac. This is a factor you can't underestimate. Usually, some tarmac allows the riders to recover - if just slightly. But this race goes through the field, directly to the Oude Kwaremont.
They get on the Oude Kwaremont at about 600 meters in. So they're immediately close to the steepest sections of the climb. The riders take on about 500 meters, going through the toughest section of the climb. They turn back into the field just before the famous church. From there, it's one big downhill back to the start. The downhill isn't as steep, but carved out with some tricky bends and some U-turn sections.
Once you get back to starting level, there is still some route left in the field, going over a large bridge. The finish line is no longer on the Kwaremont itself. Since 2010, the finish line is drawn in the field right before the Kwaremont, so there is only a 100m straight line. The new finish allows riders to potentially return after they've been dropped on the Kwaremont and sprint for the victory.
But don't let that climb fool you. It's about half a kilometer of climbing on badly placed cobblestones. On cyclo-cross bikes, you may as well be spending 3 minutes on each climb. Add the extended downhill and the final section in the field, and you may have a lap time of around 7 minutes, meaning the Kwaremont could easily be climbed 9 times! That's 4,5 kilometers of climbing in one hour of cross!
The ground is quite loose and you constantly get the feeling that something is pulling you back, even if you're going downhill. Don't expect a fast race from this profile. History shows us it's not that uncommon to see riders breaking down completely. With the Superprestige far from over, a breakdown could have dramatic effects.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Sunny.
Wind: 0 Beaufort
It's the time of year when we return to the motherland of the beautiful sport and the locals lay down the law on who's hot and who's not. Vague? The Flandriennes have still some warming up to do, the elders anyway. The World Champ is pretty popular throughout? Cornelis? The Lion King hasn't lost any ground despite one of his lesser seasons, by his lofty standards. Young Visconti? Still in Pop's shadow but emerging with a bang after jumping out from the midpack throughout the season. So what about the other Belgian, in all but license?
"Listerijn has potential but a long way to go, he's not there yet." says one of the Kwaremont stone polishers as he emerges from the finishing touches, adding extra jaggedness to the rocks. "He needs to get his goddamned head back in the country, too." It does seem to be the general consensus. One perhaps drunken elderly man even proclaims him Cornelis' young spirit found another Boyd, ready to take on the Waloons. Many, though, still regard him as a traitor.
"Mourinho couldn't come up with an excuse to save face of leaving Flanders!" "Good reasons my left buttock." they say. Would they like to see him back? Some say no, many say yes. Is he destined to be Flanders' man against Vague? Not as convincing a yes as last time. But to sum it up in the words of Jannes Vandewalle: "Boy has got talent out his ears, maybe not Vague or Cornelis level, but he needs care. If we welcome him back, he could be great. He's hard to read in a race, one minute he misses a break next he takes back ten seconds on them and you wonder why he wasn't there in the first place. I don't know why he left but he better come back or Belgium are are one trick pony."
Listerijn himself? Asides a lengthy bout of interviews yesterday afternoon directly after the race, he's been mute, up on the course for a fair few hours but not giving anything away. On this course he's nothing to gain from coming fourth, nothing to lose by coming forty-fourth. He may not have the raw talent uphill yet to win, but if recent results are anything to go on, he should make a fist of it.
Vague arrived late at night to be greeted by a eager audience of his fans. He spent some time signing autographs, fell in the bed right away then and looked fresh as a daisy the next day when living the hotel, heading off to the Oude Kwaremont.
It's not just this race but in fact Vague's entire identiy as the New Wave of Belgium Cycling that relies on his performance at the Kwaremont. As the new crowned Champion eyes will be set on him for a while but here today he can take his first Superprestige title, something he has dreamt of for a while. With Gasthuys as his idol, Vague is open about his motivations here; make the race tough in best manner like only Gasthuys could, and just ride so that it will be enough to take the win for good.
It's odd to phrase it but for Vague, the Superprestige is only the secondary objective today. "It's just a feeling really, but of course winning the Superprestige is my big season goal, but being here at the Oude Kwaremont, I can't help than to feel that to win here would be even greater. Even if it's just for a day."
Last year, there was a huge hangover atmosphere going on at the Kwaremont. Though Cornelis had snatched a medal at the World Championships, Vague's crash has left on him the impression of a spoiled brat, who didn't know its place. Since then, Vague has made up with the flanders public. It wasn't just the Kwaremont racing but also events such as Blaarmeesen or the World Championships. Vague is at a point early in his career where the fans start to be with him, even if he fails hard like at Trondheim.
Now on Belgium ground, the hype surrounding Vague is still big but with Cornelis' retirement announcement, there's even a hotter issue running around. In that way, Cornelis has oddly stolen the spotlight from Vague in that the rumour mill is running wild. It's not for nothing that Cornelis' hotel was even more surrounded by his myriad of fans than the one of the recent World Champion.
Lately the issue was raised by a news item, that the air at the top is getting thin for Belgium. It must be said that Vague became World Champion alone and mostly because of his racing smarts. Despite its proud boost talks and impresive line-up ahead of the World Championships, the belgian national team was not competitive enough to play a role, and instead Vague had to do it on his own. And whilst Vague certainly is too versatile to be ever dubbed a "one-trick pony", the recent announcement of Cornelis retirement greatly harms Belgium's ambitions in the long run of course.
Or does it? "Cornelis is one of the greats of the sport", was Vague's reaction on home ground. What else to say about the man you are still on to race in Ardennes Cross? "He'll be surely missed but I think he'll go out with a bang. I just hope it won't be big enough for my sake in the Ardennes Cross." Vague added: "But there's also potential in his departure. We have some great talents in the youth ranks whom I've been racing against but they havn't managed the jump yet. Others are already here and greatly improving and will soon be counted to the top riders: Visconti, Vermeulen... maybe Listerijn if the rumours are anything to go by. I think Belgium just needs to do some real-structuring and needs some time and we'll remain at the top of the sport."
As about his own future, Vagueis coy: "I am not sure if I want to leave BKCP-Powerplus really. We are in talks right now but my family and I will decide where to go after the World Cup is finished."
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
The Cyclo-Cross world is not one to remain quiet too long. Between the two demanding races of Ansbach and Kwaremont, the old crosser and organiser of the Kwaremont Cross Jean 'Jantje' Verhaeghe made the headlines with an outspoken opinion about modern day cyclo-cross.
In the interview, he expresses his disappointment in some of the modern profiles and the evolution of the sport in its whole. Read the interview below.
Jean Verhaeghe, tomorrow we have the Kwaremont Cross, one of the absolute oldest crosses in the world. But for you it's a special edition. It's the 20th time since you're the chairman of the organisation.
Yes, that's true. Time sure flies. I still remember the first edition, in 1996. It was a year after Gasthuys' tenth victory here and we weren't sure what to expect. In the end, it was an exciting edition and we had a nice winner with Gino (Mascioli). Last year, Mazzarelli finally broke the streak for the Italians to win here again.
In those 20 years, the profile has hardly changed a bit. A coincidence?
Hmm. Not really. We believe the profile is perfect as it is. It breathes history. Do you realize this profile is almost 75% exactly the same as the original, very first, Kwaremont Cross? And that for a race that's over a century old! We take pride in that.
You've seen the cyclo-cross scene change a lot in these last decades. Do you think the sport is better than ever?
Don't know if it's better. I like that a rider anywhere on earth now finds his way to the sport. I really like those Kiwis and those Africans coming here to race. But I'm not a fan of the current calendar.
How so?
I don't want to go into detail too much, but there are a few points. The riders spend too much time getting places. The calendar used to be Benelux, Europe, some in America. But now the riders have to go everywhere and they're constantly on the road. It's become a very hard job and there's hardly any room left to have a live. I can imagine those young kids have to sacrifice a lot to be where they are today.
Secondly, I'm not a fan of the emphasis on climbing. Every course is looking for the toughest climbs and wants to include them. Kwaremont has always been about the Kwaremont, but what the hell are they doing in those Japanese crosses, or in San Francisco or wherever? There's too much climbing and too little real cross.
And thirdly, I think you'll agree with me on this. The riders hardly ever face any real difficulties. These days, riders stay on their bikes 99% of the time. In my days, we had to dismount constantly, we even had crosser where we had to run for 1/4 of the entire race. I think the crosser were a lot tougher back then.
But don't get me wrong. I respect the sportsmen coming here to race. They have to sacrifice a lot to do this and they're worth our respect.
How does it feel to be the chairman of organisation of the oldest cross in history?
It's a landmark, really. I'm very proud to be chairman and to have been it for almost 20 years now. For me, it's the greatest cross in the world.
How would you like to see the cross unravel tomorrow?
We'd love to have World Champion Vague as a winner here. That's a name every organiser dreams about. Maybe in a close sprint with Cornelis? We can dream, can't we? [laughs]
Better watch out for the African Mutahi, too. He's been coming up lately and he can handle the cobbles. He's looking sharp.
Who will win the 99th edition of the Kwaremont Cross?
Elliot Cook.
Will you still be chairman next year for the legendary 100th edition?
I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Welcome to the 99th edition of the Kwaremont Cross. Next year, it'll be the first time ever we have a 100th edition of a (official) cross. So celebrations are guaranteed. But that's a year away. Today, the Superprestige will be won or lost in one hour of racing. The Kwaremont is the perfect environment for a final battle for the most prestigious trophy of the year: The Superprestige.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 1° C
Precipitation: Sunny.
Wind: 0 Beaufort
Start Line: It's a great weather for ending the Superprestige. Just above freezing, but the nice feeling of the sunshine on your skin. There's a huge crowd here, as usual, and people are already singing and clapping. We're in for a great day!
This race could go either way. There's no predicting who'll take this one today. Mazzarelli is last year's winner and is on a formidable late-season form. Cornelis has the experience and is here for his 15th time. He has won here a few times before, too. Vague is not in top form but the World Champion can rely on his technical skills and always finds his way to the front when it matters most. Elliot Cook is an absolute monster and has been riding on top level all season long, every single cross. Will it take a toll or is he just an amazing powerhouse, a freak of nature who just doesn't lose touch, no matter how much he races, like Merckx was? Or Gasthuys, the Merckx from the cyclo-cross.
Lap 1: Green lights! We're off for the final race of the Superprestige. Cook is the only one able to defeat Vague for the Superprestige, but it won't be easy.
Has there ever been a faster starter than Eldfjallsson? We don't recall such a rider anyway. He rushes forward and wants to turn onto the Oude Kwaremont first.
Vague is very alert and is in second position. Then we have Lipawsky, Schiltz, Cook.
And it's Eldfjallsson who turns onto the Oude Kwaremont first. The crowd roars loudly, we can hardly hear ourselves speak! What an atmosphere, fantastic! Yes, we're back in Belgium. Globalisation all you want, the cross comes home in Belgium.
An attack! Christian Schiltz wants to make the race hard! Is this smart? Wouldn't Vague be more content with a more passive race? Or is the World Champion feeling good today? Either way, Schiltz makes the race hard from the word go!
Dries Cornelis dictates the pace on the Kwaremont. He doesn't let Schiltz ride too far. And you can see the damage in the peloton. So early in the race and so many gaps. Everyone rides his own pace on this Kwaremont.
Cornelis reaches the top 3 seconds behind Schiltz. With his skill, he should make it up in the descent.
Lap 2: We'll have 9 laps again today, like last year. Matt Mazzarelli used the downhill to move up a few places. After one lap, the race is over for many riders already. Who's still at the front? We have a group of 7 riders. Schiltz, Cornelis, Vague, Mutahi, Mazzarelli, Lipawsky, Cook.
The first chaser is a small group consisting of Etxeberdea, Visconti and Hammarling. Hammarling isn't much of a climber, but the cobbles help.
At the front, Schiltz now keeps the pace high. Vague is along so it's a perfect scenario for BKCP so far. Will they be able to keep their team together next year? They had a sort of an exodus these past few years but all of that's made up with Vague and Schiltz. But now there are rumors of Vague leaving for Lotto and even of Schiltz leaving. We'll have to see how that works out.
On the next climb of the Kwaremont. Mazzarelli is feeling good, but look at Cornelis, freewheeling at the moment.
But no attack and we reach the top with our seven riders. We head downhill now!
Ouch, Schiltz is on the ground! A small mistake in the descent. Lipawsky was just able to avoid him. He almost went down, too.
Lap 3: We head into lap 3 with six leaders. Behind them, it's as good as over. On a course like this, the strongest riders eventually come to the front, and the lesser riders disappear into the background.
Listerijn has had a terrible start and is rumoured to be riding in 25th position. A bad day? Either way, he's not fighting for the win today.
An attack! Vague decides to turn on the heat! He's looking much better than yesterday! Cornelis reacts immediately. Mutahi sneaks along with him. A big moment now, Cook has to follow if he wants to defend his Superprestige! But he stays in the saddle. What's this? The Cookie Monster has finally reached his limit? He can't follow the World Champion. But don't get me wrong, the attack from Vague has left everyone beaten, not just Cook.
And Vague reaches the top alone. Cornelis is at 3 seconds with Mutahi. Then we have Mazzarelli, Cook and Lipawsky, already at 9 seconds. What an attack!
Cornelis realizes he should close the gap to Vague as soon as possible, or else he's gone.
After the descent, Vague has 4 seconds, so you won't beat him on the downhill. But Cornelis won't give up easily, he knows the cross is still a long way to go.
Lap 4: And indeed, Mutahi takes another pull and so we have a leading trio. Further back, Cook has really reached his limit. Mazzarelli is leading the chase and makes a gesture, apparently he wants Lipawsky and Cook to relay, too.
Will they cooperate at the front? It's now three against three. It's a 13 second gap. That's a considerable gap, already.
But it's not really three against three. Lipawsky and Cook don't seem too hot. Mazzarelli attacks them on the Kwaremont! He wants to get rid of them and move up to the leading group.
But they're not waiting at the front. Cornelis and Vague dictate the pace up the Kwaremont. Mutahi takes advantage of their rivalry and moves along with them in their shadow.
Lap 5: Mazzarelli is strong today, but it's too bad for him he didn't go with the attack when they went. He is still at 13 seconds. Though Lipawsky and Cook are already at 18 seconds.
And behind them, there's a gap. Hammarling, Visconti and Etxeberdea are still together, somewhere in no-man's land. There's a big gap behind them, too. Schiltz has completely dropped away after his fall.
The three leaders cooperate perfectly so far. Of course, they know that Italian is chasing them hard and he won last year's edition. If you can keep him off, you should.
And that's what they're doing. Mazzarelli on 14 seconds.
Baris Dao is recovering from his injury, but his 25th position gives us little hope that he'll be back on a good level before the season ends. We'll have to wait until next season to see him back. This is not good for his contract negotations. Though he has already proven his talent many times before this season.
Lap 6: And the World Champion increases the pace once again! The crowd is going wild, with their two heroes at the front, fighting it out. Or will the outside dog takes the cake? Really, hat off to Mutahi for hanging on to these two giants. Quite a feat.
And he seems content with his position. Cornelis and Vague only have eyes for each other. And, of course, the Italian behind them. Mazzarelli is getting frustrated. He sees them riding, but doesn't get any closer.
A daring downhill by Cornelis. He wants to pressure Vague into making mistakes, as he's used to do. These are the sections where Mutahi has the most trouble. He doesn't take as many risks but he's riding well and keeping up!
In the background, Hammarling just attacked! Visconti was able to follow him and they left Etxeberdea behind on the slopes of the Kwaremont.
Lap 7: The tension is rising. Still three leaders, three laps left. The World Champion is comfortable with this situation, he can depend on his sprint. But he hasn't sprinted against the Kenyan yet. Cornelis must be waiting for the perfect moment.
Mazzarelli keeps a status quo. Lipawsky and Cook are having an off-day and are now at 24 seconds. They're not falling behind completely. With their talent, it's not too hard to believe.
Vague is now constantly at the head of the race. He wants to control this cross completely. Mutahi is spending his time at the back of the group, but nobody will blame him. How long can he hang on? The tock is ticking and if he can keep this up another two laps and a half, he's got himself an amazing result.
Are Vague and Cornelis keeping that in mind? Or are they thinking they'll shake him off when the time comes. Don't underestimate him.
Lap 8: The Kwaremont is starting to take a toll. The riders don't go up as fast as in the previous laps anymore.
Attack! Dries Cornelis wants to rid of Vague! But the World Champion doesn't let Cornelis go and immediately rides next to him to show him that. Mutahi has left a little gap. Only 50 meters to climb left. He'll want to close the gap before going downhill or he'll lose touch.
And he does! It was a close call. Three leaders again.
Mazzarelli continues his chase and kudos to him, but he must know it won't be easy. He's at 15 seconds. He can't get a second closer, but doesn't lose much time, either. An unfortunate race for him!
Lap 9: The final lap. And we still have three leaders. Milan Listerijn has moved up some places but is still only in about 16-17th position. It's not his day. The top 5 of the Superprestige are all quite at the front, so we don't expect the competition to change too much today. With less than a lap left, we can safely say Francis Vague will win the Superprestige this season.
And the World Champion gets a boost! He turns onto the Kwaremont and starts sprinting! From the foot of the Kwaremont. Cornelis tries to react, but he seems to lack the punch! Mutahi overtakes Cornelis and goes after Vague! What a race from the Kenyan rider.
The World Champion is impressive, today! He reaches the top, looks behind and sees... Mutahi, on his wheel! Must be a surprise. Cornelis has left a small gap. 4 seconds is the verdict. Mazzarelli on 17 seconds.
Mutahi overtakes Vague right before going downhill! A bold move but a wise one, now he can dictate the pace downhill and Vague can't force him into making mistakes. Amazing thinking!
Vague wants to get rid of Mutahi, but the Kenyan bites down hard. He keeps Vague's wheel. He won't back down now.
And the final 100 meters. The World Champion starts sprinting from afar! Mutahi takes his wheel. The World Champion is confident, but is he overconfident?
No! He isn't. The World Champion punches a hole in the air. His jersey more beautiful than ever. A victory on the Kwaremont in the rainbow stripes. Vague wins and takes the Superprestige in a convincing manner. Mutahi is a very strong second.
Cornelis is two seconds too slow and completes the podium. Mazzarelli back where he likes it in fourth. It could've gone very different from him today, great ride, but always behind the facts.
Lipawsky and Cook on 5 and 6.
And here comes Visconti, who's left Hammarling behind in the final technical section. Etxeberdea is 9th. And the tenth place is reserved for fast started Eldfjallsson.
This concludes the Superprestige. It's been an amazing edition and we have a successor for Elliot Cook. His name is Francis Vague and he's the World Champion.
See you this Wednesday for the last World Cup race, the Ardennes Cross. Number one favorite? Francis N. Vague!
So it's done. You know you've done it when you cross the line here in the World Champion jersey, when the masses applaud you and shout it out with your fist in the air.
Little later, Vague attented the ceremonies and whilst he looked sharp and awake as ever, Vague did not seem to be fully here. Trapped in another time, it was for the moment that Vague has become like Gasthuys. Winning here in the World Champion jersey was a feat that Gasthuys had enjoyed multiple times, now it was also Vague's. In the manner he raced reminded the old folks at Gasthuys, by taking the race "at its horns", riding the whole thing from the front and settling it in the final meters.
Whilst Mutahi might actually be Africa's new next big thing after this race, Vague has now established himself as the current big one.
Superprestige, Oude Kwaremont.. World Champion Francis Nouvelle Vague. Is this your answer to Cornelis's retirement, to the talks of a fading Belgium dynasty. When other riders step down, you raise to the occassion. The less riders we have, the less races Belgium hosts, the stronger you are, the more races you win!
I wish it was that simple, I've come a long, long way to win this race, the Oude Kwaremont. I was really close last year and Mutahi and Cornelis were exceptional opponents, so I am really glad that I've made it this time around, and fulfilled this dream. Especially in the rainbow jersey, and taking the Superprestige title. It's really overwhelming.
You took the race win in style, in best Gasthuys manner. Bringing the fight to Cook and then settling the score with Cornelis. Was this your plan?
We definitely wanted to keep control here, it's a home race and that's my obligation you know, to try to assert dominance and gain the home bonus. It worked out really well when Cook did not respond to my attack and with Cornelis I had a rider at my side who is always most interested in winning. Of course we race against each other at every occasions but there's lots of mutual respect which makes it easy to race together when you have common objectives.
Cook and Lisbon is a fading memory now after this Oude Kwaremont performance. The Briton certainly made it exciting yesterday. What's your take on his performance?
He has done an incredible season full of wins and epic moments. There's still more to come I'm sure and I fear he'll want pay back at the Ardennes Cross, but I'm ready. It's unfortunate that Lisbon happened, I still regret this event and in some way,there'll have to be an asterix, but it doesn't matter, because at the end of the day, I've won it and I've won it in a good way.
The World Cup is up next. Taking Siena, Kwaremont and the Ardennes Cross. This would be the perfect season ending surely?
Yeah I love this race and I look forward to the World Cup but I don't mind it right now. I want to enjoy this, celebrate here.. with water and orange juice! But I want feel the joy and hear the crowds.. what's winning good if you can't enjoy the victory a bit anyway. The World Cup will be waiting tomorrow and the day after as well, and it'll be a hot topic. It's Superprestige evening though.
Verhaeghe has claimed this was his dream scenario, you winning ahead of Cornelis although nobody could possibly foresee Mutahi's strong performance.
I read the interview today in the morning. It's great when former sportsmen openly endorse and support you and it's certainly a privilege we Belgians have that we have such a rich history, with so many great riders you can look up to. Cornelis was really strong indeed but Mutahi has been improving greatly in the past months since it hit the scene and I think some guys on forums like daily have already tipped him for a major result after his win at the NES over Visconti.
He has also openly critized the UCI and many race organizers, do you agree with his opinion?
No, not at all. It's true that we have to travel a lot and I'd love to have more belgian races but cycling and especially Cyclo-Cross does not have the money like other sports, uh football, basketball you know. We have to race where they have the ability to host this events for the sponsors and the organization, for the fans. There's a certain level of quality required in the course, you need permits, you nee a good place... You need money too, of course. We riders create a market at this places and we hope it pays off in the long run, to engage with the global public. You heard of the term Glocalization? Cyclo-Cross is a local phenomenon on a global scale now. I see a chance in this, but I also hope there'll be more belgian races as there were in the past but I'm doubtful about it.
[The Interviewer wants to pull away the mic because he thinks Vague has finished talking, but the World Champion keeps on and tries to grab the mic..
In fact, let me say one, two things: I was really disappointed by his statements later. I'm sure he means the best of the sport, but there's a reason we do less running at the Kwaremont than Gasthuys and Vandewalle. The equipment is much better in my opinion. But still, running is still an important part of cyclo-cross, I do it in every race.
But what I found weird was, about not facing challenges, dear me. Has he forgotten Rasterhoffs or didn't he even watch that race? I had bruises for weeks after that one. No challenges. Pah.. What about Alpe d'Huez this winter, going down all those trenches might have looked easy but that's only because I train for it all year like a maniac. The cyclo-cross racing is challenging in its own right, 60 minutes full on. Full gas. No stop, well hardly any stop okay. Mud, deep tracks, sand sections and sharp and steep climbs are always a challenge, and especially climbing is a vital part of cycling. Not every race is a Oude Kwaremont legend but every race started off somewhere, everything has a beginning at some point. Even Kwaremont. You start off good, sometimes bad with a race idea. I'm happy that there's a string of new races and races that re-define themselves nowadays. It's all part of an active cyclo-cross engagement, as history and new beginnings clash and merge with each other. Cyclo-Cross in the 90ies had a lot of money problems, races being shut down everywhere. That were the years I was growing up you know. Riding in a sport where you didn't know if it had a future actually because of scandals and money crisis, sponsors pulling out scared. My family saved for two years until I got a proper CX bike. Training everyday for the possible dream of winning once at the Oude Kwaremont when you didn't know if in the next decade it'd be still there. I don't want to see that happen again in the sport I love. I don't want Cyclo-Cross to be some sort of coma patient for the public television. I want it to engage its fans, the audience. Bring excitement to its hosting towns and places. And I hope Cyclo-Cross can also help bring the bike to urban places, make a connection to the wild for the folks, so that they appreciate nature around them. It's important for a sport like ours to give back to the people, and inspire them maybe. Just like a place like here, Kwaremont. Because Kwaremont inspires me. Inspires me to give my best, to be the best I can be. I look back at this long history I'm now part of and you look around you, you really see the huge potential the sport has to offer and you can see the future with kids in the belgium national dress next to some guy of Gabon, and I can't emphazize it enough but I think that's grand, and it makes me happy for my little me who dreamt of winning here.
Edited by Shonak on 08-11-2015 23:47
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
We're down to the final three races. Belgium bids cyclo-cross goodbye with the traditional late-season Ardennes Cross. Last year, Francis Vague made the home crowd happy and win his dream race. This year, he returns as a World Champion and the World Cup leader.
Cornelis is only 10 points behind, but he'll need all his wits if he wants to get an eighth World Cup on his shelve. The sport legend retires in 3 races and he'll make sure to give it all he's got in these last races as a pro. Who wouldn't grant Cornelis a final World Cup?
And what about Matt Mazzarelli? He's having the form of his life, but doesn't seem able to translate it into a victory. With only a handful of chances left, he'll want to grab this one with both hands!
The final classification is about to come to an end. Which means the season is almost over. After today, all that's left is the French ending weekend, with Arenberg and the Dunkirk Classic.
Race Information
Country: Belgium
City/Place: Ardennes
Classification: World Cup
Starting Time (Elite Men): 15h30
Favorites: Francis N. Vague, Elliot Cook, Dries Cornelis, Matt Mazzarelli.
Record: 3x Hughes Vanautreve (1975, 1977, 1978), 3x Henry Goddet (2003, 2005, 2010)
Race History: There is room for discussion on when the first Ardennes Cross was raced. The fact is that the race is one of the oldest in the country. The UCI has officially announced this edition to be the 92th edition, although there is no certainty to back that up. Ardennes Cross is one of those crosses which never lost its soul. The route doesn't change much, its classification all the more.
It's been part of the Superprestige, it's been the main race of the forgotten Duvel-Trofée and it's been a Classic. In 2006, the World Cup gave this beautiful race an important role: it would be the final manche of the World Cup.
Route Information
Technical: 5
Sand: 0
Uphill: 5
Cobblestones: 0
The Ardennes are unforgiven. The route takes the riders through the woods, constantly up and down. The trees pose a real danger in the downhill sections.
The riders start just out of the woods, though, on an old road, which looks more like a dirtroad with some stones here and there. It's small, so it's the only race of the calendar where the riders start on rows with 5, instead of 10. A good start is definitely a plus, here.
The riders move into the woods quickly and take on tough terrain, with steep gradients. Halfway the race there is the famous stairway: a wooden stair in the middle of the woods, part of an old hiking trail. It's a long way to the top, especially if you're carrying a bike over your shoulder. When you finally reach the top, you jump on your bike and ride another 25 meters upwards, before plunging down into the most dangerous descend of the day. You can't win this race on the stairs, but you can certainly lose it there. It's not for nothing the locals call it the 'Dodentrap', the stairs of death.
The finale is even more technical. There are several bends, coming down to slaloming between the trees, after which there is a small trench. Some riders might jump over it, others will dismount. Here, the riders get back on the dirtroad, but not yet for the sprint. They briefly return into the woods, for a final steep climb of only 4 meters, but oh-so steep. Only a handful of riders in the world can ride it to the top. Reach the top, and you have only 250 meters left to race. Downhill, one more 90° turn and you turn onto the dirtroad for a 150m sprint.
It's a real strength sapper, and only the best riders can prevail here.
Expected Weather Conditions
Temperature: 5° C
Precipitation: Rain, Light.
Wind: 0 Beaufort
After the worlds I headed for Germany and Ansbach Cross. High on confidence, I stuck with Mazzarelli for most of the race and beat him in the sprint. It seems to be getting better every race, as do my results. A 6th place is fantastic for my first season.
Then it was a return to my spiritual home, the cobbles of Belgium. Even better, the race was the Kwaremont Cross, home to one of Belgiums most famous cobbled climbs, the Oude Kwaremont. All those days on my bike riding on the cobbles in training gave me confidence for my best result yet.
I knew my only chance would be to stick with the front group, with it being such a brutal cross. Then, when World Champion Vague attacked, I followed without thinking. It would be foolish to let him go with him so strong right now.
With Cornelis also following we established a group of three at the front. Me with two legends of the sport past and present at the front of the field, tackling the Kwaremont. It felt great.
As the laps ticked by I gave everything to stay with the two giants of the sport. Then, when we hit the Kwaremont for the ninth and final time Vague put in a huge attack and I saw Cornelis was struggling. I jumped past the ageing Belgian and went for his younger compatriot. I caught him and reached the top in his wheel. I couldn't believe it, could I actually win a cross?
The sprint began, me and the world champion alone at the front. I was spent, but I desperately tried to put up a fight. It was to no avail, with Vague leaving me in his wake and claiming a wonderful victory. I may be improving, but I can't compete with him yet. I hit the line 2nd, exhausted from my efforts. What an experience though to battle for victory on the Kwaremont! With me improving all the time I hope this becomes a regular occurence.
Kwaremont was... balls. It took me a while to get over my bad start and I was gutted after the race, I didn't exactly fell amazing on the Kwaremont but I think if my start wasn't so terrible on Sunday I would have been competing for the top ten. But it wasn't, stuff happens. On the subject of Kwaremont, congratulations to my fellow neo-pro Estifanos Mutahi, he rode a great race high I watched on the replay. Vague is a beast and he's just even more confident with the rainbow around his chest. Still, top ten wrapped up and promise for next year.
Now I'm in Walonnia and it's a great opportunity for me to show that I can go uphill well. Truth is I can't go as well as Mazzarelli, Cook or Darth Vague but I have got a bit of stick that I can't, I'd like to think I can prove people wrong. It will be a tough crowd to please, if I thought some people don't like me in Flanders this is a new level. A Fladnriennes who betrayed his country (?): Double No.
There was an interview by Jean Verhaeghe criticizing the UCI. I'm gonna tread carefully on this issue but he said some wrong things and right things, in my opinion. He said things about its great for foreigners to race here, in Belgium, but not in countries close to them? What? You know how much sense that makes? He says too much climbing, maybe true, but that he wants more difficult races? I see what he means but I don't, tough climbs, like the Pastoors-Climb, are difficulties, where you choose to run or risk. But yeah, running used to be more of a part and it might be more interesting with a bit more harder bits.
I also bumped into one of my oldest friends Paul Rosanski. I missed him dearly when I was in New Zealand and we were both aspiring crossers, talking of our victories in Hagfors, Ardennes, Torku.... Apparently he's back on the U-23 scene after a nasty injury and he came 4th on Sunday in the U-23 classic version. He's planning on making the jump up and I may or may not put a word in for him at my new team, who I can't say yet unfortunately!
I've been training hard for Dunkerque and this will be important for my rythym, I'm not going to use it as a leisurely practice.
Since the last update I’ve snatched a much-needed WC podium and got my first wooden medal of the year in my beloved Kwaremont – what better place to do so! Not bad really. Yeah Vague has been a tad better than me lately but not that much tbh. Oh well points of view. All what matters is that Ardennes is next. One of my last chances to shine I guess, ain’t no better route than that for my skills. Also a decently ‘warm’ weather, there you go.
Meanwhile, some important guy said we don’t run enough. Bullshit, it’s you guys in the twentieth-century who were doing it wrong. Those are just the times a-changin’, believe me. Just because we don’t do that it doesn’t mean this sport is less tough than how it was in the gold eighties and so on. He also said we should just stay in Europe and ‘Murica most of the year and scrap all those beautiful-atmosphere African and Asian crosses – which aren’t even those many to be fair. But I won’t repeat what Nouvelle said some days ago, that’s exactly my thoughts on it all for once really.
Also, the countless World Cups winner Dries Cornelis will leave CX. Maybe for good, maybe he’ll be back, who knows. All I know is that I want to see him winning his last World Cup somehow. However that won’t happen at Ardennes, mind you. Goodbye, old lion. Or see you at least.
It also looks like Herne Hill will make a comeback to the CycloCross calendar. I don’t like Velodromes. The organizers had proven they couldn’t manage one of the most popular crosses back then, why would I or anyone else believe them to do any different in the years to come? Nor we need a cross like that in the calendar. If they really want to gain their reputation back I would rather have that one as a non-professional Classic and see how it goes. Oh and I don’t like Velodromes.
Anyway see ya in the Ardennes. Last year I’ve ended up in that position, you know. Would rather be on the podium though, it’s been just once this year and it already feels like it was way more than enough. I’ll also be striving to climb some positions up in the World Cup ranking, I mean no way I’ll come outside of the top 10 at the end of the year. Good feelings as I said, Ansbach was my strongest race for sure lately despite the bad luck, and my Kwaremont wasn't that shabby either.
World Champion Francis N. Vague has remained calm and fcous after the race at the Oude Kwaremont. It's not just that the win there has seemingly taken off his ease that not even the World Championships have succeeded in, but also: it's the ardennes cross. Vague's sentiment is that of a boy coming home after a long odyssey through the world, he carries with him a bag full of treasures and stories of his adventures. There at the Ardennes Cross, he can untie his bag and throw the plunder to his kin, for all of them to see where he has been and what he has accomplished.
It's true that coming home will always be special for Vague. It's that tiny bit more special when you return as the current World Champion and Superprestige Winner. Add it together, you couldn't imagine a boy more proud of what he has achieved. Yet the World Cup still needs to be settled and Vague is optimistic and confident in his abilities after the recent two milestone wins. Of course, except for Gormley no rider has succeeded in repeating a win of last year, Vague though is starting this race with the intention of adding his name to that list.
"The tactic's will be relatively simple. I will need to drop Cornelis and it's best to try it fast from the start. If he is lagging behind, I need to take advantage of that. Winning the race means winning the World Cup, so that's definitely my Go-To plan."
Vague later is seen taking a few training laps on his home course, little boys and girls try to run along the Dodentrap to him and cheer his every move. Some flanders old-timers have made the trip over here to this side of the country, wanting to cheer on their new prospect. Amidst this Vague is making his rounds, truning the gear and the screws, and following his mission to make the triple of rainbow jersey, Superprestige and World Cup a wonderful reality.
"It’s a little bit scary when Contador attacks." - Tommy V
One race. That's how much Francis Vague is removed from eternal glory. The holy trinity: World Championship, Superprestige, World Cup. Has it been done before? Yes. In total, four times. Pieter Gasthuys did the Triple Crown of Cyclo-Cross three times, while Thomas Hillfer succeeded in it in the 1957-1958 season, after John 'The Baptist' Webber lost the World Cup lead in the final race after going down fairly hard.
Today, Francis Vague is on the brink of history. An almost impossible triple. He took the World Championships by clever racing, took the Superprestige by force and goes into "his" Ardennes with a 10 point lead. But threatening him is Dries Cornelis, World Cup Legend. 7 time winner of the Trophy. He knows these terrains, he knows what he's doing. In three races, he's getting out of the field and he wants to go out with a bang.
This is where history will be written.
Welcome to the Ardennes.
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 4° C
Precipitation: Rain, Light. Fog.
Wind: 0 Beaufort
Start Line: There's a light fog over the terrain, and some rain. A miserable day for the crowd. But that didn't stop the fans from coming here. There's history in the making, and nobody wants to miss it. A record amount of people here to bid Cornelis farewell in his last Belgian cross, but also here to welcome Francis Vague are Cornelis' heir. Not Flemish, but a Flandrien nonetheless.
Mazzarelli finds a profile suited to his needs. He wants to cash in his fine form with a victory. Despite his stunning talent, he's only got three under his belt this season. But in this era, that's nothing to be ashamed of. The top is very wide, and only three riders have win more than three times this season. Those names won't come as a surprise. Cook. Vague. Cornelis. Holy Trinity, anyone? While we're on the topic, anyway!
Lap 1: Start! Cornelis in the advantage of only having five riders per row here. The narrowest start of the season.
It's Vague who's taken the fastest start, here. He wants that Trophy. Objective of the day: don't let Cornelis get away. Is it more important than trying to win today's race? I think it is, even if he won't admit it himself.
Cornelis has really welcomed this narrow start and is in second position. He wants to fight. Game on.
Cook, Lipawsky and Mazzarelli get in line and will wait for the two to open the battle. Or will they take advantage and get away soon enough?
Lipawsky is an amazing runner and here on the Dodentrap he's really using that strength to try and get away. Vague, not a bad runner, keeps up. Cook and Mazzarelli are having problems keeping up.
But once upstairs, Mazzarelli quickly closes the gap, bringing Cook and Cornelis along. The five have a small gap over a group containing Dao, Schiltz and Listerijn. The start position has proved to be essential here.
An attack! Vague wants to shake off Cornelis. But the Old Lion reacts straight away and with seeming ease. He looks well, today.
Cook and Mazzarelli try to bridge the gap to the two. Lipawsky, recovering from his fast run up the stairs, passes for now and just keeps up his pace.
The two reach the front and Cook immediately goes on to the attack! The World Champion lets him go, or so it would seem. The more riders are away, the less points to be earned. Is that his game?
Mazzarelli senses what's going on, and immediately attacks. The World Champion lets him go, too.
Cornelis has experience enough to know how to play this game. He goes to the front and sets a decent pace, trying to control Mazzarelli and Cook. If he wants to triumph over Vague, he needs more than 10 points. He needs to put at least one person between them and if he doesn't win, it won't be easy.
Cook and Mazzarelli have a 14 second lead. The two are going full gas!
Lap 2: We'll have eight laps today. The two leaders have used Cornelis and Vague's rivalry to build out a formidable lead early in the race. Cornelis just keeps riding ahead of Vague but not 100%. It's unnerving Vague, you can tell. Cornelis is trying to provoke the World Champion.
Behind them, Listerijn has caught up with Lipawsky. The two are together once again and are back to chasing once again together. A usual sight lately. Both not in top form, but the best of the rest, let's say.
The dodentrap is extremely hard, even without a bike on your shoulder. The riders therefore take it "walking" instead of running. It takes all the energy right out of you. Don't take this lightly.
Lap 3: Cook and Mazzarelli have a 21 second lead. Are Cornelis and Vague giving away the victory? Or are the two at the front simply stronger? They are the best climbers in the bunch, but technicality matters here, too. And the two most gifted bike handlers are behind them.
A steering mistake by Eddie Goldenberg! He has to let Bollinger go. Not unimportant for place 5 in the World Cup. But this is further down the field and therefore there may not be enough points left to make a manoeuvre.
And African talent Mutahi will be sad to see the season end. His form has come late in the season but is impressive. He picks up Visconti and Baris Dao.
No action on the Dodentrap. The two leaders work together well and will want to keep off the two Belgians. At least until the final laps.
CORNELIS ATTACKS! Mr. World Cup himself uses the downhill to attack World Champion Vague and really start the finale of the World Cup! He slaloms through the trees as a master, what a sight! And Vague follows him, has the apprentice become the master?
The camera has now completely forgotten about the two leaders as Cornelis and Vague give us - perhaps - the show of the season! Cornelis uses every single bend or bump in the road to gain every centimeter! He knows how to put pressure on the World Champion, who probably hasn't been battered like this since Catholic childhood. It's a side of the Old Lion we haven't seen for over three seasons, and we've missed him. We didn't know he still had it on him, but can he keep it up like he used to?
Cook and Mazzarelli know they are coming. How so? They hear the crowd roar so loudly for the legend. Or legends, rather. Vague is still keeping up.
Lap 5: In just half a lap, the gap has been reduced to 12 seconds. Don't think Cook and Mazzarelli have been standing still. They are going full gas. And still they had to give away 6 seconds. Cornelis is flying. It's his only shot. Vague is hanging on. His head slightly tilted. You have to respect the boy. What he's doing for the sport, it's incredible.
Listerijn and Lipawsky are growing in the race, but they have no chance catching up with Cornelis and Vague. Nobody could, not like this. They'll find themselves fighting each other for place 5, most probably. For Listerijn it's a good sign after a bad race. For Lipawsky, it's once again a disappointment. He's lacking those 5% of form he needs to win.
Vague wants to catch his breath. But Cornelis won't allow it. He doesn't stop for just a second, anymore. It's like he's willing to die, as long as it's a meter after the finish line, not before. It's Cornelis as we have known him for years, when he dominated the sport.
At the front, they feel the pressure, too. Mazzarelli missteps on the Dodentrap, allowing Cook to get away. Ordinarily, Cook would wait, but with two unchained beasts coming, he can't risk it. He is now alone. He is alone to hold off a Lion and a Cub.
Lap 6: And Mazzarelli looks like a weak deer separated from the herd, dropping behind. He gets picked up by Cornelis and Vague instantly. It takes them three bends to shake him off again, too. It's unfortunate for him they caught him in this technical section rather than uphill, where he would get a chance to keep up.
Cook can sense the duo coming, but isn't sure on what to do. He keeps going. Only six seconds remain of his lead. Cornelis isn't showing the slightest sign of weakness or fatigue. Vague is turning red, it's noticeable.
Lap 7: the gap is seven seconds. Cornelis has finally slowed down. Right on time for Vague, who was close to letting him go. Is Cornelis' game up? Has he gone too early? He's gotten too old for this, probably.
Cornelis with a deep sigh and moves his bike to the side. Mazzarelli was smart to keep as close to them as he could, as he's caught up immediately. He moves to the front and pulls. Vague sees Cook up ahead and can still contest for the win, how much that would mean to him.
Cornelis is hanging off the back, leaving a few meters. It looks like he's burned through his energy a bit fast.
With all this action, the camera's haven't even switched further down the field in ages, now. On our monitor we see Listerijn and Lipawsky are still together. Schiltz is behind them and after him are Mutahi, Dao and Visconti. Good to see Dao back in the top 10 of a race, after his injury. Can he still contest for a podium in the last two races?
Mazzarelli is leading the chase. CORNELIS ATTACKS! AMAZING ACCELERATION! Perfectly timed, too! We've been calling him the wrong name all this time. He isn't a lion, he's a fox! A sly fox! Oh and he's completely blown away Mazzarelli and Vague, they're stunned, blown away, glued to the spot. Hadn't he just been hanging on their wheels, barely able to keep up for the last half lap?
It appeared so. But now he's left them in his dust. And he's picked his moment. The trail gets narrow here and Vague can't pass Mazzarelli. The Italian feels Vague's rush and wants to go as fast as he can, but he slips in some mud and goes down! Vague can't avoid him completely and slips lightly! The World Champion manages to stay upright but has lost another second or two. He can see Cornelis disappear around the corner further ahead. Cornelis tricked him like a little child and he realizes it, now.
Lap 8: The final lap! Cook looks behind him and sees Cornelis coming. Vague is trying his best to chase as hard as he can, but he's suffering. He's losing his calm and that's not a good sign.
Cornelis has caught up with Cook. Will Cook now play the waiting game? No, he relays. This makes it harder for Vague. The World Champion is now up to the two rivals that made his life hard these past two years. Cook and Cornelis. For the World Cup victory, it's two against one.
Cornelis can win this World Cup if he beats Cook to the line and manages to get Cook between him and Vague. There is no doubt Vague knows this, too. Cook isn't slow at the finish line, but Cornelis has experience sprinting for the win and will use every trick in the book to take the win.
Elliot Cook has been racing almost a perfect Ardennes Cross, so far. But you can see Cornelis is much stronger technically.
Vague is just 3 seconds away from the leaders!
Now they turn onto the Dodentrap! Can Vague bridge the gap here? No! He cracks! He's suffering hard on these stairs and seems to weigh 100 kg with his bike thrown around his shoulder. He's losing the race here, but is he losing the World Cup and his chance at the Triple Crown?
Cornelis now keeps the pace up. But Cook doesn't look like he'll fall off the pace any time soon. Will Cornelis try to shake him off or take him to a sprint?
Apparently, the Old Lion doesn't risk spending any more unnecessary energy and so the two turn onto the final dirt road for a sprint. A sprint for the victory of the day, a sprint for an 8th World Cup victory for Cornelis. A sprint for a potential third victory here for Dries Cornelis, too, and to become record holder here!
Cook sprints from the saddle, as we've seen him do before. Cornelis is next to him.
And on the line, half a wheel is enough. Half a wheel!
Just half a wheel separated Vague from the Triple Crown. Dries Cornelis raises one arm. He realizes this might well be the last victory on a cross bike for him. He takes the World Cup, his 8th. A third win in the Ardennes, shared record holder with Vanautreve and Goddet. What a farewell to Belgium from the Old Lion.
And Vague crosses the line, defeated. We can't see if those are tears, but his head is hanging down. Today we saw a Cornelis like in the best days of his career, but in the end it was Vague's inexperience that took him down. It's still a remarkable classification season he's raced, he'll realize that, too. But not today. Today he can be disappointed.
Mazzarelli is fourth, again. Like last cross, like last year. Listerijn beats Lipawsky in the sprint for 5th.
Schiltz is seventh and looks ready for the final two classics.
And a sprint for places 8, 9 and 10! It's... Dao, Mutahi and Visconti.
What a World Cup we've seen. Not a first by Francis Vague, but an 8th by Dries Cornelis. The Old Lion retires in style. See you this Saturday for the last weekend of the season.
As he dashes for the line Milan Listerijn breaks out in a smile as Dries Cornelis' overall victory is announced. He dismounts and shakes hands with his now frequent companion Sylvain Lipawsky.
Milan, how are you with this result. Happy, relived, upset?
I'm happy of course, I accomplished my ambition to show I can climb as one of the best of the rest and also nabbed that spot in a sprint with Lipawsky. Relieved because my legs are back this week, which bodes well for Dunkerque. Upset, no, those four are on another planet right now, especially the top three. I'm not sure how it played out at the top, I'll be sure to watch it.
Talk us through your race.
Well, the five went clear, Cook, Mazzarelli, Vague, Cornelis and Lipawsky. I was relaying hard in the pack after my poor start, and eventually bridged to Lipawsky. It was a familiar situation, the best of the rest doing more to hold off the others than catch the leaders. In the end I felt good but not good enough, I outsprinted Lipawsky for place five though, which was nice.
You moved up above teammate Michael Bollinger in the UCI classification as well. Dreams of catching Eldfjasson?
Yeah another mini-goal, hopefully I can stay ahead in Dunkerque, but he won there last year. In fact, if he's solved his problems, we can work together to take the win away from Cook or Schiltz.
The rumours persist every day of your new team, whether you will return to Belgium. I know you may be tired of talking about it, but any words on this?
Well, yes and no. I'm trying, I promise, to return to Belgium. But the UCI are being [long pause as Listerijn groped for the right, polite, word] strange, shall we say. About my situation. It's awkward, that's all I can say. On the other story, the announcement is to be made after Dunkerque, but it's all sealed up and it's out of my mind for now.
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