Muddy courses in Hasselt and Aspere-Gavere could make or break overall challengers
This weekend sees a double-header in the season long competitions for the Gazet van Antwerpen (GvA) Trofee and the Superprestige series and, while both are in their early stages, points gained and lost could have lasting effects for those who re looking to challenge for the overall titles. World champion Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) was the man to beat in the early races of both series but a knee injury, coupled with a surge in form for Belgian champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) has seen competition for the overall titles blown wide open.
Although Nys comprehensively won the last round of the GvA Trofee, to take his eighth victory in the gruelling Koppenbergcross, Stybar’s main competitors for the overall title are his own Telenet-Fidea teammate Kevin Pauwels and Klaas Vantournout. Stybar sill leads the rankings with 45 points, while both Pauwles and Vantournout tril by just five with 40 points each.
Even at this early stage the competition appears to be down to just these three riders, with Bart Aernouts (Rabobank) and Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea) both trailing on 30 points each, and Nys behind them with 28; with 25 points for a win, with rapidly reducing points down to 20th place, the gap is probably too wide for even the legendary Kannibaal van Baal to cross.
Saturday’s race in Hasselt, after the extended period of heavy rain experienced in Belgium, is likely to be very muddy. Race organisers have been forced to pump water off the course and it has reportedly been dry since Wednesday, but the mud is still almost certain to be a major factor in the race.
“The race will still be heavy,” said race organiser Rob Beenders to Het Laatste Nieuws. “Even with three bridges and a few stretches of sand it will be one of the more difficult ‘crosses and will be more technicaly demanding than in the past.”
A muddy course may play into the hands of Nys, whose rise in form has coincided with the bad weather, but neither Stybar, Pauwels or Vantournout is likely to go badly enough for the Belgian champion to make too many gains in the overall standings.
The Superprestige series however almost looks to be down to a two-horse race already, with Nys leading Stybar by 41 points to 40; Wellens and Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) trail well behind with 33 points apiece.
The winner of each race is awarded 15 points, with 14 to second place and so on down to a single point for 15th. Stybar looked to be running away with the competition with victory in the first two races in Ruddervoorde and Zonhoven, but a knee injury sustained in training meant that he could only finish sixth in Hamme-Zogge last weekend saw Nys slip ahead.
Sunday’s race in Aspere-Gavere should prove to be just as muddy an affair as Saturday, with the course providing a stern test for both the riders and their equipment,
“All along the course I still have some bad points to improve,” said course builder Paul Herygers. “It was enough to put some tapes out to change it in some places; it will be a true test of strenght on a difficult but fair course.”
Nys will be the favourite to take the race, and so extend his lead, having won here six times before including an unbeaten run between 2004 and 2008.
Women similary closely matched in Gva Trofee but have no Superprestige series
The women’s classifications in both competitions are similarly tight; Sanne Van Paassen (Brainwash) leads the GvA Trofeee rankings with 45 points, but Belgian champion Sanne Cant (BKCP-Powerplus) and British champion Helen Wyman (Kona-FSA) are poised just behind her with 41 points each, and Daphny Van Den Brand (ZZPR.nl) is just behind them on 39.
Like Nys, Wyman likes the mud and her biggest ever win on the Koppenberg almost three weeks ago was followed ten days later by victory in the Jaarmaarktcross in Niel, where the men’s race was also won by Nys. If the course is as heavy as predicted then Wyman could use this opportunity to take the lead in the series.
Although there is no overall Superprestige ranking for women (although both the uner-23 and junior men both get one) there are sometimes women’s races on the same bill. Van Den Brand won the first event in Zonhoven on October 31st and has been similarly consistent since; neither her, Cant, not Van Paassen is due to ride on Sunday though, so, on paper, Wyman should dominate.