World Cup cyclocross comes to snowy Kalmthout, Belgium

KALMTHOUT, Belgium (VN) — For the second time in two years, December brought unusual cold and snow to much of Western Europe, burying the fifth round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in snow.

Featuring a technical, wooded, but relatively flat course, the race was the second of a pair kicking off the busy Christmas racing season in Belgium.

Though World Champion Zdenek Stybar skipped the race while he continued to rehab an injured knee, an influx of racers from around the world, including seven Americans, Jonathan Page (Planet Bike), Ryan Trebon (Kona), and Brian Matter (Geargrinder) among them, three Canadians and riders from as far away as Japan, added some international flavor to a series that has been dominated by a handful of riders from Belgium and the Czech Republic for weeks.

With Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) firmly in control of the World Cup leader’s jersey after dominating the both the third and fourth rounds in in Kokisjde, Belgium, and Igorre, Spain, the looming question for the day was whether anyone could challenge the 2008 World Champion for the lead. With Belgium’s Kevin Pauwels (Telenet-Fidea) and Sven Nys (Landbourkrediet) and France’s Francis Mourey (FDJ) — along with the injured Stybar — all within seven points of one another, and some 60 back from Albert, the race seemed certain to shake up the overall series classification.

FILED UNDER: Cyclocross / News TAGS: Cyclocross / World Cup-Kalmthout