Only the wacky and wild world of cyclocross has a season that starts at the end of year, and races straight through Christmas, New Year's Day, and into the beginning of the calendar.
The United States Cyclocross World's team started to fall apart at the seams three weeks ago when U.S. National Champ Todd Wells declined his automatic nomination to represent our team. Then fellow MTBer Ryan Trebon, who was already in Europe racing every UCI event he could, had to rush home to attend to a family emergency. In one fell swoop the MTB cyclocross effort had dwindled down to one sole survivor, Barry Wicks.
The reason many racers approach the CX World's with a "ya, maybe I'll go" attitude is because they virtually receive no help getting to and at the event. Cyclocross isn't an Olympic sport, and because of that USA Cycling provides minimal funding to our CX World's team. The importance of things change quickly when you have to dig deep into your own pocket just to make it to the race location.
So Cougar Mountain Classic XC Champ Barry Wicks was the only name mountain biker who was able to nickel and dime together a sponsorship package to make the trip to Zeddam, Netherlands. He ended up 2nd best elite male American in 33rd place. Roadie Jonathan Page, rebounding from the illness that hit him at the U.S. Nationals, placed a solid tenth.
What happened to Sven Nys, the Belgium who is leading the UCI Cyclocross Rider Rankings? During the final lap, Nys, who had helped drive the lead group of four, tangled with a tree and went down hard. He did not finish.
The best finish by an American over the championship weekend was put in by roadie junior Bjorn Selander. Selander ran near the front for the entire race and until he too hit a tree on the bell lap. He recovered to place seventh.
Selander's effort, along with those by Americans Chance Noble (he made it to the race!) and Alex Howes, pushed the U.S. team to a fifth in the nations ranking. The CX World Championship Nations Ranking tallies the top three finish positions of each country's national team.
2006 CYCLOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
1. Erwin Vervecken (Bel)...1:05:40
2. Bart Wellens (Bel)...at 0:02
3. Francis Mourey (Fra)...same time
10. Jonathan Page...Cervelo...at 0:50
33. Barry Wicks...Kona...3:07
36. Jeremy Powers...Jelly Belly...3:27
48. Eric Tonkin...Kona...s.t.
49. Jonathan Baker...Primus Mootry...5:41
NATIONS RANKING
*15 nations represented
1. Belgium...8 points
2. Czech Republic...26
3. France...30
8. United States of America...79
WOMEN
1. Marianne Vos (Ned)...39.14
2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Ger)...same time
3. Daphny Van Den Brand (Ned)...at 0:52
9. Ann Knapp...Kona...2:31
10. Lyne Bessette (Can)...Cyclocrossworld-Louis Garneau...2.40
24. Rhonda Mazza...Vanilla Bicycle-Sellwood Cycle...4:08
25. Barbara Howe...Velo Bella...4:11
33. Christine Vardaros...Lotto-Belisol...4:50
36. Maureen Bruno...Independent Fabrication...5:19
NATIONS RANKING
*11 nations represented
1. Netherlands...8 points
2. France...25
3. Germany...29
5. USA...58
UNDER 23
1. Zdnek Stybar (Cze)...51.01
2. Lars Boom (Ned)...same time
3. Niels Albert (Bel)...at 0:02
41. Jesse Anthony...Clif Bar...5:35
44. Daniel Neyens...Broadmark...6:09
48. Brady Kappius...TIAA-Cref...-1 lap
54. Adam Mcgrath...Redline...-1 lap
55. Troy Wells...TIAA-Cref...-1 lap
NATIONS RANKING
*16 nations represented
1. Netherlands...20 points
2. Belgium...26
3. Czech Republic...35
9. United States of America...133
JUNIOR
1. Boy Van Poppel (Ned)...38.03
2. Robert Gavenda (Slo)...at 0:03
3. Tom Meeusen (Bel)...0:09
7. Bjorn Selander...Alan Factory...0:20
19. Danny Summerhill...TIAA-Cref...1:25
29. Chance Noble...Scary Fast...2:05
35. Alex Howes...TIAA-Cref...2:32
57. Ethan Gilmour...4:16
NATIONS RANKING
16 nations represented
1. Netherlands...24 points
2. Czech Republic...37
3. France...40
5. United States of America...55
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