Unlike the Elite races, which look like they will be contested by many riders from around the world, the U23 and Junior races come with a few heavy favorites in each race. While snow is likely, our photographers set foot on the ground and captured shots of the Friday course, which includes loads of mud and ruts already covering the course.
Interestingly enough, the first two rows of the U23 and Junior races are not designated to the UCI ranking, but the overall World Cup standing, which is counter to what one finds in the Elite races. As Logan Owen told us earlier today by tweet, "If anything the World Cup points should only matter for the elites because of all the travel that the World Cup requires... Some of the younger juniors and U23's don't have the resources to make those expensive trips."
Junior Men's start list is here, U23 Men start list is here. Also, don’t miss our Elite Women and Elite Men’s Preview of Tabor.
The French:
Clement Venturini taking a Junior World title in 2011. © Bart Hazen
U23 Riders:
In 2011, the French Juniors dominated the field, taking the entire podium over the likes of Sweeck and Vanthourenhout. Why is that relevant today? Two of those riders, Clement Venturini and Fabien Doubey, will be clashing against the Belgians on Sunday in the U23 race. To be frank, these two riders are some of the biggest recipients of the World Cup standings over UCI standings call-up rule: their UCI rankings would have put them in the third and fifth row, respectively, but both know how to perform at a World Cup, and both with have a third and fourth overall call-up in the front row.
Let’s give credit where credit is due, though. Although neither of these riders have a full season of cyclocross, they finish very well at the races they do travel to, including races of the biggest stage. Venturini, in particular, gathered two top-fives in the later stages of the World Cup and wins in three Men’s Elite Races.
Junior Riders:
The biggest candidate for contending in the Junior race is Sandy Dujardin, who is the only Junior rider from the five that France has sent with a top 16 World Cup ranking. He has only raced in three UCI races this year, but knows how to work his way through a pack. His best result was early in the season at the World Cup in Valkenburg, where he took eighth.
