World Champion Niels Albert celebrated his 22nd birthday today by winning the indoor cross in Hasselt, taking his first victory in his rainbow stripes. With his post-worlds partying over, Albert again beat Czech Zdenek Stybar and Stybar’s Fidea teammate, Bart Wellens. U23 world champ Philipp Walsleben continues to impress, finishing fourth. Richard Groenendaal, racing in one of his last races, was seventh.
The indoor cross races in Hasselt are run in a heat-style format, with two heats of twelve. The top six riders of each heat advanced the finals, with the bottom six moving on to a consolation round. Sven Nys and Lars Boom did not attend the race, the latter still being sick with the flu.
Full Results:
Finale
1. Niels Albert;
2. Zdenek Stybar;
3. Bart Wellens;
4. Philipp Walsleben;
5. Thijs Al;
6. Ben Berden;
7. Richard Groenendaal;
8. Dieter Vanthourenhout;
9. Jan Verstraeten,
10. Rob Peeters;
11. Christian Heule;
12. Tim Van Nuffel
Consolation
1. Radomir Simunek;
2. Jim Aernouts;
3. Vincent Baestaens;
4. Stef Boden;
5. Marco Bianco;
6. Bart Verschueren;
7. Jan Soetens;
8. Tom Van den Bosch;
9. Arnaud Jouffroy;
10. Jimmy Tielens;
11. Quentin Bertholet;
12. Marcel Meisen
Round 1
1. Thijs Al;
2. Rob Peeters;
3. Jan Verstraeten,
4. Niels Albert;
5. Tim Van Nuffel;
6. Marco Bianco;
7. Marcel Meisen;
8. Jimmy Tielens;
9. Christian Heule;
10. Tom Van den Bosch;
11. Arnaud Jouffroy;
12. Quentin Bertholet
Round 2
1. Bart Wellens;
2. Philipp Walsleben;
3. Richard Groenendaal;
4. Zdenek Stybar;
5. Dieter Vanthourenhout;
6. Ben Berden;
7. Radomir Simunek;
8. Jim Aernouts;
9. Stef Boden;
10. Vincent Baestaens;
11. Jan Soetens;
12. Bart Verschueren
