by Bart Hazen
International Cyclocross Openingsveldrit van Harderwijk
BKCP’s Dieter Vanthourenhout takes first win of the season for his team in Harderwijk, with his team captain Niels Albert sidelined for one month due to a knee injury. Tom van den Bosch and Patrick van Leeuwen complete the podium. Tijmen Eising best in U23 race. Sanne van Paassen takes European women’s season opener.
Belgian Dieter Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus) has won the international cyclocross in Harderwijk, the Netherlands. Vanthourenhout dominated the race from the start and won with a nine-second lead over his compatriot Tom van den Bosch. Patrick van Leeuwen completed the podium at 15 seconds back. Radomir Simunek and Thijs van Amerongen completed the top five. Sunweb-Revor’s Tijmen Eising won the U23 race by finishing eighth overall in the Elites. Joeri Adams (10th) and Emiel Dolfsma (14th) completed the U23 podium.
Vanthourenhout made the race, which was affected by the wind and rain, hard from the start, and only Ben Berden, Tom van den Bosch, Radomir Simunek, Thijs Al, Tijmen Eising, Patrick van Leeuwen and Thijs van Amerongen were able to follow. The seven stayed together until halfway through the race. Notably absent from the event were Sven Nys, world champion Zdenek Stybar (he won in Stybro, Czech Republic, today), Niels Albert (knee injury, sidelined for one month) and most of the other Cyclocross stars
Vanthourenhout and van Leeuwen made the best early impressions followed by Simunek and van den Bosch. Vanthourenhout attacked a couple of times to get rid off his companions but didn’t succeed in sheding van Leeuwen. In the final lap, Vanthourenhout attacked again, and this time van Leeuwen had no response. The Belgian took his first win of the season, an important result for both him and the team with team captain Niels Albert sidelined. Van Leeuwen fell back to rank third. as van den Bosch bridged up and left the Dutchman behind in the final part of the ultimate lap.
Vanthourenhout said, “It was a relatively easy win. The race was made hard by the wind and some rain. After I attacked a few times in the beginning, I took it easy for the next 20 minutes. In the final I accelerated after every corner to get rid of Van Leeuwen. In the beginning of the final lap, I succeeded. It’s positive and good for my morale to win a race early in the season.”
Tomorrow the cyclocross scene continues in Belgium with the race in Neerpelt, Belgium.
Sanne Van Paassen takes win for new team
The women’s race, the European season opener, was a real show from Sanne van Paassen. Van Paassen won the race with a 28-second lead over Sophie de Boer and 1:30 over teammate Sabrina Stultiens. Arenda Grimberg and Linda van Rijen completed the top five. For Van Paassen it’s her first victory of the season and the first for her own (new) team, Brainwash.
Elite/U23 Men’s Results
1. Dieter Vanthourenhout BKCP-Powerplus 01:03:11
2. Tom Van Den Bosch AA Cycling Team 00:09
3. Patrick Van Leeuwen TWC De Kempen 00:15
4. Radomir Simunek BKCP-Powerplus 00:24
5. Thijs Van Amerongen AA Cycling Team 00:39
6. Marcel Wildhaber 00:54
7. Ben Berden Qin Cycling Team zt.
8. Tijmen Eising Sunweb – Revor 01:01
9. Thijs Al AA Cycling Team 01:08
10. Joeri Adams Rabobank-Giant Offroad Team 01:14
11. Egoitz Murgoitio 01:25
12. Mitchell Huenders Wv Noord-holland 01:33
13. Mariusz Gil Baboco – Revor 01:37
14. Emiel Dolfsma 01:43
15. Marco Bianco 01:48
16. Jens Adams Avia Cycling Team 01:53
17. Geert Van Der Horst Koopmans Cube Cycling Team 02:13
18. Kenneth Van Compernolle Sunweb – Revor 02:52
19. Ole Quast 03:09
20. Xabier García zt.
21. Christoph Pfingsten Van Vliet – EBH Elshof zt.
22. Kobus Hereijgers ZZPR Destil Prolease Merida 03:36
23. Wilant Van Gils WV Schijndel 03:42
24. Nils Van Kooij Team Rojo – Specialized 03:48
25. Sascha Weber zt.
26. Michael Schweizer 03:58
27. Jordy Luisman RSE Cycling Team 04:43
28. David Van Der Poel BKCP-Powerplus 04:56
29. Patrick De Laat F.M.C. The Whoopers 05:05
30. Bram Schmitz Van Vliet – EBH Elshof 05:27
31. Kevin Smit WV Ede 05:51
32. Mattia Rossi zt.
33. Tim Ottens HSC De Bataaf zt.
34. Daniel Ruiz zt.
35. Bart Maas ZRTC Theo Middelkamp @1
36. Nick Van Dijke TWC Het Snelle Wiel zt.
37. Jeffrey Vink WV De Valleirenners AXA @2
38. Rick Lof WV Alcmaria Victrix zt.
39. Axel Dekker W.V. Eemland zt.
40. Lars Maris WRV De Peddelaars Hoogeveen zt.
41. Jacob De Roo ZRTC Theo Middelkamp @3
42. Wilco Van Beusekom RTC De Hoekse Renners @4
43. Erwin Ketellapper WRV De Peddelaars Hoogeveen @5
44. Jan-Willem Kamphof RTV Oldenzaalse WLC zt.
Elite Women’s Results
1. Sanne Van Paassen Brainwash 00:38:36
2. Sophie De Boer 00:28
3. Sabrina Stultiens Brainwash 01:30
4. Arenda Grimberg 01:38
5. Linda Van Rijen 02:40
6. Tessa Van Nieuwpoort 03:03
7. Helena Van Leijen 03:26
8. Dirkje Bazuin 03:34
9. Loes Sels zt.
10. Hielke Elferink 03:41
11. Mika Ogishima g zt.
12. Rebecca Talen 04:04
13. Ilona Meter 04:29
14. Karen Brouwer zt.
15. Evy Kuijpers 04:35
16. Bianca Van Den Hoek zt.
17. Britt Jochems zt.
18. Pauliena Rooijakkers zt.
19. Kim Banga zt.
20. Veerle Goossens zt.
21. Lotte Eikelenboom zt.
22. Lizzy Witlox zt.
23. Annefleur Kalvenhaar zt.
24. Wendy Oosterwoud zt.
25. Annet Eendhuizen zt.
26. Karen Elzing zt.
27. Julia Schobben zt.
28. Nadine Liebe zt.
29. Marjolein Wijkel zt.
30. Ingeborg Bremmers zt.
31. Kinga Quaaden zt.
32. Marianne Gall Hepro zt.
