Tom Meeusen battled controveries, uncertain start status and the Tabor mud to finish sixth at 2015 Cyclocross Worlds. Now the investigation continues. © Mike Albright / Cyclocross Magazine
Sven Nys After His Crash
In the last cyclocross race of the year, a time trial that Mathieu van der Poel eventually won, Sven Nys was caught up in a crash after colliding head on with a crossing spectator, breaking his Trek in half. Nys and the spectator, Jean-Pierre Decoene of 64 years of age, both came away with injuries, with Nys retiring to his camper with a headache and Decoene being taken to the Red Cross.
According to reports from Sporza.be, Decoene recalls the staff at the event allowing him through: “The signalers were regularly crossing people, so I did. I wanted to help my son see the race better. Along with two others I got the permission to cross, but I was a bit slower. Out of nowhere, I was suddenly hit and I fell to the ground. I was groggy on the ground. The people called around me told me I was scum… After the accident I was treated like a murderer.”
The largest extent to his injuries was needing stitches to close a wound on his elbow. As for Sven Nys, he had a hard time getting out of bed the following day with his entire right side of his body hurting and a persistent headache, but claimed that after a few days he would be ok.
“The only thing I can say is, Sorry, Sven, this really was not intentional,” Decoene said.
The signalers at the course argue that the man was crossing while ignoring their ban.
Jan Verstraeten of Crelan-Euphony commented on the actions which were taken by Nys after the incident: “On the advice of the insurance, Sven has had a complaint drawn up for the police of Tremelo, so that further investigation could be launched.” Nys later followed up on the comment: “That PV is simply a requirement for insurance, but I have no bad intentions with it. I don’t want to prosecute that man, he made no more than an error of judgment. ”
Decoene reacted to the news: “Fortunately, Sven sees that I did nothing wrong. I am not reckless fan… And to be clear: I have nothing against Sven Nys. Hopefully he still races in a year, because cyclocross will never be beautiful without him.”
For more information: sporza.be
The Investigation Against Sweeck, Meeusen Resumes
In other news, the pending investigation against Laurens Sweeck and Tom Meeusen, which almost saw both competitors left out of the 2015 Cyclocross World Championships, resumed with the potential penalty of a two-year suspension from the sport.
Both riders have already been accused of their association with an Ozone doctor, but in the last few days, it was also released that they are being accused of injecting themselves with Vaminolact, a product that is given to babies to recuperate. The drug itself is not on the banned substance list if taken orally, and has been shown to help in the recovery of riders after an event, but the Royal Belgian Federation has stated that it cannot be injected.
Sweeck admits that he has taken the product, although only orally. Meeusen, on the other hand, will have a hard time convincing the committee that he did the same as doping hunters found infusions of the product in his camper after an anonymous tip in 2012, during a cyclocross race in Diegem.
Meeusen will know the court’s decision in less than two weeks’ time.
For more information: nieuwsblad.be
