The theme of the weekend for UCI racing appeared to be snow, mud and slush. U.S. riders at the North Carolina Grand Prix were greeted with a heavy coat of snow when they arrived on Friday and got to race in the snow and mud both days over the weekend.
The same was true in Belgium at the Vlaamse Druivencross in Overijse. According to photographer Bart Hazen, the venue received Mother Nature's kitchen sink over the weekend. "We had all weather conditions today. Snow, heavy snow, rain, hail, ice, everything."
Tom Meeusen's face showed the effects of weathering the kitchen sink of weather riders had to face. 2017 Vlaamse Druivencross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
The course at Druivencross, which was first ran in 1960 and is nicknamed "The Mother of All Crosses," is known for being technically challenging in good to mildly bad conditions, but with the snow, sleet, ice and slush, it was rendered particularly epic on Sunday.
Quinten Hermans had to shake off a spill that sent him under the course tape. 2017 Vlaamse Druivencross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Pauline Ferrand Prevot won the Women's race in just the second race of her return to ’cross after not racing since winning the 2015 World Championships in Tabor. Mathieu van der Poel was his typical dominant self in the Men's race. Despite an early lead, he still took full advantage of the opportunity to let it slip and slide a bit in the gnarly conditions.
Despite an early lead, Van der Poel rode aggressively. 2017 Vlaamse Druivencross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
In addition to creating exciting racing, conditions like those at Overijse also foster some pretty intense ’cross faces. For our photo gallery of Bart Hazen's work this week, we are taking a look at the "Faces of Druivencross." Hazen caught some great muddy, messy grimaces, stares and smiles both during and after the racing that tell the story of a memorable day of cyclocross.
The Faces of Vlaamse Druivencross by Bart Hazen
Pauline Ferrand Prevot was relaxed before the race. It paid off, she won. 2017 Vlaamse Druivencross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
