Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! The world’s best cyclocrossers will be in Waterloo, Wisconsin for the 2019 World Cup Waterloo.
The second stop of the nine-race Telenet UCI Cyclocross World Cup, Waterloo provides a chance for Maghalie Rochette (Specialized / Feedback Sports) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) to repeat their Jingle success and the rest of the fields to score wins of their own during the two-race U.S. World Cup mini-series.
Two days ago, we brought you a complete* guide to enjoying Madison if you are attending and yesterday, we had a preview of what’s new and returning with the course and event.
Today, it’s start lists for Sunday’s World Cup. Find out who is number one in your scorecard—actually, nobody, because World Champs Sanne Cant (IKO – Crelan) and Mathieu van der Poel (Corendon – Circus) are not racing—and make plans for who will be number one in your heart come Sunday.
Toon Aerts is a rider hoping to repeat his 2018 Waterloo magic. 2018 World Cup Waterloo. © R. Clark / Cyclocross Magazine
Elite Women
Last year’s Elite Women’s World Cup Waterloo featured an epic battle between Marianne Vos (CCC – Liv) and Ellen Noble (Trek Factory Racing CX). Vos is preparing for next weekend’s Road Worlds, but Noble is back looking to have another magical afternoon on the grounds of her team’s sponsor.
Rochette enters Waterloo looking to stay perfect on the 2019/20 cyclocross season—it would have been perfect on the season save a last-lap bobble at e-Mountain Bike Worlds—after sweeping the Rochester weekend and winning Sunday’s Jingle Cross C1 to go with her World Cup victory.
Maghalie Rochette in control early at the 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup. Elite Women. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Joining Rochette as a rider to watch is her friend and mentor Katerina Nash (Clif Pro Team). Nash took second to Rochette Saturday and Sunday in Iowa City, and she had a sneaky good third-place finish at World Cup Waterloo in 2018.
Nash finished second to her former teammate two days in a row. 2019 Jingle Cross Sunday UCI C1, Elite Women. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Joining Rochette as one of the stars of the young season is Team S&M CX’s Clara Honsinger. Honsinger finished second both days at Rochester and then finished third in the Jingle Cross World Cup using some craftiness in the sand one might expect to see from a far more experienced rider.
Clara Honsinger had a look of redemption after finishing third at the World Cup. 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup, Elite Women. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Another rider who joined Noble in having success in Waterloo in 2018 was her teammate Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing CX). Richards won Friday’s C2 in 2018 and finished 4th in the World Cup. Richards asserted herself at Jingle Cross, finishing fifth in the World Cup and moving up to third in Sunday’s C1.
Evie Richards climbed had another fast start and kept at it, finished 3rd. 2019 Jingle Cross Sunday UCI C1, Elite Women. © A. Yee / Cyclocross Magazine
Finally, one wild card entering the weekend is the third member of the Trek Factory Racing CX troika, Jolanda Neff (Trek Factory Racing CX). Neff was last seen finishing second at XCO Worlds in Mont-Sainte-Anne and is reportedly ready to start Sunday’s race in Waterloo.
Neff showed what she can do with good and bad grid spots last season, but with the new World Cup gridding rules that puts the top 24 riders in the World Cup standings on the first 3 rows, she will face a challenging task moving up through the field on Sunday.
Jolanda Neff is a wild card this Sunday. 2018 World Cup Heusden-Zolder. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Similar to last weekend, the North American contingents will be well-represented by young riders. Taking the start for the U.S. will be Turner Ramsay (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru), Shannon Mallory (NWCX Project), Bridget Tooley (Easton – Giant p/b Transitions LifeCare), Katja Freeburn, Cassidy Hickey and Lauren Zoerner (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru).
The Canadian contingent of young riders includes Dana Gilligan (Next Wave), Kelly Lawson (Hardwood Next Wave) and Nicole Bradbury (NCCH Elite p/b MGCC).
The full Elite Women’s start list is below.
Elite Men
The 2018 World Cups were the bailiwick of Toon Aerts (Telenet Baloise Lions), as the Belgian outdueled Wout van Aert (Jumbo – Visma) in both Wisconsin and Iowa.
This year, the rider making an early play for the Man of 2019 is newly minted Elite Eli Iserbyt. Sensing an opportunity with Van Aert injured and Van der Poel dominating the Tour of Yorkshire to get ready for Road Worlds, Iserbyt came into the World Cups on great form and got the result he was looking for at Jingle Cross.
Eli Iserbyt starts the World Cup with a win. 2019 Jingle Cross World Cup, Elite Men. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Iserbyt benefitted from good riding by his Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal teammates, and there is no question the Telenet team will be looking to bounce back at the Trek-sponsored team’s home away from home on Sunday. Aerts would no doubt welcome the chance to have a little help against the on-form Iserbyt.
Toon Aerts is looking for more Waterloo magic on Sunday. 2018 World Cup Waterloo. © D. Mable / Cyclocross Magazine
Three riders battled for third in Iowa City—Daan Soete (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal), Gianni Vermeersch (Creafin – Fristads) and Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal). Sweeck took 3rd in at World Cup Waterloo in 2018 and Soete 5th, while Vermeersch crushed Sunday’s C1 at Jingle Cross, so that trio returns as one to watch in Waterloo.
Daan Soete found success in Waterloo last year. 2018 Trek CX Cup, Waterloo © Cyclocross Magazine / D. Mable
The Elite Men’s race will also feature a number of North American U23 riders. Eric Brunner (FCX Elite), Caleb Swartz (Linear Sport / Trek), Scott Funston (Hold Fast Project) and Ross Ellwood (Alpha Bicycle – Groove Subaru) are starting for the U.S.
Full start lists are below.
The Elite Women’s race is at 1:30 p.m. CDT and the Elite Men’s race is at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Elite Women Start List: 2019 World Cup Waterloo
| Bib | Name | Country | YOB | UCI Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | SELS Loes | BEL | 1985 | 7 |
| 3 | VAN LOY Ellen | BEL | 1980 | 9 |
| 4 | *TRUYEN Marthe | BEL | 1999 | 60 |
| 5 | *VAN DER HEIJDEN Inge | NED | 1999 | 13 |
| 6 | KAPTHEIJNS Maud | NED | 1994 | 17 |
| 7 | DE BOER Sophie | NED | 1990 | 26 |
| 8 | *BAKKER Manon | NED | 1999 | 36 |
| 9 | VAN DE REE Monique | NED | 1988 | 218 |
| 10 | COMPTON Katherine | USA | 1978 | 19 |
| 11 | KEOUGH Kaitlin | USA | 1992 | 6 |
| 12 | NOBLE Ellen | USA | 1995 | 14 |
| 13 | HONSINGER Clara | USA | 1997 | 20 |
| 14 | FAHRINGER Rebecca | USA | 1989 | 24 |
| 15 | RUNNELS Samantha | USA | 1991 | 37 |
| 16 | GILBERT Sunny | USA | 1979 | 41 |
| 17 | MCFADDEN Courtenay | USA | 1985 | 43 |
| 18 | ANTHONY Crystal | USA | 1980 | 48 |
| 19 | LEGGE Regina | USA | 1984 | 58 |
| 20 | NOLAN Caroline | USA | 1989 | 69 |
| 21 | NUSS Raylyn | USA | 1991 | 74 |
| 22 | ZAVETA Erica | USA | 1989 | 98 |
| 23 | *RAMSAY Turner | USA | 2000 | 238 |
| 24 | *MALLORY Shannon | USA | 1998 | 247 |
| 25 | *TOOLEY Bridget | USA | 2002 | 291 |
| 26 | *FREEBURN Katja | USA | 1999 | |
| 27 | *HICKEY Cassidy | USA | 2003 | |
| 28 | *ZOERNER Lauren | USA | 2003 | |
| 29 | RICHARDS Evie | GBR | 1997 | 32 |
| 30 | *KAY Anna | GBR | 1999 | 40 |
| 31 | NASH Katerina | CZE | 1977 | 16 |
| 32 | GONZALEZ BLANCO Lucia | ESP | 1990 | 28 |
| 33 | NEFF Jolanda | SUI | 1993 | 31 |
| 34 | MANI Caroline | FRA | 1987 | 29 |
| 35 | ROCHETTE Maghalie | CAN | 1993 | 8 |
| 36 | *WEST Ruby | CAN | 1999 | 44 |
| 37 | JACKSON Jennifer | CAN | 1995 | 55 |
| 38 | *GILLIGAN Dana | CAN | 1999 | 82 |
| 39 | *LAWSON Kelly | CAN | 2002 | 206 |
| 40 | *BRADBURY Nicole | CAN | 2003 | 267 |
| 41 | HEIGL Nadja | AUT | 1996 | 30 |
| 42 | REDMOND Natalie | AUS | 1991 | 105 |
| 43 | LARKIN Maria | IRL | 1987 | 95 |
| 44 | *BUCKLEY MCMAHON Annabel | IRL | 2003 | 320 |
Elite Men Start List: 2019 World Cup Waterloo
| Bib | Name | Country | YOB | UCI Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | VAN DER HAAR Lars | NED | 1991 | 6 |
| 3 | VAN KESSEL Corne | NED | 1991 | 8 |
| 4 | NIEUWENHUIS Joris | NED | 1996 | 18 |
| 5 | WOUTERS Sieben | NED | 1996 | 34 |
| 6 | GODRIE Stan | NED | 1993 | 40 |
| 7 | VAN DER HEIJDEN Maik | NED | 1997 | 60 |
| 8 | AERTS Toon | BEL | 1993 | 2 |
| 9 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael | BEL | 1993 | 4 |
| 10 | SWEECK Laurens | BEL | 1993 | 5 |
| 11 | HERMANS Quinten | BEL | 1995 | 7 |
| 12 | VERMEERSCH Gianni | BEL | 1992 | 9 |
| 13 | ISERBYT Eli | BEL | 1997 | 10 |
| 14 | SOETE Daan | BEL | 1994 | 15 |
| 15 | ADAMS Jens | BEL | 1992 | 17 |
| 16 | MEEUSEN Tom | BEL | 1988 | 20 |
| 17 | AERNOUTS Jim | BEL | 1989 | 22 |
| 18 | BAESTAENS Vincent | BEL | 1989 | 24 |
| 19 | SWEECK Diether | BEL | 1993 | 26 |
| 20 | CLEPPE Nicolas | BEL | 1995 | 27 |
| 21 | AERTS Thijs | BEL | 1996 | 29 |
| 22 | LOOCKX Lander | BEL | 1997 | 35 |
| 23 | CHAINEL Steve | FRA | 1983 | 32 |
| 24 | ORTS LLORET Felipe | ESP | 1995 | 12 |
| 25 | SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Kevin | ESP | 1994 | 55 |
| 26 | WHITE Curtis | USA | 1995 | 14 |
| 27 | HYDE Stephen | USA | 1987 | 39 |
| 28 | WERNER Kerry | USA | 1991 | 25 |
| 29 | *HECHT Gage | USA | 1998 | 28 |
| 30 | DRISCOLL James | USA | 1986 | 56 |
| 31 | KAISER Cody | USA | 1992 | 57 |
| 32 | DILLMAN Andrew | USA | 1994 | 70 |
| 33 | *BRUNNER Eric | USA | 1998 | 77 |
| 34 | FIX Brannan | USA | 1997 | 79 |
| 35 | ORTENBLAD Tobin | USA | 1994 | 85 |
| 36 | THOMPSON Eric | USA | 1989 | 87 |
| 37 | BRADFORD-PARISH Kevin | USA | 1982 | 94 |
| 38 | LANDO Nicholas | USA | 1997 | 113 |
| 39 | *SWARTZ Caleb | USA | 1999 | 166 |
| 40 | *FUNSTON Scott | USA | 2000 | 253 |
| 41 | *ELLWOOD Ross | USA | 1999 | 458 |
| 42 | RUEGG Timon | SUI | 1996 | 47 |
| 43 | *KUHN Kevin | SUI | 1998 | 83 |
| 44 | WINTERBERG Lukas | SUI | 1988 | 165 |
| 45 | VAN DEN HAM Michael | CAN | 1992 | 36 |
| 46 | JETTE Cameron | CAN | 1987 | 204 |
| 47 | O'DONNELL Trevor | CAN | 1996 | 213 |
| 48 | VANDALE Danick | CAN | 1995 | 326 |
| 49 | RICCI Christian | CAN | 1996 | |
| 50 | HEIGL Philipp | AUT | 1993 | 176 |
| 51 | TREY Jarno | EST | 1982 | 263 |
