Today’s Berencross (not to be confused with the English sports journalist by the same name), served as a tune-up race for tomorrow’s opening stop of the DVV Trofee series in Ronse. The race was held in Meulebeke, Belgium, at the future site of the 2021 Belgian National Championships, and is the second stop of the six-race Brico Cross series.
In just his second race this season, 2015 World Champion Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) showed that he’s back to his usual self already. The returning-from-knee-surgery Dutch star took to a fast, technical course complete with Azencross-like rollers and a giant flyover and finished on top, distancing teammate Wietse Bosmans for the win.
Bosmans is on the comeback trail himself, returning from a second fight with Lyme disease.
2016 U23 World Champion Eli Iserbyt had an impressive ride to finish third.
Fast and technical, just how I like it ? pic.twitter.com/egMgfR8vz4
— Mathieu Van der Poel (@mathieuvdpoel) October 8, 2016
Veldritkrant.be | Nieuws | Brico Cross Meulebeke: Van der Poel heerst, Bosmans verrijst https://t.co/IglgF2rvdh (foto: ©Photopress.be) pic.twitter.com/TJmIrbMNyB
— Veldritkrant (@Veldritkrant) October 8, 2016
While today’s race was only a UCI C2 cyclocross race, many of the biggest names were there. 2016 World Champion Wout van Aert also started, and fans were hoping for another “beautiful duel” between the two young stars like we saw last weekend at Superprestige Gieten. It didn’t quite materialize in the end, with van Aert finishing in ninth, 46 seconds in arrears.
Van Aert simply had an off day, saying that it wasn’t the result he was hoping for:
Niet de uitslag waar ik op gehoopt had vandaag in de #Berencross. Hopelijk morgen terug de juiste focus in Ronse
— Wout van Aert (@WoutvanAert) October 8, 2016
In the women’s race, Belgian Ellen van Loy (Telenet Fidea Lions) got a boost of confidence after a challenging, hot American World Cup trip. Van Loy quickly stretched out the field, with only two racers able to stay within a minute of the 2014 Qiansen Trophy Series winner. The two Belgian “JVs” chased van Loy for the final podium spots, with teammate Jolien Verschueren distancing Joyce Vanderbeken for third.
Dames #Bricocross Meulebeke: 1.Ellen Van Loy 2. Jolien Verschueren 3. Joyce Vanderbeken https://t.co/zGKFuq4OIT Foto:©Photopress.be pic.twitter.com/aCEu764c4k
— Veldritkrant (@Veldritkrant) October 8, 2016
Named after a local family with a last name that means “bears,” the “Bear Cross” race sends winners home with stuffed bears instead of the Tour de France’s Lions. Van Loy now has a growing family of them:
Blij met overwinning #Berencross én nieuweling in de familie @BricoCross @TFLions pic.twitter.com/q7NV5vrza6
— Ellen Van Loy (@Ellenvanloy) October 8, 2016
Christine Vardaros was the lone American in attendance, finishing 14th in the women’s race.
In the Junior Men’s UCI race, Pieter-Jan Vliegen held off Florian Vermeersch for the win.
Winst voor Pieter-Jan Vliegen bij de juniores in #Bricocross Meulebeke. Uitslagen https://t.co/zGKFuqmq7t Foto:©Photopress.be pic.twitter.com/2RdmSdHuIu
— Veldritkrant (@Veldritkrant) October 8, 2016
Full results from the 2016 Berencross stop of Brico Cross below the two short Berencross videos.
Video: The Making of the Berencross Flyover:
Video: The Berencross Rollers:
Snelle, technische cross vandaag in Meulebeke. Net winnaar bij nieuwelingen: Yente Peirens. Vanaf 14.35u live @VTM ! pic.twitter.com/JQhcEmT60F
— Merijn Casteleyn (@MerijnCasteleyn) October 8, 2016
2016 Berencross - Brico Cross #2 Results - Elite Men
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Age* | Result | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mathieu VAN DER POEL | NED | 22 | 1:00:21 | 40 |
| 2 | Wietse BOSMANS | BEL | 26 | 1:00:23 | 30 |
| 3 | Eli ISERBYT | BEL | 20 | 1:00:47 | 20 |
| 4 | Vincent BAESTAENS | BEL | 28 | 1:00:56 | 15 |
| 5 | Jim AERNOUTS | BEL | 28 | 1:00:58 | 10 |
| 6 | Tim MERLIER | BEL | 25 | 1:01:05 | 8 |
| 7 | Daan SOETE | BEL | 23 | 1:01:05 | 6 |
| 8 | Stan GODRIE | NED | 24 | 1:01:07 | 4 |
| 9 | Wout VAN AERT | BEL | 23 | 1:01:07 | 2 |
| 10 | Jens ADAMS | BEL | 25 | 1:01:07 | 1 |
| 11 | Tom MEEUSEN | BEL | 29 | 1:01:09 | |
| 12 | Kevin PAUWELS | BEL | 33 | 1:01:13 | |
| 13 | Dieter VANTHOURENHOUT | BEL | 32 | 1:01:30 | |
| 14 | Klaas VANTORNOUT | BEL | 35 | 1:01:58 | |
| 15 | David VAN DER POEL | NED | 25 | 1:02:01 | |
| 16 | Gosse VAN DER MEER | NED | 22 | 1:02:04 | |
| 17 | Marcel MEISEN | GER | 28 | 1:02:13 | |
| 18 | Joeri ADAMS | BEL | 28 | 1:02:16 | |
| 19 | Daan HOEYBERGHS | BEL | 23 | 1:02:22 | |
| 20 | Braam MERLIER | BEL | 23 | 1:02:25 | |
| 21 | Mariusz GIL | POL | 34 | 1:02:47 | |
| 22 | Thijs VAN AMERONGEN | NED | 31 | 1:03:19 | |
| 23 | Quincy VENS | BEL | 31 | 1:03:29 | |
| 24 | Kenneth VAN COMPERNOLLE | BEL | 29 | 1:03:35 | |
| 25 | Bart HOFMAN | BEL | 32 | 1:03:50 | |
| 26 | Hendrik SWEECK | BEL | 25 | 1:04:13 | |
| 27 | Dario TIELEN | BEL | 23 | 1:04:34 | |
| 28 | Vinnie BRAET | BEL | 26 | 1:04:53 | |
| 29 | Yu TAKENOUCHI | JPN | 29 | 1:05:08 | |
| 30 | Wouter GOOSEN | BEL | 31 | ||
| 31 | Niels KOYEN | BEL | 26 | ||
| 32 | Brecht VANDENHEEDE | BEL | 22 | ||
| 33 | Edwin DE WIT | BEL | 34 | ||
| 34 | Stef Claeys | BEL | 22 | ||
| 35 | Niels DERVEAUX | BEL | 20 | ||
| 36 | Gianni VERMEIREN | ITA | 21 | ||
| 37 | Stijn DERUYTER | BEL | 21 | ||
| 38 | Vincent OGER | BEL | 23 | ||
| DNF | Michael VANTHOURENHOUT | BEL | 24 | ||
| DSQ | Rob PEETERS | BEL | 32 |
2016 Berencross - Brico Cross #2 Results - Elite Women
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Age* | Result | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ellen VAN LOY | BEL | 37 | 41:18:00 | 40 |
| 2 | Jolien VERSCHUEREN | BEL | 27 | 41:33:00 | 30 |
| 3 | Joyce VANDERBEKEN | BEL | 33 | 41:52:00 | 20 |
| 4 | Loes SELS | BEL | 32 | 42:30:00 | 15 |
| 5 | Karen VERHESTRAETEN | BEL | 26 | 42:46:00 | 10 |
| 6 | Pauline DELHAYE | FRA | 28 | 43:11:00 | 8 |
| 7 | Elena VALENTINI | ITA | 25 | 43:16:00 | 6 |
| 8 | Shana MAES | BEL | 22 | 43:55:00 | 4 |
| 9 | Axelle BELLAERT | BEL | 20 | 44:07:00 | 2 |
| 10 | Geerte HOEKE | NED | 27 | 45:01:00 | 1 |
| 11 | Marthe TRUYEN | BEL | 18 | 45:24:00 | |
| 12 | Jara NOËL | BEL | 18 | 45:26:00 | |
| 13 | Laure MICHELS | BEL | 17 | 45:26:00 | |
| 14 | Christine VARDAROS | USA | 48 | 45:39:00 | |
| 15 | Mieke DE ROO | BEL | 45 | 45:46:00 | |
| 16 | Meg DE BRUYNE | BEL | 21 | 46:10:00 | |
| 17 | Valerie BOONEN | BEL | 24 | 46:51:00 | |
| 18 | Birgit MASSAGÉ | BEL | 27 | 46:57:00 | |
| 19 | Yenthe BOONS | BEL | 20 | 47:33:00 | |
| 20 | Tine ROMBOUTS | BEL | 17 | 47:51:00 | |
| 21 | Anja GELDHOF | BEL | 44 | ||
| 22 | Eva VERMEERSCH | BEL | 17 | ||
| 23 | Chayenne VRANKEN | BEL | 27 | ||
| 24 | Fleur VANDECAVEYE | BEL | 17 | ||
| 25 | Tine VERDEYEN | BEL | 28 | ||
| 26 | Tine VANDENHEEDE | BEL | 17 | ||
| 27 | Jana DOBBELAERE | BEL | 21 | ||
| 28 | Puck MOONEN | NED | 21 | ||
| 29 | Jo BLANCHAERT | BEL | 47 | ||
| DNF | Joyce HEYNS | BEL | 19 |
2016 Berencross - Brico Cross #2 Results - Junior Men
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Age* | Result | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pieter-Jan VLIEGEN | BEL | 18 | 37:54:00 | 10 |
| 2 | Florian VERMEERSCH | BEL | 18 | 38:00:00 | 6 |
| 3 | Julian SIEMONS | BEL | 18 | 38:32:00 | 4 |
| 4 | Arno DEBEIR | BEL | 18 | 38:43:00 | 2 |
| 5 | Andres VERDONCK | BEL | 17 | 38:43:00 | 1 |
| 6 | Gerben KUYPERS | BEL | 17 | 38:45:00 | |
| 7 | Niels VANDERMEULEN | BEL | 18 | 38:46:00 | |
| 8 | Jarne DE MEYER | BEL | 18 | 38:46:00 | |
| 9 | Loeka VERDONCK | BEL | 18 | 39:00:00 | |
| 10 | Arne VRACHTEN | BEL | 18 | 39:08:00 | |
| 11 | Perry FRIJTERS | NED | 17 | 39:23:00 | |
| 12 | Fabio VERBERCKMOES | BEL | 18 | 39:31:00 | |
| 13 | Kwinten STUER | BEL | 18 | 39:38:00 | |
| 14 | Jens CLYNHENS | BEL | 17 | 39:42:00 | |
| 15 | Joren THYS | BEL | 17 | 39:42:00 | |
| 16 | Gilles CLAUWAERT | BEL | 25 | 39:53:00 | |
| 17 | Wannes VANDEN BUSSCHE | BEL | 17 | 39:53:00 | |
| 18 | Jarno JORDENS | BEL | 17 | 39:56:00 | |
| 19 | Jasper VAN DEN PLAS | BEL | 17 | 39:56:00 | |
| 20 | Lander TIBACKX | BEL | 18 | 40:10:00 | |
| 21 | Bavo HOUSSIN | BEL | 17 | 40:13:00 | |
| 22 | Brent BRAES | BEL | 18 | 40:25:00 | |
| 23 | Cedric MERTENS | BEL | 18 | 40:29:00 | |
| 24 | Dolf PEMEN | BEL | 17 | 40:29:00 | |
| 25 | Bruno VAN DUYSE | BEL | 18 | 40:45:00 | |
| 26 | Seppe BEKAERT | BEL | 18 | 41:06:00 | |
| 27 | Arne SANTY | BEL | 17 | 41:06:00 | |
| 28 | Arno VAN DUYSE | BEL | 17 | 41:06:00 | |
| 29 | Jordan NOLIN | FRA | 18 | 41:15:00 | |
| 30 | Thijs CHRISTIAENS | BEL | 18 | 41:23:00 | |
| 31 | Seppe LIPPENS | BEL | 17 | 41:41:00 | |
| 32 | Fabio VAN GOETHEM | BEL | 18 | 42:26:00 | |
| 33 | Brent BOUDREZ | BEL | 17 | 42:26:00 | |
| 34 | Aaron LOGIE | BEL | 18 | 42:39:00 | |
| 35 | Joris DEKIEN | BEL | 17 | ||
| DNF | Jonas SMET | BEL | 18 | ||
| DNF | Arne VERMEERSCH | BEL | 18 |
