by Bart Hazen
(Dottingnies, BEL)- World Champion Niels Albert took his tenth season win in Dottignies today. The Belgian tops a complete international podium of champions with French Champion Francis Mourey in second and Italian Champion Enrico Franzoi claiming third. Albert’s teammates Dieter Vanthourenhout and Radomir Simunek completed the top five. American Jonathan Page finished in eighth position. Albert didn’t had much competition as Sven Nys and Zdenek Stybar didn’t take the start with an eye on the Superprestige race in Asper-Gavere tomorrow.
From the start a break of five with Enrico Franzoi, Francis Mourey, Baert Aernouts, Dieter Vanthourenhout and Niels Albert broke clear. The wind made it tough to go it alone <!– @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } –>– those five stayed together for the beginning third of the race.
After twenty minutes, Dieter Vanthourenhout was the first to attack but Franzoi and Mourey kept the gap within a few seconds. Before the race’s midpoint they had chased Vanthourenhout down.
About halfway through the race the World Champion attacked but nobody was able to follow despite Mourey’s fierce attempts to hang on. In the meantime, Aernouts and Vanthourenhout dropped off the chase group as Franzoi rejoined Mourey in the battle for second place.
In the remaining minutes of the race, Albert stayed clear of any danger and took his tenth win in thirteen races this season. Albert said, “The wind made it a tough race. But with tomorrow’s Asper-Gavere in mind, this was the ideal race for me. I didn’t have to give 100% to win. The efforts were just enough to have sufficient tension on my legs.”
Race note:
Rumors are that Enrico Franzoi will become a team mate of Niels Albert with BKCP-Powerplus at the start of the new year.
Results:
1 Niels Albert, BKCP-Powerplus
2 Francis Mourey, Francaise des Jeux
3 Enrico Franzoi, Liquigas
4 Dieter Vanthourenhout, BKCP-Powerplus
5 Radomir Simunek, BKCP-Powerplus
6 Bart Aernouts, Rabobank Continental Team
7 Rob Peeters, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
8 Jonathan Page, Planet Bike
9 Jan Soetens, Revor Cycling Team
10 Ben Berden, Revor Cycling Team
11 Arnaud Jouffroy, BKCP-Powerplus
12 Tom Van Den Bosch, AA Drinks Cycling Team
13 Quentin Bertholet, Telenet Fidea Cycling Team
14 Christoph Pfingsten
15 Mariusz Gil, Baboco – Revor Cycling Team
16 Wim Leemans, BKCP-Powerplus
17 Martin Zlamalik
18 Tim Van Nuffel, Rendementhypo Cycling Team
19 Marcel Meisen, Team Kuota – Senges
20 Sascha Weber
21 Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez
22 Gianni Denolf , BKCP-Powerplus
23 Unai Yus, Kerejeta
24 Pawel Szczepaniak, Baboco – Revor Cycling Team
25 Toon Devenyns, C.T.- Dj.Matic-Kortrijk
26 Clement Lhotellerie
27 Frederik Herpol, SDC – Rogelli Cycling Team
28 David Boucher, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
29 Stephane Bonsergent
30 Dennis Flahaut, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
31 Naran Khangarid, Mongolian National Cyclocross Team
32 Baasankhuu Myagmasuren, Mongolian National Cyclocross Team
33 Frédéric Amorison, Landbouwkrediet-Colnago
34 Bolbaatar Bold-Erdene, Mongolian National Cyclocross Team
35 Jorge Cantalicio Calero
36 Ariunbold Noaranbat, Mongolian National Cyclocross Team
37 Jean Baptist Taleux
