Zdenek Stybar crosses fingers before a big weekend
World cyclo-cross champion Zdenek Stybar has admitted to being a little concerned before a big weekend. The weekend of November 20
will be host to a round of each the Gazet van Antwerpen (GvA) Trofee and the Superprestige series, but the Czech is still recovering from a training camp injury.
“I can’t say that the pain has gone, or that there is too much discomfort,” said Stybar to
Sporza. “It’s somewhere in between; it’s getting better. I’m going for exercises at the the physioherapist every day, that helps immensely.”
Stybar still leads in the GvA Trofee despite his fourth-place finish in the Koppenbergcross on November, the most recent round of the competition. One of the Czech’s main rivals, Sven Nys, won that race
for the eighth consecutive year in a row. The Koppenbergcross was Nys’ big comeback after a disappointing early part of the season.
"This was a race that I really wanted to win," said Nys to the race press. "Only a fully developed 'cross rider can win here and once again I've put it onto my list. I can enjoy this victory for more than
a year, I'm completely sure about that.”
The previous round of the GvA trophy was only the second time Stybar didn’t win the race this season. The 24-year-old has since been diagnosed with tendonitis in his left knee which caused him to finish
fourth again in the Superprestige Hamme-Zogge last weekend. Nys won that race as well and now leads by one point in the series.
“I could hardly walk,” said Stybar to the race press. “It was as if a needle was stabbed into the joint each time. Beforehand, I would have signed up for sixth place. I feared then that I would barely
make the top ten.”
The next round of the Superprestige will be held on Sunday in Asper-Gavere, Belgium. The GvA trophy race will be held in Hasselt on Saturday. Stybar will compete in both races, as will Nys, the winner
of the previous rounds of each competition.
“After each workout I also cool the heated tendons with ice, which promotes healing,” said Stybar. “I hope to be there at the weekend in Hasselt and Gavere.”
Nys is 10 years older than Stybar and has won the Superprestige series nine times.
“Everyone knows I would love to win the Superprestige series for the 10th time. But I also know that it is not easy,” said Nys.
While Nys has narrowly taken over the lead in the Superprestige, he is outside of the top five in the GvA Trofee, with 28 points. Stybar leads with 45 points, five points ahead of his two closest competitors,
Telenet-Fidea teammate Kevin Pauwels and Sunweb-Revor rider Klaas Vantornout. Bart Aernouts and Bart Wellens complete the top-five with 30 points each.
“Cross is more than just the two of us,” said Stybar of Nys. “Vantornout is good, (Niels) Albert is getting closer, Wellens should never be written off.”
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