Zdenek Stybar wins again
Czech cyclo-cross rider Zdenek Stybar took his eighth victory in nine races at Sunday’s round two of the Superprestige series, held in Zonhoven, Belgium. Stybar was joined on the podium by Kevin Pauwels
and Sven Nys.
"I am happy that I was able to score eight of nine. It was very tough today. I wanted to hold something back for tomorrow." said Stybar to
Sporza, referring to Monday’s Koppenbergcross.
Stybar had been riding an undefeated season until the Memorial Radomir Simunek on Friday. The Czech race was named in honour of the Czech three-time world cyclo-cross champion who died in August at 48.
His son, Radomir Simunek Jr., won the race.
The sunny and sandy 10-lap race in Zonhaven was almost lost at the last minute. Stybar held a 17-second lead when he nearly crashed in the last lap and Pauwels’ spirited attack reduced the gap to seven
seconds. The eventual winner hit a distracted spectator’s arm in the final lap, and suggested that fans should watch themselves better to ensure there's no collisions with the riders.
"I lost my concentration and speed for a moment, but luckily I still won,” said Stybar. “The people have to be a bit more careful."
Nys finished 14 seconds behind the winner, taking the final podium spot ahead of Bart Aernouts and Niels Albert. The 34-year-old has been disappointed with his season so far since he hasn’t been able to
match dominating form of the last few years. Still, the rider is pleased with his performance on Sunday.
"I felt power in my legs and that makes me happy,” said Nys. “I didn't win but I don't think it will stay that way for long.”
Daphny Van den Brand won the women’s race, her second consecutive win following the first round of the Superprestige on Tuesday in Woerden, the Netherlands. The Dutch national champion won with a 30 second
lead ahead of Helen Wyman and 1:03 ahead of Sanne Van Paassen.
“It pleases me a lot that I was able to keep riding at a high pace on such a hard course while others tended to slow down during the second lap,” said Van den Brand. “That didn't happen with me. On Tuesday
I felt that I had recovered quite well from the World Cup race in Plzen and that is only possible when the form is good.”
Van den Brand is the favourite for the European Cyclo-cross Championships next week in Frankfurt, Germany.
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