World Masters Cyclo-Cross
World Masters Championships - CMM
Mol, Belgium, January 24, 2009
Report & Images: Vin Cox
Southwest Cyclo-Cross legend Vin Cox competed at this year's UCI World Masters Cyclo-Cross Championships, in Mol, Belgium. Here he reports on what sound like a very enjoyable weekend away.
Vin Cox Report: All of us over the age of 30 and not getting top placings in world ranked elite events (like national trophies) can call ourselves "Masters". I like this title; it's much better than "past-it"!
The World Masters Cyclo-Cross has been held for many years now near Mol in Belgium on an exciting course in a holiday park. It's exciting because it's got features like a sandy beach and lots of single track - alien features to many British cyclo-crossers. My companions and I rented a chalet in the holiday park which turned out to be about 30 seconds walk from the finish line. Very convenient.
Experience from last year and a bit of experimentation on my local beach (an advantage of living in Cornwall) led me to fit wide file treaded tyres, raise my handle bars, and move my saddle down and back; all to help with the sand riding.
Viv Cox tackles a tough sand and steps hazard
The first race of the day was for women, set off in age group bands. The oldest male categories also shared the course with the women, so it was rather crowded and well worth watching for the occasional overly ambitious overtaking manoeuvre, as well as to see the race rivalry.
The top 5 women escaped in a group, with Maddie Horton and my sister Viv Cox in 6th and 7th respectively chasing them. It was a very close race amongst that top 5 but Viv and Maddie couldn't quite get involved in that action and would hold those positions to the end while the leaders sprinted it out just ahead. The irrepressible Mick Ives was among the British men spotted in this race too and holding a good position.
Due to the huge number of men in the other categories, a separate race is held for every 5 year age band. That means it's a very long day of racing and as I'm in the youngest category my race didn't start until about 3:30pm. In the meantime I waited in the chalet mainly, but did step out to see some of the racing and cheer on Brits such as Nigel Hay and Phil Roach in their race. I also saw the awesome Jens Schwedler win the 40-45 category in a very dominant style.
Finally my race came. I warmed up with Craig Denning and lined up next to Dan Lewis - nice to find compatriots around. The random gridding (there's no other way to do it) placed me happily on the second row. I got a great start and hit the beach in the top 15, unfortunately I hit the beach a little too literally; I was lying in it!
Vin Cox in full flow in sandy woodland
So I got up and re-joined in about 40th, then progressed into the top 15 again before crashing in front of the pits. That was pretty much the pattern of the race for me and probably for many others, which just about makes it even I guess. After a few more crashes and recoveries I found myself sprinting with Dan Lewis for first Brit (he won) along with a couple of Belgians who beat us.
I'd had a very enjoyable and eventful race, and it was a fantastic way to end the season. Next year the rumour is the championships are moving to the USA...
Brits Round-Up: As well as the fine efforts of Vin, Viv, Maddie and Daniel, there were a number of other noteworthy rides by British riders. Richard Lister was 17th in the ultra-competitive 1970-74 category, whilst Keith Sheridan was the best of five Brits in the 1965-69 category in 31st place. Phil Roach has had a fine season and was comfortably the leading Brit in 13th place in the 1960-64 category.
Martin Eadon was 23rd in the 1955-59 category, whilst Andrew Roberts was top Brit in the 1950-54 race, just ahead of Tony Wilkins. The two best placings of the weekend for Brits came in the 1945-49 and pre-1945 categories, with Vic Barnett and John Ginley just missing out on medals as they both took fourth places in their respective races.
Results
Men 1975-1979
1 Sven Van Eyndt (Belgium) 41.49
2 Roel Van Houtum (Netherlands)
3 Patrick De Laat (Netherlands)
4 Cedric Garnier (France)
5 Sven Kuschla (Germany)
6 Jos Gevers (Belgium)
7 Angelo Mirtelli (Italy)
8 Thomas Hannover (Germany)
9 David Edet (France)
10 Samuel Jimenez Arranz (Spain)
other
16 Daniel Lewis (Great Britain)
17 Vin Cox (Great Britain)
21 Ben Spurrier (Great Britain)
24 Craig Denning (Great Britain)
29 Andrew Dilkes (Great Britain) 1 lap
31 Garreth Jones (Great Britain)
34 Philip Moore (Great Britain)
Men 1970-1974
1 Edwin Raats (Netherlands) 42.18
2 Wim Jansen (Belgium)
3 Massimo Folcarelli (Italy)
4 Nico Schroyen (Belgium)
5 Cyrille Prise (France)
6 Laurent Lecoeur (France)
7 Wilfred Veldkamp (Netherlands)
8 Maurizio Tabota (Italy)
9 Benny Van Staeyen (Belgium)
10 Jelle Vets (Belgium)
other
17 Richard Lister (Great Britain)
25 Scott (Great Britain)
41 Steven Macinnes (Great Britain) 1 lap
43 Stuart Mcghee (Great Britain)
45 Richard Miller (Great Britain)
Men 1965-1969
1 Jens Schwedler (Germany) 35.25
2 Dirk Mertens (Belgium)
3 Bert Vervecken (Belgium)
4 Mario Lammens (Belgium)
5 Jan Van Donink (Belgium)
6 Erik Teck (Belgium)
7 Frank Groenendaal (Netherlands)
8 David Leeneer (Belgium)
9 Maurizio Luigi Carrer (Italy)
10 Luc Van Den Bergh (Belgium)
other
31 Keith Sheridan (Great Britain)
34 Kenny Johnson (Great Britain)
40 James Melville (Great Britain) 1 lap
48 Danie Graham (Great Britain)
49 Mark Humphreys (Great Britain)
Men 1960-1964
1 Marc Druyts (Belgium) 36.48
2 Danny Verhestraeten (Belgium)
3 Denis Noel (France)
4 Patrick Sluyts (Belgium)
5 Jos Bogaerts (Netherlands)
6 Mark Verloo (Belgium)
7 Frans Willems (Netherlands)
8 Ludwig Gladines (Belgium)
9 Giuseppe Dal Grande (Italy)
10 Rene Ristau (Germany)
other
13 Philip Roach (Great Britain)
33 Garry Clark (Great Britain)
35 Nigel Hay (Great Britain) 1 lap
38 Mark Garrett (Great Britain)
44 Dave Headon (Great Britain)
47 Gary Townsend (Great Britain)
Men 1955-1959
1 Walter Marijnissen (Belgium) 37.49
2 Adriaan Van London (Netherlands)
3 Michel Willems (Belgium)
4 Ronald De Scheemaeker (Belgium)
5 Rudy Bloemmen (Belgium)
6 Alain Guinle (France)
7 Henry Kramer (United States of America)
8 Alfons Schutters (Belgium)
9 Otavio Pacagnella (Italy)
10 Dany Cardon (France)
other
23 Martin Eadon (Great Britain)
28 Peter Harris (Great Britain)
47 Peter Parkes (Great Britain) 1 lap
Men 1950-1954
1 Ludo Van Tichelt (Belgium) 32.05
2 Felix Luyten (Belgium)
3 Jan-Guido Geudens (Belgium)
4 Jose De Clercq (Belgium)
5 Zbynek Ocasek (Czech Republic)
6 Jozef Staes (Belgium)
7 Andrew Roberts (Great Britain)
8 Waldemar Banasinski (Poland)
9 Jan Steensma (Netherlands)
10 Claude Drouet (France)
other
13 David Smith (Great Britain)
15 Tony Wilkins (Great Britain)
Men 1945-1949
1 Francois Mertens (Belgium) 32.07
2 Jos Sas (Belgium)
3 Edward Lievens (Belgium)
4 Victor Barnett (Great Britain)
5 Leo De Busser (Belgium)
6 Christian Jupillat (France)
7 Jaak Dekkers (Belgium)
8 Ties Verhagen (Netherlands)
9 Jose Simaes (Spain)
10 Garjo Kamphuis (Netherlands)
other
13 Mitchell Barrie (Great Britain)
14 Peter Mooney (Great Britain)
18 Eric Taylor (Great Britain)
Men pre-1945
1 Herman Martens (Belgium) 29.31
2 Lambert Van De Wiel (Netherlands)
3 Armin Elpel (Germany)
4 John Ginley (Great Britain)
5 Michael Ives (Great Britain)
6 Alfons Heijens (Belgium)
7 Caune Vismants (Latvia)
8 Yves Crevet (France)
9 Gunter Berger (Germany)
10 Robert Llamas (United States of America)
Women 1970-1979
1 Ilona Meter (Netherlands) 21.30
2 Anja Nobus (Belgium)
3 Anja Renders (Netherlands)
4 Eefje Ottevanger (Netherlands)
5 Jadine Riley (Great Britain)
6 Maddie Horton (Great Britain)
7 Vivien Cox (Great Britain)
8 Nadege Prudhomme (France)
9 Jo Blanchaert (Belgium)
10 Martine Verweij (Great Britain)
other
13 Jacqueline Strachan (Great Britain)
Women 1960-1969
1 Marianne Gall (Netherlands) 21.49
2 Katrina Baumsteiger (United States of America)
3 Anne Bertram (Germany)
4 Claudia Saintagne (France)
5 Gjertrud Bo (Norway)
6 Angela Connaughton (United States of America)
7 Janel Lodge (United States of America)
8 Karen Goritski (United States of America)
9 Margriet Engelsma (Netherlands)
10 Catherine Boulangue (France)
Women pre-19601 Katherine Sarvary (United States of America) 24.00
2 Lillian Peluke (United States of America)
3 Corina Borjesson (Sweden)
4 Lee Smith (United States of America)
5 Christine Dufond Denatteis (France)