PEZ Picks The High Stars of Cyclo-Cross

“I’m by no means happier than once I’m writing.”
~ Ed Hood, as spoken to Martin Williamson from the passenger seat, driving alongside a stage route on the Tour de France.

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We’ll be posting a choice of Ed’s work from the previous 16 years, as a result of nice story-telling by no means will get outdated.

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Ed Hood wrote this text simply earlier than the 2022 World cyclo-cross championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

High Males of the Mud: All eyes are on cyclo-cross in the meanwhile, however the cross scene has seen ‘tremendous stars’ earlier than. Many large names from the street have been high males within the mud – Ed Hood takes a glance again by cyclo-cross historical past.

The ‘Huge Three’ of cross

Wout, Matthew and Tom within the sand and dirt – we like it, large street names lining up for ‘cross races, pulling the large crowds in [Covid permitting]. Nevertheless it’s solely within the final seven years because the WVA v MVDP feud started that this has been the case, previous to that there have been lengthy spells the place ‘cross was the province of the specialists with simply the odd intrusion by ‘roadies’.

The primary cyclo-cross World champion – Jean Robic. Useful on the street too

The primary UCi ‘cross Worlds in 1950 went to Frenchman Jean Robic, Tour de France winner and Monument podium finisher. However even in these early days of the self-discipline, riders have been starting to specialise with the person who was second to Robic within the Worlds, his countryman, Roger Henri Rondeaux making a science of ‘cross and happening to win seven Nationals and three Worlds.

Roger Henri Rondeaux – Made a science of ‘cross

The occasion was very a lot the province of the French riders in these early days with Andre Dufraisse, one other specialist, taking the following 5 Worlds straight in addition to seven Nationals.

Italian class – Renato Longo

The following man to win the title was one of many legends of the game, Renato Longo of Italy who took 5 world titles and at least 12 Nationals. While Longo did journey the street he was very a lot a ‘cross specialist however his large rival of the day, Rolf Wolfshohl, who triumphed in three Worlds, was a really succesful roadman too, successful the 1965 Vuelta and with a really broad street palmarès.

Merckx, Simpson and Rolf Wolfshohl

The Longo/Wolfshohl period was ended by the arrival of arguably biggest of all of them, Eric De Vlaeminck who would take seven world titles and will do issues with a bicycle which left his rivals shaking their heads. The title remained in Belgium after De Vlaeminck’s tenure, going to prolific, arduous as nails specialist, Albert Van Damme who gained six nationwide titles amongst an unbelievable 301 victories. It was Belgium’s title once more in ’75 with the person Van Damme beat in to the silver medal place the 12 months earlier, Eric’s brother, Roger making it eight for the De Vlaeminck household.

Eric De Vlaeminck – Seven time World champion

The late 70’s was the time of the Swiss specialists, with Albert Zweifel taking 4 titles straight in addition to 9 Nationals; nevertheless it wasn’t simply Zweifel, his compatriot Peter Frisnecht took three silver and two bronze medals in the identical period. And Zweifel would come again to take a fifth title in 1986.

Thaler, Albert Zweifel and Liboton – Worlds’83

The years from ’80 to ’84 belonged to Belgian legend and 10 instances Nationwide Champion, Roland Liboton with simply lanky Dutchman, Hennie Stamsnijder stopping the Belgian from successful 5 titles straight in 1981 – and second to Stamsnijder? Liboton, after all.

Roland Liboton

When he gained his ultimate Worlds Liboton was solely 27 years-old, years later he stated; “There have been monetary issues in my crew, ADR. I used to be not paid so I didn’t practice a lot and I misplaced my focus. The supervisor of the crew stored promising me that he would pay. That man took three of the most effective years of my profession from me. I’m very offended about that. Earlier than, I used to be using for an Italian crew, Guerciotti, who paid me very properly, however ADR instructed me they’d pay me 3 times what I earned in Italy. That transfer was the largest mistake I made in my life. I may have gained extra world titles.”

Klaus Peter Thaler

In 1985 it was a person who was greater than respectable on the street, Germany’s Klaus Peter Thaler, who we spoke to a few years in the past. Tour de France yellow jersey holder, Vuelta podium finisher he was twice newbie ‘cross Worlds champion and twice skilled, successful once more in 1987.

Andrie van der Poel – Greater than useful on a street bike

Second that 12 months was a person who we’ll hear extra of later, Adrie Van Der Poel, father to Mathieu and silver medallist at least 5 instances earlier than he gained the title in 1996; and there have been additionally two bronze medals. The ’86 title went to Zweifel.

Hennie Stamsnijder and Pascal Richard

With one other man who was no slouch on the street taking the ’88 race, Switzerland’s Pascal Richard, who gained the Tour of Lombardy in 1993, the primary ‘open’ Olympic Highway Race in ’96 and out-foxed Huge Tex to take Liège-Bastogne-Liège the identical 12 months. There wasn’t actually a dominant determine over the following few years with the titles all falling to specialists, the diminutive Belgian Danny De Bie in ’89, Dutchman Hank Baars in ’90 and Czech Radomir Simunek – the one man to have gained the junior, newbie {and professional} titles – in ‘91.

Danny De Bie and Radomir Simunek – World championships in Getxo, Spain

Van Der Poel was the silver medallist 4 years straight for 4 years from ’88 to ’91. Germany’s Mike Kluge took the ’92 title and actually ought to have taken the ’93 titles however for mechanical nightmares – examine it right here with Frenchman Dominique Arnauld the beneficiary.

Paul Herygers within the ’94 Worlds

The ’94 race went to Belgian specialist, Paul Herygers with a good looking late race transfer, using a ramp which up till then everybody had run, distancing the person the Belgian followers beloved to hate, Richard Groenenaal of The Netherlands. Swiss rider, Dieter Runkel produced the journey of his life to win in a ‘mud fest’ 1995 championship on house soil at Eschenbach with Groenendaal once more bridesmaid.

Worlds 1996 Montreuil, France – Adrie van der Poel

If ’95 was a ‘mud fest’ then ’96 was something however; on a course frozen arduous and quick at Montreuil, Van der Poel’s roadman’s dash was method too quick for Italian specialists Pontoni and Bramati after a race run at 29.053 kph common. Pontoni’s revenge got here on 12 months later in ’97 with one other Belgian ‘cross legend, ever-grumpy Mario De Clerq taking the primary two of three titles in ’98 and ’99.

Worlds 2002 – Zolder

Feisty Groenendaal gained in 2000 with large, robust Belgian specialist Erwin Vervaecken taking the primary of three titles in 2001 earlier than De Clerq took his crown again in ’02, the primary of 4 years straight when all of the medallists have been Belgian. The 2003 and ’04 titles belonged to in style and dogged, Bart Wellens.

The one and solely – Sven Nys

The 2005 race went to massively in style and prolific, Sven Nys his first two Elite titles to go along with his two U23 successes. Some would say that had he targeting peaking for the Worlds then he would have had extra Elite rainbow jerseys to his title however the man raced arduous from the primary flag of the season dropping till the final podium of the 12 months: 180 wins plus 63 Superprestige and 50 World Cup wins – sufficient stated.

World cross champ – Lars Growth

Vervecken was again to win in 2006 and ’07 with US rider Jonathan Web page producing the journey of his life to take silver, pushing the Belgian all the way in which to his third title. Versatile large Dutchman, Lars Growth who was an Eneco Tour, Tour of Britain, ZLM Tour, Vuelta and Tour de France stage winner in addition to Junior World Time Trial Champion added the Elite to the U23 title in 2008 earlier than under-rated Belgian Niels Albert took the primary of two titles in ’09.

Cyclo-cross World championships in Tabor 2010 – Zdenek Stybar

Ever-smiling and in style, ‘honorary Belgian’, Zdenek Stybar of the Czech Republic gained in 2010 and 2011 and would achieve this once more in 2014 with Albert successful once more in ’12 and Nys in ’13. ‘Stybie’ has put ‘cross behind him now and is a principal keep of Patrick Lefevere’s ‘Boys in Blue’.

2015 and Mathieu takes his first rainbow jersey

And in 2015 the fashionable period started with MVDP taking the primary of 4 – at date of writing – titles from a sure WVA, who would win for the following three years earlier than Mathieu made it 5 Van der Poel household titles over the following three seasons. The Worlds are in Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA for 2022.

We are able to’t wait to seek out out.

Will Van der Poel and Van Aert in 2020