Niels Bastiaens • Saturday November 11, 2023 at 12:15
November 11, when it is traditionally time for the Annual Market Cross in Niel. For the second year in a row it is part of the Telenet Superprestige, with great names at the start. For the women it is now up to Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado to seize her chance, while for the men Thibau Nys, Eli Iserbyt, Lars van der Haar and Michael Vanthourenhout can battle it out. CyclingFlits looks ahead!
History
Last ten winners of the Annual Market Cross Niel
Men
2022: Laurens Sweeck
2021: Eli Iserbyt
2020: Laurens Sweeck
2019: Mathieu van der Poel
2018: Mathieu van der Poel
2017: Toon Aerts
2016: Toon Aerts
2015: Kevin Pauwels
2014: Sven Nys
2013: Sven Nys
Women
2022: Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
2021: Lucinda Brand
2020: Lucinda Brand
2019: Lucinda Brand
2018: True Cant
2017: Nikki Brammeier
2016: True Cant
2015: True Cant
2014: True Cant
2013: True Cant
Last year
Men
Telenet Superprestige 2022-2023
Result men – round 3 in Niel
1. Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Fristads) in 1h01m28s
2. Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) at 3s
3. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels-Sauzen-Bingoal) at 35s
4. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) at 41s
5. Witse Meeussen (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) at 44s
Telenet Superprestige 2022-2023
Women’s results – heat 3 in Niel
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in 48m04s
2. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) on 5s
3. Inge van der Heijden (777) at 54s
4. Aniek van Alphen (777) at 1m03s
5. Sanne Cant (Crelan-Fristads) at 1m08s
Course
The most striking change to the course is the brand new finish line. In recent years, it has always been located in Antwerpsestraat, close to the center of Niel. Now the start and finish will be moved to a more central part of the course, in the Kwaede Wielstraat. “The cross has been coinciding with the fair for years. The center is then very busy, and to separate the two events, we were asked to place the start and finish close to the equipment station, on a nice wide track,” says course designer Erwin Vervecken.
“This makes the cross a bit more compact. The audience in the center sees the riders passing all around them, which only makes the race more attractive.” With thanks to the Nielse dijk, which plays a central role in the Jaarmarktcross. The riders reach this via a steep descent, after which they enter the so-called ‘blubber zone’ at high speed.
Since the rain is heavy this week, the riders can sink up to their ankles in the mud. According to tradition, says Vervecken. “That will be very tough, it will also be the longest running zone of the cross. This is followed by a few more slopes, where the riders will have to crawl up onto the verge. Last year there were two or three such sections, which the men were sometimes able to drive up. Now they will have to get off the bike four or five times.”
The toughest zone awaits at the very end of the round. The so-called Wall of Niel, a 500-meter passage through the forest, which was only added to the trail in 2021. “That will be the apotheosis of the cross, because from there it is only 500 meters to the finish. The riders no longer have to ride around the pond, but are immediately sent towards the new finish line.”
Furthermore, there are also some technical zones waiting for the round, especially in the initial phase. For example, just after passing the material station, the riders are presented with the Pearls of Niel, the well-known washboard in front of the public tent. Many sharp bends and a sixty meter sandbox will also test the technique, but the differences will mainly be made in the mud.
Practical info
Plan
9:30 am: First-year newcomers
10.30 am: Second-year newcomers
12:00: Juniors, men
1.40 pm: Women, elite and U23
3.10 pm: Men, elite and U23
Location and entrance
Kwaede Wielstraat, Niel
Income: €17 (€15 in advancet/m 10 november)
Website organization
Website Telenet Superprestige
List of participants for men
Participant list women
Classification Superprestige 2023-2024, elite men
1. Eli Iserbyt – 30 points
2. Lars van der Haar – 27 points
3. Michael Vanthourenhout – 27 points
4. Kevin Kuhn – 21 points
5. Gerben Kuypers – 20 points
Classification Superprestige 2023-2024, elite women
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado – 29 points
2. Annemarie Worst – 26 points
3. Inge van der Heijden – 24 points
4. Aniek van Alphen – 23 points
5. Marion Norbert-Riberolle – 17 points
Favorites men
All the top riders of the moment will be present in Niel’s Annual Market Cross on Saturday. An observation that the UCI could not laugh at, because a day later Thibau Nys did miss the World Cup in Dendermonde.
Michael Vanthourenhout can keep his jersey! – photo: Cor Vos
Given the heavy rainfall last week, which will continue in the coming days, it is not illogical to be European champions Michael Vanthourenhout expected. The West Flemish player did not seem to be in great shape in recent weeks, but proved everyone wrong at the European Championships in Pontchâteau. “After America, Michael relapsed due to illness, which meant he was less visible,” manager Jurgen Mettepenningen told us. “But what we should not forget: his great goal was in Pontchâteau anyway. There we saw again the Michael who was able to win major races for an entire season last year. Now he’s back, and we want to form a front with Eli and Michael.”
Eli, then Mettepenningen is talking about it Eli Iserbyt, that other leader of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal. In France, Iserbyt only missed the podium for the first time this season, but that does not necessarily mean anything with a view to next weekend. On paper, Vanthourenhout is one of the best in the world in the tough slog races, but Iserbyt can also do something about that. For the latter, it is especially important that there is not too much walking. An extra motivation for Iserbyt: so far he has the maximum score in the Telenet Superprestige, something he is not happy to give up.
Baloise Trek Lions, which we labeled before the European Championship as the most dominant team of the moment, faces stiff competition. Of Thibau Nys they still have a strong leader. Off-days, such as in Maasmechelen and the European Championships, alternate for the time being with days when there is nothing to do about him – just look at the Koppenbergcross. All very logical at the age of 20. After five days in which he was able to take things a little easier, we expect the best version of Nys in Niel again. We don’t know yet whether flat slog crosses like this one suit him, but what can’t Nys do?
What does Lars van der Haar still have left in the tank? – photo: Cor Vos
During the previous edition, Nys’ teammate fought Lars van der Haar in Laurens Sweeck an exciting battle for victory. So it is not illogical that we expect them here again. Sweeck won two of the last three editions, although it was a bit drier then. The fact is: the rider from Schriek is gradually returning to his best form, after a calf injury kept him sidelined for some time. In Niel he can take the next step in his development, after the European Championships did not go well: winning another classification cross.
We are looking for an outsider for a good listing Cameron Mason, the number two of the European Championship. The young Briton could not believe his own eyes when he was allowed to claim the closest place of honor, but it will certainly not be his last. Mason likes tough cross-country races, in which you sink ankle deep into the mud, so Niel is the right place for him. Lander Loockx, Niels Vandeputte, Felipe Orts and Gerben Kuypers, who cannot get rid of his bad start, can also hope for a good result.
Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Michael Vanthourenhout
** Eli Iserbyt, Thibau Nys
* Lars van der Haar, Laurens Sweeck, Cameron Mason
Favorites women
For Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado it’s time to harvest! Her major competitor, newly crowned European champion Fem van Empel, has started her well-deserved rest of two weekends, while teammate Puck Pieterse will make her return to cross country next week in Troyes, France. And so it now falls to former world champion Alvarado, who also achieved an emotional victory in Niel last year. We would almost forget that the Dutchwoman is doing excellently in motocross, with 29 points in the Superprestige she is currently barely one point from the maximum.
Denise Betsema the big question mark remains. On the Koppenberg, the Texel showed herself as the biggest challenger to Fem van Empel, but not much later she withdrew from the European Championships with national coach Gerben de Knegt. Betsema said he wanted to include some extra training work, in view of the busy period that is coming up. That seems like a sensible choice to us, one that immediately yields a good result for Betsema? It would be nice for the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal sign.
How did Betsema return from her training period? – photo: Cor Vos
Also forget Inge van der Heijden not. The Dutchwoman from Corendon-Crelan always remains somewhat in the shadow of her compatriots, but in the meantime continues to accumulate good rankings. Van der Heijden has often missed the podium in recent weeks – except for Overijse – but also likes a difficult cross. Aniek van Alphen (Cyclocross Reds) is in a similar position. Fourth and fifth places are piling up for her, but on a good day – like in Maasmechelen – she is also ready for the podium.
Just below that there is a whole line of riders waiting who can claim a good ranking. Thereby Annemarie Worstthe Luxembourg fast starter Marie Schreiber, Alicia Franck, Marion Nobert-Riberolle, Laura Verdonschot, Leonie Bentveld, Anna Kay and Sanne Cant.
Favorites according to WielerFlits
*** Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado
** Inge van der Heijden, Denise Betsema
* Aniek van Alphen, Annemarie Worst, Marie Schreiber
Weather and TV
In Belgium, for the live broadcast of the men and women, you have to participate in elite cross country on the open channels of Telenet Play Sports in Next Pickx are. Dutch people can then tune in again Eurosport 1or just watch via the online channels of Eurosport.nl/Discovery+/GCN+. On all channels you can watch the women’s broadcast from 1:30 PM and the men’s broadcast from 3:00 PM.
As suggested by Vervecken, it will be a struggle in Niel. The main culprit is rainfall, which according to… Meteorologist will not be minimal. The heaviest rainfall will occur on Thursday and Friday, but on Saturday itself we can also expect a total of around 4.6 mm of precipitation outside. The temperatures are no higher than 9 degrees Celsius and the wind blows at 3 Beaufort.
2023-11-11 16:20:43
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