After a year of absence due to Covid-19, the organizers of the Ardooise Kermiscross are taking up the thread again. As has always been the case in the past: on Thursdays and without live TV images, which is actually unique in current Belgian professional cyclo-cross. CyclingFlash looks ahead.
History
It was in 1995 that the Kermiscrossers organized a cyclocross race for the first time in Ardooie, the West Flemish municipality between Tielt and Roeselare. No, not on Saturday or Sunday, but on a weekday Thursday. A tradition that they still attach great importance to more than 25 years later. Not only the organizers, but also the loyal local public and even the many companies in the municipality, who like to take the annual cyclo-cross into account in their planning.
By the way, don’t be tempted to misinterpret the name Kermiscross. This was not chosen because cyclo-cross is a ‘Flemish funfair’, but because the cross in Ardooie is invariably organized during the week in which the fairground attractions descend on and around the local church square. Although there is a sin for the 2021 edition: the annual fair fell a week and a half ago this year, just when the world top was in the US for the World Cup competitions, so it was postponed to October 21.
Zdenek Stybar beat Sven Nys in the sprint in 2011 – photo Cor Vos
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Downside of a cyclo-cross on Thursday, a number of toppers sometimes dare to give up because other, more important competitions are on the calendar in the following weekend. Also this year they have there in the vegetable community to settle with. The Superprestige round in Ruddervoorde is on the menu on Saturday, while the World Cup round will be raced in Zonhoven on Sunday. As a result, especially among the women, we get a skimmed field with hardly any big names.
Despite this shortcoming, they can still live on a nice honors list there in Ardooie. For example, no fewer than four clappers are record holders in terms of the number of victories. Paul Herygers, Niels Albert, Zdeněk Štybar and Wout van Aert have three dashes behind their names. For the women (organized for the first time in 2015), no one has yet succeeded in winning more than once in Ardooie.
Last ten winners:
Men
2020: not organized (corona crisis)
2019: 
Gianni Vermeersch
2018: Wout van Aert
2017: Wout van Aert
2016: Wout van Aert
2015: Tom Meeusen
2014: Michael Vanthourenhout
2013: Klaas Vantornout
2012: Klaas Vantornout
2011: 
Zdeněk Štybar
Women
2020: not organized (corona crisis)
2019: Kim Van De Steene
2018: Loes Sels
2017: 
Katie Compton
2016: True Cant
2015: 
Thalita de Jong
Latest edition
Increases stronger than Pidcock
No Kermiscross in 2020, so we have to go back to 2019. Then Gianni Vermeersch – also godfather of the organization – won the men’s race. Tim Merlier took the best start, but in the second lap Tim Pidcock and Gianni Vermeersch went on an adventure. Nicolas Cleppe, Tim Merlier, Dieter Vanthourenhout and Thijs Aerts chased.
But the pursuers could no longer make the crossing. In the final lap Vermeersch accelerated, Pidcock had to pass. For Vermeersch it was his second of the season. Tim Merlier was a little later the best of the rest.
Gianni Vermeersch, then still in Credishop-Fristads outfit, on his way to victory – photo: Cor Vos
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Results Men 2019:
1. Gianni Vermeersch
2. 
Tom Pidcock at 12 ″
3. Tim Merlier at 40″
4. Thijs Aerts at 42″
5. Nicolas Cleppe at 53″
Kim Van De Steene beats Compton
There was no size for Kim Van De Steene among the women. She put the American Katie Compton in half a minute, while Joyce Vanderbeken in third had already conceded more than a minute and a half.
Results Women 2019:
1. Kim Van De Steene
2. Katie Compton at 30″
3. Joyce Vanderbeken at 1’37”
4. Alicia Franck at 2’04”
5. Ellen Van Loy at 2’30”
Journey
Much work has been done on this circuit over the years, but a number of factors remain the same: start and finish are in the center of the village, especially in the long Stationsstraat, where each year also a stage in the Benelux Tour ends . It is a typical meadow cross and in heavy rainfall it is sometimes a struggle. Read: as a spectator, a pair of sturdy boots are not a luxury.
Once past the finish, the peloton dives left into the fields and meadows. In recent years, the track has become more compact and several artificial obstacles (hills, slope, bridge) have been constructed, which makes it all a bit more varied and modern and for the benefit of the public. But the Kermiscross remains a meadow cross in which especially the riders with a ‘big motorcycle’ win the day.
The total circuit is 2,850 meters long. The start and finish zone in the Stationsstraat is 460 meters. More than two full kilometers will be completed on pasturage.
Program & info
Program Thursday 21 October:
12u00: Masters B en C
13u00: Elite 3 en Masters A
2.15 pm: Women Elite
15h45: Elites and Promises
Location:
Center Ardooie – Stationsstraat
Entrance: 10 € / children ≤ 12 years free
Please note: Your CovidSafe app and identity card will be checked at the entrance, in accordance with the applicable regulations.
Practical information:
Website organization
Attendees
Ardooi Men (for now, Van Kessel and Baestaens already canceled)
Ardooie Women (for now, Van Anrooij and Van Alphen will not start)
Men
The most famous names at the start are Laurens Sweeck, who resumes the competition after a fourteen-day break, Michael Vanthourenhout, Jens Adams, Diether Sweeck, Anton Ferdinande, Tom Meeusen, Felipe Orts Lloret, Joris Nieuwenhuis, David van der Poel, Dario Lillo, Loris Rouiller and Thijs Aerts. Corné van Kessel and Vincent Baestaens were also originally on the list of participants, but they canceled in the last instance.
Under normal circumstances, Vanthourenhout, Sweeck, Adams and Orts, who must feel comfortable on this course, are the biggest podium candidates.
One from the old box. Brothers Dieter and – the still very young Michael Vanthourenhout in Ardooie, ten years ago – photo Cor Vos
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Women
No world top riders in the women’s race. But that gives other ladies the chance to score a lot of attractive UCI points. The main names are Alicia Franck, Maud Kaptheijns, Laura Verdonschot, Loes Sels, Suzanne Verhoeven, Karen Verhestraeten, Joyce Vanderbeken and Lindy van Anrooij. Franck is the top favourite.
Weather and TV
No live coverage on TV is provided.
The weather forecast according to Meteovista.be can be found below. It seems to be a real – partly cloudy – autumn day with temperatures around ten or eleven degrees. A downpour cannot be ruled out at all. The wind is blowing from the west.
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