With World Champion Zdenek Stybar out with injury, the hometown favorites at the 2015 World Cyclocross Championship will have to fight their way through the fields if they want a chance at first. We present to you some of our favorite contenders for the Men's Elite Race, with a quick look at all the American racers as well as some international riders to look out for. The weather shows that snow will be likely before and during the Women's and Junior races on Saturday. Only time will tell how much of that will factor into Sunday's U23 and Men's races.
Also, don't miss our Women's Elite Race Preview for Tabor.
The Favorites: Sven Nys
Sven Nys, shown here at Koksijde, has not excelled after CrossVegas © Bart Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Sven Nys’s last win was over two and a half months ago. His last podium came in mid-November.
When Nys came to the United States early in the season at CLIF Bar CrossVegas, he took a compelling win with both his fitness and his tactics, both which rank the best in cyclocross. Despite a few wins over the early season, Nys hasn’t been his usual self. He took a vacation to try and sort his legs out, and when that didn’t work, he tried taking a break until the Belgian National Championship. This latter plan didn’t last, and Nys was back racing by the second weekend.
Not only did Nys fail to defend the Belgian Jersey this year, but he was unable to make the podium.
But after all of that, Nys is still the big name of cyclocross, and he will have a spot reserved for himself at the starting grid as he is sixth in the world rankings. Better still, if the course ices over, Nys could be the biggest beneficiary as he knows his way around such hazardous conditions better than anyone in the sport.
Last year, he was the runner up at the 2014 World Cyclocross Championship in Hoogerheide. A World win on Sunday would erase a season of disappointment, and Nys could still have some surprises in store.
