Advertisement

Simon Andreassen Wins the 2015 Junior Men's Title in Style. © Mike Albright / Cyclocross Magazine

Simon Andreassen Wins the 2015 Junior Men’s Title in Style. © Mike Albright/Cyclocross Magazine

TABOR, Czech Republic – With the ground frozen over from the chill of the night, the Junior race at the 2015 Cyclocross World Championship promised to be a faster race than the mud of yesterday’s pre-riding was trying to promise. As the riders lined up, all of their eyes were on Eli Iserbyt of Belgium, who had a nearly flawless 2014-15 season in the Junior fields to take the first overall call-up.

Yet it would be Denmark’s Simon Andreassen, a rider who started in the second row, who proved to have the performance of the morning as he soared over the barriers and past the field to cross the line in first, over a half minute ahead of Iserbyt.

The start of the Junior Men's race in Tabor - 2015 Cyclocross World Championships © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

The start of the Junior Men’s race in Tabor – 2015 Cyclocross World Championships © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

Hopping Away With the Race

Once the race began, American rider Gage Hecht was ready to prove he had more than earned his front row call-up, maintaining his pace with the leaders in the top-five. Hecht had a great season in Europe, including a podium at Hoogerheide, and as he told Cyclocross Magazine before he traveled to Tabor, he was hoping to repeat that success at the World Championship.

Iserbyt managed to get the holeshot at the first corner, with a hungry Junior field right behind. © Mike Albright/Cyclocross Magazine

Iserbyt had control of the first lap until the final corners, where Andreassen pulled ahead. The Belgian attempted to stay with him, but the Danish rider was able to create separation at the barriers as he was the only Junior of the leaders to be able to bunny-hop the uphill barriers. By the time they passed the pits in the second lap, and Iserbyt needed to pit, Andreassen managed a quality gap over the rest of the chasers.

Gage Hecht had a ride for the ages, and came one chain and tire slip from a medal. Thankfully, he can get revenge next year. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

Gage Hecht had a ride for the ages, and came one chain and tire slip from a medal. Thankfully, he can get revenge next year. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

As the remainder of the race had the Danish rider pulling away, the battle for second place heated up. Iserbyt looked out of sorts, unable to dial-in his turn and looking like he was having a difficult time even turning his pedals. Dutch rider Max Gulickx and Hecht both took advantage, with the American taking the second position and looking as if he might get away from the others.

The long stretched pack of the Junior Men's field - the largest of the weekend. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

The long stretched pack of the Junior Men’s field – the largest of the weekend. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

The race for second only intensified once Hecht needed to pit. Andreassen began to ride conservatively in the lead at the bell lap, and Gulickx lead the chasers by five seconds with Iserbyt back to form in third and Hecht following right on his wheel. The last lap played out in a battle of wits and technique.

Andreassen hops the barriers as Iserbyt dismounts and runs them. © Mike Albright/Cyclocross Magazine

Battle for Silver Won and Lost on the Final Turn

After an unfortunate bobble early in the last lap, Hecht started slipping behind, but he remained collected as he tried to gain what time he could on the two ahead of him. Meanwhile, Iserbyt had caught up to Gulickx and passed him to take control of second. With less than a half lap to go, Hecht not only caught back on, but showed some fancy maneuvering to put himself ahead of Gulickx and Iserbyt. Hecht controlled the corners and forced Iserbyt to the outside at almost every turn.

Dane Andreassen hopped the barriers to his advantage, and then rode away from Iserbyt, Hecht and the other challengers. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

Dane Andreassen hopped the barriers to his advantage, and then rode away from Iserbyt, Hecht and the other challengers. © Mathew Lasala / Cyclocross Magazine

Andreassen reached the pavement, grabbed a large Danish flag, and lifted his front wheel in front of the crowd as he crossed the line well ahead of the second place group.

“It was just great, it was perfect,” recalled Andreassen. “I had a very good start, starting from the second row and then on the first downhill I moved up to the second place. I just wanted to be in the first position in the technical parts. I made no mistakes, I just opened up a little gap, and I just [rode] safe and the gap just gets bigger.”

Meanwhile, behind Andreassen, Iserbyt attempted to salvage his race and put in a heavy attack, quickly gaining several seconds on Hecht and Gulickx. It was enough to give the Belgian the ideal position for the final sprint. As Hecht rounded the final corner in third, trying to find that perfect gear to contest with Iserbyt, his chain skipped, causing his rear wheel to throw itself sideways and the American to unclip.

A slip of the chain, tire and then pedal: A moment Gage Hecht may replay in his mind, and use as fuel for 2016. photo: UCI channel

A slip of the chain, tire and then pedal: A moment Gage Hecht may replay in his mind, and use as fuel for 2016. photo: UCI channel

The move proved fatal for the American’s podium hopes as Gulickx took advantage. Iserbyt smoothly crossed the line for second, with the Dutch rider following in for third.

First-Year Junior American’s Thoughts on the Race

“This was definitely harder than anything I’ve ever done before,” Hecht told Cyclocross Magazine right after he finished. “I’m a little disappointed. I was still top five, which is amazing.”

“It’s been an amazing season, I’ve been top five most of the time. Coming from America, being a first year, I’m so ecstatic about [this season],” he continued. “It was fantastic, amazing.”

American rider Gavin Haley was the next from his country to cross the line in 11th, with Brannan Fix coming close behind in 15th. Coop Willsey took 24th and Cameron Beard finishing 39th.

Lance Haidet did not finish after crashing hard into a fence, and hurting both his thumb and derailleur.

Andreassen took first, with Iserbyt and Gulickx. © Mike Albright/Cyclocross Magazine

Stay tuned for more photos, interviews and an expanded report. See the 2015 Cyclocross World Championships Elite Women’s race report and results here

2015 Junior Men Cyclocross World Championship Photo Gallery:

Previous Image
Next Image

info heading

info content


Junior Men Results - 2015 UCI Cyclocross World Championships - Tabor, Czech Republic

RankNameUCICountryResult
1ANDREASSEN SimonDEN19970930DENMARK0:42:24
2ISERBYT EliBEL19971022BELGIUM+00:40
3GULICKX MaxNED19970530NETHERLANDS+00:41
4HECHT GageUSA19980218UNITED STATES OF AMERICA+00:44
5WOLSINK ThijsNED19980202NETHERLANDS+01:10
6SALA StefanoITA19970325ITALY+01:27
7DORIGONI JakobITA19980310ITALY+01:30
8FINE EddyFRA19971120FRANCE+01:34
9DRIESEN JarneBEL19980517BELGIUM+01:53
10VAN DER STEGEN RoelNED19970116NETHERLANDS+01:58
11HALEY GavinUSA19970328UNITED STATES OF AMERICA+02:00
12CANAL EmileFRA19970712FRANCE+02:02
13SMARZARO DanielITA19971009ITALY+02:16
14GASCOYNE WilliamGBR19980321GREAT BRITAIN+02:18
15FIX BrannanUSA19970613UNITED STATES OF AMERICA+02:21
16ALBERDI JokinESP19980701SPAIN+02:21
17BOURMAUD AlexisFRA19970303FRANCE+02:28
18CORDS LudwigGER19971104GERMANY+02:32
19JACOBS JohanSUI19970301SWITZERLAND+02:32
20JASPERS JappeBEL19980901BELGIUM+02:34
21FOLCARELLI AntonioITA19980103ITALY+02:40
22ULIK MatejSVK19970108SLOVAKIA+03:03
23LOOCKX LanderBEL19970425BELGIUM+03:11
24WILLSEY CooperUSA19970418UNITED STATES OF AMERICA+03:14
25SIMON QuentinFRA19970326FRANCE+03:17
26DEKKER JensNED19981213NETHERLANDS+03:36
27DHOORE AlessioBEL19980423BELGIUM+03:36
28GREEN ArthurGBR19970117GREAT BRITAIN+03:36
29KUHN KevinSUI19980218SWITZERLAND+03:38
30GIL RANERO JonESP19970604SPAIN+03:40
31BOGUSLAWSKI MarceliPOL19970907POLAND+03:52
32WATERS JoshuaGBR19980824GREAT BRITAIN+03:55
33VOJIR JaroslavCZE19970913CZECH REPUBLIC+03:56
34JUNQUERA MarioESP19970128SPAIN+04:03
35MOSES AlfieGBR19980303GREAT BRITAIN+04:04
36SCHRODER RaphaelGER19971014GERMANY+04:04
37MATEJCEK MartinCZE19970421CZECH REPUBLIC+04:12
38HEIDERSCHEID ColinLUX19980128LUXEMBOURG+04:13
39BEARD CameronUSA19980801UNITED STATES OF AMERICA+04:14
40GRAB JoelSUI19970306SWITZERLAND+04:22
41CHARMIG AnthonDEN19980325DENMARK+04:22
42BOERSMA WillemCAN19970112CANADA+04:29
43EVANS OliverCAN19980728CANADA+04:32
44MOBIS MaximilianGER19980312GERMANY+04:33
45JELINEK JosefCZE19980702CZECH REPUBLIC+04:34
46DUJARDIN SandyFRA19970529FRANCE+04:44
47OSTLUND JonatanSWE19970422SWEDEN+04:45
48DEVOS HanBEL19970901BELGIUM+04:59
49KUNT LukasCZE19970916CZECH REPUBLIC+05:16
50JONA DawidPOL19980101POLAND+05:16
51KURTY JakubSVK19970627SLOVAKIA+05:17
52DISERA QuintonCAN19981123CANADA+05:18
53TAKEUCHI RyoJPN19971110JAPAN+05:18
54YAMADA MasakiJPN19970427JAPAN+05:25
55RIES MichelLUX19980311LUXEMBOURG+05:26
56ANDRESEN Andreas LundDEN19980429DENMARK+05:29
57FRIES NoahLUX19980121LUXEMBOURG+05:33
58KOSTRUBSKI PawelPOL19980306POLAND+05:44
59RUDOLPH PaulGER19981211GERMANY+05:52
60SMITH NicholasAUS19970801AUSTRALIA+05:59
61MULCAHY LiamCAN19970820CANADA+06:01
62PETTERSSON TedSWE19980423SWEDEN+06:23
63HAUPT TarikGER19980505GERMANY+06:30
64KUJAN SlavomirSVK19980924SLOVAKIA+06:43
65ZIMANY KristianSVK19971030SLOVAKIA+06:43
66BARROW NoahAUS19980425AUSTRALIA+06:54
67GAJDOSIK JanSVK19980719SLOVAKIA+07:34
68BREZINA JonasCZE19980628CZECH REPUBLIC-1LAP
69ZATHURECZKY MarkHUN19970722HUNGARY-1LAP
70RITTER StefanCAN19980513CANADA-1LAP
71GREEN TomAUS19970815AUSTRALIA-1LAP