With many Belgian races taking place for multiple decades instead of multiple years, it is not often riders head to new venues with new courses in the Motherland of ’Cross.
Sunday’s Brussels Universities Cyclocross race on the grounds of Vrije Universiteit Brussel provided the chance to see what Belgian course designers would do with a new venue.
The layout on the campus featured a very hilly, off-cambery, technical section in the woods in the first half of the course.
The first half of the course had a number of technical corners and off-cambers. Running was often quicker than riding. .2019 Brussels Universities Cyclocross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
The second half of the course utilized the main campus lawn groomed like an amphitheater. Riders went up the rollers, down the rollers, up the stairs and back down the rollers one more time. The spot, was not surprisingly, a fan favorite and quite energetic during the afternoon’s races.
Sanne Cant gave riding the rollers a go in the first lap while most other riders dismounted. 2019 Brussels Universities Cyclocross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
Overall, reports on the course were positive:
What a fun course at #DVVBrussels today! Made a couple dumb mistakes that were pretty frustrating but had a good race for the most part. My favorite part was the group shouting USA at me every time I passed😊Thanks guys👊
— Katie Compton (@KatieFnCompton) January 6, 2019
Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Corendon – Circus) got her first Elite win in Belgium in convincing fashion, winning by almost 45 seconds over Loes Sels (Pauwels Sauzen – Vastgoedservice). You can read about the race in our race report.
For a closer look at Sunday’s race, check out this gallery from Bart Hazen. Stay tuned for a Men’s gallery coming soon.
Bart Hazen Photo Gallery: 2019 Elite Women Brussels Universities Cyclocross
Sanne Cant gave riding the rollers a go in the first lap while most other riders dismounted. 2019 Brussels Universities Cyclocross. © B. Hazen / Cyclocross Magazine
