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Tom Meeusen took the win at Zonnebeke © Bart Hazen

Tom Meeusen took the win at Zonnebeke © Bart Hazen

While most spectators are waiting in anticipation of tomorrow’s final World Cup in Hoogerheide, racers today had a job to do at either the C2 Kasteelcross in Zonnebeke, Belgiam or the C2 Internationale Cyclo-Cross in Rucphen, Netherlands.

With a nasty cold snap moving over northern Europe, racers had frozen courses – and frozen ground – to contend with, and newly crowned Belgian national champion Klaas Vantornout found himself on the wrong side of luck as he crashed hard while pursuing Tom Meeusen after a slow start to his race. The lanky rider landed on frozen ruts, injuring his left leg. “The pain is enormous,” he said, via Sporza. “As I feel now, I cannot start Sunday in Hoogerheide.”

Luckier in the race, though not in the season, was Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea), who must have channeled some of his anger at not making the Belgian national team after his doctor came under suspicion for doping riders. Coming to the finish line, Swiss champion Julien Taramarcaz thought he had the race sealed up, and was gliding to the line with raised hands when Meeusen surged around him and stole the victory.

“Initially I was not motivated to ride,” said Meeusen. “So I wallowed in the back of the leading group. In the final round I scraped together all my motivation to participate in the sprint, but I’m not really happy with this win.” Meeusen’s win only underscored the rider’s belief that he should have been chosen for the Worlds squad. “It gives more pain than pleasure. I am still down after all that this hoopla has robbed me of. I still have not heard anything from the investigation. No explanation, no nothing.”

In the Netherlands, Lars van der Haar toed the line in his newly-won Dutch National Champion jersey, and an hour later brought the jersey across the line in first. The win is certainly a nice confidence boost heading into tomorrow’s World Cup in Hoogerheide, where van der Haar will be competing for home crowds.

2013 Zonnebeke Elite Men Results

RankNameNat.Result
1Tom MEEUSENBEL59:13:00
2Julien TARAMARCAZSUI59:13:00
3Sven VANTHOURENHOUTBEL59:13:00
4Dieter VANTHOURENHOUTBEL59:13:00
5Rob PEETERSBEL59:13:00
6Mariusz GILPOL59:29:00
7Sven NYSBEL59:34:00
8Diether SWEECKBEL1:00:13
9Joeri ADAMSBEL1:00:44
10Martin ZLAMALIKCZE1:00:50
11Kenneth VAN COMPERNOLLEBEL1:01:32
12Pieter GHYLLEBERTBEL1:01:43
13Kendric VAN GREMBERGENBEL1:01:49
14Jens VANDEKINDERENBEL1:01:49
15Philipp WALSLEBENGER1:01:49
16Davy COMMEYNEBEL1:02:11
17Vinnie BRAETBEL1:02:15
18Kevin CANTBEL1:02:25
19Bart HOFMANBEL1:02:34
20Kris LAPEREBEL1:03:18
21Stijn HUYSBEL1:03:43
22Gianni DENOLFBEL1:04:02
23Antonin MARECAILLEFRA
24Edwin DE WITBEL
25Tom DE KORTBEL
26Bert DE WISPELAEREBEL
27Pedro BAELENBEL
28Ismael Felix BARBA FRUTOSESP
29Tim DE SCHUYTERBEL
30Bjorn RONDELEZBEL
31Tim VAN NUFFELBEL
32Xavier VANHILLEBEL
33ALBERTO CANDELAS CABALLEROESP
DNFKlaas VANTORNOUTBEL
DNFStef BODENBEL
DNFLubomir PETRUSCZE
DNFSteven DE DECKERBEL
DNFStijn PENNEBEL
DNFJérôme BAUGNIESBEL

2013 Rucphen Elite Men Results

RankNameNat.Result
1Lars VAN DER HAARNED1:05:00
2Radomir SIMUNEKCZE1:05:45
3Marcel MEISENGER1:06:05
4Thijs ALNED1:06:10
5Daan SOETEBEL1:06:32
6Thijs VAN AMERONGENNED1:07:00
7Eddy VAN IJZENDOORNNED1:07:55
8Ingmar UYTDEWILLIGENBEL1:08:15
9Matthias VAN DE VELDEBEL1:09:00
10Sven BEELENBEL1:09:20
11Tim ARIESENNED1:09:30
12Koen WEIJERSNED1:09:40
13Lorenzo PEPERMANSBEL1:09:50
14Niels KOYENBEL1:10:00
15Yorben VAN TICHELTBEL1:10:15
16Ludwig SÖDERQUISTSWE1:10:20
17Daan HOEYBERGHSBEL
18Robbie VAN BAKELNED
19Martin ERIKSSONSWE
20Dennis BAEYENSBEL
21Rik VAN IJZENDOORNNED
22Jerry KALLENFELSNED
23Joost SPRING IN T VELDNED
24Bart BARKHUISNED
25Jeroen MEIJERSNED
26Patrick VAN NUNENNED
27Joep VAN GENNIPNED
28Ken SmetsBEL
29Nikolaj Ruud OSTERGAARDDEN
30Bart VAN OPDORPNED
31Frank JANSENNED