GP de la Commune de Contern / GP Comat - October 29, 2006 - Contern

Riders:

Just as in the last years, ACC Contern has tried to bring up a balanced field for its international cyclo-cross in Contern, on October 29, 2006. We haven't contracted any big star, but several good riders that should be more or less on the same level and guarantee suspense in the race. It isn't a suprise, the best cyclo-cross riders come from Belgium and the country will be represented by three times and actual national champion in the category elite without contract David Willemsens David Willemssens. For a long time now, Willemsens has been among the best Belgian riders and last season, he had even managed as an amateur to be selected for the Belgian World Cup squad, despite numerous professionnal candidates. During the season 2004/2005, Willemsens has won no less than 11 races, whereas last year, he has cut the finsh line twice as winner and also renewed his title as Belgian amateur champion in Tervuren. This season, he has already won the cyclo-cross in Knesselare and has taken several good placings in international events like Dudzele (6th), Lebbeke (7th), Zonhoven or Dottignies (12th). Nico Clarysse Jorn Van der Veken is a good road-racer (winner in Koningshooikt last August), but he also regularely attends to the big international cyclo-cross races. He was among the best U23-riders in his country several years ago (4th of a Belgian National Championship and 9th overall of the Superprestige rankings in 2003/2004) and now begins his third season as elite-rider. Last year, he has finished among others 5th in Rijkevoorsel or 16th in Overijse. This season, Van der Veken has taken 2nd place in Wiekevorst and 5th in Essen, before finishing at the foot of the podium in 4th place at the international cyclo-cross in Kayl last week-end. From Belgium, there will also be Tom de Kort, winner of 3 cyclo-cross races in 2005/2006 (Essen, Heusden and Zwijndrecht), Nico Clarysse (former Belgian Junior National Champion and winner of 6 races in the elite-category) and Sten Rayemakers, who has won 3 races in the last two years. In this very young season, the three riders have already achieved some top-ten placings. Clarysse seems to have the best form for the moment because he has also earned some very interesting places in Belgian top events (notably 12th in Dudzele, 14th in Aalter and 16th in Dottignies). The ACC Contern cycle-club is also very happy to welcome once again a Czech team which has as most prominent rider the former Junior World Champion (1991) Ondrej Lukes Ondrej Lukes, who has had a very convincing season in 2005/2006 with 4 victories. Winner in Fehraltendorf (Switzerland), Ostelheim, Herford (Germany) and Kayl (Luxemburg), he has also on his actif a long series of other top placings in Luxembourg (Pétange, Differdange, Leudelange), in Germany, in Switzerland as well as in the prestigious Budvar-Cup on home soil, where the Best Czech riders participate. (7th overall). Lukes knows well the cyclo-cross in Contern, where he has already finished 4th in 2003 and 2nd in 2002. He was also among the main contestants in last year's edition where he finished sixth. This season, Ondrej Lukes has mostly participated in events in Switzerland as well as in the races of the Budvar-cup where he has achieved 6 Top-Ten placings so far, among them 3 podium spots in Unicov, Mlada Boleslav and Kolin. He has also participated in the first round of the World Cup in Aigle where he has finished in 26th position. Another man who is in very good shape for the moment is Jan Chrobak. He has also finished 6 times already among the 10 Best in races of the Budvar-cup or in Switzerland this season, among them fourth places in famous Pilzen and Kolin, but mostly a 2nd position in Louny, only beaten by former world champion and world cup winner Zdenek Mlynar. Chrobak has also participated in the World-Cup race in Kalmthout where he has finished in 24th position. In 2004, he had already finished the cyclo-cross in Contern at the 6th place. He will have with him Emil Hekele, the 7th of the U23 world championships in Poprad who is also used to top placings in Luxembourg and particularely in Contern (3rd in 2004 and 7th in 2005). Some top-ten finishes at Czech, Swiss or German races witness of his regularity and a second place in the international cyclo-cross in Kayl schows that his form is ascending. The young Lukas Prihoda, winner of the Grand-prix Comat in the junior category 2004 Marek Chicosz is in his first season as U23-rider and he is among the most talented young riders of his country. Last year, he had a very good season as junior with numerous podium places in the Budvar-Cup series and notably a victory in Louny in front of Robert Gavenda and David Menger. He has also finished 15th in the Junior World Championships in Zeddam. Another team comes form Eastern Europe with the actual National champion of Poland Marek Chicosz, who has managed to beat the brothers Mariusz and Dariusz Gil for the National titel in Slubice, in January 2006. Several weeks later, he has crowned a good season, which has seen him regularly among the 20 Best in Superprestige or World-Cup races, with an exceptionnal 16th place in the Elite World Championships in Zeddam. This year, Chicosz wants to honour once again his red-white jersey and he has already known a good start with a 10th place in Neerpelt, a 5th in Berlin and a 7th in Hamburg. He has also participated in the world-cup events in Aigle and Kalmthout. Chicosz will have with him Andrej Kaiser(11th in 2005 in Contern), Michal Mudyn and two young riders, David Romanowski and Sylwester Janiszewski, who is in his first season as U23 rider after having finished 10th in the Junior World Championships in Zeddam in January 2006. The Frenchman Julien Laidoun is a former professional road rider with the AG2R and Mr Bookmaker.com teams. He has realized some promising results like the title of best climber at the Tour de Poitou-Charentes 2005 or a 13th place in the Tour of Denmark 2004 Gusty Bausch . He has also shown himself under the spotlights at the Vuelta à Espana 2004, but his professional career has been broken by several health problems. Laidoun wants to come back to his best level in the next years and for him, this also involves cyclo-cross races. He has been a very good rider in the youth categories (7 victoires including championship of Picardie, 4th of a National French Championship) and had never given up cyclo-cross (three podiums in 2005). This year, Julien Laidoun has the National Championships in January as main goal and after one victory and several top-placings in regional races, he will participate in the national and international events during the following months. On the German side, we hope for a strong participation from riders of the border region, like the Rheinland-Pfalz champion David Bertram, who has finished this season 14th of the international cyclo-cross in Berlin and 2nd of the national race in Brouch behind Gusty Bausch. Jempi Drucker, who has a contract with the Superprestige series, will be absent and so the Luxemburgish delegation will be led once again by former and multiple National Champion Bausch. He has won every national event so far this season (Brouch and Dippach), and has finised in 7th position at the international cyclo-cross in Kayl. He sure wants to confirm his excellent performance from last year (6th place in Contern). The ACC Contern cycle-club also hopes for a strong participation from other luxemburgish riders like Pascal Triebel, Flammang, Michely or others ... 3rd Grand-prix de la Commune de Contern >>