Dieter Vanthourenhout (photo: website Dieter Vanthourenhout)

Next to Niels Albert, Dieter Vanthourenhout surely is one of the leaders of the new Belgian cross generation. The nephew of Sven, who has often competed against Jempy Drucker in the youth categories, was National champion in the novice category in 2001 and with the juniors in 2003. He has also been two times 3rd overall in the Superprestige series and finished 9th at the World championships 2002 on home soil in Zolder. In the U23 category, Vanthourenhout had a very difficult job against the trio Boom, Albert and Stybar, but nevertheless earned some spectacular victories in Pijnacker, Koppenberg, Hasselt and Loenhout, plus 4 podiums in world cup races. The final overall victory in the GVA Trophy and a second position overall in the world cup 2006/2007 show his very constant performing. Last year, Vanthourenhout has done his first season with the elites and had as major result a 7th position in the National championships and some podium places in second category events. But again, he was very regular throughout the season and finished on a 21st place in the UCI world rankings. This winter, the Palmans rider confirms his arrival among the very best of the world, since he finished 3rd in Ardoie (behind Albert and Page) and Harderwijk (behind Al and Pauwels) as well as 4th in Dudzele (behind Vantornout, S. Vanthourenhout and Commeyne) and Erpe-Mere (behind Albert, S. Vanthourenhout and Vantornout). The young rider also didn't fail in the two majour events of the season begin, finishing an excellent 10th in Ruddervoorde and 16th in the recent world-cup race of Kalmthout.

Tom Van den Bosch (photo: acc contern)

His team-mate Tom Van den Bosch showed himself last season as King of the B-races for his first year among the elites, since he won o less than 9 elite without contract races and also took an impressive number of other good placings. But Van den Bosch also competed in the bigger races where he took among others 24th position in the first Superprestige race, 20th in Hamme-Zogge, 19th in Hasselt or 17th in Hoogstraaten. The Palmans rider also was among the good surprises in the event of the ACC Contern in Niederanven, where he was in the leading group during most of the race and finally finished in 6th place. He was a very good rider in the youth categories with a silver medal in the junior Belgian championships and a bronze medal in the military world championships. For his last season as en espoir in 2007, Van den Bosch finished 8th overall in the Superprestig and 15th in the world championships in Hooglede-Gits. This year, the Belgian rider seems to be much stronger since he was 8th in the race at Lebbeke, two time 9th in the first category events of Schmerikon (Switzerland) and Dottignies as well as 15th in Ruddervoorde. Jim Aernouts is another rider from Palmans and he was Belgian MTB National champion in the novice category as well as National Junior cyclo-cross title winner. He won an impressive number of big races in this category last year, such as Harderwijk, Ruddervoorde, St Michielsgesteel, Hasselt, Koksijde, Essen and Hamme-Zogge. For his last year as junior, he was one of the big favourites at the Treviso world championships, but didn't fulfill the expectations and, of course, wants to have his revenge in the U23 category. Aernouts still uses MTB in the summer to prepare the cyclo-cross season rather than road races and had a good season begin by finishing second in the elite event of Hamburg, sandwiched between Sickmüller and Birkenfeld. Aernouts also was fourth in the U23 races of Neerpelt and Stabroek and he took 12th place in Ruddervoorde as well as ninth in the U23 world-cup race of Kalmthout just a few days ago.

Jan Verstraeten (photo acc contern) Wesley Van der Linden (photo acc contern)

From the Sunweb team, Jan Verstraeten was at first renowned as a good road rider, signing wins notably in Circuit du Hainaut, or Tour de Liège in the year 2000, as well as some nice placings in Grand-prix Wielerrevue, Brussel – Opwijk, Grand-prix Jeff Scherens or Mémorial Samyn. He continued showing strong performances on the road like his victory in the Grand-prix Etienne de Wilde in 2005, but focused more and more on cyclo-cross, where he was Fidea team-mate of Jempy Drucker during some time. Vertraeten regularely finishes in the Top 10 at the big races like in Diegem (7th in 2005), Wetzikon (8th in 2005), Hoogstraten (7th in 2006), St Michielsgesteel (10th in 2007) or Zonnebeke (6th in 2008) and Hasselt (7th in 2007). He has also won the event in Kayl in 2006 and last year, he finished 2nd of the "revange" for the Belgian championships that take always place on the day after in Otegem, behind Sven Nys, but ahead of Vantornout and Vanthourenhout. Jan Verstraeten has begun this season in good fashion by finishing 2nd of the interantional cyclo-cross in Czech's Olomouc, behind Martin Bina, but ahead of Dlask and Kevin Pauwels. He has also finished 12th in Dottignies and 23rd in Ruddervoorde. His team-mate Wesley Van der Linden nearly was world champion down in 2003, beaten only by Enrico Franzoi in the U23 category in Monopoly. He had dominated the whole season with victories in Hoogherheide, Lievin, Kalmthout, Aalter, Frankfurt, St-Michielsgesteel and Ruddervorde. The Belgian National champion of the years 2003 and 2004 also dominated the following season with wins in Diegem, Gavere, St. Michielsgesteel, Guipuzcoa, Loenhout and Hoogstraten, but, after a deceiving race in the world championships of Pontchateau, where he finished tenth after having been favourite number 1, Van der Linden decided to switch onto the road with nice performances in races such as Paris-Corrèze, Tour of Austria or Tour de l'Avenir (owner of the best climber jersey). In 2007, the rider from Sunweb decided to come back into cyclo-cross with a victory in Vendin and Drongen-Baale as well as a second place in Le Quesnoy. Van der Linden wasn't at his best in Niederanven, where he finished only 17th, but did it better several weeks later when he won the international event of Ispaster, ahead of the best Spanish riders. This winter so far, a 6th place in the cyclo-cross of Dottignies is noted as his best performance.

Tim Van Nuffel (photo Team Easypay)

Just like Dieter Vanthourenhout, Tim Van Nuffel also was a rider with very good results in the youth categories, like for example a second place at the novices Belgian championships or 14 victories in the junior category, where he also finished 7th and 10th of the World championships of Middlefart and Poprad respectively. The series continued in the U23 category with 3 victories in Superprestige races (Ruddervoorde, Asper-Gavere and Harnes) as well as a win in the Wetzikon world cup. He has also finished 3rd of the world championships 2000 in Wielsbeke and 7th of the Monopoli world championships. Among the elite riders, Van Nuffel showed out to be very strong on difficult courses like in Koppenberg (5th in 2004), in St. Michielsgesteel (7th in 2004) or in Leudelange (3rd in 2004). The Easypay rider has also lined up numerous times in Germany and Switzerland, gaining a considerable number of top placings (Hamburg, Magstadt, Frankfurt, Berlin, Ruti, Schmerikon, Sion). Last season, he finished second of the elite without contract National championships in Hofstade, narrowly beaten by Jan Soetens.

Ben Berden(photo acc contern)

The rider from Revor, Ben Berden, makes as much headlines with his declarations or his look than with his results, although they have been considerable throughout his career. Ben Berden was 3rd in the junior world championships in Koksijde in 1994 and Belgian National U23 champion the year after. At that time, he often lined up in Luxemburg like in Fond-de-Gras (3rd), Leudelange (3rd) or Muhlenbach (1st and 2nd among others). But he got to another level soon and began signing important victories in first-class races (Zurich-Waid, Eernegem, Oostmalle, Wortegem-Petegem, Huijbergen, Heerlen, Harderwijk and of course two times the world-cup in Koksijde). He also took numerous poduim place (Belgian championships, Kalmthout, Torino, Milano, Asper-Gavere, …). But since 2005 and after an injury and some dark off-the-sport affairs, Ben Berden never came back to his previous level, even if he is still good nowadays for some Top 10 results like 9th in Neerpelt, 8th in Dudzele, 6th in Harderwijk, 5th in Dottignies and Lebbeke just for this young season.

Malte Urban (photo: Team Focus Alpecin)

During this last years, the German National champion used to show his jersey in Contern, like Sickmüller and Birkenfeld, first and third respectively 12 months ago. This year, the job is for Malte Urban The rider form Alpecin-Focus is one of the major caracters in German cyclo-cross over the last years and in January 2008, he took his third National title after 2000 and 2004 on his home course in Herford. Already as junior, Urban showed strong abilities off-road with a 5th place in the world championships, but after his first national championships win in the elite category, he opted for a road career. As member of the teams Coast and Bianchi, he participated alongside Jan Ullrich in races like Giro d'Italia, Ronde van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix or Tour de Suisse. But the end of the Bianchi squad, in 2003, meant also the end of the road career for Malte Urban. He returned into MTB and cyclo-cross with lots of national success and also some international references like a 15th place at the world championships in Zeddam or a second place behind Groenendaal, last year in Hamburg. The German has prepared his cross season on the road, where he took the victory in the criterium of Gütersloh. He will show up in Contern with two of his team-mates, Finn Heitmann and Stepahn Sprinke. Heitmann was U23 German National champion 2003 ahead of Paul Voss and made a good entry into the elite level last year when he took three victores against the best German riders. Heitmann finished at the foot of the podium in the National Championships in Herford. Stephan Sprinke also was among the best U23 riders in Germany where he made some podium places. Last year, in his first elite season, Sprinke finished 7th in both international events of Hamburg and he took a victory on the road this year in Sennestadt.

Renaud Vaubourg (photo acc contern)

On the French side, we can count on one of the good surprises of the season begin, namely Nicolas Bazin. The rider from Differdange-Apiflo has made sensation this last weeks by finishing fourth of the first leg of the French Challenge National in Montrevel, shortly behind Mourey, Chainel and Belgy, and then taking 22nd position (2nd best French rider) in the world cup in Kalmthout last week-end, just behind Groenendaal and Rob Peeters. Bazin also finished second behind David Willemsens earlier this month in the international event of Exeter, in Great Britain. This is the first time that the young rider, who combines ATB (3rd of a French National championships, participation in world-cup events) and road during the summer, performs internationnaly, but he is far from being unknown in the French National circuit. In 2004, Bazin finished second of a stage in the "cyclo-cross stage race" of Val d'Orge and he has also ended up several times on podium places, 2006 in Carnetin (2nd behind Pagnier), in Hénin-Beaumont (3rd behind Mourey and Gadret), in Marle (3rd behind Chainel and Bianco) and Moussy-le-Vieux (2nd behind Mourey), as well as 2007 in Sarrebourg (3rd behind Mourey and Chainel), in Dugny (2nd behind Chainel) and in Saint-Quentin (winner ahead of Belgy). Renaud Vaubourg is among the best riders of the Lorraine region and has won for the second time in a row the race in Saint-Dié-les-Vosges about a week ago. Last season, the U23 regional champion finished 2rd in Briey and 2nd in Saint-Nabord, two races won by Steve Chainel. Vaubourg also paricipated in the U23 Challenge National (6th in Sarrebourg, 4th in Quelneuc and in Cap d’Agde) and in the National championships in Pontchateau (8ème). For his first showing at the race of the ACC Contern in Niederanven, Vaubourg made a very good impression, chasing for a long time just behind the lead group and finishing 10th overall and 2nd best U23 rider of the race.

Jan Skarnitzl (photo acc contern)

The world cup race in Tabor being held on the same day than our cyclo-cross in Contern, the Czech delegation will be a little bit smaller than the other years. Our friend Leos Chvojka nevertheless has promised to send Jan Skarnitzl to Luxemburg, a young and talented rider that we have discovered twelve months ago in Niederanven, where he rode in a second group for a long time after showing a very strong finish and ending up in 8th position as best U23 rider. Skarnitzl is one of the riders who manage to combine MTB and cyclo-cross with good results, since he finished 9th during the MTB world championships 2007 in Fort Williams and 6th at the junior cyclo-cross world championships as well as 5th, 6th and 7th in the U23 European championships. This summer, Skarnitzl was second in the student world championships and completed for the first time the elite world-cup circuit with two Top 30 finishes, in Schladming (Austria) and Mont Saint-Anne (Canada). He started the cyclo-cross season at his ease but recently showed improved form with a 6th and a 3rd position (behind Bina and Ausbuher in Ceska Lipka) in races of the Toi-Toi Cup, competing against the best Czech riders. Skarnitzl will be joined by Ondrej Zeleny, who also did well in Ceska Lipka two weeks ago, where he took 6th place. Zeleny is also mountain-bike racer and participated in world cups ans worls championships during the last years. Some other usual contenders of the Toi-Toi-Cup could also show up in Contern, namely Lukas Sablik, Tomas Satinsky and Michal Benda

Van Nuffel, Aernouts, Ghyllebert ... ... then Berden, Van der Linden, Bausch

Vanthourenhout didn't wait very long to put the pressure, he took the lead already in the very first meters on the meadow, the same meadow that was covered in mud last January in the Nationals, but that was dry and fast today, so fast that the race turned out to be very hard with very little recuperation time. Eventually, Dieter VT put down the hammer and after Van den Bosch slipped away, he took for good, having already 10 seconds of advantage the first time over the line. Gusty Bausch was well present in the Top 5, next to Van Nuffel, whereas Jempy Drucker didn't have a fantastic start and was around the fifteenth position when the riders tackled the run-up for the first time.

Vanthourenhout takes off Van den Bosch does the same

In the second lap, it was already clear that Vanthourenhout was on his way to a big performance, since he had already twenty seconds lead over the next chasers, led, by Van Nuffel, Ghyllebert and Aernouts. Gusty Bausch was also in the first group with Berden and Van der Linden, whereas Tom Van den Bosch and Jan Skarnitzl were busy trying to bridge up to them, just like Jempy Drucker who had moved up to 10th position with the chasing group in sight.

Berden, Van den Bosch and Aernouts accelerated in the next lap, causing Van Nuffel and Van der Linden to be dropped. A few moments later, Van den Bosch also left the two other riders behind and took over the chase alone, whereas Skarnitzl, Bausch and Drucker bridged up to Berden and Aernouts, followed by Verstraeten and Ghyllebert. Dieter Vanthourenhout continued his impressive race at the front and increased his margin, but the battle for the next places was still very open. In the meantime, German champion Malte Urban (due to sickness) and French rider Renaud Vaubourg (after a spectacular crash) had abandoned the race.

Skarnitzl, Berden, Aernouts

After 6 laps, at half-race, the leading man had more than 30 seconds of advantage on Van den Bosch, Ben Berden and Jan Skarnitzl followed at 55", Bausch with Aernouts and Verstraeten at 1'15", whereas Drucker rode a few more seconds behind them in 9th position. Van Nuffel, Bazin and Van der Linden had lost all hope on a Top 10 spot, while Pascal Triebel and Jérôme Juncker battled for 20th position,

Gusty Bausch, Jempy Drucker

Vanthourenout rode on his own in the lead, Van den Bosch did the same in second place, but Gusty Bausch hadn't said his last word yet. Little by little, with Aernouts in his wheel, he gained ground Skarnitzl and Berden, but an accident with a doubled rider and a little bit later a crash destroyed his chances for third place, leaving him without the rewarded benefit from his strong performance.

Dieter Vanthourenhout

Dieter Vanthourenhout finally won the 4th Grand-prix de la Commune de Contern with 38 seconds advantage on Tom Van den Bosch, whereas Ben Berden dropped Skarnitzl in the very last meters for third place. Gusty Bausch, who was passed by Aernouts and Verstraeten after his small crash, crossed the line in 7th position, 1'33" late, while Jempy Drucker finshed 9th, 2 minutes late. Third-place Luxemburger, Pascal Triebel, was noted in 17th position ahead of Schlechter and Juncker.

20th Grand-prix COMAT:

29 riders lined up for the opening act of the international cyclo-cross, more than ever in the last years. The 20th edition of the Grand-prix COMAT thus was a good one with some spectacular racing, suspense and deserved winners: Patsy Larno, Michel Vanthourenhout and Max Michely sans faille. Patsy Larno and Pérrine Philippe It was the women's race that offered much of the supsense since after a good start from Susi Godart, there were two foreign girls, Belgian Patsy Larno and French Perrine Philippe, that took over the lead and stayed together in the front until the very end. Philippe had taken the wheel of Godart in the opening round, whereas Larno was a little bit further back and had to battle hard to bridge up to the front. Godart was soon dropped after that, whereas last year's winner Christine Kovelter rode in fourth position. Patsy Larno and Pérrine Philippe battled out the victory on the last lap, when the Belgian rider took a few meters of advantage in the meadow and managed to keep them until the finish line, where she arrived as solo winner, 7 second ahead of Philippe. Michael Vanthourenhout In the novice race, things were clear from the beginning. Michel Vanthourenhout, brother of Dieter, had warmed up on the course with his older bro and showed that he had listened well to his advices, since he took the lead of the race from the beginning. The small Belgian with huge talent rode together with the fifth junior rider during the whole race and held at distance a duo of contenders from Alzingen, Pierre Lux and Thomas Berns. Both of them finished second and third respectively in a race that was only the beginnning of what turned out to be a very good day for family Vanthourenhout. Max Michely The junior race showed also some suspense, mainly in the first part of it. Kevin Feiereisen had a good start and took over the lead early. For a moment, he seemed capable of holding of the contenders from Tetange, and was the only one of the category to stay on his bike on a small, but steep hill where all the others had to run. But soon, Max Michely and Laurent Sadler bridged up to him together with Lex Reichling. Eventually, they were four in the lead and the next couple of laps were very tactical with several attacks. But after mid-race, Max Michely showed his strength and with a big acceleration, he took over the lead alone, cheered on by his brother, his mother and his grand-father (another family affair). Feiereisen was dropped and Reichling had to work alone in the chase, before being dropped himself by Laurent Salder in the last lap. Tétange did one-two at the end with Max Michely winning 26 seconds ahead of Laurent Sadler and 48 ahead of Lex Reichling (Preizerdaul)