After a two-year interruption due to construction works in the area, the International Cyclo-cross in Contern made its comeback in 2024 and it was pretty impressive. In the women's race, the starting list was led by one of the best contenders in the discipline, Marie Schreiber. The Luxembourg rider seems to have grown even stronger this season and has established herself among the world's elite, as shown by her superb second place in Woerden just a few days ago, behind Lucinda Brand but ahead of elite world champion Fem Van Empel. Under bright sunshine and unusually warm weather for an autumn day, the national champion did not wait long before ending the suspense, winning with a large margin in Contern. In the men's race, however, it was not the favourites and future retirees Corné Van Kessel and Thijs Aerts who dominated the event, but the crowd witnessed a thrilling battle between underdogs Arne Baers, Théo Thomas and Timothé Gabriel, which the latter won after an exciting finish.

Luxembourg's Tun Sinner got off to the best start in the beginners race, but two other riders quickly overtook him. Loris Morbé broke away with Belgium's Jules Van Oirbeek, gaining a 30-second lead over Sinner. A little further back was Ben Flemming, followed by a small group including Philipp Irsch, Victor Hourteloup and Yannis Molter. National champion Ben König, meanwhile, was not having his best day and was riding only around tenth place, together with Thibault Hansen. In the women's category, June Nothum quickly took the leading position, around thirty seconds ahead of Amy Breuer and Sarah König. In the penultimate lap, Jules Van Oirbeek managed to shake off Loris Morbé and won the Grand Prix COMAT in the beginners' category, 36 seconds ahead of the Luxembourger. Despite a disappointing 11th place in the day's rankings, Ben König took the Skoda Cross-Cup leader's jersey, which he proudly wore on the podium alongside June Nothum. The young UC Dippach rider consolidated her lead in this consistency challenge with today's victory in her category and an impressive 14th place in the overall results together with the boys. Amy Breuer finished second among the female beginners, a good minute behind Nothum, while her teammate Sarah König was another minute late in 18th place.

Two future winners of the Grand-prix COMAT: Jules Van Oirbeek ahead of June Nothum

More than thirty riders took part in the junior race of the GP COMAT, with two Frenchmen setting the pace in the first lap. Florian Fery and Gael Guillaume were a few metres ahead of the rest at the exit of the meadow, in front of a group of five riders consisting of Thomas Verdonck, Bas Van Heeswijk, Alexis Bouteloup, Stan Van Looy and Joachim Luijendijk. Luxembourg's Lennox Papi had started the race well and was not far behind, accompanied by another Frenchman, Augustin Fahy. However, the Skoda Cross Cup leader might have overestimated his strength, as he dropped out of the top 10 and was soon caught by Jonah Flammang-Lies. At the front, Fery and Guillaume continued to extend their lead over their five chasers, who were still riding in a group together. Shortly after mid-race, Florian Fery accelerated and took the lead on his own, while the two Acrog-Thomans riders, Stan Van Looy and Thomas Verdonck, managed to leave their fellow riders behind and were slowly catching up with Gaël Guillaume, who was still fighting for second place. Florian Fery won solo in the end, with a forty-second lead over Thomas Verdonck, who was faster in the sprint than his teammate Van Looy and Gaël Guillaume. The latter missed out on the podium despite a strong race. Jonah Flammang-Lies finished as the top Luxembourger in eleventh place, just one minute ahead of Yannis Lang in 14th and Lennox Papi in 15th place. Nevertheless, the rider from the Team Toproad Reiserbann remains in the lead of the Skoda Cross-Cup.

Florian Fery, winner of the junior race at the GP COMAT

In the women's race, the outcome was quickly clear. From the very first few metres, Marie Schreiber took control of the race and, after one lap, she was already fifteen seconds ahead of two groups of three, the first consisting of Alexe De Raedemaker, Maïté Barthels and Lies'l Schevenels, and the second consisting of Layla Barthels, Gwen Nothum and Laura Piernet. The Luxembourg champion continued to increase her lead, while the suspense remained for the other podium places. De Raedemaker and Schevenels, the two teammates from the Essec Cycling Team, were joined by Lara Defour, Joyce Vanderbeken, who made her traditional comeback after a poor start, and an impressive Gwen Nothum who was the second Luxembourgish rider in the race at that point, ahead of the Barthels sisters. Shortly after the half of the race, Alexe de Raedemaker managed to break away from her companions and moved into second place, while Gwen Nothum had to give up some ground to Vanderbeken and Defour, who were still fighting for the podium. After an impressive solo ride, Marie Schreiber won the Grand Prix COMAT for the second time after 2021, with a lead of no less than five (!) minutes over Alexe De Raedemaker. Another minute later, Joyce Vanderbeken overtook Lara Defour to take third place on the podium, while Maïté Barthels finished fifth as second best among the Luxembourg riders, ahead of Schevenels, her sister Layla and Gwen Nothum. Laura Piernet was best junior rider in 11th place, ahead of Inès Marchesan and Kylie Bintz.

Marie Schreiber, winner of the women's race

In the men's elite and U23 race, Arne Baers took the fastest start. After one lap, last year's winner of the Urban Cross in Kortrijk in the junior category had a few metres' lead over Thijs Aerts, winner here in 2019, Timothé Gabriel and Théo Thomas. Thomas Verheyen was not far behind, followed by Lucas Dubau and another former winner on the circuit in Contern, Corné Van Kessel. Rick Meylender was the first Luxembourger in the race, around twentieth position, ahead of Ken Conter and Noah Berton. Arne Baers continued his momentum, but the two Frenchmen were not far behind. Gabriel and Thomas had managed to shake off Thijs Aerts and keep the leader in sight. Behind former junior world champion Aerts, Corné Van Kessel tried to catch up with the help of young Kenay De Moyer. After half an hour of racing, a new leading group had formed: Théo Thomas was riding a few metres ahead of Timothé Gabriel and Arne Baers, while Thijs Aerts was still not far behind them. Despite all the riders accelerating one after another, the leading trio remained together, with Gabriel, Baers and Thomas entering the final lap together, some thirty seconds ahead of Aerts. The race was decided in the final few hundred metres. On the technical downhill section in the meadow, Timothé Gabriel proved to be stronger, or more skilful, than his fellow riders and won by a narrow margin of eight seconds ahead of Arne Baers, with Théo Thomas finishing third twenty seconds late. Behind Aerts and Van Kessel, Mateo Jot was the best young rider in the race in sixth place, just one place ahead of Kenay De Moyer. Rick Meylender was the top Luxembourg rider in twentieth position, three places and around thirty seconds ahead of Noa Berton. Thanks to his victory, which came on top of his win in Kayl a week ago, Timothé Gabriel also took the lead in the Skoda Cross-Cup standings, ahead of Ken Conter who finished 25th only in today's event.

Théo Thomas, Arne Baers and Timothé Gabriel