4th World University Cycling Championship
Antwerp/Herentals, Belgium - March 20th to 26th, 2006
Rebirth
Many observers were really counting on this event to re-boost university cycling. The wager has paid off – the next edition will be held in 2008 in Nijmegen (NED).
With 17 delegations the participation record of the previous WUC is broken
This is year was an exception to confirm the rule, cycling, rather than cross country, opened the 2006 World University Championship season. After an absence of 16 years, this sport made great come-back to our championship programme. The 4th edition was organized in Herentals, near Antwerp from 20 to 25 March. Five disciplines were announced: individual time trial (men and women), cyclo-cross (men) and finally road (men and women). Participation peaked at a new record with participation of 17 countries representing three continents for a total of 86 men, 33 women and 54 officials.
Dr. Francis Van Loon, Rector of the University of Antwerp
Cycling has a special place in the competitions launched by FISU. The first World University Championship was organized as early as 1978 in Antwerp, Belgium, but, until this year there have been only two editions since that time: in Moscow (RUS) in 1986 and in Palma (ESP) in 1990. Cycling was also included in the Edmonton (CAN) Universiade in 1983 as an optional sport. These championships systematically attracted a large number of contestants, and were dominated across the field by the Russians and the Dutch. On the track and on the road, these events were raced a very high technical level.
Sinisa Jasnic, Chairman of CISCA
Belgium is one of the countries where this cycling is particularly popular, so what could be more understandable than the Belgian University Sports Federation applying to organize the fourth World Cycling Championship. The town of Herentals some 25 km. from Antwerp, has all the facilities needed for the championship.
Medal bound: Malaya Van Ruitenbeek
Time Trials
Time trials started off the first day of the championships. The weather conditions were really great, as both the men’s and women’s races were led by cyclists from the Netherlands. Loes Gunnewijk (w) and Malaya Van Ruitenbeek (m) did magnificent jobsand took home gold. The host country of Belgium did not go empty-handed, with Michiel Van Aelbroeck in third place on the podium for men. The German team joined the podium too with Verena Joos, who took the bronze medal for the women and Tobias Erler, winning silver for the men.
Cyclo-Cross
Herentals is located in the Campine region, an area well-known to cyclo-cross lovers as the home-ground of great champions in the field. Erwin Vervecken, the current UCI champion actually lives in the vicinity of Herentals. You might ¬remember Paul Herijgers too, the World Champion (UCI) in 1994 who comes from ... Herentals. Both of them were on the spot to cheer the university race.
So was an impressive crowd that came to encourage the four Belgian participants. But that didn't stop Sebastian Hannover, from the German team, from taking the race ahead of Dutch Axel Bult, after a very close battle and an impressive sprint. Belgian Tom Van Den Bosch pocketed a silver medal when he accelerated three laps from the finish line, leaving his rival René Birkenflet far behind (GER).
Erwin Vervecken 2006 UCI World Champion in Cyclo Cross
Erwin Vervecken, UCI 2006 World Champion, signalled the start off and tendered the jersey to the jubilant winner on the podium, Sebastian Hannover. Erwin has real interest in this university competition: "You know I really support young cyclists a lot. (...) 10 years ago, I finished my accounting studies and I know how hard it is to study and practice at the same time."
On the Road
The last day was spent on the road. Once again the Dutch cyclists dominated as they coped with very difficult weather conditions. Ellen Van Dijk sprinted to first place in the women's race, clocking up another gold medal for the Netherlands. German Eva Lutz and Belgian Ludivine Henrion came in second and third respectively in the women's race.
Yvo Kusters shouts it out
For the men, Yvo Kusters (NED) sprinted at top speed to first place, leaving the silver medal to Belgian Michiel Van Aelbroeck and bronze to another Dutchman, Malaya Van Ruitenbeek – both previous gold-medal winners. In conclusion, we noted that many observers were really counting on this event to boost university cycling and to encourage more cycling races under the FISU banner in the future. The wager has paid off – the next edition will be held in 2008 in Nijmegen (NED).
Organizing Committee
University of Antwerp (Middelheim Campus) Middelheimlaan 1 B-2020 Antwerpen Belgium tel.: + 32 3 265 37 32 fax: + 32 3 265 37 43 e-mail: cycling2006@sportUA.be URL: http://www.sportua.be/cycling2006
Venue
Bloso Sport Centrum Herentals
FISU Technical Chairman
NEWS
RESULTS
Click on the link below to download the results of this championship in pdf format.
Final Ranking Time Trial (M & W)
Final Ranking Road Race (M & W)
Tobias Erler (GER) - silver; Malaya Van Ruitenbeek (NED) - gold & Micahel Van Aelbroeck (BEL) - bronze
Ellen Van Dijk (NED) - silver; Loes Gunnewijk (NED) - gold & Verena Jooss (GER) - bronze
The Cyclo Cross medallists: Alex Bunt (NED) - silver; Sebastian Hannover (GER) - gold & Tom Van Den Bosch (BEL) - bronze
The men's race medallists: Michiel Van Aelbroeck (BEL) - silver; Yvo Kusters (NED) - gold & Malaya Van Ruitenbeek (NED) - bronze
The women's race medallists: Eva Lutz (GER) - silver; Ellen Van Dijk (NED) - gold & Ludivine Henrion (BEL) - bronze
