Gieten, The Netherlands – The Holland Casino Hondsrugclassic was won by cyclocross rider Sven Nijs. Peter Riis Andersen (on a standard mountainbike) finished second in front of 2 more cyclocross riders Gerben de Knegt and Thijs Al. Bart Brentjens (Dolphin) got beaten in the sprint and finished 5th, teammate Rudi van Houts 7th.
It’s a discussion that holds grip in the ‘lower’ countries like The Netherlands for years already. In the UCI regulations only 3 lines are mentioned about the bikes specs; what is a mountainbike. The discussion is always about the wheelsize, allowed is 29inch in mountainbike, however it is not mentioned that there is a minimum diameter or width of a tyre. Therefore you’re allowed to race a cyclocross bike in each UCI mountainbike event. ”You can’t blaim the cyclocross riders, they are entitled to use their bikes and since it is allowed by the UCI there is simply nothing we can do then just sit, wait and watch!”, according to Dolphin’s teammanagement. “The only thing that could be done is the organizer makes within his starting fee a deal which bike the rider is using…but that’s not up to us.”
Snap!
