!!click for animated bunny hop action!!

!!click for animated Czech solo action!!

!!click for animated Dutch & Belgian action!!

_
So today was the second round of the UCI Cyclo X World Cup held in Tabor, about an hour south of Prague.
Verča and I shot down to catch the race. It was a great race with a anticlimactic finish.
(and good to get me psyched for some local Czech cross racing tomorrow morning in prague)

Verča got to cheer on the young (cute?) Czech rider Zdanek Stybar, who shocked everyone with his upset in the first round of the series. She didn’t seem as enthused when the Belgian UCI World Champ rolled by though?!

Stybar could only hold off the powerful Sven Nys for so long. He played his Ace by bunny hopping the 16″ barriers stretching out his early lead but Nys called him on it, and was in front to show everybody what’s up on the second lap.
It was quite impressive!

The unstoppable Belge led a 5 man group, a good 30 seconds off the front for most of the race.

until 2 laps to go, when he edged away and disappeared off the front to lead out solo for the relaxed uncontested win.

UCI world x-champ Erwin Vervecken looked a bit tired trying to get back on his bike 50 minutes into the race. I can’t imagine why?!

The sand made for some fun times. It was easy to see some riders much more comfortable motoring through letting the bike go where it wanted, while others fought and struggled.

And no cycling event is complete without a few strange characters, and with 2 mobile beer trailers set up, the Czechs did not disappoint. From the official decals on his (UCI legal?) helmet, it looks like he is one of the members of the Czech national Cyclocross Team! It must be a fun team, maybe he’s just an alum?
The Czech following was nice to see considering how hard of a time I have had looking for a good selection of cross tires in Praha.

OK, gotta go drink some Bourbon (I mean train) for the morning’s race.
Go ride your bike!
-Cory