Joris Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands) is the new world champion in the under 23 men category. The World Cup winner ruled like a boss on the muddy Luxembourg course on Sunday morning. Nieuwenhuis led from start to finish in Bieles, enjoying an advantage of 1:23 on Felipe Orts Lloret (Spain) and Sieben Wouters (Netherlands).
Overnight rain added mud and ice water as additional obstacles for the riders. The cold took out defending champion Eli Iserbyt (Belgium) and European champion Quinten Hermans (Belgium), with both performing below par.
Halfway through the opening lap, the 20-year-old Nieuwenhuis surged forward from the chaos that was forming behind him. The tall Dutch rider seemed completely in control of the slippery circumstances. In no time at all he had amassed a massive lead. The Dutch ace never crashed, and was only seen again back at the finish line.
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“It was really fantastic. In the beginning, I immediately felt good. I knew before the race that I was ready for it but you don’t know in such a race like this, so I’m really happy. I just rode my own race and didn’t think of others. I knew I had to keep myself straight. I didn’t fall so that was good,” Nieuwenhuis said in the post-race flash interview.
Early on, Nieuwenhuis was joined by 2015 Junior men world champion Simon Andreassen (Denmark), but the latter quickly faded back. The chasers quickly realised that Nieuwenhuis was in a league of his own in Bieles. Halfway into the seven-lap long race, the riders were covered with mud and cold water with riders spread out over the course.
In the battle for the remaining two podium spots Nicolas Cleppe (Belgium), Thijs Aerts (Belgium) and Gioele Bertolini (Italy) had the best cards. They were nearly half a minute ahead of Joshua Dubau (France), Hermans, Orts and Wouters. By then, Iserbyt was riding just outside the top-10, having already crashed twice. ”Straight away, I was completely soaked. My race was ruined. I’m too cold. I’ve never had it this bad,” Iserbyt told Sporza, while still shivering from the cold. All riders were struggling with the slippery circumstances. Aerts and Bertolini crashed a couple of times and suddenly Orts, Dubau and Wouters managed to bridge back up.
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