01.30.08 - Cyclo-cross World Championships - JR and U23 Men

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Treviso, Italy - The Cyclo-cross World Championships opened on Saturday with the Junior and Under-23 men's age categories events. Arnaud Jouffroy of France won the Junior event with a time of 40 minutes and 30 seconds, with the only Canadian entry, David Larson of Edmonton, AB finishing 49th, four minutes and 18 seconds behind the winner.

Larson, in only his third Cyclo-cross race in Europe was pleased with his race. "I rode well, I think, and I learned a lot. Mainly about how steady and consistent the racing is over here. They never back off, it is hard the whole race."

In the Under-23 category, the pre-race favourite, Niels Albert of Belgium, rode away from the field in the first few minutes of the race to win the title in a time of 51 minutes and 11 seconds. Canada's top finisher was Brian Robinson of Calgary, AB in 42nd place, four minutes and 18 seconds back. Kyle Douglas of Ashburn, ON was 50th and Shaun Adamson of Edmonton, AB 54th. Ian Manning of Holland Landing, ON crashed and was forced to withdraw from the competition.

Brian Robinson said "I'm pleased with my race, I had a pretty good start and was able to ride a strong, steady race. I was able to pick off a few riders as the race progressed and move up some places before the end. The competition is so strong here, and the racing is so aggressive that I learn more every time I race."

Junior Men
1. Arnaud Jouffroy, France, forty minutes thirty seconds
2. Peter Sagan, Slovakia, at 0:01 back
3. Lubomir Petrus, Czech Republic, at 0:04 back
4. Elia Silvestri, Italy, at 0:54 back
5. Matthias Rupp, Switzerland, at 0:55 back
6. Pierre Garson, France, at 1:07 back
7. Stef Boden, Belgium, at 1:08 back
8. Sean De Bie, Belgium, at 1:11 back
9. Jonathan Cessot, France, at 1:11 back
10. Luke Keough, United States Of America, at 1:12 back

49. David Larson, Edmonton, AB, at 4:18 back

U23
1. Niels Albert, Belgium, fifty-one minutes eleven seconds
2. Aurelien Duval, France, at 0:38 back
3. Cristian Cominelli, Italy, at 0:46 back
4. Jonathan Lopez, France, at 0:47 back
5. Clément Bourgoin, France, at 0:48 back
6. Lukas Kloucek, Czech Republic, at 0:53 back
7. Fabio Ursi, Italy, at 1:05 back
8. Guillaume Perrot, France, at 1:31 back
9. Paul Voss, Germany, at 1:39 back
10. Ramon Sinkeldam, Netherlands, at 1:39 back

42. Brian Robinson, Calgary, AB, at 4:18 back
50. Kyle Douglas, Ashburn, ON, at 7:27 back
55. Shaun Adamson, Edmonton, AB, at -1LAP
DNF. Ian Manning, Holland Landing, ON