On Saturday, it seemed like Joris Nieuwenhuis was set to skip some of the upcoming ‘cross races. Why? Because continued to deal with knee issues stemming from a crash in Antwerp.
The 29-year-old Ridley Racing Team rider shared the news on Instagram. He said that the problem had lingered longer than expected and that further medical checks were planned before any return to racing.
“Feeling a bit off the past days. My DNF’s are quite rare, and hoped to keep it that way. But ever since my crash in Antwerp I don’t feel the same on the bike. The knee got a big hit and I still feel that with everything I do,” he posted. “After the race we decided to get everything double checked before we start racing again. Keep you posted!”
He was ultimately forced to abandon races in Zolder and Gavere later that week. So, from that post, it certainly sounded like ‘cross fans wouldn’t see the rider who is constantly in the mix at the big races. However on Sunday, he posted more on his Instagram story which sounds far more promising. “The season is not on hold. It is mainly a matter of waiting to see how the body reacts in the coming days. Depending on that, we will see which races I will ride,” as reported by Wielerflits.
Racing resumes Sunday in Dendermonde, Belgium. Canada will still be well represented at the next World Cup. In the junior men’s race, Evan Moore, Emilien Belzile, Farland Lamont, Sagan Goertz (with a name like that, cycling felt inevitable), Grayson Franks and Thomas Deniger are set to compete. The junior women’s field includes Elly Moore, Alexa Can Haviland, Claire MacKinnon and Clare Hauber.
Four Canadians will race in the under-23 men’s category: Rhett Bates, Liam Sargent, Remi Brisebois and Lucas Goertz.
The elite women’s start list features five Canadians — Rafaelle Carrier, Nico Knoll, Katja Verkerk, Dorothee Perron and Siobhan Kelly — while Tyler Scott and Cody Clark will line up in the elite men’s race.
Check back here on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report and results for all the races!