Page scores win in Luxembourg
By: Chris Milliman, Velonews.com :: Completing what must be the strangest week of his cycling life, Jonathan Page (Cervélo-Mavic-adidas) became the first ever American to win an Elite UCI cyclo-cross race in Europe with a victory in Sunday's event in Pétange, Luxembourg.Page's win comes on the heels of solid third-place result in Thursday's Nordzeecross in Middelkerke, Belgium, but as has been the case all during the month of December for Page, bad luck always seems to accompany any stretch of good fortune for the former three-time U.S. champ.
Page's week started off on a low note, with his return to the European cyclo-cross circuit brought down by a stomach ailment that had dogged him since the food poisoning that ruined his U.S. National Championships.
Page finished a distant 41st in the Hofstade World Cup on December 26th, but seemed to perk up a bit with a respectable 19th two days later in the GVA Series race in Louenhout. With a steady diet of yogurt keeping his insides on good terms, Page ripped off the podium result on the 29th but a freak accident, in which a loose piece of metal kicked up in the closing laps of Middelkerke and punctured his foot, put him off the bike for the December 31st World Cup in Hooglede. The foot wound was bad enough to send Page to the hospital for an aggressive round of antibiotics as infection seemed likely.
But even with that very sore foot, Page took his good form to Luxembourg to see if 2006 held better luck than the year just ended. While many of the top Belgian and Dutch riders raced in Baal, Belguim at the GP Sven Nys, Page scored his biggest career win on what he described as a "horrible" circuit. The snowy and muddy track perfectly suited the former U.S. champion's power and skills
"Last Monday who would have thought that I'd win a race within the week?" said Page from his home in Belgium. "I haven't won a ‘cross race since last year's U.S. nationals, so this was really nice. It's not the biggest race, but any race you win is good. The stomach seems better and the foot is getting there. I made an orthotic for myself yesterday so I could put on my cycling shoe and ride the trainer and now I win a race a day later. It's a crazy sport and sometimes I think it might be worth it."
Page will race again on Monday in St.-Niklaas in Belgium.
Page's week started off on a low note, with his return to the European cyclo-cross circuit brought down by a stomach ailment that had dogged him since the food poisoning that ruined his U.S. National Championships.
Page finished a distant 41st in the Hofstade World Cup on December 26th, but seemed to perk up a bit with a respectable 19th two days later in the GVA Series race in Louenhout. With a steady diet of yogurt keeping his insides on good terms, Page ripped off the podium result on the 29th but a freak accident, in which a loose piece of metal kicked up in the closing laps of Middelkerke and punctured his foot, put him off the bike for the December 31st World Cup in Hooglede. The foot wound was bad enough to send Page to the hospital for an aggressive round of antibiotics as infection seemed likely.
But even with that very sore foot, Page took his good form to Luxembourg to see if 2006 held better luck than the year just ended. While many of the top Belgian and Dutch riders raced in Baal, Belguim at the GP Sven Nys, Page scored his biggest career win on what he described as a "horrible" circuit. The snowy and muddy track perfectly suited the former U.S. champion's power and skills
"Last Monday who would have thought that I'd win a race within the week?" said Page from his home in Belgium. "I haven't won a ‘cross race since last year's U.S. nationals, so this was really nice. It's not the biggest race, but any race you win is good. The stomach seems better and the foot is getting there. I made an orthotic for myself yesterday so I could put on my cycling shoe and ride the trainer and now I win a race a day later. It's a crazy sport and sometimes I think it might be worth it."
Page will race again on Monday in St.-Niklaas in Belgium.
posted by Ryan Amirault at Thursday, January 05, 2006
