Sagan and Stybar back in action at Boonen’s cyclo-cross race

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Tour de France green jersey winner Peter Sagan and former UCI cyclo-cross world champion Zdenek Stybar will line up on December 1 for the fourth annual "Boonen and Friends Charity Cyclocross". The race organised by Tom Boonen raises money for "Move to Improve" which provides support to children with neuromotor disorders.

The 1,750m long course held at the Zilvermeer in Mol, Belgium will play host to a field of more than 40 professionals as they challenge for the title won by former world cyclo-cross champion Lars Boom in 2011 - who started one-minute behind the field. There will be additional categories including races for retired professionals and for juniors held before the main event.

"Last year, our day raised 80,000 euros," said co-organiser Wilfried Peeters. "This year there will be an auction after the ‘cross race. Included in the auction will be a bicycle from Tom Boonen, his Belgium national champion jersey, Philippe Gilbert’s world champion jersey and the green jersey of Peter Sagan - all going under the hammer.

"The highlight of the auction is a table that Vive le Velo Karl Vannieuwkerke made with students of TI St. Paul," said Peeters.

The event gives ex-professionals including last year's winner and former road world champion Erwin Vervecken, three-time Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders winner Johan Museeeuw and former Tour de France stage winner Ludwig Wijnantsin a chance to race against others of their era. The current professionals however, will go up against the likes of Stybar - who is a two time UCI cyclo-cross World Cup and World Championship winner.

"It's a solid track, and the riders will be entertained. I myself have a tactic that works, but I'm obviously not going to tell," Boonen told Nieuwsblad.