News
Cyclo-cross

Albert says frozen Zolder course is too dangerous

published 24 December 2009

Threatens to skip the race after test ride

Comments

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Niels Albert during the sixth World Cup round in Kalmthout, Belgium (Image credit: Bettini Photo)

The World Cup cyclo-cross course at Zolder this coming weekend is too dangerous due to the icy winter weather, according to World Champion Niels Albert, who said he may skip the race.

Albert gave the course, the site of the season's seventh World Cup race, a ride on Wednesday, but stopped after only going halfway around. "It is very dangerous," he told Het Belang van Limburg.

The course is slippery and still partially frozen. “I do not want to break my legs here."

"If the course is still like this on Saturday, I will not start. No way. My colleagues will share that thought," he continued.

"No one is going to take any irresponsible risks. You could risk your career here."

Otherwise the 23-year-old likes the course and would like to ride it. "Zolder is a very nice course, one in a thousand," he noted. “But as the trail is now, we really cannot ride it. When I rode on the bridge, I had an ice rink under me. And if you fall, your bones will break like dry twigs.”

Race organisers have a plan in place to solve the problem, a machine will will blow hot air on the trail. “Everything is ok,” they said. “The next days will be less cold. And remember that the riders complain very quickly.”