Sven Nys and Erwin Vervecken provided the opening entertainment for the first night of the Lotto six day in Hasselt on Thursday. The two cyclo-cross champions faced off in an unlikely venue - the smooth, mud and obstacle-free velodrome - for an exhibition three kilometre pursuit. UCI 'cross leader Nys bested World Champion Vervecken in the pursuit by just over a second.
For racers familiar with going flat out for an hour, less than four minutes of racing should be easy, right? "The track experience was simply painful", Nys told Sporza. "It's as if you ride continuously against wind. My legs are in pain at this moment. I feel that seriously." But Nys doesn't count this 'win' among his victories for the season. "No, I wouldn't say that. I had no back number," he laughed.
