Published 16 May 2004

Eurocup weekend Netherlands 2004
Lars leads the ranks!

Great eurocup weekend. With on Saturday a relay and a dropp out race on the asfalt roads of the University of Enschede. Great track, wide road, good asfalt and everything closed from traffic. Nice weather too! A bit windy but nothing we could not handle. The relay race had 5 teams. The menteam of Selles Kamperzeedijk won. Small field, though an exhiting race with not that much difference in the end on finish line. In the last rounds the new team of Made could make up some lost time.
The drop out race was great and exhiting to see in the last rounds. After 30 km only 3 candidates for the title were storming to finish line. The German Lars Kessler sprinted and won. Second was Alfonso Caiazzo (ITA) and third William van Geloof (NED). It was a close finish for number 2 and 3, so the gathered scooter enthousiasts on finishline got an exhiting final to watch.

For the marathon here underneeth a small report of Martijn Dashorst:
I became second on the marathon. It was exhiting. In first rounds there were many in the group, but with each round it got less untill we had a leading group of only 5. On the flat I had the most speed, but the other 4 were better climers than me, so it was hard. In the descend I could rejoin again (fast scooter, fast wheels). On the flat the group scatered a bit. Lars, Ronald, Arend, Vincent and I.

Arend seemed to be in good shape. The two of us managed to take some distance from the rest in round 6 after 15 km. When I discovered we had some meters I speeded up, but after a quick check behind me Arend was suddenly gone and out of sight, so I thought just kept speeding up. After a while the others slowly came back. So I slowered the speed and somebody jumped to me, it was Arend again. Lars and Ronald were close behind him and Vincent was out of sight already.
We kicked some rounds with a group of 4 and every climb I got behind and catched up later in descend.
Suddenly Ronald and I had a gap of a couple of meters so we speeded up, but then Ronald had problems keeping up, so I slowered down because alone I would never keep enough speed. We only had still Lars in our sight behind us. Arend seemed gone. Still 5 km to go. In the last round Ronald could not keep up and I thought this is oke. Suddenly Lars speeds up and does in increadable run to finish line. And lucky me became second.
I had an average of 26,3 km/h. My top speed in a scooter race till now was 25,9 so an improvement. It was a great day. I maybe should have used a bit more tactic, but it was a fun competition.

Best regards, Martijn Dashorst

(news source Nederlandse Autoped Federatie)



16 May 2004 - Oldenzaal marathon result list: