Sunday January 19, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Tibor Del Grosso continues to impress on the field. The 21-year-old rider from Alpecin-Deceunick was the strongest on Sunday in the World Cup cross for promises in Benidorm, Spain. The man in shape turned out to be too strong for Jente Michels and Aubin Sparfel.
The cyclo-cross riders gathered in the famous Spanish seaside resort of Benidorm for a new round of the World Cup. When you think of a cross in a Spanish coastal town, you probably think of a beach cross through the loose sand. However, nothing could be further from the truth in Benidorm, where the peloton was presented with an atypical cross course.
The trail roughly consists of two parts, which are located in two different parks. The first part runs through a typical city park with sleek lawns, benches and a playground, while the second part is more like a wild forest, with numerous small paths running through it.
Tibor del Grosso lives up to his role as favorite
Before the men’s men’s match, many – if not all – eyes were focused on Tibor Del Grosso. The reigning U23 world champion won the recent World Cup matches with gusto among the promises, but also made an impression among the big boys. Last weekend he was crowned Dutch champion among the pros, and before that he was also second in the well-known Duinencross in Koksijde.
And Del Grosso also managed to fulfill his role as favorite, although he had to work hard for it. It turned out not to be easy to make a difference on the fast and treacherous course of Benidorm. This turned out to be the recipe for an exciting cross, with many riders who were evenly matched.
But in the final Del Grosso – just like in the past promising races – came out on top again. After his previous victories in Hulst, Zonhoven and Besançon, he also scored in Benidorm. Jente Michels managed to take second place, following Del Grosso, and the Frenchman Aubin Sparfel came third.
With Guus van den Eijnden (4th), Senna Remijn (6th) and Danny van Lierop (9th), three Dutchmen finished in the top 10. Yordi Corsus (8th) and Kay De Bruyckere (9th) were – besides Michels – the two other Belgians in the top ten.
Don’t want to miss anything from the Benidorm World Cup? Follow and discuss the match via our live blog!
