After an amazing day in Apeldoorn at the NSK Indoor (see the previous blog!), some crazy Gauls decided to do another competition in Eersel on Sunday.
The NSK Indoor clearly took its toll: only 6 Gauls woke up early and traveled to Eersel. Finn and Carmen ran the long cross: Carmen won her race! She did not have a great deal of competition, she must have scared the others away with her Purple Power! Finn ran like he did not have a party until late the previous evening, and he got 3rd, beating the only athlete still above him in the standings. The standings have not yet been updated, but it’s looking good for Finn!
Then, it was time for the short cross! Still with some sore throats after yesterday, Ramon, Merel, Matthijs and Lorens got to enjoy the sunshine in Eersel. Merel did an amazing job, finishing 3rd! She had just gotten back from having had Covid, and with her 400 and 200 races yesterday she was tired already before the start! In the standings, she will move back into second place!
Matthijs easily won the short cross, not giving up his lead after taking it after the first turn. Lorens pulled a Uno Reverse Card on Ramon, applying the same tactics used by Ramon in Valkenswaard, finally beating him in a cross. Keep in mind that Ramon ran an amazing 3000 on Saturday, with stiff calves as a result; it will be exciting to watch Ramon and Lorens clash again in Best next weekend, without either of them having a competition the day before!
Matthijs still leads the standings, where he is as good as certain of finishing first. Lorens is now in third place, and Ramon will move up into fifth. It will be exciting to see who will get third in the Kempian Cross Competition: will it be Ramon or Lorens? Following Lorens’ calculations, Ramon has to win both remaining races for him to pass Lorens in the standings.
Luckily we don’t have to wait very long for the next cross, as there is one already this Sunday: the Joe Mann Bosloop in Best, Matthijs’ home cross. Many questions will be answered after next Sunday! Can Finn still fight for the victory in the standings? Will Carmen win again? Can Matthijs secure the victory in the Kempian Cross Competition? Can Merel hold on to her well-deserved second place in the standings? Can Lorens beat Ramon again?
Written by Lorens