Mathias Norsgaard wins Ster van Zuid-Limburg

Danish rider Mathias Norsgaard (Team Kel-berg Roskilde) won 36th edition of Ster van Zuid-Limburg after winning final stage from a small group sprint. Ethan Reynolds from USA National team and young Dane Anthon Charmig (Team Kel-berg Roskilde) completed the podium.

Ster van Zuid Limburg podium (photo: wiellimb.be)

Three day event started with a short prologue around Montenaken. American Ethan Reynolds with a solid margin over two Belgians: Robbe Ghys and Cedric Buellens. In the afternoon riders face second steg of the day, circuit race around Borlo. Robbe Ghys won the bunch sprint and closed the gap to Reynolds to five seconds. Two youngsters, Jasper Philipsen (Kon Balen BC) and Clement Betouigt Suire (Nicolas Roche Team) completed the podium.

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— USA Cycling Juniors (@USACjuniors) kwiecień 4, 2015

The next day riders faced another pretty flat stage around Landen. Young Frenchman, Clement Betouigt Suire (Nicolas Roche Team) won the sprint ahead of Maxim Bolle (Davo CT) and Pascal Eenkhoorn (Avia Wcup CT). The bunch splitted on the final kilometers and small gaps gave the leaders jersey to Cedric Buellens who finished sixth in the front group. Ethan Reynolds lost 28 seconds and dropped to fourth place in GC.

Clement Betouigt Suire winning the second stage (photo: wiellimb.be)

The final stage was the hardest one. Late breakway of thirteen riders attacked in the final kilometers and finished 55 seconds ahead of the bunch.  Mathias Norsgaard won the stage and the GC. Viktor Verschaeve and Willem Bok completed the podium of final stage. Buellens was held behind the crash just before the second climb and later missed the crucial move of thirteen riders.

Mathias Norsgaard celebrates stage and GC victory (photo: cyclingsite.be)

Full results

Ster van Zuid-Limburg was important event held just a week before Paris Roubaix. We had strong lineup with all the best Belgian and Dutch teams plus USA National Team and Danish Team Kel-Berg Roskilde. It was a good indicator of form before the big classic as riders faced cold, wind, rain and cobbles on the Belgian roads. Both Belgian riders thet were already selected for cobbled classic next Sunday proved to be in good shape. Buellens rode a very good prologue, managed to get a leader's jersey and could have win the race actually if he didn't crash. Philipsen also showed good form finishing second on the second stage being beaten only by a French super talent, Betouigt Suire.

Frenchman who was dominating cadet races in France last season, both on track and road was amazing in Ster with a stage win and another podium spot a day before. If we consider that it was his first serious race in junior category it was truly amazing performance. Watch out for him next week as his characteristics fits perfectly for Roubaix.

Team Kel-Berg Roskilde started season by winning smaller races in Belgium and Germany and once they arrived in Ster, which I consider as a big event, they won again. Norsgaard won the race, Charmig finished third and won jersey for young riders. Three of them finished in top ten of prologue and I'm sure they will have a chance to place three riders in top ten next Sunday as five of their riders will ride as National Team in Roubaix and one of their best shots for Roubaix, Mikkel Honore had bad luck and crashed during the race but will be ready for Sunday.

Stay tuned for Roubaix preview at the end of the week.