Belgian may be lucky to race again Sunday; German out for at least two weeks
Bart Wellens will have to sit out the Jaarmarktcross in Niel, Belgium, which takes place on Friday, November 11, 2011. Wellens is struggling with an infection that already made him pull out of the recent GvA Trofee race in Ronse. The Belgian hopes to be back racing in Hamme-Zogge. PhilippWalsleben will be out for at least two weeks and has given up any hope of a good result in any of the cross series.
For the second time in three days, Wellens donated blood to his doctor, Peter T’Seyen. The first analysis on Monday already revealed the virus and today’s draw should better determine his racing schedule, once the results are in. “Niel is coming too early, anyway,” Wellens said on his website www.bartwellens.be. “I haven’t touched a bicycle since Sunday.”
He is also not using the rollers, running or even walking. Pure rest is the way to become healthy again. “The result is that I am somewhat restless at home. I feel rotten. Luckily there is our daughter Lily, so I can spend some time with her.” Resting isn’t all that easy. “I sleep a lot [during daytime] which then has an adverse affect on my sleep at night,” he said. “I don’t sleep well.”
He is still not sure whether he can race the Superprestige on Sunday in Hamme-Zogge. “It depends on the result of the blood sample. If I can train lightly on Thursday then I want to race for sure. The Superprestige series, to which Hamme-Zogge belongs, is the only series where I still can get a good final placing,” Wellens said. “I don’t want to pass on that chance. The decision will be made on Friday or Saturday.” Wellens currently sits in fourth place overall in the Superprestige, with 22 points. Niels Albert is leading with 30 points.
It is not the first time this season that Wellens has problems. He struggled with minor knee pain in October. He said at the time that he will ride through the pain if it doesn’t get worse.
Walsleben also virus victim
Philipp Walsleben is also struggling with a virus, the cytomegalo virus. He, too, is forced to rest before he can resume racing. The virus is not a problem when doing normal activity, but intense activity will bring the body to a halt. “I don’t have any problems other than that I suddenly cannot ride fast anymore,” Walsleben told rad-net.de. “That is why the therapy is hard to predict. At least there are two weeks of complete rest planned, afterwards blood samples will show more.”
Walsleben’s break is a lot longer than that for Wellens. “That means the World Cup is over for me and also the other big race series have no meaning to me anymore.” He hopes to recover for the German Championships in January, as they are raced in his hometown Kleinmachnow in Germany. He doesn’t spend much time there, as he has been living in Belgium to accelerate his cross career for several years. He also aims for the World Championships in Koksijde. “Maybe I am lucky and until then I can have decent form again.”