Young Guns Race - Hel van Voerendaal (The Netherlands)
Pim Ligthart wins the U-23 battle of Hel van Voerendaal, Maurice Schreurs and Mart van Blanken fill out the podium on a race that traces some of the bergs of the Spring Classics.

Bart Hazen

The peloton rolls out under sunny skies. Photo c. Bart Hazen

The Hel van Voerendaal is race which counts for the Dutch neo-competition (young guns). The race took place on May 6th and was won by Pim Ligthart (Krolstone Continental Team). He was the fastest in the field sprint of the final selective break of nine.

Before the race of the young guns started it was the turn for the novice and junior riders. The novice race was won by Yoeri Havik,  while Julian van Dijk won the junior race in a sprint of a leading group ahead of Sjoerd Kouwenhoven and Mike Bond.

(Click on photo for a larger image)

The early break of four (left) - The peloton chases the quartet. (right)
Photo c. Bart Hazen

At 15.00 CET the young guns started their race, which counts for the Dutch neo-competition. Mike Alloo (P3 Transfer) started the race as overall leader in this competition. The riders faced11 laps of about 13 kilometres; each lap included the climb of the Geerweg and the well-known Amstel Gold race climb, the Fromberg.

Immediately after the start there was a break of four riders with the strong Michel Kreder and Lars Vierbergen. The maximum gap of these guys was around the 45 seconds but after 4 laps of racing the break was swallowed by the bunch. In the meantime the bunch was thinned out by the pace and the very demanding course.

 
The break of the day. Photo c. Bart Hazen

Half way through the race there was the birth of a break of 19 riders. The gap of this group was run up very quickly to 40 seconds. In this group we see riders like Rick Franssen, Mitchell Huenders, Egon van Kessel, Lars Vierbergen, Michel Kreder, Jos van Emden, Maurice Schreurs, Mart van Blanken, Jan Hopman and Ben van der Kooi. Due to the high pace some riders had trouble and dropped out the back of the break, the race situation was very fluid.

Van Vliet setting the pace in the break. Photo c. Bart Hazen

In the 8th lap of 11 laps there was a chase group of 16 riders with among others Pim Ligthart (Krolstone). Some of these riders bridged across to the front of the race in the final laps while others dropped back in to various chasing groups. Because the Krolstone Continental Team had several riders in front they could play several cards. In the 9th lap it was Jan Hopman (Krolstone) who attacked and his gap grew to over 1 minute. The peloton which was over 3 minutes behind didn’t play a role at this point in the victory.

Pim Ligthart wins!  Photo c. Bart Hazen

In the final two laps of the race the gap of Jan Hopman came down very fast and in the final lap he was reeled in by 9 chasers. Michel Kreder attacked to avoid a sprint but his effort didn’t succeed. The race ended in a sprint with 9 riders, Jan Hopman was dropped in the final kilometers, and Pim Ligthart (Krolstone Continental Team) won the sprint very easy ahead of Maurice Schreurs and Mart van Blanken.

Bart Hazen Race Galleries:
Hel van Voerendall U23
Hel van Voerendall Juniors
Results below

Mike Alloo (P3 Transfer) remains in the lead of the neo-competition.
Photo c. Bart Hazen

Podium Maurice Schreurs, Pim Ligthart, Mart van Blanken
Photo c. Bart Hazen

Results:
Hel van Voerendaal - U-23
1. Pim Ligthart
2. Maurice Schreurs
3. Mart van Blanken
4. Wout Poels
5. Michel Kreder

Young Guns of Krolstone team celebrating the win. Photo c. Bart Hazen

6. Koos Jeroen Kers
7. M Terpstra
8. Bauke Mollema
9. Eric van de Meent
10. Jan Hopman