Sunday morning, the Châtelettaine only attracted 366 runners, barely more than the 305 last year which, for a round of the Delhalle challenge, is very few, not to mention the lack of atmosphere… And the race was also marred by some organizational problems. These cannot be totally and solely attributable to the UAC: the police thus indicated a wrong direction to those first in the short distance and the marshals recruited by the City showed themselves, for some in any case, to be rather passive…
“I regret that there was no opening bike, lamented Romain Paul, the winner of the long distance. JI had never been to Châtelet before and so I didn't know the circuit at all. You had to be very focused! In the woods it was very well signposted but not everywhere unfortunately… I spoke to a signalman 300 m from the finish to show me the way but apparently he didn't know where I should go. That being said, I enjoyed the course and this race alone has its place in the challenge.”
Third in the first round in Baelen then victorious in Erpent, Bousval, Chaumont-Gistoux, Chimay and Butgenbach, Romain quickly killed any suspense. “I'm continuing my momentum with the objective of winning the challenge. I don't really know how the points system works and so I'm going to remain cautious but it's true that we're off to a good start.”
We will see him again at Val d'Heure, next round, but he will perhaps not do it thoroughly. “It's a few days before the 20 km of Brussels. After finishing 6th, 5th and 4th, I would like to get on the podium. And I also did 1h02 three times! So reaching 1h01 would already be a small victory!”
Pierre Lambin still on the podium
Third Pierre Lambin had never raced the Châtelettaine either. “Even though I live not very far away, in Anderlues! But this year I registered for the Delhalle. Even if it means taking on a challenge for the first time, it might as well be the one that is considered the most beautiful! I am currently second behind Romain and it would be great if I could keep this position until the end.”
This Sunday he was especially delighted to have finally been able to get ahead of Jérôme Philippe with whom he has been fighting since the start. “Jérôme, who beat me four times, was on a worse day and I took advantage of it.”
The Dorothée Cupers surprise on the court
Big surprise in the short distance with the scratch victory of a female athlete, Dorothée Cupers. “I’m surprised because two men were in front of me,” she whispered. “They were wrong, that’s for sure. Throughout the entire route I didn’t find the marshals very responsive…”.
This was confirmed by Arthur Biot and Hugo Filippi who, however, took it with a smile, unlike others who clearly made their dissatisfaction known to the organizers. Several of them had traveled two to three kilometers more. And the Police seem to be, according to the first reports collected, implicated. “It wasn't the only problemresumes Dorothée. There was too much traffic on the roads. I even had a car in front of me, even though I am very sensitive to pollution… I make these criticisms without animosity, just so that the organizers become aware of the problems so that they do not happen again.”
THE PODIUMS
14km
MEN: 1. Romain Paul 49'31, 2. Gilles Marchal 51'40, 3. Pierre Lambin 52'12.
WOMEN: 13. Élodie Van den Abeele 58'56, 28. Daphné Cawet 1h02'43, 32. Florence Pirson 1h03'35.
7 km
MEN: 2. Xavier Colpin 32'44, 3. Medhy De Vlieger 33'27, 4. Hugo Filippi 33'38.
WOMEN: 1. Dorothée Cupers 31'56, 7. Estelle Gilson 35'56, 17. Sienna Gasparini 40'55.
