Philipp Walsleben has won the World Cup opener for junior crossers in Tabor, Czech Republic. One week before the European Championships, the 20-year-old cross-country racer from Kleinmachnow took a commanding victory ahead of Aurelien Duval (France) and Tom Meeusen (Belgium).
The race took place on the newly designed world championship circuit for 2010. Shortly before the halfway point of the race, the German had pulled away from his pursuers. The high school graduate steadily extended his lead. Only a few laps before the end did the Frenchman Aurelien Duval take heart and set off alone in pursuit of the German. However, Walsleben remained unperturbed, controlling the field from the front and ultimately winning by 16 seconds ahead of Duval. Walsleben's long-term rival Tom Meeusen won the sprint of the chasing group and came third.
As a reward, Walsleben was able to pull on the white jersey of the U23 World Cup leader. This was the first time Walsleben had taken the men's leader's jersey in the cyclo-cross since the days of Mike Kluge.
The second German triumph in Tabor was secured by Hanka Kupfernagel from Team Itera-Stevens. Kupfernagel also took the lead in the women's cross-country World Cup.
