Downturn for Quentin Hermanns: Missed World Cup Cyclocross after testing positive for Corona World Cyclocross

Quentin Hermanns finished seventh on the World Cup Tour in Hogerheide on Sunday afternoon, but was then told he had tested positive for coronavirus. The Belgian team will travel to the United States on Monday without Hermanns.

This represents a serious decline for Hermans, whose World Cup fortunes have increased dramatically in the absence of Matthew van der Poel and Wat van Aert. Hermanns also managed to go to the United States with confidence, because in October he won the World Cup in Fayetteville, next weekend also preparing for the World Cup.

“I rode a strong race at Hoogerheide, felt very healthy and ready to fight for the medals in Fayetteville,” Hermanns says. “In the past weeks and months, I’ve trained very hard and made a lot of sacrifices to start in the best conditions.”

“With the team, we avoided as much as possible the risks of contamination, for example by testing daily or by not being in the group training camp with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux.”

“But on Sunday evening I was notified of my PCR test result and the door was closed to me. I feel very helpless in this situation and would logically need some time to turn the knob.”

Hermans of choice was replaced by first reserve Toon Vandebosch. Tests also showed Shedi van Senay, the Belgian junior champion, was injured on Sunday. It will not be replaced in the World Cup selection. Van Sinai will also be on the Raleigh team in Fayetteville.