Beforehand she was the biggest challenger for Sanne Cant, but Marion Norbert Riberolle could never fulfill that ambition at the Belgian cyclo-cross championship in Lokeren. The BC turned out to be a downright nightmare for the former Frenchwoman. She stopped in the first lap with chain problems and could never compete for the victory. Afterwards she burst into tears.
Martin Vanhoof
Saturday, January 14, 2023 at 4:31 PM
“This is very frustrating”, said a broken Norbert Riberolle emotionally afterwards. “My chain got caught between the cassette and the rear wheel. That had already happened during the reconnaissance, but I thought it would be okay once started. Not so. The morale was so completely gone.”
The 24-year-old neutralized Crelan-Fristads rider nevertheless had good legs. “I felt that victory was in it. It’s very exciting when mechanical breakdown keeps you from winning. It’s a feeling I’ve never had. I am having a very hard time.”
With a new bike she passed Alicia Franck and took the silver medal, but Cant was already too far ahead. “Bad luck was on my side today, unfortunately. I had really looked forward to this and I knew that I had a chance to win the tricolor on this course. Now this opportunity has been lost and I have to wait at least another year.”
A bewildered Robert Riberolle on stage. — © BELGIUM