French talent Aubin Sparfel made an impressive return to cyclocross on Saturday, winning the opening round of the French Cup at Nommay despite a mechanical problem during the race.
The 20-year-old Decathlon CMA CGM rider took victory in the elite men’s race, finishing 11 seconds ahead of Romain Debord, with Rémi Lelandais a further 19 seconds behind in third.
Sparfel’s victory comes after an outstanding road season that included overall success at the Tour de Bretagne and fourth place in the under-23 World Championships in Montréal.
Returning to cyclocross after a short break, Sparfel admitted that the intensity of racing off-road had initially caught him by surprise. A mechanical problem briefly cost him ground, but he recovered his rhythm, reduced his mistakes and secured a convincing victory.
The Frenchman has outlined an ambitious 16-event cyclocross programme for the winter, including World Cup appearances and the European Championships at Zeddam.
His principal target, however, is the under-23 World Championships at Ostend on 30 January.
With victory already secured in his opening race, Sparfel has made an encouraging start to his winter campaign and will be among the riders to watch as the international season gathers momentum.
