SCHILTIGHEIM – Two points on a total of 50: it was almost a magical number after the two closing matches in Group C this afternoon. The Belgian world champion Eddy Merckx was short two points against Martin Horn and was sent home. Jérémy Bury also missed two points against Lütfi Cenet, and consequently the final round.
Lütfi Cenet and Martin Horn did qualify, with 7 and 5 points from 4 matches respectively. It all could have been so different in that last round, with this many players on the same level.
Eddy Merckx, who had lost his first two matches, suddenly was back in the picture when he lead Martin Horn 48–41 and could have finished, if not the position he was presented with had been inpossible. ,,How unlucky can you get?'', he sulked later.
Horn was gifted the chance to claw back with 7, and finish the next inning.
Lütfi Cenet and Jérémy Bury were in the middle of a heated battle at that time. The group standings were such, that Bury would not qualify with a draw, only a win would do, the second spot would then be decided based on the averages of Horn and Cenet.
The Turk, still undefeated, had a simple assignment: win or draw. For quite some time, it looked like he had it in the bag (30-18 and 42-27), but when he halted between the 16th and 25th inning, Bury and his never say die attitude could get a second wind.
It even got as far as 43-42, three innings from the end, and 49-48 (run 6 by Bury) in the final moments. Cenet could see the winning post and made his last point, thereby eliminating his French opponent.
Final standings in group C:
1 Lütfi Cenet 7 points, 1.869-11
2 Martin Horn 5-1.865-1-
3 Jérémy Bury 4-1.540-10
4 Eddy Merckx 2-1.830-12
5 Dion Nelin 2-1.374-9.