Last year Joris Nieuwenhuis won in Merksplas. However, the Dutchman has not yet played this season and so we would certainly get a new winner today. It was Niels Vandeputte, leader in the rankings prior to the heat, who was the first to enter the field. He got Michael Vanthourenhout, Eli Iserbyt and Laurens Sweeck in the wheel. After the first lap, the foursome built up a negligible lead of six seconds over newly crowned European champion Thibau Nys and the chasing group.
At the start of the third round, Nys and co. the connection and everything had to be done again. From then on it was a game of taking turns drawing the head. First Nys was allowed to try to open a gap, not much later it was up to the Spaniard Felipe Orts to set the course. Together with Vanthourenhout and Toon Aerts, they formed a small gap on the pursuers halfway through the stage. Not much later, that lead was also canceled out and so we had to wait for the first explosion in Merksplas.
That ultimate explosion only came at the very end. In the last lap and just before the sand strip, Laurens Sweeck placed a blistering attack and the cyclo-cross rider was able to triumph in the Superprestige for the second time in a row. Toon Aerts and Lars van der Haar tried to win the race with a final attempt, but they had to make do with second and third place respectively. The latter was left ahead by teammate Thibau Nys and thus also takes the lead in the rankings.
1. Laurens Sweeck (BEL)
2. Toon Aerts (BEL)
3. Lars Van der Haar (NED)
4. Thibau Nys (BEL)
5. Michael Vanthourenhout (BEL)
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Top 5
1. Laurens Sweeck (BEL)
2. Toon Aerts (BEL)
3. Lars Van der Haar (NED)
4. Thibau Nys (BEL)
5. Michael Vanthourenhout (BEL)
Ronde 9/9
Sweeck’s acceleration was well placed and crossed the line first.
Ronde 9/9
Aerts and Nys give chase, Vanthourenhout is in for the effort. Sweeck is the first to cross the sand and does so flawlessly. Nys tries to get past Aerts but that doesn’t work.
Ronde 9/9
Sweeck passes Aerts to have a good position in the sand later. He goes up and over Vanthourenhout and immediately has a lead of several meters.
Ronde 9/9
Now it is Vanthourenhout who is in the lead, it remains a leapfrog at the front.
Ronde 9/9
Aerts takes the lead again, and with loud encouragement from the crowd he can win a cross in his own backyard.
Last round
Still no separation at the front, we start the last lap with a large group.
Ronde 8/9
Vanthourenhout is again the first to dive into the sandbox, Nys is having a hard time and Sweeck moves up to third place.
Ronde 8/9
Vanthourenhout again takes over the lead from Aerts, but no one has yet been able to place the ultimate acceleration.
Ronde 8/9
Still a large group that crosses the line. Aerts in the lead, followed by Vanthourenhout, Nys, Iserbyt, Sweeck, Van der Haar, Orts and Vandeputte.
Ronde 7/9
Aerts tries to accelerate, Vanthourenhout and Nys are along and this creates a small gap.
Ronde 7/9
Aerts has taken over the lead and is followed by Vanthourenhout, Nys, Iserbyt and Van der Haar.
Ronde 6/9
Vanthourenhout has a 3 second lead over Nys, Iserbyt, Aerts and Van der Haar.
Ronde 6/9
Vanthourenhout is given some space and immediately uses it. In the meantime, Orts seems to be having shifting problems, luckily the Spaniard resolved it quickly and doesn’t lose too many places.
Ronde 6/9
Once again a large group crosses the line, Vanthourenhout is in the lead, followed by Nys, Iserbyt, Aerts, Orts, Van der Haar, Vandeputte, Sweeck, Wyseure, Kuhn, Michels, Kamp, Adams… In short, another large group of riders so.
Ronde 5/9
Everything is together again, the riders ride on a stretched ribbon.
Ronde 5/9
Vandeputte is on his way to the leading group, followed by Nys at 6 seconds, Iserbyt and Sweeck at 8 seconds and Michels at 10 seconds.
Ronde 4/9
Vanthourenhout takes over the lead to be the first to dive into the sandbox. The leading trio has a lead of just under 5 seconds over the pursuers.
Ronde 4/9
Orts, Vanthourenhout and Aerts have a small gap on the pursuers. There is not much difference at the moment.
