In one of the most engrossing CX matchups of the season veteran Belgian Laurens Sweeck and young Dutchman Tibor del Grosso fought tooth and nail through the sand at Vlaamse Duinencross, Friday’s sixth round of the 2024-2025 X2O Badkamers Trofee in Koksijde, Belgium. Sweeck’s experience won out, and the Belgian adds a X20 round to his three Superprestige triumphs this season. Series leader Eli Iserbyt lost 48 seconds to Toon Aerts. Gunnar Holmgren was top Canadian at 26th.
Earlier in the day, Canada’s Ian Ackert placed seventh in the U23 race.
Preliminaries
After his victory in Baal Iserbyt’s small lead over Lars van der Haar swelled to 3:36 over Aerts. Besides Iserbyt’s two rounds tallied, Thibau Nys, Niels Vandeputte and the absent Michael Vanthourenhout could all claim one. Mathieu van der Poel was still recovering from an injured rib.
Cody Scott, Gunnar Holmgren and Fabian Merino were the Canadian entrants.
World U23 champion del Grosso carved his way into the hole shot on Lap 1. A huge crash in the first turn delayed Vandeputte a great deal and Iserbyt a little. Sweeck latched on to del Grosso and the two grunted through the endless sand before crossing the line with Pim Ronhaar, Aerts and a couple of others 19 seconds in arrears. Holmgren was in 30th in a group with Vandeputte.
Sweeck and del Grosso skirmished out front on the second circuitas Ronhaar lit out after them. Joran Wyseure, Aerts and Toon Vandebosch made up the next pursuit gang.
Ronhaar remained in the gap on Lap 3 of 8. Sweeck kept pushing at the business end of the race, testing del Grosso. Aerts had snipped Iserbyt’s series lead by 30 seconds at this point.
On December 30, del Grosso placed fourth to Sweeck at the Superprestige series’ Diegem night race. On Friday, del Grosso pried open a gap during Lap 4 before the veteran rider caught up.
Ronhaar returned to the fold early on Lap 4. Sweeck turned the tables on del Grosso, pulling out four seconds, which del Grosso pared down to two by the line. Aerts and Wyseure began their podium scrap with Ronhaar worried about them disappearing on him.
Again the elastic stretched on Lap 5 and again del Grosso rebounded back. Aerts was free to fly for the podium.
The penultimate lap was where Sweeck dashed clear. Del Grosso hooking a pedal ensured his aspirations were stymied. Runner-up was still his best performance of the season.
The next round is February 9 in Lille.
X2O Bathrooms Trophy Round 6, Koksijde
1) Laurens Sweeck (Belgium/Crelan-Coredon) 1:02:11
2) Tibor del Grosso (The Netherlands/Alpecin-Deceuninck) +0:26
3) Toon Aerts (Belgium/Deschacht-Hens-FSP) +0:52
26) Gunnar Holmgren (Canada)
31) Cody Scott (Canada)
DNF) Fabian Merino (Canada)
