Belgian Cyclocross Championships promises
13:45 Heusden-Zolder
After his European junior title, Aaron Dockx (Crelan-Corendon) has again won a top prize. The 20-year-old cross rider sprinted to the Belgian tricolor among the promises. In the last meters he went up and over Yordi Corsus. Top favorite Jente Michels only finished 6th after several falls.
What a difference 24 hours can make on a cross course.
The ice patches and snow in Heusden-Zolder made way for a deep mud bath. There the promises were introduced to the infamous “Bend of Death”.
Lap after lap, one rider after another fell in the same dive. Halfway through the cross, top favorite Jente Michels was also introduced to it.
After previously falling to his knees, the European promising champion piled up the mistakes after that slide. A first Belgian title was never possible that way.
A trio was most ready to take advantage of Michels’ off day. Aaron Dockx had to deal with a duo from Pauwels Sauzen: Yordi Corsus and Sil De Brauwere.
Dockx first managed to get rid of De Brauwere, but he was unable to get rid of Corsus. For the first time at this Belgian Championship we had a sprint for gold.
Dockx came from Corsus, who wanted to launch from afar. Not the right choice: Dockx had a surplus and reassembled it. He was thus crowned the surprising winner of the Belgian Championship among the promises.
Aaron Dockx: “A week in Spain was necessary”
Aaron Dockx was a bit surprised with his title afterwards. “I didn’t expect it with the results I rode this season. I went to Spain for a week and that was necessary to win today. That week was very important, because I had a long road season behind me.”
“That’s why I was in a slump, so that’s why I decided to drop a few games and go to Spain.”
Dockx made optimal use of his competitors’ falls. “At one point I saw Jente and Kay fall, I hope they are okay. But the two top favorites were so off course due to circumstances and then I was in front the whole time with 2 teammates. That was not tactically easy for me. “
“But in the end I played well by sitting in 2nd place on the straight line. I know from the past that this is a long finish line and being first is never really a good plan here.”
Dockx made a small mistake in the final phase when he settled into 2nd place. “It was exciting for a while. But then I took risks on the descent and then I quickly found myself in Yordi’s wheel. He pulled from a very far distance, but had to sit down. When he started a second time I knew I had to get over it. “It was a close call, but it’s nice to be the first to cross the line.”
Related:
Result BK cyclo-cross promises
| name | result | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Dockx | 55’28” |
| 2 |  Yordi Corsus | same time |
| 3 | op 14″ | |
| 4 | 38″ | |
| 5 | Seppe Van Den Boer | 1’08” |
| 6 | Girl Michels | 1’12” |
| 7 | Ferre Geeraerts | 1’25” |
| 8 | 1’29” | |
| 9 | Viktor Vandenberghe | 1’50” |
| 10 | 2’11” |
Aaron Dockx is Belgian champion among the promises after a sprint against Corsus
De Brauwere on three is the second man from Pauwels Sauzen on the podium. The battered top favorite Jente Michels comes in sixth.
Aaron Dockx races to the U23 title!
Finished coolly in the sprint! Aaron Dockx fights all the way to Corsus’ wheel just on the asphalt. He wants to launch the sprint from the front from afar, but thus wastes his best efforts. Dockx shoots from the wheel to the U23 title.
Dockx is forcing Corsus’s heels and that almost seems like the wrong choice. He briefly slips on a ledge, but closes the gap. It’s going to be a sprint!
Opening for Dockx
Dockx is the first to dive into the ever treacherous bend. In this way he creates a hole, which Corsus in turn closes again. Will we get a sprint?
Dockx allows himself to be pushed away to position three, but on the asphalt he jumps alertly on Corsus’ wheel. De Brauwere’s role is over, the duo is fighting for the title.
In position five we see that Michels is a bit more battered. He’s had his share of sliders today.
Jente Michels is battered on the shoulder, his overshoes are also broken
De Brauwere has taken over from Dockx. That won’t last long, because the loner will certainly try again towards the end of the round.
Final round
Dockx wisely does not crash towards the penultimate passage at the line. Saving strength for the final round, De Brauwere closes the gap in Corsus’ service. We have three leaders again.
Dockx has a small gap after a mistake by Corsus
Slip by Corsus, Dockx solo on his way to the final round!
At the limit in the wheel and then a mistake quickly happened. Corsus goes just outside the rideable path and skids away with the rear wheel. Dockx has left! Although Corsus and De Brauwere as a duo do have an advantage on the asphalt.
Dockx wants to turn it into a duel
No team play for Dockx. He puts the tendon back on and things become increasingly difficult for De Brauwere. Only Corsus stays on track.
Teammates Corsus and De Brauwere can therefore keep Dockx in the front. Although the latter may have been the strongest man-to-man today.
Michels now even has to let Jamin drive, without a phenomenal turnaround he will not become Belgian U23 champion again. He will of course keep his stained European jersey for a while.
Jente Michels has completely lost his bearings
De Bruyckere also falls from 6th place and the pain in his arm defies him. He quickly sinks away, his cross seems to be done. The unlucky guy gets out in the material station.
Situation after 4 rounds
1. Dockx
2. Corsus z.t.
3. The brewer currently
4. Jamin +15″
5. Michels z.t.
Aaron Dockx continues firmly uphill
Michels has lost his bearings due to his mistakes. He suddenly follows 10 seconds from the head of the race, where Corsus, De Brauwere and Dockx seem to be battling it out.
A little too many mistakes? Michels has to give full chase to the leading trio
Michels can’t afford any more mistakes. There have been too many already.
Ruben Van Gucht
Corsus flirts again with the fall in the now infamous downhill bend. This time it will end well. Michels makes another slip on the stairs.
Michels is back again
After 3.5 rounds we have 4 leaders again. Michels’ pursuit is over, he joins in completely smeared. Can he accelerate again at the end of the round?
Aaron Dockx comes through first
Halfway cross
Dockx sees another duo in his rear-view mirror. Corsus and De Brauwere are closing in and Michels is also only within a handful of seconds.
The battle is wide open now.
Ruben Van Gucht
For example, Aaron Dockx suddenly left solo. Corsus and De Brauwere are in second and third place, Michels and Jamin are still behind them.
More disaster in the same “Bend of Death”!
Third round and third fall in the same “Bend of Death”, says Paul Herygers. This time De Bruyckere is the first to fall and Jente Michels goes over it very hard. He flies hard into the cushions, but quickly jumps back on the bike.
“The bend of death!”: Michels and De Bruyckere hit the ground hard
De Brauwere is back on the Sacramentsberg, meaning Pauwels Sauzen once again has a trio at the front. Can they, with Corsus and De Bruyckere, collectively start something against Michels?
Between those six riders it seems to be about the medals. There is already a big gap behind De Brauwere, partly due to Van den Boer’s slide.
Situation after 2 rounds
1. De Bruyckere
2. Michels
3. Dockx
4. Corsus
5. Jamin
6. The Brewer +6″
New tough tumble in the same descent!
Sliding through the mud!
Van den Boer takes too much risk in the muddy dive and slides through the mud. This sets off a domino effect: two men from Pauwels Sauzen also fall.
The guys from Pauwels Sauzen in particular are holding their breath. Just now they were still with four at the front, but now things are going less smoothly under Michels’ pace.
Slide! One rider after another crashes in the descent
Michels’ first gear
Michels accelerates for the first time
So top favorite Jente Michels has to shake the tree for the first time to thin things out again. It’s moving forward!
Six leaders pace themselves at the finish
Corsus, Dockx, Jamin, Van den Boer, De Bruyckere and Michels. The six of them are loose after the first lap, but they hold back on the first passage over the line. A lot of people return for round two.
It is also a lot more challenging going downhill than yesterday due to the mud. In the background we have already had to note four slides through the gunk.
Michels has already lost his leading position after falling to his knees
And whether there is more mud than yesterday. Michels is the first to turn onto the heavy mud slope towards the end of the round and then falls to his knees. His white sweater is immediately stained.
Another ten
The ribbon formation of “processional caterpillars” as predicted in Zolder. That ribbon does tear around spot 10, causing a leading group of about ten to break away.
Rider forgets his bike in the equipment zone
Yordi Corsus has taken command. Jente Michels looks at it from third place in his European jersey.
Seppe van den Boer takes care of the holeshot. Three riders are already passing by the equipment station.
Start!
Start!
The peloton of 60 promises has started on the Zolder race circuit. We dive into the field without any accidents!
How does Jente Michels do what?
I don’t think anyone can really put the heat on Michels. I’m looking forward to Van den Boer and Corsus.
Sven Nys
Livestream
You can now watch the preview of the BK for promises and elite via the livestream on this page, VRT1 or VRT Max. Maarten Vangramberen has Sven Nys and Sven Vanthourenhout at the table.
Top favorite Jente Michels
Even though he regularly competes with the pros, Jente Michels is still allowed to participate at the championships as a promising rider in that age category. In November last year he already won the European title among the promises in Pontevedra. Will he also wear a jersey in the Belgian tricolor in Heusden-Zolder?
