Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-KDL) took his third successive victory in the Jaarmarktcross in Niel, to the south of Antwerp, Belgium. The victory, which is Nys’ fourth in the race overall, could not have been different to the previous one however, as the mild, dry weather in recent weeks saw a fast, mud-free race on a course that is usually ankle-deep in water and mud.
Nys jumped away from the rest in the fourth of ten laps and, partly thanks to a fine blocking job by Landbouwkrediet-KDL teammate Sven Vanthourenhout, managed to build a decisive gap. Belgian champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerpus) was the best of the rest, just as he had been in the previous two editions, with current form rider Kevin Pauwles (Sunweb-Revor) finishing ahead of Mathieu Boulo (Roubaix-Lille Metropole) to complete the podium.
"I never imagined that I would win here today," Nys told the Sporza cameras afterwards. "It certainly was not easy.
"I was blocking for Vanthourenhout and, when someone attacked from behind Sven, I responded, and to my surprise there was was nobody on my wheel," he explained. "I'd given everything and was alone. I wanted to stay with Boulo a bit longer, but he was just not strong enough; then came Niels [Albert], but I could maintain the gap.
"It's great to get the win," he added. "At Ronse on Sunday my battery was flat, but I ate some frites and now I'm much better."
So dry was the course, that even the little ‘beek’ – a ditch that crosses the course and usually turns much of it to slurry – was dry. There were one or two patches of mud, but the majority of the course was over dry grassy terrain and very few riders needed to change bikes throughout the entire race.
Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea) got the best start and the hole shot but by the end of lap one it was Boulo and Marcel Meisen (BKCP-Powerplus) that had broken clear. The mild, dry conditions meant that the favourites were all bunched together, in an off road peloton, just a few seconds behind the leaders.
With the pace so high, former junior World champion – and top under-23 rider last season – Joeri Adams (Telenet-Fidea) crashed out at the bottom of the descent from the bridge; nobody else was involved but the 22-year-old was unable to continue.
By the end of the lap Boulo had broken clear of his German companion, who was being steadily reeled in by the large group behind him. The Frenchman was ten seconds clear as he crossed the line, just as Meisen was reeled in.
The chase was briefly led by Albert, until he was slowed a rear puncture. Luckily for the Belgian champion the pits weren’t very far away, and he turned in for a bike change; he was passed by Sven Vanthouernhout, who set off in a lone pursuit of Boulo.
Vanthourenhout was joined by his cousin Dieter (BKCP-Powerplus), and Mariusz Gil (Baboco) rode up to them with Nys on his wheel. As the four chasers got together Nys accelerated away, immediately leaving the rest behind.
The Kannibaal made short work of the gap up to Boulo and, with teammate Sven Vanthourenhout taking his time around the twisting run section behind him, the gap began to grow. Vanthourenhout continued to position himself at the front of the large group of chasers, until Meisen took over near the end of the lap. Over the finish line though, Nys and Boulu were twenty seconds ahead of Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea), who had briefly jumped clear.
By the end of the lap – with five to go – Boulo found it impossible to hold on to the pace being set by Nys, dropping a few seconds behind the Belgian master. Pauwels was now leading the chase behind him, 29 seconds back, but Sven Vanthourenhout was continuing to interfere with the rhythm of the pursuing group.
Albert and Pauwels managed to break clear of the rest, with Gil following close behind, and they steadily reeled in Boulo. Nys was still holding his pace, and his lead was still 22 seconds on the line with four to go.
Disaster struck another Telenet-Fidea rider – in the team sponsor’s race – as Rob Peeters rolled a tyre and came down. After briefly trying to reseat it, he shouldered his bike and walked back to his campervan; race over.
As Pauwels and Albert caught Boulo, the Belgian champion accelerated, breaking clear of Pauwels and leaving Boulo behind. With three to go Albert had closed the gap to 16 seconds behind Nys; Pauwels and Boulo – who’d fought his way back up – were a further four seconds back.
The race was now down to a one-on-one battle between the king of cyclocross and the young pretender. Both were on the limit now and Albert was slowly gaining; the gap on the line with two to go was still twelve seconds though, so the Belgian champion needed to close quicker than he was.
Behind Albert, Pauwels was still leading Boulo, just fifteen seconds behind. Sven Vanthourenhout was still doing his blocking job on the next chase group; Meeusen was entertaining the crowd with jumps and tricks over the ‘beek’, as everybody else rode through.
At the bell Nys had managed to eek out a couple more seconds, now leading by fourteen, and seemingly only a disaster could deny him a third straight win. Pauwels was now 39 seconds back, having finally dropped Boulo, but was now racing for third.
In his calm, metronomic style, Nys traversed the final lap without incident; seeming to ease up a little, but still refusing to allow Albert to get close. The Kannibaal raised his arms to take yet another solo victory, and his fourth in this race, and Albert cruised over some 24 seconds back. Pauwels was another eighteen seconds back, with Boulo taking a surprise fourth, not far behind Pauwels and just ahead of the sprint for fifth, which was taken by Meeusen.
Result Jaarmarktcross
1. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL
2. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus
3. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor
4. Mathieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix-Lille Metropole
5. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
6. Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco
7. Aurelien Duval (Fra) UV Aube
8. SVanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL
9. Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus
10. Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel) AA Drink-Leontien.nl