Belgian champion outsprints Niels Albert again; Sanne Cant gets the better of Nikki Harris this time
Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) took his second victory in as many days as he won the Vlaamse Industrieprijs Bosduin in Kalmthout, near Antwerp, Belgium. The Belgian champion outsprinted World champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) at the end of the fast, dry race - just as he had done in Neerpelt the day before - with Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) taking third just behind them.
The dry surface of the twisting course meant that nobody was able to pull away from the rest, with a long string of riders eventually worn down to the final three on the last of ten laps.
A bike change for Albert in the second lap saw the World champion stranded in the middle of the pack as Nys was accelerating at the front. Albert steadily made his way along the long line of riders though, reaching the front on lap six, when it was his turn to lift the pace.
With the World champion as he ramped up the pace in the following laps were Meeusen and Bart Wellens (both Telenet-Fidea), Lars van der Haar (Rabobank), Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) and Nys, and they steadily began to pull away from the rest.
The six riders each tried to escape the others but none was able to and they entered the final lap all together, a dozen seconds ahead of a chase group led by Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea).
A succession of accelerations from Albert in the final lap pulled Nys and Meeusen clear however, with van der Haar leading the other three in pursuit. The World champion led into the finishing straight, as he had done the day before but - just as had happened the day before - the Belgian champion was able to come around him to take the victory.
In the earlier women’s race, Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Enerthem-BKCP) turned the tables on previous day’s winner British rider Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea) to take her first victory of the season. A fast start from Harris turned out to be too fast, after her exertions in Neerpelt the day before, and Cant was able to catch and pass her towards the end.
Result Elite Men
1. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
2. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus
3. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
4. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank
5. Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
6. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor
7. Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP-Powerplus
8. Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink-Leontien.nl
9. Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-BigMat
10. Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
Result Elite Women
1. Sanne Cant (Bel) Enerthem-BKCP
2. Nikki Harris (GBr) Telenet-Fidea
3. Arenda Grimberg (Ned)
4. Ellen Van Loy (Bel) Kriekel Cycling Team Tessenderlo
5. Joyce Vanderbeken (Bel) Cycling Team Vermeeren
6. Amy Dombroski (USA) Telenet-Fidea
7. Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team
8. Kim Van De Steene (Bel) Afdeling Oost-Vlaanderen WBV-VZW
9. Nancy Bober (Bel) Style & Concept Cycling Team
10. Hilde Quintens (Bel) Van Goethem-Prorace-cycling team