Tight sprint sees Mr Superprestige denied; Wyman beats Vos as the World champions returns
Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) denied Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) his sixtieth career victory in the Superprestige series at the end of a tough race in Gieten, in the very east of the Netherlands. The tall 30-year-old put in a late surge at the end of the flat, but muddy race, and broke clear of Nys and his own Sunweb-Revor teammate Kevin Pauwels; despite a determined chase from Nys for the full length of the tarmac finishing straight, Vantornout managed to hold on and win by a wheel.
Nys, who had taken the previous four races in the 2012/13 Superprestige series, had to be satisfied with second - although his lead in the series went up once again - and would have to wait until the sixth race in Diegem, Belgium, to take number sixty.
Pauwels, who - having crashed in the previous day’s World Cup race in Koksijde, Belgium - had appeared to struggle with the pace set by his two breakaway companions, finished not far behind them in third.
The persistent rain that had fallen on the Koksijde race, had followed the cyclocross circus east to Gieten, making the predominantly flat course muddier, stickier, and even tougher than usual. Despite some heavy showers however, a strong wind blew the rainclouds away, and the low, watery sun had come out by the time the elite men’s race started.
The Dutch hit the front early but the Belgians soon take control
Riding in their home leg of the Superprestige series, it was the Dutch that were keen to show themselves early on; Lars van der Haar was the first out of the blocks, but Orange Babies duo Patrick van Leeuwen and Twan van den Brand led the race off the tarmac. Van den Brand led around much of the lap, but Nys and Vantornout were lurking just behind him.
The Belgian duo soon moved past the Dutchman, and began to gradually edge clear; Pauwels was not keen to let them go and, having fought his way through the field, jumped across the gap. Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea) soon joined the leading trio, but Thijs van Amerongen and Bart Aernouts (both AA Drink) were leading a chase group up to them.
The big names missing from the lead group were elite and under-23 World champions Niels Albert, and van der Haar; the two of them were chasing a few seconds behind as Nys led the front group across the line at the end of the lap.
Nys was clearly not happy with the amount of company, and upped the pace once again. Peeters followed, with Vantornout, and Pauwels fought his way across again; the rest of the group - which now contained Albert - was trying to get back up with the four leaders, but Nys’ pace was splitting things up.
Having done considerable damage, Nys sat up towards the end of the lap and allowed Vantornout to take over the lead. This allowed more riders to rejoin the group, which now consisted of Nys, Vantornout and Pauwels, Albert and BKCP-Powerplus teammate Philipp Walsleben, Aernouts and van Amerongen, Peeters, Micki van Empel (Landbouwkrediet-KDL) and Jan Denuwelaere (Style&Concept)
Walsleben took the lead into the third lap, but Peeters then came forward and lifted the pace; this split the group once again, and the Telenet-Fidea rider managed briefly edge clear in the middle of the lap, before being pulled back by Albert. This pace soon got rid of van Amerongen, van Empel and Denuwelaere, but the group still numbered seven as it approached the end of the lap.
Nys takes control but Sunweb-Revor won’t let him go
Nys accelerated again as the leaders arrived at the finish line, and only Pauwels was able to follow. Walsleben tried to lead the group back up, and Vantornout tried to cross the gap which, despite changing his bike in mid-chase, he managed to do before too long. The Belgian champion was still setting a fierce pace however, as Vantornout latched onto his wheel, and it was now Pauwels that was struggling to hold on.
Pauwels was able to rejoin Nys and Vantornout as they approached the line, with three laps to go, and the trio was 17 seconds clear of Albert, Walsleben, Peeters and Aernouts.
Once again Nys allowed Vantornout to take over the lead, with Pauwels still seemingly struggling a little at the back. Meanwhile, Peeters managed to jump clear of the chase group, and was gradually trying to cross the gap. Albert too, was chasing, and gapping the other two; with two laps to go, Peeters had cut the gap to ten seconds, with Albert - just ahead of Aernouts - at 15.
This was where Nys took the front again, and began to turn the screw, but both Sunweb-Revor riders stuck close to him. Vantornout passed through the pits to change his bike however, which lost him the others’ wheels, and a slip on a hairpin bend put him even further back; a massive chase from the tall rider eventually closed the gap, but surely cost him a lot of energy.
Despite constant pressure from Nys in the second half of the lap, both Pauwels and Vantornout clung doggedly to his wheel. Pauwels came through to take the bell, but Nys took over again as they headed out onto the fields for the final time.
Following the two hurdles - which were just too high to bunny-hop - Nys began to steadily lift the pace yet again. Passing through the pits for what was his first bike change of the race, the Belgian allowed Vantornout to take over the lead, and allowed him to remain there for much of rest of the lap.
As they neared the finish Vantornout accelerated himself, which finally got rid of Pauwels, and he also managed to pull away from Nys, who slipped a little and disengaged a pedal on the final muddy corner. A huge chase from the Belgian champion down the finishing straight was just not enough, and - as they lunged for the line - Vantornout took the race by the length of his wheel.
Helen Wyman outlasts Marianne Vos to take Women’s race
Helen Wyman (Kona) won the women’s event at the end of a race-long duel with Marianne Vos (Rabobank Giant). The British and European champion, having finished fifth in the previous day’s Koksijde World Cup, was too strong for the World champion, who was riding her first cyclocross race of the season. Behind them, Belgian champion Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) took her second third place in two days.
Vos was the fastest to start, but Wyman managed to stay with the World champion, and the two riders pulled away from the rest of the field. In the final lap the British champion accelerated, and Vos’ lack of racing began to tell as she was unable to respond; Wyman rode away to take her 15th race of the season, with Vos tailing in exhausted behind her.
Belgian champion Cant was the best of the rest, ahead of Vos’ Rabobank Giant teammates Sanne van Paassen and Sabrina Stultiens.
Result Elite Men
1. Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor
2. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
3. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor
4. Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
5. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus
6. Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink
7. Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus
8. Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Style&Concept
9. Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco-Revor
10. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony
Result Elite Women
1. Helen Wyman (GBr) Kona Factory Racing
2. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team
3. Sanne Cant (Bel) Enertherm-BKCP
4. Sanne van Paassen (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team
5. Sabrina Stultiens (Ned) Rabobank Giant Offroad Team
6. Pavla Havlikova (Cze) Telenet-Fidea
7. Annefleur Kalvenhaar (Ned)
8. Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team
9. Yara Kastelijn (Ned)
10. Jamie Bierens (Ned)