Motioning that he was finished with his race with still several short Gieten laps to go, Sven Nys (Crelan-KDL) could have also been signaling the end of his run at yet another Superprestige series title on Sunday. Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) took an impressive victory in the sandy Dutch race, grabbing the overall Superprestige lead in the process.
The event takes a break until after Christmas, with just three of the eight races now remaining, in Diegem, Hoogstraten, and Middelkerke.
Albert’s victory in Gieten leaves him with 66 points. Nys is tied for second with Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), at 58. Behind them, Philipp Walsleben (BKCP-Powerplus) and Lars van der Haar (Rabobank) have 53 points each.
“The classification is gone. With these legs, that’s a shame. It was very much possible today,” Nys tweeted afterward.
Needless to say, Nys has had enough Superprestige success to keep his recent bad luck in perspective. Although his outstanding form at the moment will make it a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. Nys was leading Sunday’s race approaching the mid-point when he slid out on a muddy section, catching up Julien Taramarcaz (BMC) behind him, losing numerous spots, and coming up with some mechanical trouble as a result.
The mechanical issues came back just a bit later, forcing the world champion to run all the way around to a bike change. He rode several more laps before pulling the plug.
“I was feeling good when I fell, and at the time, I was in control on course,” Nys explained to Sporza later. “It’s unfortunate, but that’s the course and I have to accept it. If anything happens on this type of course, you’ll never be able to come back. You can make a difference anywhere, and it goes so fast. Moreover, 15 men came around me [during the crash].”
The elite men’s cyclocross season is heating up, with Albert approaching dangerous form, Nys still his usual self, and a host of riders coming into their own, including van der Haar, the world cup leader. But Nys believes the Superprestige classification could just about be finished.
“There are only three rounds left, and to jump over Albert, I would have to rely on bad luck for him. And I don’t want that. So I’m assuming that I’ll be battling for second.”