Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Decueninck) claimed the largest victory of his profession on the Hamme spherical of the X2O Trofee after an exciting last lap battle with Belgian champion Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
After chasing again within the quick and tactical 11-lap race following a crash, Iserbyt dictated the tempo on the entrance of a five-rider lead group with lower than three laps to go. On his wheel have been Vandeputte, Spanish champion Felipe Orts (La Vila Joiosa-Neteo), European champion Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) and European champion Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
With restricted passing alternatives on the East Flanders course, Vandeputte was in a position to overtake Iserbyt and held on to safe the Flandiencross victory.
“[The victory] It means so much. I have been driving very nicely this season. I have been within the prime 4 for each race, aside from yesterday. So to lastly take the massive win within the large race, it means so much. It means so much for me, but additionally for the folks that work with me, that consider in me, and it is my technique to say thanks to each one in all them who helped me to realize this,” Vandeputte stated in a post-race flash interview.
“I believe technically, I rode an excellent race, and in the long run, I simply had probably the most energy left. To say I am the strongest, it is arduous to say it was a mixture between power and approach right now, and I believe I had the best mixture of each.”
Orts took third, as Nys crashed arduous within the last lap, finally ending in 14th place, 1:59 behind the winner.
Vandeputte confirmed that he had the legs, going to the entrance on the primary lap because the riders lined up behind him. On the third lap, the primary choice was made when Iserbyt crashed on a small ramp, stating after the race that he was “hit by a photographer”, forcing the riders behind him to place their foot down.
Vanthourenhout, Orts, Vandeputte and Nys continued to cost forward on the entrance whereas behind collection chief Lars van der Haar led the chase. After a four-lap chase, Iserbyt was in a position to join again onto the lead group as van der Haar dangled round 10 seconds behind. Vanthourenhout and Nys traded locations on the entrance earlier than Orts put in a giant assault on the paved part, getting a small hole earlier than being reeled again in with eight laps to go.
Van der Haar completed in fifth place, 25 seconds behind the winner, however managed to keep up his lead within the X2O Trofee collection with a slender 2-second benefit over Iserbyt.
Outcomes
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