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Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) received a second successive UCI World Cup race in sensational trend, overtaking Toon Aerts (Workforce Deschacht-Hens-FSP) late on after he seemed destined for the win, however crashed within the remaining few hundred metres.
Aerts had attacked at the start of the ultimate lap on a cobbled climb and had a superb lead heading into an off-camber part, however went over the bars and was overtaken by the in-form Vanthourenhout.
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) was third, after threatening to upset the favourites with a mid-race assault. It was a breakthrough efficiency by the teen, who’s greatest outcome this season earlier than as we speak had been a sixth place on the Precise Cross in Beringen.
Vanthourenhout is the person of the second, having received on Saturday in Herentals and brought the second spherical of the UCI World Cup in Dublin. He took full benefit of Aerts’ misfortune within the mud.
“In case you are in good situation then luck is by your facet,” Vanthourenhout mentioned after the end.
“I believed the race was over,” he mentioned of the second when Aerts acquired a spot on the ultimate lap. “However I do know that in case you are completely unfortunate within the off-camber part it’s actually tough, so it was in my thoughts to have a superb line. I noticed in entrance that Toon has a crash and so I simply go full fuel till the end.”
Vanthourenhout extends his lead within the UCI World Cup, a contest he has by no means managed to win.
“It is essential the GC for me. We are going to see in just a few weeks at Hulst and Zondhoven that are very tough for me, so we are going to see.”
The way it Unfolded
The 2024/25 males’s elite UCI World Cup continued on the historic course in Namur, and it proved to be one of many hardest and most dramatic races of the yr thus far.
Getting the very best of the beginning was Toon Aerts on the robust climbing opening in Namur, however he was quickly overtaken by a fast-moving Gerben Kuypers (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX) who seemed good on the primary lap.
UCI World Cup chief and winner from Saturday’s race in Herentals Michael Vanthourenhout had made a poor begin and was effectively off the tempo within the first lap. Aerts led alongside Kuypers, Kevin Kuhn (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX)) and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) by means of the primary lap with the likes of Thibau Nys (Baloise-Trek Lions) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) not far behind.
Iserbyt struggled on lap two as others closed in on the leaders. A big entrance group fashioned, led by Kuhn, with Vanthourenhout and Nys starting to make their means by means of. Aerts crashed into the obstacles on the off-camber part and fell again by means of the sphere, making a crack within the group with 4 main and one other ten chasing.
Saturday’s winner Vanthourenhout was making his means as much as the leaders, however his rival Nys had dropped again and was 37 seconds off the lead after lap two. Iserbyt, in the meantime, seemed as if he could also be injured and pulled out of the race.
Vanthourenhout hit the entrance for the primary time on lap three with Kuhn, Sweeck, Kuypers, Aerts and Verstrynge making an attempt to keep up a correspondence. Solely Verstrynge and Kuypers have been ready to stick with stick with the rangy Belgian, with Aerts a number of seconds in arrears.
Verstrynge hit out on lap 5, distancing Kuypers however unable to place a dent in Vanthourenhout. Aerts was making up his misplaced floor and made it a entrance 4. Verstrynge, who received the race in Namur as an under-23 final season, stored the strain on, forcing errors from Vanthourenhout, however the pair have been locked collectively on the finish of the lap with Aerts just a few seconds again forward of Kuypers who was now with Pim Ronhaar.
Vanthourenhout could not stick with Verstrynge throughout lap six, however used the climb at the start of the seventh to shut the teen down. The World Cup chief took the entrance as he seemed to wrestle again management from Verstrynge, who was placing in a career-best efficiency. Aerts and Ronhaar have been each nonetheless lower than 15 seconds behind the leaders.
Vanthourenhout attacked on the climb at the start of the penultimate lap, however was matched by Verstrynge. Quickly after, Aerts re-joined the leaders, having had a measured race. Aerts got here to the entrance on a climb and for the primary time Verstrynge seemed in hassle however stayed along with his extra senior rivals.
Verstrynge summoned every part he had left to place in an assault at the start of the ultimate lap. Aerts accelerated over him and acquired a direct hole. Vanthourenhout got here previous Verstrynge and was 5 seconds behind Aerts on the descent. Verstrynge, exhausted from his earlier efforts, fell on a steep descent.
Aerts was the strongest on the second main climb of the course however crashed for the second time within the race on the succeeding off-camber part. Vanthourenhout took benefit, using the part cleanly and constructing a lead.
Vanthourenhout stayed robust and mistake-free to take a second successive World Cup win and prolong his lead within the total standings. Aerts was second only a few moments behind, whereas Verstrynge took the very best results of his senior profession with third.
Outcomes
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