European cyclocross champion Michael Vanthourenhout received Kermiscross in Ardooie on Wednesday, using three seconds forward of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Eli Iserbyt.
Witse Meeussen (Crelan-Corendon) confirmed a Belgian sweep of the rostrum using 10 seconds again for third. The reigning U23 Belgian champion prevented technical points, final week struggling three flat tyres at Exact Cross Beringen, to earn his first elite podium.
Vanthourenhout, who was second in Beringen in his opening cyclocross race of the yr, escaped on the entrance of the race along with his teammate and Meeussen on the ultimate lap, creating a niche to the duo on the ultimate turns.
“I selected to tempo myself and solely give it my all on the finish. It shortly grew to become clear that Iserbyt and myself have been just a bit bit higher, so we needed to wait till the correct second to speed up. We did that simply earlier than the beginning of the ultimate lap,” he instructed Het Nieuwsblad.
“After the bell, I modified bikes, one with a barely larger tire stress in case it might come to a dash, however above all as a result of I may take just a little extra threat within the corners in comparison with the others. That turned out to be an excellent transfer,” mentioned Vanthourenhout.
The podium trio have been a part of a lead group of 9 riders mid-way via the race, which whittled away till the ultimate lap, primarily as a result of exhausting tempo set by the Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal pair.
Iserbyt recovered from his disqualification every week in the past in Beringen, the place he reacted to former teammate Ryan Kamp after a crash and stomped on his bike. The Belgian elite males’s champion mentioned he had “just a few tough days” afterwards, however that the gang on the race Wednesday was “respectful” and he was in a position to give attention to the job at hand.
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