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Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) received a second successive UCI World Cup race in sensational style, overtaking Toon Aerts (Team Deschacht-Hens-FSP) late on after he appeared destined for the win, however crashed within the ultimate few hundred metres.
Aerts had attacked firstly of the ultimate lap on a cobbled climb and had 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 finest consequence this season earlier than at present had been a sixth place on the Exact 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.
“If you’re in good situation then luck is by your aspect,” Vanthourenhout stated after the end.
“I believed the race was over,” he stated of the second when Aerts bought a spot on the ultimate lap. “But I do know that if you’re completely unfortunate within the off-camber part it’s actually troublesome, so it was in my thoughts to have 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’s crucial the GC for me. We will see in just a few weeks at Hulst and Zondhoven that are very troublesome for me, so we are going to see.”
How 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 to date.
Getting one of the best of the beginning was Toon Aerts on the powerful climbing opening in Namur, however he was quickly overtaken by a fast-moving Gerben Kuypers (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX) who appeared 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 nicely 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 shaped, led by Kuhn, with Vanthourenhout and Nys starting to make their manner by means of. Aerts crashed into the limitations on the off-camber part and fell again by means of the sector, making a crack within the group with 4 main and one other ten chasing.
Saturday’s winner Vanthourenhout was making his manner 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, appeared 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 attempting to communicate. Only Verstrynge and Kuypers had 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 stress on, forcing errors from Vanthourenhout, however the pair had 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 firstly of the seventh to shut the teen down. The World Cup chief took the entrance as he appeared to wrestle again management from Verstrynge, who was placing in a career-best efficiency. Aerts and Ronhaar had been each nonetheless lower than 15 seconds behind the leaders.
Vanthourenhout attacked on the climb firstly of the penultimate lap, however was matched by Verstrynge. Soon 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 appeared in hassle however stayed along with his extra senior rivals.
Verstrynge summoned all the things he had left to place in an assault firstly of the ultimate lap. Aerts accelerated over him and bought an instantaneous 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 lengthen his lead within the general standings. Aerts was second just some moments behind, whereas Verstrynge took one of the best results of his senior profession with third.
Results
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