Niels Vandeputte did every little thing proper on the muddy technical course in Hulst, soloing to his first-ever World Cup victory. The win within the Netherlands marked the third triumph of the season for the 24-year-old Alpecin-Deceuninck rider.
Just like within the girls’s race, Vandeputte surged forward on the primary lap and steadily prolonged his lead all through the seven-lap contest. He constructed a commanding 31-second benefit earlier than the chasers closed the hole within the ultimate two laps. In the tip, Vandeputte held on to win by 9 seconds over second-place finisher Felipe Orts (Ridley).
Behind the Belgian, the race shuffled and reshuffled till Orts, Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions), and Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) had been separated by only some seconds every initially of the penultimate lap. Orts utilized stress, pulling away and shutting the hole right down to 9 seconds. Ronhaar managed to drop Iserbyt on the bell lap to take third place, and declare his first World Cup podium.
“I felt nice immediately, each technically and bodily. I had an awesome begin from the second row and I assumed within the first lap, yeah let’s simply put some stress on the opposite guys and I bought a small hole after which you do not have to attend,” mentioned Vandeputte.
“I did not count on within the first lap to have the ability to hold the hole the whole race, however I’m very blissful that I managed to complete it off immediately.”
Though this season Vandeputte has gained the Brumath and the X2O Badkamers Trofee in Hamme, he admitted that successful a World Cup race meant “loads.”
“I’ve gained a couple of larger races now, however the World Cup is simply one other degree, and particularly now initially of the Christmas interval, this provides an enormous morale enhance as effectively, and I’m very excited now for the races which might be developing.”
How it unfolded
Vandeputte got here round Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) who had taken the holeshot to set the tempo on the entrance of the 66-rider discipline, and by the tip of the primary lap, established a small three-second hole on his chasers. Behind him, Orts, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions), Ronhaar, Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) lined up on the muddy technical course.
Vanthourenhout, who had began to tug away, crashed on a steep downhill, flipping over his handlebar and although he was capable of get again on his bike and rejoin the chase group, it was simply the primary of many points for the Belgian that finally took him out of competition.
Positions within the chase group continued to alter, because the course took its toll on most of the riders.
After three laps, Vandeputte has pushed his result in 31 seconds, as Orts led the chase.
By the beginning of the fifth lap, Vandeputte had a lead of 24 seconds to Orts and Iserbyrt with Verstrynge and Ronhaar closing in behind them. Vanthourenhout had dropped right down to ninth place, whereas a surging Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds) was shifting up after beginning within the fourth row.
Orts pulled away solo in second place to attempt to chase down Vandeputte however the Spanish rider needed to accept second place. Ronhaar closed and handed Iserbyt for the ultimate podium spot. Iserbyt took fourth and Mason was fifth.
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