Van Aert a class above the rest in GP Sven Nys

With yet another demonstration Wout Van Aert (Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace) picked up another solo victory in the GP Sven Nys in sunny Baal, Belgium on New Year's day. On a tough course with sticky mud Van Aert finished 46 seconds ahead of Dutch champion Lars van der Haar and 56 seconds ahead of Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) in the seventh and penultimate round of the Bpost Bank Trophy cyclo-cross series.

Home rider Sven Nys (Crelan-AA Drink) was fifth at nearly two minutes from winner Van Aert. Thanks to his performance in Baal, his fifth win in seven rounds, Van Aert is assured the win in the overall Bpost Bank Trofee, which he now leads by 6:07 over Pauwels. With just one race remaining in the series, the Krawatencross in Lille in February, and a maximum time loss of 5:30, Van Aert could skip the last race if he wanted to. "I'm still planning to race it. I'd love to celebrate the overall victory in Lille," Van Aert said. The 20 year-old Belgian lives in Lille, near Antwerp.

"Before the season this wasn't what we expected. Now I'm heading to the Belgian championships with the hope for the victory. I don't have to win as there are many more chances remaining in the future," Van Aert told Sporza.

Halfway through the race Sven Nys made the home crowd go mad by bunny-hopping the barriers and moving into the lead position of a race for the first time in weeks. When Van Aert answered Nys' move with an attack only Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) was able to follow. One lap later Meeusen flatted at long distance from the pit area, ruining his day. A disillusioned Meeusen had to wave goodbye to a nearly certain second place in the overall classification. He faded to ninth place at the finish line, dropping to fourth overall in the series behind Van Aert, Pauwels and Nys. For Van Aert there was no other option than to go solo from there.

"I had something left in my tank during the second half of the race and got into the lead together with Tom Meeusen. Apparently he had a mechanical so I ended up riding solo at quite a distance from the finish. Quickly I had a big gap. Without the bad luck for Tom it would've been more exciting," Van Aert said, almost apologizing for his dominance.

Behind him Van der Haar rode away from Nys, Pauwels, and his once again strong performing teammate Gianni Vermeersch. The Dutchman regretted missing the move that put Van Aert and Meeusen in front. "When Nys attacked I briefly had a bad moment. I hoped the pace would drop but then Van Aert went flat out. At that moment it wasn't possible to keep up," Van der Haar said.

Van der Haar had no trouble taking second place. Behind him Pauwels gapped Nys for the final podium spot which was Nys' target before the race. Nys punctured on the final lap, and was overtaken by Vermeersch, who took his third top five result in one week of racing. "Top five seems possible at the Belgian championships. A selection for the world championships? If I keep racing like this then hopefully it'll follow automatically," Vermeersch told Sporza.

For Nys his fifth place was another step forward in his way back up the ladder after his recent struggles. "It wasn't bad, better than Loenhout. It wasn't possible to force things but I ended up riding in front nevertheless. Wout was playing with the pedals but I couldn't help giving it a shot. Right after that he attacked and I had to search for my own rhythm," Nys told Sporza. When asked about his chances for the Belgian championships Nys was clear. "Maybe a podium is possible but nothing more. One rider is a level above the rest. You're blind if you're denying that," Nys added.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team1:06:11
2Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Giant-Shimano Development Team0:00:46
3Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:00:56
4Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:01:24
5Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team0:01:54
6Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:02:01
7Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:02:16
8Joeri Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace Cycling Team0:02:19
9Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:02:21
10Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:03:18
11Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:03:42
12Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:03:50
13Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink0:03:54
14Patrick Gaudy (Bel)0:04:40
15Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:04:59
16Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:05:09
17Mariusz Gil (Pol) Project Cross Racing0:05:40
18Vinnie Braet (Bel)0:06:03
19Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel)0:06:34
20Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:07:03
21Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Hendrik Sweeck (Bel)Row 22 - Cell 2
24Ismael Felix Barba Frutos (Spa)Row 23 - Cell 2
25Fabian Obrist (Swi)Row 24 - Cell 2
26Yannick Mayer (Ger)Row 25 - Cell 2
27Miguel Fillaut (Fra)Row 26 - Cell 2
28Yu Takenouchi (Jpn)Row 27 - Cell 2
29Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)Row 28 - Cell 2
30Mark Mcconnell (Can)Row 29 - Cell 2
31Angus Edmond (NZl)Row 30 - Cell 2
32Christophe Cavazzana (Fra)Row 31 - Cell 2
33Robert Wardell (GBr)Row 32 - Cell 2
34Paul Redenbach (Aus)Row 33 - Cell 2
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Bpost Bank Trofee sprint standings
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team9pts
2Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team7Row 1 - Cell 3
3Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Giant-Shimano Development Team4Row 2 - Cell 3
4Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team3Row 3 - Cell 3
5Corné Van Kessel Telenet Fidea Cycling Team3Row 4 - Cell 3
6Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team3Row 5 - Cell 3
7Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep Cycling Team2Row 6 - Cell 3
8Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team2Row 7 - Cell 3
9Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team1Row 8 - Cell 3
10Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team1Row 9 - Cell 3
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Bpost Bank Trofee overall classification
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team7:17:51
2Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:06:07
3Sven Nys (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink Team0:07:09
4Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:07:34
5Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Giant-Shimano Development Team0:12:12
6Rob Peeters (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:16:31
7Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Crelan - AA Drink0:17:08
8Joeri Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace Cycling Team0:17:24
9Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:18:54
10Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:19:40
11Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:19:41
12Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:20:54
13Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling TeamRow 12 - Cell 2
14Mathieu Van Der Poel (Ned) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:21:00
15Marcel Meisen (Ger) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:23:23
16Bart Aernouts (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:23:26
17Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:23:57
18Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:25:17
19Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:25:26
20Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:25:46
21Patrick Gaudy (Bel)0:25:57
22Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:28:33
23Twan Van Den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:28:50
24Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned)0:29:36
25Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team0:29:53
26Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team0:30:06
27Corné Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team0:31:33
28Radomir Simunek (Cze) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:31:51
29Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) Van Assche-Alpha Motorhomes Cycling Team0:32:01
30Stephen Hyde (USA) JAM Fund Cyclo-cross0:32:07
31Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Omega Pharma-Quickstep Cycling TeamRow 30 - Cell 2
32Hendrik Sweeck (Bel)0:32:36
33Mariusz Gil (Pol) Project Cross Racing0:32:38
34Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles0:33:13
35Vincent Baestaens (Bel)0:33:19
36Wietse Bosmans (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team0:33:23
37Severin Saegesser (Swi)0:33:31
38Kevin Cant (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:33:47
39Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:34:04
40Clement Lhotellerie (Fra)0:34:26
41Vinnie Braet (Bel)0:34:43
42Bart Hofman (Bel) Nodrugs Heroes Flanders0:34:52
43Kevin Van Hoovels (Bel)0:35:00
44Niels Koyen (Bel) CCN - Metalac Cycling team0:35:12
45Cameron Jette (Can)Row 44 - Cell 2
46Martin Bina (Cze) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team0:35:17
47Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel)0:35:18
48Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling TeamRow 47 - Cell 2
49Ismael Felix Barba Frutos (Spa)Row 48 - Cell 2
50Yannick Mayer (Ger)Row 49 - Cell 2
51Fabian Obrist (Swi)Row 50 - Cell 2
52Miguel Fillaut (Fra)Row 51 - Cell 2
53Mark Mcconnell (Can)Row 52 - Cell 2
54Ramon Sagues Portabella (Spa)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Yu Takenouchi (Jpn)Row 54 - Cell 2
56Garry Millburn (NZl)Row 55 - Cell 2
57Angus Edmond (NZl)Row 56 - Cell 2
58Christophe Cavazzana (Fra)Row 57 - Cell 2
59Robert Wardell (GBr)Row 58 - Cell 2
60Paul Redenbach (Aus)Row 59 - Cell 2
61Asier Urdaibai Erauzkin (Spa)Row 60 - Cell 2
62Flavien Dassonville (Fra) Nogent Sur OiseRow 61 - Cell 2
63Michael Boros (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team TaborRow 62 - Cell 2
64Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned)Row 63 - Cell 2
65Michal Malik (Cze)Row 64 - Cell 2
66Kenneth Hansen (Den)Row 65 - Cell 2
67Emil Hekele (Cze)Row 66 - Cell 2
68Jeremy Durrin (USA) Neon Velo Cycling TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
69Arnau Rota Cano (Spa)Row 68 - Cell 2
70Mario Matijevic (Bel)Row 69 - Cell 2
71Aitor Hernandez Gutierrez (Spa)Row 70 - Cell 2
72Ingmar Uytdewilligen (Bel) Cycling Team Zemst VZWRow 71 - Cell 2
73Agustin Navarro Vidal (Spa)Row 72 - Cell 2
74Robert Marion (USA) American Classic Pro CyclocrossRow 73 - Cell 2
75Christoph Ambroziak (Ger)Row 74 - Cell 2
76Markus Schulte-Luenzum (Ger)Row 75 - Cell 2
77Sven Kuschla (Ger)Row 76 - Cell 2
78Yves Albrecht (Swi)Row 77 - Cell 2
79Michael Boros (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team TaborRow 78 - Cell 2
80Josep Betalu (Spa)Row 79 - Cell 2
81Arnaud Grand (Swi) BMC Development TeamRow 80 - Cell 2
82Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel)Row 81 - Cell 2
83Wouter Goosen (Bel) Zannata Cycling TeamRow 82 - Cell 2
84James Spragg (GBr)Row 83 - Cell 2
85Jonathan Page (USA) Planet BikeRow 84 - Cell 2
86Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)Row 85 - Cell 2
87Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 86 - Cell 2

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