Stybar solos to victory

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Czech champion Zdenek Stybar (Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team) powered to victory in Tervuren today after spending the latter half of the elite men's event in the lead on a solo attack. Belgian national champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) finished alone in second place six seconds behind Stybar, followed by Kevin Pauwels (Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team) in third place 12 seconds later. Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team) outsprinted Niels Albert (BKCP - Powerplus) for fourth place.

"My condition during these busy weeks is getting better, the opposite of what I had expected," Stybar told Sporza. "This is a boost for me, in view of the Czech championship next weekend."

When the gun went off at the start of the elite men's event, American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) went to the front and led the field into the woods. Nys and Sven Vantourenhout (Sunweb Revor) took over at the head of the race creating a slight separation over a a seven-man chase group containing Stybar, Pauwels, Meeusen, Albert, Page, Francis Mourey (Française des Jeux) and Petr Dlask (Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team).

Pauwels was able to bridge across to form a leading trio, but the chasers made contact to form one leading group. Nys attacked again and as before drew out Vantourenhout and Pauwels, but this move, too, was neutralized.

Stybar then launched a powerful attack and soon found himself with a substantial lead over the chasing group. With five laps to go Stybar held a 24-second advantage.

World champion Niels Albert and Tom Meeusen set off in pursuit of Stybar, but their chase effort was stymied by misfortune. Meeusen crashed on a technical descent and fell back to the Nys group.

Albert closed to within four seconds of Stybar with three laps to go, but his chase effort was hampered by one of his pedals being packed with ice. A frustrated Albert tossed his bike aside in the pit area and also found himself back in the Nys chase group trailing Stybar by 25 seconds with two laps to go.

While Stybar kept the pressure on at the head of the race, Nys launched an attack on the penultimate lap and was joined by Pauwels. Nys was able to separate himself from the Telenet-Fidea rider and made a major effort to bridge to Stybar, but the Czech managed to hold off Nys by six seconds. Pauwels finished in third, 12 seconds behind Nys, while Meeusen outsprinted Albert for fourth nine seconds later.