After winning the elite men's race at the UCI World Cup in Koksijde on Saturday, Wout Van Aert (Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team) claimed the under-23 men's victory at the Superprestige Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday in Belgium. He won the race ahead of Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team) and Toon Aerts (Telenet Fidea Cycling Team).
Van Aert flatted during the crucial final laps of the race but recovered from the mechanical and then jumped on the circuit's final climb in pursuit of the lone escapee, Vanthourenhout.
"At one point I was 40 seconds behind Michael," Van Aert said in a post-race interview with the race organisation. "I had a flat tire three laps from the end, just after the pit. Double bad luck. Triple actually, because it was both a front and rear puncture.
Article continues below"For a moment I thought it was over, but two laps from the end I had gained back 10 seconds. I knew that I could close the gap systematically and when riding up the final climb, I threw in my last effort."
Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Cycling Team | 0:51:59 |
| 2 | Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team | 0:00:19 |
| 3 | Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:23 |
| 4 | Jens Vandekinderen (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:58 |
| 5 | Yorben Van Tichelt (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team | 0:02:00 |
| 6 | Quinten Hermans (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:09 |
| 7 | Stan Godrie (Ned) Rabo - Giant Offroad Team. | 0:02:18 |
| 8 | Nicolas Cleppe (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:30 |
| 9 | Jonas Degroote (Bel) Lares - Doltcini Cycling Team | 0:02:40 |
| 10 | Diether Sweeck (Bel) Corendon - KwadrO Cycling Team | 0:02:57 |
| 11 | Martijn Budding (Ned) Enertherm - BKCP | 0:03:00 |
| 12 | Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ned) | 0:03:07 |
| 13 | Braam Merlier (Bel) Baguet - M.I.B.A. Poorten - Indulek Cycling Team | 0:03:13 |
| 14 | Daan Hoeyberghs (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus Cycling Team | 0:03:32 |
| 15 | Kobe Goossens (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:03:43 |
| 16 | Berne Vankeirsbilck (Bel) CCN - Metalac Cycling team | 0:04:01 |
| 17 | Felix Drumm (Ger) | 0:04:08 |
| 18 | Sieben Wouters (Ned) Willebrord Wil Vooruit | 0:04:31 |
| 19 | Ward Van Laer (Bel) De Kastelse Durvers V.Z.W. | 0:06:19 |
| 20 | Richard Jansen (Ned) Enertherm - BKCP | 0:06:40 |
| DNF | Gosse Van Der Meer (Ned) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Paul Lindenau (Ger) | Row 21 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Grant Ellwood (USA) | Row 22 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Lawrence Tibackx (Bel) DNCS/PRO 2012 Cycling Team | Row 23 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Yannick Gruner (Ger) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Bjorn Van Der Heijden (Ned) | Row 25 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Jens Couckuyt (Bel) Trust MTB Team VZW | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Maxx Chance (USA) | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Ian Mcpherson (USA) | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Niels Buysen (Bel) W.A.C. Team Hoboken (Kon.) V.Z.W. | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Yelle Leaerts (Bel) WSC Hand In Hand Baal | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
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