Pauwels repeats at Tabor with solo victory

Last year's World Cup champion Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) commenced his new World Cup campaign with a convincing win in Tábor, Czech Republic. Just as he did last year at the Tábor round, one the Belgian's four World Cup triumphs the prior season, Pauwels rode away from his rivals in the closing laps to notch a solo victory.

Near the end of the seventh of nine laps Pauwels made his move, separating himself from the four-man lead group containing teammate Klaas Vantornout, world champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) and young Dutch phenom Lars van der Haar (Rabobank-Giant Off-road Team). Vantornout played his team role to perfection as the Sunweb-Revor riders rode 1-2 at the front and Vantornout let a gap grow to Pauwels which neither Albert nor van der Haar could close.

"This time it took longer," Pauwels said, comparing this victory to last year's solo win in Tabor. "Earlier I was unable to drop Niels. Thanks to Klaas, who played team tactics, I received a couple of metres. That was enough. It was hard but it worked out well."

On the final lap Albert and van der Haar dropped Vantornout with the young Dutchman winning the sprint for second against Albert, a fine performance for the 21-year-old Rabobank-Giant rider's first World Cup in the elite ranks.

"I can't believe it. I didn't expect it to go so fast. Last night I dreamed of a top-5 result, now I know that I can get somewhere in this sport," van der Haar said after his second place performance in Tábor. "This course suits me to perfection. I'm going really well and I'm technically good so in these corners they couldn't drop me."

Van der Haar was pragmatic about the Sunweb-Revor team tactics which prevented a potential sprint for victory. "That's racing, I understand them. It's part of the race but it's not fun," said van der Haar.

Vantornout finished alone in fourth place, 27 seconds behind Pauwels, while Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) finished a frustrating fifth place eight seconds later, yet still a remarkable result considering his early misfortune. The Belgian champion rode dominantly at the front of the pack but then his chain snapped at the beginning of the third lap. "Suddenly I was kicking in the air," Nys said.

After Nys got a new bike from the pits he found himself in 22nd place, more than 40 seconds behind the leaders, and he set to work with a lengthy pursuit. "At first I thought that I would be able to join the large chase group behind the leaders and then aim for a last-lap effort," said Nys. "Once I bridged up to them I was able to continue. I had a very good day."

Eight seconds behind Nys, Bart Aernouts (AA Drink) won the sprint for sixth place ahead of U.S. champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus), Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea), Twan van den Brand and Simon Zahner. After his career best World Cup result in Plzen last year, a 10th place finish, Powers showed a lot of improvement in Tábor. During the second half of the race Powers moved up in the large chase group and started setting the pace.

Powers's result is the best-ever World Cup finish from an American in the elite men's ranks, an honor previously held by Jonathan Page with eighth place finishes at Igorre and Hoogerheide in the 2009-2010 season.

Local rider Radomir Simunek (BKCP-Powerplus) rode in the lead group during the first half of the race, then rode alone in fifth place for a long time but in the closing laps he ran out of steam. Simunek ultimately finished in 11th place, 54 seconds behind Pauwels.

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Full Results
1Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor1:04:58Row 0 - Cell 3
2Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team0:00:14Row 1 - Cell 3
3Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:00:16Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor0:00:27Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony0:00:35Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cyclocross Team0:00:43Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha-Focus0:00:45Row 6 - Cell 3
8Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:00:46Row 7 - Cell 3
9Twan van den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2 Row 8 - Cell 3
10Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team0:00:54Row 9 - Cell 3
11Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - PowerplusRow 10 - Cell 2 Row 10 - Cell 3
12Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing Team0:00:55Row 11 - Cell 3
13Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea0:01:21Row 12 - Cell 3
14Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-BigMat0:01:35Row 13 - Cell 3
15Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cyclocross Team0:01:44Row 14 - Cell 3
16Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team0:01:45Row 15 - Cell 3
17Jirí Polnický (Cze) Whirlpool - AuthorRow 16 - Cell 2 Row 16 - Cell 3
18Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team0:01:49Row 17 - Cell 3
19Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:01:56Row 18 - Cell 3
20Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole0:02:07Row 19 - Cell 3
21Martin Bina (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor0:02:13Row 20 - Cell 3
22Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus0:02:14Row 21 - Cell 3
23Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite0:02:15Row 22 - Cell 3
24Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus0:02:16Row 23 - Cell 3
25Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:02:19Row 24 - Cell 3
26Arnaud Grand (Swi) Telenet - Fidea0:02:20Row 25 - Cell 3
27Guillaume Perrot (Fra)0:02:25Row 26 - Cell 3
28Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet - Fidea0:02:30Row 27 - Cell 3
29Jonathan Page (USA)0:02:44Row 28 - Cell 3
30Timothy Johnson (USA) Cannondale p/b CyclocrossworldRow 29 - Cell 2 Row 29 - Cell 3
31Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus0:02:45Row 30 - Cell 3
32Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles-Specialized0:02:52Row 31 - Cell 3
33Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco0:02:54Row 32 - Cell 3
34Micky van Empel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet-KDL0:03:01Row 33 - Cell 3
35Vladimír Kyzivát (Cze) Johnson Controls TJ Auto Škoda0:03:17Row 34 - Cell 3
36Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa) Grupo Hiremet Taldea0:03:30Row 35 - Cell 3
37Patrick van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team0:03:38Row 36 - Cell 3
38Marco Ponta (Ita) Centro Sportivo0:03:39Row 37 - Cell 3
39Elia Silvestri (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite0:03:47Row 38 - Cell 3
40David Kášek (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor0:03:51Row 39 - Cell 3
41Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Team Idea0:03:52Row 40 - Cell 3
42Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)0:04:33Row 41 - Cell 3
43Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke-Shanks0:04:38Row 42 - Cell 3
44Ondrej Bambula (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor0:04:43Row 43 - Cell 3
45Martin Haring (Svk) CK Banská Bystrica0:05:17Row 44 - Cell 3
46Vaclav Metlicka (Svk) Johnson Controls TJ Auto Škoda0:06:12Row 45 - Cell 3
47Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) Telenet - Fidea0:06:21Row 46 - Cell 3
48Lukas Winterberg (Swi) Team Müller Gartengestaltung/BH Bikes0:06:40Row 47 - Cell 3
49Marco Bianco (Ita)Row 48 - Cell 2 -1lap
50Milan Barenyi (Svk)Row 49 - Cell 2 Row 49 - Cell 3
51Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Auber 93Row 50 - Cell 2 -2laps
52Andrea Masciarelli (Ita)Row 51 - Cell 2 -3laps
DNFRob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - FideaRow 52 - Cell 2 Row 52 - Cell 3
DSQPetr Dlask (Cze) Madeta - Fitness / SpecializedRow 53 - Cell 2 Row 53 - Cell 3
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Overall standings after round 1
1Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor80pts
2Lars van der Haar (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team70Row 1 - Cell 3
3Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus65Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor60Row 3 - Cell 3
5Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony55Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cyclocross Team50Row 5 - Cell 3
7Jeremy Powers (USA) Rapha-Focus48Row 6 - Cell 3
8Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea46Row 7 - Cell 3
9Twan van den Brand (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team44Row 8 - Cell 3
10Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team42Row 9 - Cell 3
11Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus40Row 10 - Cell 3
12Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Swisspower MTB Racing Team39Row 11 - Cell 3
13Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea38Row 12 - Cell 3
14Francis Mourey (Fra) FDJ-BigMat37Row 13 - Cell 3
15Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cyclocross Team36Row 14 - Cell 3
16Niels Wubben (Ned) Rabobank-Giant Off-Road Team35Row 15 - Cell 3
17Jirí Polnický (Cze) Whirlpool - Author34Row 16 - Cell 3
18Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) BMC Mountainbike Racing Team33Row 17 - Cell 3
19Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus32Row 18 - Cell 3
20Matthieu Boulo (Fra) Roubaix Lille Métropole31Row 19 - Cell 3
21Martin Bina (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor30Row 20 - Cell 3
22Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus29Row 21 - Cell 3
23Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite28Row 22 - Cell 3
24Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus27Row 23 - Cell 3
25Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team26Row 24 - Cell 3
26Arnaud Grand (Swi) Telenet - Fidea25Row 25 - Cell 3
27Guillaume Perrot (Fra)24Row 26 - Cell 3
28Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet - Fidea23Row 27 - Cell 3
29Jonathan Page (USA)22Row 28 - Cell 3
30Timothy Johnson (USA) Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld21Row 29 - Cell 3
31Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus20Row 30 - Cell 3
32Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles-Specialized19Row 31 - Cell 3
33Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco18Row 32 - Cell 3
34Micky van Empel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet-KDL17Row 33 - Cell 3
35Vladimír Kyzivát (Cze) Johnson Controls TJ Auto Škoda16Row 34 - Cell 3
36Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa) Grupo Hiremet Taldea15Row 35 - Cell 3
37Patrick van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team14Row 36 - Cell 3
38Marco Ponta (Ita) Centro Sportivo13Row 37 - Cell 3
39Elia Silvestri (Ita) Selle Italia-Guerciotti-Elite12Row 38 - Cell 3
40David Kášek (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor11Row 39 - Cell 3
41Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Team Idea10Row 40 - Cell 3
42Mirko Tabacchi (Ita)9Row 41 - Cell 3
43Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Cyclingteam De Rijke-Shanks8Row 42 - Cell 3
44Ondrej Bambula (Cze) CEZ Cyklo Team Tábor7Row 43 - Cell 3
45Martin Haring (Svk) CK Banská Bystrica6Row 44 - Cell 3
46Vaclav Metlicka (Svk) Johnson Controls TJ Auto Škoda5Row 45 - Cell 3
47Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) Telenet - Fidea4Row 46 - Cell 3
48Lukas Winterberg (Swi) Team Müller Gartengestaltung/BH Bikes3Row 47 - Cell 3
49Marco Bianco (Ita)2Row 48 - Cell 3
50Milan Barenyi (Svk)1Row 49 - Cell 3

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