Baestaens best in Belgium

Vincent Baestaens (Belgium) won the first round of the UCI's cyclo-cross World Cup for the Men Under 23 riders in Koksijde, Belgium. The Belgian won a two-man sprint from Marcel Meisen (Germany). European champion Lars van der Haar (Netherlands) completed the podium.

In cold but sunny weather six riders separated themselves from the rest of the field early on. At halfway Vinnie Braet (Belgium) got dropped while Meisen and Wietse Bosmans (Belgium) were struggling to keep up with the pace set by Van der Haar, Baestaens and Belgian champion Jim Aernouts.

None of these three riders was able to set a pace that created definitive gaps and on the home straight the pace always dropped back.

For Meisen, that was the moment to rejoin the leaders. The German did that almost every lap until the group hit the final lap. Then the German moved up and in the difficult sand section he even took the lead. Behind him mistakes were made and suddenly it seemed Meisen would win the World Cup round.

“I choose to ride at the back of the group to save energy. During the last lap the sand section was crucial and the win was almost in the bag but then I made a mistake,” Meisen told Cyclingnews.

Baestaens caught up with Meisen before the final obstacles and in the sprint he easily powered away from the German.

“Today I was a bit lucky but I did take the race in my hands. I believed in my chances and in the finale I was able to get back to the leader on my own. The sprint wasn't fast. The one with the most left in his tank won it,” Baestaens said.

As a result Baestaens will sport the jersey of World Cup leader on home soil in Kalmthout during the second round of the Men U23 World Cup.

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Results
1Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Belgium0:55:42Row 0 - Cell 3
2Marcel Meisen (Ger) GermanyRow 1 - Cell 2 Row 1 - Cell 3
3Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Netherlands0:00:04Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jim Aernouts (Bel) Belgium0:00:15Row 3 - Cell 3
5Wietse Bosmans (Bel) Belgium0:00:39Row 4 - Cell 3
6Joeri Adams (Bel) Belgium0:00:47Row 5 - Cell 3
7Vinnie Braet (Bel) Belgium0:00:58Row 6 - Cell 3
8Michiel Van Der Heijden (Ned) Netherlands0:00:59Row 7 - Cell 3
9Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) Belgium-B0:01:04Row 8 - Cell 3
10Tijmen Eising (Ned) Netherlands0:01:23Row 9 - Cell 3
11Sean De Bie (Bel) Belgium0:01:38Row 10 - Cell 3
12Matthieu Boulo (Fra) France0:01:46Row 11 - Cell 3
13Marek Konwa (Pol) Poland0:01:47Row 12 - Cell 3
14Micki Van Empel (Ned) Netherlands0:01:53Row 13 - Cell 3
15Sven Beelen (Bel) Belgium-B0:02:01Row 14 - Cell 3
16Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Czech Republic0:02:10Row 15 - Cell 3
17Matteo Trentin (Ita) Italy0:02:46Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ole Quast (Ger) Germany0:02:47Row 17 - Cell 3
19Angelo De Clercq (Bel) Belgium-BRow 18 - Cell 2 Row 18 - Cell 3
20Melvin Rulliere (Fra) France0:02:49Row 19 - Cell 3
21Jens Adams (Bel) Belgium-B0:02:51Row 20 - Cell 3
22Irwin Gras (Fra) France0:02:58Row 21 - Cell 3
23Théo Dumanchin (Fra) France0:03:00Row 22 - Cell 3
24Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned) Netherlands0:03:18Row 23 - Cell 3
25Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Netherlands0:03:27Row 24 - Cell 3
26Michael Schweizer (Ger) Germany0:03:37Row 25 - Cell 3
27Mirko Tabacchi (Ita) Italy0:03:39Row 26 - Cell 3
28Kenneth Hansen (Den) Denmark0:03:43Row 27 - Cell 3
29Matthias Bossuyt (Bel) Belgium-B0:03:49Row 28 - Cell 3
30Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Belgium-B0:03:58Row 29 - Cell 3
31Michael Winterberg (Swi) Switzerland0:05:11Row 30 - Cell 3
32Luca Braidot (Ita) Italy0:05:21Row 31 - Cell 3
33Alexandre Billon (Fra) France0:05:34Row 32 - Cell 3
34Radek Polnicky (Cze) Czech Republic0:05:35Row 33 - Cell 3
35Michael Boros (Cze) Czech Republic0:05:39Row 34 - Cell 3
36Valentin Scherz (Swi) Switzerland0:06:12Row 35 - Cell 3
37Théo Vimpere (Fra) France0:06:14Row 36 - Cell 3
38Jan Nesvadba (Cze) Czech Republic0:07:12Row 37 - Cell 3
39Daniel Summerhill (USA) United States of America0:07:57Row 38 - Cell 3
40Max Walsleben (Ger) Germany0:08:12Row 39 - Cell 3
41Emilien Barben (Swi) Switzerland0:08:20Row 40 - Cell 3
42Elia Silvestri (Ita) Italy0:08:38Row 41 - Cell 3
43Dario Stauble (Swi) Switzerland0:08:45Row 42 - Cell 3
44Jerome Townsend (USA) United States of AmericaRow 43 - Cell 2 -2laps
45Jeremy Ferguson (USA) United States of AmericaRow 44 - Cell 2 Row 44 - Cell 3
46Scott Thiltges (Lux) LuxembourgRow 45 - Cell 2 Row 45 - Cell 3
47Vincent Dias Dos Santos (Lux) LuxembourgRow 46 - Cell 2 Row 46 - Cell 3
48Wojciech Herba (Pol) PolandRow 47 - Cell 2 -3laps
DNFBryan Falaschi (Ita) ItalyRow 48 - Cell 2 Row 48 - Cell 3
DNFJonas Schau Guddal (Den) DenmarkRow 49 - Cell 2 Row 49 - Cell 3
DNFArnaud Grand (Swi) SwitzerlandRow 50 - Cell 2 Row 50 - Cell 3
DNFTomas Paprstka (Cze) Czech RepublicRow 51 - Cell 2 Row 51 - Cell 3
DNFKarel Hnik (Cze) Czech RepublicRow 52 - Cell 2 Row 52 - Cell 3
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World Cup standings after round 1
1Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Belgium60pts
2Marcel Meisen (Ger) Germany50Row 1 - Cell 3
3Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Netherlands45Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jim Aernouts (Bel) Belgium40Row 3 - Cell 3
5Wietse Bosmans (Bel) Belgium35Row 4 - Cell 3
6Joeri Adams (Bel) Belgium30Row 5 - Cell 3
7Vinnie Braet (Bel) Belgium28Row 6 - Cell 3
8Michiel Van Der Heijden (Ned) Netherlands26Row 7 - Cell 3
9Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) Belgium-B24Row 8 - Cell 3
10Tijmen Eising (Ned) Netherlands22Row 9 - Cell 3
11Sean De Bie (Bel) Belgium20Row 10 - Cell 3
12Matthieu Boulo (Fra) France19Row 11 - Cell 3
13Marek Konwa (Pol) Poland18Row 12 - Cell 3
14Micki Van Empel (Ned) Netherlands17Row 13 - Cell 3
15Sven Beelen (Bel) Belgium-B16Row 14 - Cell 3
16Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Czech Republic15Row 15 - Cell 3
17Matteo Trentin (Ita) Italy14Row 16 - Cell 3
18Ole Quast (Ger) Germany13Row 17 - Cell 3
19Angelo De Clercq (Bel) Belgium-B12Row 18 - Cell 3
20Melvin Rulliere (Fra) France11Row 19 - Cell 3
21Jens Adams (Bel) Belgium-B10Row 20 - Cell 3
22Irwin Gras (Fra) France9Row 21 - Cell 3
23Théo Dumanchin (Fra) France8Row 22 - Cell 3
24Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned) Netherlands7Row 23 - Cell 3
25Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Netherlands6Row 24 - Cell 3
26Michael Schweizer (Ger) Germany5Row 25 - Cell 3
27Mirko Tabacchi (Ita) Italy4Row 26 - Cell 3
28Kenneth Hansen (Den) Denmark3Row 27 - Cell 3
29Matthias Bossuyt (Bel) Belgium-B2Row 28 - Cell 3
30Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Belgium-B1Row 29 - Cell 3

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