Zdenek Stybar shows off his bike handling skills (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Zdenek Stybar takes the victory (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Peter Sagan (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Two Omega Pharma Quick Step racers run with their bikes. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Pieter Vanspeybrouck runs with his bike. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Zdenek Stybar (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Zdenek Stybar cruises on the beach. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Peter Sagan's mountain bike background may have come in handy in these conditions. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Peter Sagan in action (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Plenty of spectators came out to watch. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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The racers sure looked like they were having fun. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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There was a lot of crashing. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Peter Sagan in the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Two ProTour riders in the san (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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A Katusha racer struggles in the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Zdenek Stybar rides through the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Maarten Wynants powers through the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Pieter Vanspeybrouck goes down (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Dismounts and remounts were tricky in the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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At least the sand provided a soft landing. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Zdenek Stybar runs through the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Running with the bike was one tactic for dealing with the sand. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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A Quick Step rider in action. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Racers along the coast (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Maarten Wynants (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Like a 24-hour MTB race, riders ran to their bikes at the start. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Ready, set, go. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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Riders lined up for the start. Lots of teams were represented. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
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There was time to sign autographs. (Image credit: Photopress.be)
Former 'cross world champion Zdenek Stybar won the Tom Boonen and Friends Charity Cyclo-cross on Saturday afternoon in Belgium. Maarten Wynants and Pieter Vanspeybrouck rounded out the top three while Matteo Trentin was fourth and Peter Sagan rode to fifth.
"That was fun! thanks to all supporters!" tweeted Stybar after his victory, "...have to say that it was not easy. I've enjoyed [it] a lot!"
Held for the fourth time, the race benefitted the charity Move to Improve, which helps children with neuromotor problems.
The race's namesake, Tom Boonen, had to sit out the race. He is continuing to recover from the stomach illness that kept him out of the Omega Pharma-Quick Step team camp earlier this week.
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