Nys and Vanthourenhout round out all-Belgian podium
Image 1 of 67
Some of the large Belgian team heading out for practice laps(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Wout Van Aert (Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace) leading the race with a one and a half laps to go(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) had a consistent ride to take fifth place(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) took it upon himself to attempt to bridge to the three leaders(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Sven Nys (Crelan) attacking the leaders on lap four(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Twenty countries competed including Australia(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Ryan Trebon (Cannondale) racing to a 12th place finish(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) had no troubles with any of the technical features of the course(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Wout Van Aert won by a 23-second margin(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Enduro Mountain biker Adam Craig (Giant) looked strong the entire race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Sven Nys (Crelan) riding in second position on lap three(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) leading on lap three(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Craig Ritchey (Canada) churning freshly laid sand (Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) found himself chasing the leaders the entire race(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) leading through the sand pit on lap two(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The new sandpit provided quite a challenge for the riders(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Ben Sonntag (Cliff Bar) riding on the banked track(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Klass Vantornout (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) leading on the banked curve(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Curtis White (Cannondale) riding to a top twenty finish(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Jim Aernouts (Telnet Fidea) near the front of the race on lap one(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) leading late in lap one(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The Elite Men facing the first run-up on the Cross Vegas course(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Klass Vantornout (Sunweb-Nepolean Games) leading the race on lap one(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The Elite Men’s start on grass(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
American Champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha Focus) on the front row(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
The men wait on the start line(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
The men's field hits the sand section(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Wout Van Aert (Golden Palace) leads a front group(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha) looks back to see who is on his wheel(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Geoff Kabush (Scott) tries to move up in the field(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) leads a group through one of the run-up sections(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) trying to break up the chase group(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) goes high on the banked turn(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Prior to the even the Desert Breeze course was manicured like a golf course(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb) on his way to third place(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) leads through the stairs(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha) fights his way up a climb(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) gets a little sideways in the sand(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Another group hits tonights dusty sand section(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Sven Nys (Crelan) crosse the line for second place(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Jeremy Powers (Rapha) gets mobbed after the race(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Former Cross Vegas winner Jamie Driscoll (Raleigh Clement) descending a flyover(Image credit: Dave McElwaine)
Sven Nys checks the state of his rivals(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Van Der Haar sits on Jeremy Powers' wheel(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Svan Nys leads what would be the top three finishers(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jeremy Powers greeted after the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The podium was a multi-coloured affair(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sven Nys was happy with his second place(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Corne Van Kessel takes a rest after the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michael Vanthourenhout leads a large group of riders(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The fans watch on(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Following in line(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The riders pass through the finish line(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The top three in the men's race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The nighttime slot made for an interesting spectacle(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
There was no missing Sven Nys in the dark with his bright yellow Trek(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Van Aert takes the corner(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
There was no mud but plenty of sand(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The night race provided a great spectacle(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Lars Van Der Haar finished fourth(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
US Champion Jeremy Powers crosses the line(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Van Aert makes his way through the dark(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Van Aert celebrating his victory(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sven Nys comes home in second(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Michael Vanthournhout is happy with his third place finish(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Van Aert wins in Vegas(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sven Nys rode to second(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Wout Van Aert (Vastgoedservice-Golden Palace) won the first-ever non-European UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Wednesday under the sparkling lights of Las Vegas, Nevada, soloing to an impressive CrossVegas win ahead of fellow Belgians Sven Nys and Michael Vanthourenhout (Sunweb-Napolean Games).
Desert Breeze Soccer Complex, which hosted the ninth running of CrossVegas, lived up to its name Wednesday as winds whipped throughout the 67-minute race on the thick park grass.
The conditions didn’t appear to slow the riders, however, as the pack of 70 cruised over the course in one long, strung out line for the first several laps.
Although Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) won the hole shot and led early on during the first lap, it was Vanthourenhout who put in the first real attack of the race. The move netted him a gap that grew out to a maximum of 30 seconds.
“When I took 30 seconds, I really felt pretty good and I had hope for the end but then I saw two really strong riders coming and I said, ‘OK, I’ll hold back a little bit and then try to catch up,’” Vanthourenhout said.
The two approaching riders were Nys and eventual winner Van Aert, who said he knew with Vanthourenhout’s strength they could not leave him alone off the front for long.
“I know him from the youth categories in Belgium,” Van Aert said. “He’s a strong rider. He’s always difficult to catch back when he’s got a good pace.
“I knew we can’t wait long to make a move in the front,” Van Aert said. “And then I saw that Sven was in the front, and before in the race he was always a little bit more in the back. So I knew he was strong, and he wanted also to go in the front.”
Van Aert and Nys slowly reeled in Vanthourenhout after several laps of chasing, and once together the trio continued to open up its advantage over a group of about 15, who were being led by US champion Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus).
Vanthourenhout lost contact with Van Aerts and Nys with three laps to go, drifting back into no-man’s land while fighting to hold off the chase.
“I really tried to keep on as long as I could,” Vanthourenhout said. “But then at a certain moment I had to let them go. Then I said I would ride my own race and I kept my third place, which was really good.”
With Vanthourenhout gone from the lead, Van Aert quickly seized the moment and attacked Nys, gaining an advantage over his fellow Belgian and then pressing the issue. Nys trailed about 15-20 seconds behind, with Vanthourenhout still holding onto his third-place spot.
“I thought maybe I had to try more,” Van Aert said. “But after the first one I already had a gap. Afterwards it was just giving all I had. It was really difficult the last two laps to keep on pushing and keep up the pace, because it is a really heavy course. The ground is really heavy, and also a lot of wind on the field. It was a hard one, but I’m very happy to start the season like this.”
Meanwhile, Powers continued to do the work in the chase, and his efforts whittled the group down to just himself, Lars van der Haar (Giant-Alpecin) and 2014-15 World Cup winner Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napolean Games). The two European riders were content to let Powers do the pulling, sitting in his slipstream and waiting to pounce at the finish.
Van Aert showed his class with a spectacular final two laps, holding off Nys by 23 seconds at the finish. Vanthourenhout came in 44 seconds down for third, while Van der Haar and Pauwels both slipped past Powers to round out the top five.
Van Aaert said he was especially proud to have the opportunity to wear the World Cup leader’s jersey next month during round two in Valkenburg.
“Last year I was two times the World Cup leader in the U23 category, but I had not the option to wear it because there was a world champion right there,” Van Aert said. “Right now it’s going to be the first time I can race in it, and it’s really something that I can look forward to, to do that in Valkenburg next month.
“I’m just really happy to start like this,” he said. “For every rider that is a little dream to do that, and it gives you a lot of confidence to keep doing the good work going into winter.”
Full Results
Swipe to scroll horizontally
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
1:07:00
2
Sven Nys (Bel)
0:00:23
3
Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
0:00:44
4
Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant - Alpecin
0:00:52
5
Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
Row 4 - Cell 2
6
Jeremy Powers (USA)
0:00:54
7
Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
0:01:30
8
Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
0:01:40
9
Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
0:01:48
10
Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
Row 9 - Cell 2
11
Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
0:01:49
12
Ryan Trebon (USA)
0:01:52
13
Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
0:02:04
14
Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
0:02:17
15
Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
0:02:31
16
Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Bkcp-Corendon
0:02:34
17
Adam Toupalik (Cze) Bkcp-Corendon
Row 16 - Cell 2
18
Steve Chainel (Fra)
0:02:37
19
Radomir Simunek (Cze) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
Row 18 - Cell 2
20
Curtis White (USA) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies
0:02:38
21
Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
Row 20 - Cell 2
22
Adam Craig (USA)
0:02:46
23
Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
0:02:49
24
Michael Boros (Cze) Bkcp-Corendon
0:02:51
25
Diether Sweeck (Bel) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
0:02:54
26
Ian Field (GBr)
Row 25 - Cell 2
27
Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)
0:02:56
28
James Driscoll (USA)
0:03:03
29
Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
0:03:20
30
Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Bkcp-Corendon
0:03:28
31
Simon Zahner (Swi)
0:03:29
32
Daniel Summerhill (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
Row 31 - Cell 2
33
Stan Godrie (Ned) Rabobank Development Team
0:03:31
34
Travis Livermon (USA) Team Smartstop
0:03:36
35
Jeremy Martin (Can)
0:03:37
36
Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing
0:03:46
37
Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team
Row 36 - Cell 2
38
Brian Matter (USA)
0:03:57
39
Lukas Winterberg (Swi)
0:04:01
40
Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
0:04:05
41
Allen Krughoff (USA)
0:04:07
42
Craig Richey (Can)
0:04:16
43
Dan Timmerman (USA)
0:04:30
44
David Van Der Poel (Ned) Bkcp-Corendon
0:04:37
45
Kerry Werner (USA) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies
Row 44 - Cell 2
46
Tim Merlier (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
0:04:49
47
Mark Mcconnell (Can)
0:04:57
48
Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing
0:05:30
49
Christopher Aitken (Aus)
0:05:41
50
Tobin Ortenblad (USA)
0:06:03
51
Stephen Hyde (USA) Astellas Cycling Team
0:06:04
52
Aaron Schooler (Can)
0:06:33
53
Benjamin Sonntag (Ger)
0:06:39
54
Evan Mcneely (Can)
0:07:19
55
Tom Chapman (Aus)
0:07:27
56
Kenneth Hansen (Den)
-1 Lap
57
Jonathan Page (USA)
-1 Lap
58
Garry Millburn (Aus)
-1 Lap
59
Jack Hogan (Aus)
-1 Lap
60
Michael Van Den Ham (Can)
-1 Lap
61
Hugo Robinson (GBr)
-2 Laps
62
Yoshitaka Hama (Jpn)
-2 Laps
63
Sascha Weber (Ger) Cct P/B Champion System
-2 Laps
64
Zach Mcdonald (USA)
-3 Laps
65
Jeremy Durrin (USA)
-3 Laps
66
Oleksiy Ukhanov (Ukr)
-4 Laps
67
Jarno Trey (Est)
-7 Laps
Swipe to scroll horizontally
World Cup Standings
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
Header Cell - Column 3
1
Wout Van Aert (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
80
pts
2
Sven Nys (Bel)
70
Row 1 - Cell 3
3
Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
65
Row 2 - Cell 3
4
Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Team Giant - Alpecin
60
Row 3 - Cell 3
5
Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
55
Row 4 - Cell 3
6
Jeremy Powers (USA)
50
Row 5 - Cell 3
7
Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
48
Row 6 - Cell 3
8
Jens Adams (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
46
Row 7 - Cell 3
9
Van Corne Kessel (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
44
Row 8 - Cell 3
10
Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
42
Row 9 - Cell 3
11
Julien Taramarcaz (Swi) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
40
Row 10 - Cell 3
12
Ryan Trebon (USA)
39
Row 11 - Cell 3
13
Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
38
Row 12 - Cell 3
14
Niels Wubben (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
37
Row 13 - Cell 3
15
Jim Aernouts (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
36
Row 14 - Cell 3
16
Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Bkcp-Corendon
35
Row 15 - Cell 3
17
Adam Toupalik (Cze) Bkcp-Corendon
34
Row 16 - Cell 3
18
Steve Chainel (Fra)
33
Row 17 - Cell 3
19
Radomir Simunek (Cze) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
32
Row 18 - Cell 3
20
Curtis White (USA) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies
31
Row 19 - Cell 3
21
Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
30
Row 20 - Cell 3
22
Adam Craig (USA)
29
Row 21 - Cell 3
23
Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
28
Row 22 - Cell 3
24
Michael Boros (Cze) Bkcp-Corendon
27
Row 23 - Cell 3
25
Diether Sweeck (Bel) Era Real Estate - Murprotec
26
Row 24 - Cell 3
26
Ian Field (GBr)
25
Row 25 - Cell 3
27
Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)
24
Row 26 - Cell 3
28
James Driscoll (USA)
23
Row 27 - Cell 3
29
Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team
22
Row 28 - Cell 3
30
Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Bkcp-Corendon
21
Row 29 - Cell 3
31
Simon Zahner (Swi)
20
Row 30 - Cell 3
32
Daniel Summerhill (USA) Unitedhealthcare Professional Cycling Team
19
Row 31 - Cell 3
33
Stan Godrie (Ned) Rabobank Development Team
18
Row 32 - Cell 3
34
Travis Livermon (USA) Team Smartstop
17
Row 33 - Cell 3
35
Jeremy Martin (Can)
16
Row 34 - Cell 3
36
Derek Zandstra (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing
15
Row 35 - Cell 3
37
Marcel Wildhaber (Swi) Scott-Odlo Mtb Racing Team
14
Row 36 - Cell 3
38
Brian Matter (USA)
13
Row 37 - Cell 3
39
Lukas Winterberg (Swi)
12
Row 38 - Cell 3
40
Lachlan Norris (Aus) Drapac Professional Cycling
11
Row 39 - Cell 3
41
Allen Krughoff (USA)
10
Row 40 - Cell 3
42
Craig Richey (Can)
9
Row 41 - Cell 3
43
Dan Timmerman (USA)
8
Row 42 - Cell 3
44
David Van Der Poel (Ned) Bkcp-Corendon
7
Row 43 - Cell 3
45
Kerry Werner (USA) Optum P/B Kelly Benefit Strategies
6
Row 44 - Cell 3
46
Tim Merlier (Bel) Vastgoedservice - Golden Palace Continental Team
5
Row 45 - Cell 3
47
Mark Mcconnell (Can)
4
Row 46 - Cell 3
48
Geoff Kabush (Can) Scott-3Rox Racing
3
Row 47 - Cell 3
49
Christopher Aitken (Aus)
2
Row 48 - Cell 3
50
Tobin Ortenblad (USA)
1
Row 49 - Cell 3
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Growing up in Missoula, Montana, Pat competed in his first bike race in 1985 at Flathead Lake. He studied English and journalism at the University of Oregon and has covered North American cycling extensively since 2009, as well as racing and teams in Europe and South America. Pat currently lives in the US outside of Portland, Oregon, with his imaginary dog Rusty.
