Toon Aerts wins Cyclocross Otegem in closing sprint

Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) scored his first victory since returning from his doping suspension at Cyclocross Otegem on Monday. The 32-year-old beat out Crelan-Corendon duo Laurens Sweeck and Joran Wyseure in the closing sprint.

The trio were part of a select group which did battle to the end of the race, with Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) also in the mix before fading in the final sprint to finish fourth.

Iserbyt had been among the first men to go on the attack during the race, once on his own, and then again shortly afterwards after Sweeck and Wyseure attempted to head off alone at the front.

Iserbyt and Jens Adams (Athletes For Hope) made it across to the duo before Sweeck, second at the Belgian Championships on Sunday, went solo. He and Wyseure traded places before things settled down at the halfway mark as the lead quartet regrouped with Aerts chasing behind.

At three laps to go it became five up front as Aerts got across, setting up a grand finale. Adams wouldn't last to compete for the win, however, dropping away as the group battled during the closing laps.

Iserbyt decided to take a chance before the sprint and put in the most notable attack ahead of the finish, but he was hauled back by the chasing trio and wouldn't have enough left in the tank to sprint at full power for the finish line.

In the end, it was all about Aerts, who was strongest in the dash for the line, beating out the Crelan-Corendon duo emphatically to take the win.

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