Kevin Pauwels powers to win ahead of Nys

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Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) grabbed his second win of the season at the Scheldecross in Antwerp on Saturday afternoon. The 28-year-old beat Belgian champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) in the sprint. Fast man Pauwels started the two-man sprint behind Nys, coming around him when the latter snapped out of his pedal when starting the sprint. World champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) finished third.

It was one of the first times this season Pauwels took the initiative in a race this season, making his first move halfway through the race. Before that, he was chasing a six-man lead group which included Nys but also his teammate Sven Vanthourenhout (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony), Simon Zahner, Radomir Simunek (BKCP-Powerplus), Dieter Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus) and U23-rider Wietse Bosmans (BKCP-Powerplus).

When Albert bridged up the the leaders too, Nys accelerated in front of the group. Nys' move didn't cause major differences though. At first Zahner, Bosmans, Pauwels and Vanthourenhout were able to follow but little later also Albert, Simunek and Jim Aernouts (Sunweb-Revor) came back to the lead group.

That was when Pauwels made his powerful move. Nys swiftly followed and soon after that also Albert joined the elite lead group. Aernouts came close but eventually fell just short to make the break as well. During the penultimate lap Albert bobbled in a sand section. The world champion ussually excells in the sand but this time it was the terrain where he had to concede to his major rivals.

The duo in front remained together until the sprint which turned into a non-evenwhen Nys suddenly clicked out of his pedal, offering Pauwels an easy victory. The situation was similar to the pedal problem for Nys at the cross in Gieten from two years ago.

Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) timed his race to perfection by finishing fourth, being best of the rest in Antwerp. Bart Aernouts (AA-Drink – Leontien.nl) was fifth ahead of Simunek and Bosmans. Czech rider Simunek was the only non-Belgian rider in the top-10 as teammates Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea) and Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea) rounded it out.

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