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.
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.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:56:50 |
| 2 | Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | Row 1 - Cell 2 |
| 3 | Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:00:15 |
| 4 | Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:00:22 |
| 5 | Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cyclocross Team | 0:00:28 |
| 6 | Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
| 7 | Wietse Bosmans (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
| 8 | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | Row 7 - Cell 2 |
| 9 | Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:00:32 |
| 10 | Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:00:36 |
| 11 | Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:00:42 |
| 12 | Simon Zahner (Swi) EKZ Racing Team | 0:01:12 |
| 13 | Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cyclocross Team | 0:01:21 |
| 14 | Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:01:32 |
| 15 | Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | 0:01:43 |
| 16 | Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco | Row 15 - Cell 2 |
| 17 | Thijs Al (Ned) Telenet - Fidea | 0:01:51 |
| 18 | Toon Aerts (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | 0:02:07 |
| 19 | Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | 0:02:17 |
| 20 | Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Style & Concept | Row 19 - Cell 2 |
| 21 | Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) 36Cycling | 0:02:29 |
| 22 | Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:02:37 |
| 23 | Joeri Adams (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:02:53 |
| 24 | Kevin Cant (Bel) | 0:03:17 |
| 25 | Dave De Cleyn (Bel) | Row 24 - Cell 2 |
| 26 | Diether Sweeck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | 0:03:48 |
| 27 | Sean De Bie (Bel) | 0:03:53 |
| 28 | Martin Zlamalik (Cze) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
| 29 | Jens Vandekinderen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:04:04 |
| 30 | Joeri Hofman (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| 31 | Stijn Huys (Bel) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:05:12 |
| 32 | Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel) Hargroves Cycles-Specialized | 0:05:24 |
| 33 | Dries Pauwels (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT | 0:05:43 |
| 34 | Niels Koyen (Bel) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
| 35 | Ingmar Uytdewilligen (Bel) | 0:07:01 |
| 36 (-1 laps) | Jelle Wallays (Bel) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
| 37 (-2 laps) | Lewis Rattray (Aus) (Aus) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 (-4 laps) | Janos Panyi (Hun) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 (-7 laps) | Konstantinos Xirogiannis (Gre) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Jonathan Page (USA) | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Kristof Cop (Bel) | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Hugo Ferreira (Por) | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Jimmy Tielens (Bel) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Hendrik Sweeck (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Tijmen Eising (Ned) Sunweb-Revor | Row 45 - Cell 2 |
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