Laurens Sweeck wins alone at GP Leuven

Race Results
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Local rider takes second consecutive victory ahead of Meeusen and Orts

Belgian Laurens Sweeck pictured in action during the men's elite race of the Krawatencross in Lille
Belgian Laurens Sweeck pictured in action during the men's elite race of the Krawatencross in Lille (Image credit: Getty Images)

Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) dominated the GP Leuven on Saturday, taking advantage of the absence of many of his rivals who had opted to travel to Tabor early for Sunday’s World Cup race. 

Toon Aerts, Quinten Hermans, Eli Iserbyt and new European champion Lars van der Haar were all absent but Sweeck enjoyed victory in front of his local fans and then flew to Tabor with a morale-boosting victory in his pocket. 

Sweeck, the 2020 Belgian national champion, struck out early on the muddy, technical course and rode away from his rivals, and then managed his lead with poise to win for a second consecutive year. 

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Veteran Belgian Tom Meeusen (Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes) used his experience to beat Spanish national champion Felipe Orts (Teika-BH-Gsport) and finish second, 17 seconds behind Sweeck, who celebrated by high-fiving the fans in the finish area.  

Orts was in second place for much of the race but Meeusen managed to pass him in the finale with a spectacular jump across a ditch. 

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Results
Pos.Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal 0:54:56
2Tom Meeusen (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes 0:00:17
3Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) 0:00:27
4Daan Soete (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes 0:00:46
5Marcel Meisen (Ger) Alpecin - Fenix 0:00:57
6Joran Wyseure (Bel) Tormans Cyclo Cross Team 0:01:02
7Lennert Belmans (Bel) Iko - Crelan 0:01:11
8Lander Loockx (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes 0:01:28
9Gerben Kuypers (Bel) Proximus - Alphamotorhomes - Doltcini CT 0:02:08
10Jarno Bellens (Bel) 0:02:22
11Yentl Bekaert (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions 0:02:36
12Sander De Vet (Bel) 0:03:11
13Ward Huybs (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions 0:03:26
14Rory Mcguire (GBr) 0:03:32
15Wout Vervoort (Bel) 0:03:39
16Mathijs Wuyts (Bel) 0:03:50
17Arno van den Broeck (Bel) 0:04:24
18Grégory Careme (Bel) 0:04:28
19Lukas Vanderlinden (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal 0:04:40
20Dolf Pemen (Bel) Proximus - Alphamotorhomes - Doltcini CT 0:05:48
21Maarten Clauwaert (Bel) 0:06:14
22Siebe Tormans (Bel)
23Jens Clynhens (Bel)
24Twan van der Drift (Ned)
25Raphaël Kockelmann (Lux)
26Simon Wyllie (GBr)
27Lukas van der Vleuten (Ned)
28Yelle Leaerts (Bel)
29Stef Janse (Bel)
30Robbe Mellaerts (Bel)
31Rune Ceusters (Bel)
DNFVincent Baestaens (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes
DNFThijs Aerts (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions
DNFLen Dejonghe (Bel) CX Team Deschacht-Group Hens-Containers Maes
DNFJulian Siemons (Bel)
DNFMarco Ehlert (Ned)
DNFDylan Strik (Ned)
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