Bart Aernouts won the Grand Prix Groenendaal on Sunday, besting Rabobank teammate Gerben de Knegt by 34 seconds and Thijs Al by 57 seconds in Sint Michielsgestel, The Netherlands.
Current Dutch 'cross champion and former world champion Lars Boom competed in his first cyclo-cross race of the season but wasn't a factor in the race, ultimately finishing in 22nd place, 4:04 off the pace of Aernouts.
"Today was all perfect," Aernouts told Sporza. "I could ride at my own pace. I gave everything on the straights and took no risks in the corners. That is the fastest way to get through because you make no mistakes.
"I am very happy with my season. Albert, Nys and Stybar are hard to beat but I am right behind them. I've been getting fourth, fifth and sixth spots...I could not before."
The 27-year-old Belgian has fond memories of the Sint Michielsgestel venue, having won the Junior world cyclo-cross championship here in 2000. "I like racing in the Netherlands and I have a special relationship with Gestel."
| 1 | Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank | 1:04:35 |
| 2 | Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabobank | 0:00:34 |
| 3 | Thijs Al (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team | 0:00:57 |
| 4 | Tijmen Eising (Ned) Sunweb Revor | 0:01:00 |
| 5 | Mitchell Huenders (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team | 0:01:29 |
| 6 | Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team | 0:01:37 |
| 7 | Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team | 0:01:44 |
| 8 | Bram Schmitz (Ned) Van Vliet - EBH Advocaten - Elshof | 0:01:50 |
| 9 | David Derepas (Fra) UVCA Troyes | 0:01:55 |
| 10 | Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Telent-Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:08 |
| 11 | Twan van den Brand (Ned) Sunweb Revor | |
| 12 | Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned) | |
| 13 | Rudi Van Houts (Ned) | |
| 14 | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) AA Drink Cycling Team | |
| 15 | Micki van Empel (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida | 0:02:30 |
| 16 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank Continental | 0:02:35 |
| 17 | Jan Van Dael (Bel) Sunweb Revor | |
| 18 | Tom Van den Bosch (Bel) AA Drink Cycling Team | 0:03:04 |
| 19 | Maurits Lammertink (Ned) WV De Jonge Renner | 0:03:10 |
| 20 | Wilant van Gils (Ned) | 0:03:24 |
| 21 | Roy Van Heeswijk (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida | 0:03:29 |
| 22 | Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank | 0:04:04 |
| 23 | Edwin Arts (Ned) Jagersveld Cycling Team | 0:04:31 |
| 24 | Geert Van Der Horst (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida | 0:04:54 |
| 25 | Boy van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental | 0:04:59 |
| 26 | Dries Pauwels (Bel) | 0:05:07 |
| 27 | Jerome Townsend (USA) Bikereg.com/Joe's Garage/IF | 0:05:24 |
| 28 | Christoph Pfingsten (Ger) Van Vliet - EBH Advocaten - Elshof | 0:05:29 |
| 29 | Micha de Vries (Ned) | 0:05:33 |
| 30 | Johim Ariesen (Ned) Cyclingteam Jo Piels | 0:05:41 |
| 31 | Rik Van Ijzendoorn (Ned) | 0:05:46 |
| 32 | Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn) | 0:05:50 |
| 33 | Justin Lindine (USA) Bikereg.com/Joe's Garage/IF | 0:05:52 |
| 34 | Roel van Houtum (Ned) | 0:05:58 |
| 35 | Harm van der Sanden (Ned) Baby-dump-Lemmens-Wilvo Wielerteam | 0:06:07 |
| 36 | Kobus Hereijgers (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida | |
| 37 | Jordy Luisman (Ned) RSE Cycling Team | |
| 38 | Yu Takenouchi (Jpn) | 0:06:12 |
| 39 | Jorn Van Veen (Ned) | 0:06:16 |
| 40 | Kaj Slenter (Ned) Parkhotel Rooding Cycling Team | 0:06:22 |
| 41 | Mike Carrigan (Can) | |
| 42 | Travis Livermon (USA) Champion System/Cannondale | |
| 43 | Kevin Smit (Ned) | 0:07:25 |
| 44 | Patrick Van Nunen (Ned) RTC De Hoekse Renners | |
| 45 | Rob Van Der Heijden (Ned) | |
| 46 | Tim Ottens (Ned) | |
| 47 | Moreno Hofland (Ned) Rabobank Continental | |
| 48 | Steve Fisher (USA) | |
| 49 | Guus Smits (Ned) | |
| 50 | Peter Woestenberg (Ned) RTC De Hoekse Renners | |
| 51 | Tommy Van Beem (Ned) | |
| 52 | Patrick de Laat (Ned) Berlicum NB (Ned) | |
| 53 | Nard Louws (Ned) | |
| 54 | Rick Van Deursen (Ned) | |
| 55 | Jacob De Roo (Ned) ZRTC Theo Middelkamp | |
| 56 | Mark Smit (Ned) | |
| 57 | Hans Becking (Ned) | |
| 58 | Marco Minnaard (Ned) ZRTC Theo Middelkamp | |
| 59 | Bart Barkhuis (Ned) | |
| 60 | Casper Fransen (Ned) | |
| 61 | Masashi Matsui (Jpn) | |
| 62 | Bram Wind (Ned) | |
| 63 | Marcel Lommers (Ned) | |
| 64 | Kaey Van Rij (Ned) | |
| 65 | Joe Dombrowski (USA) | |
| 66 | Rick Van De Helder (Ned) | |
| 67 | Geert Kuit (Ned) |
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
after your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
The prize money of the 2022 Tour de France
There's over €2 million up for grabs this July, and plenty of ways to earn a slice of it -
A stroke of bad luck - Faulkner loses title in last-corner crash at Tour de Suisse
BikeExchange-Jayco rider showed superb form in four-day race, finishing second overall to Lucinda Brand -
Sivakov to miss first shot at French road title
Ineos rider sick but COVID-19 negative -
Carbon Wasp Aero Bar system review
A highly adjustable but pricey cockpit solution for time triallists looking to improve on-the-bike position and performance
