Stybar does the double in Hamme Zogge

Zdenek Stybar carried the momentum from his first season victory on Saturday into the Superprestige race in Hamme Zogge, taking another sprint victory this time over Belgian champion Sven Nys and a sorely disappointed Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Projob).

"It is super, what a dream weekend. I didn't expect that it would succeed to win twice in two days," said a clearly overjoyed Stybar to VT4 after the race.

Belgian wind and a Czech win in Hamme Zogge

On a blustery day, the sinuous and relatively flat course provided little selection, putting World Champion Niels Albert at a disadvantage against his more cagey foes.

As Albert tried to force a selection early in the race, Nys held back and followed wheels, saving his energies and gambling that the wind would sap the energy of the early attackers.

The gamble paid off, and two lead groups came together at the mid-race point, setting Nys up for his trademark attack. The Landbouwkrediet-Colnago rider pulled away a group of four with Stybar, Albert and Vantornout.

A series of attacks put Albert on the defensive, and on the last lap the world champion was uncharacteristically struggling. He finally lost contact as Vantornout put in a late race bid for glory.

But it was Stybar who charged past Vantornout with Nys on his wheel and, like Saturday in Hasselt, the Czech's powerful sprint proved unbeatable.

"Maybe I started my acceleration too late, but certainly at a wrong moment," said Nys, who was left to rue what could have been. "There was a strong headwind and I didn't recover enough for the sprint. Maybe I should've stayed in the wheels longer."

Vantornout, too, could do nothing to counter Stybar's dominant performance. "I'm extremely disappointed because I was so close to the win. But I'm happy to finish on the podium though, and I think my boss will be happy with what I showed too."

Nys and Albert now share the lead in the overall Superprestige Series classification, with Stybar one point behind. Albert was dropped out of the four-man leader's group on the final lap and, as a result, missed out on a podium spot for the first time this season. "I'm disappointed. I wanted to be on the podium and defend my leader's position, but it didn't work out that way. The gaps are small, but I couldn't get on the podium and that's a pity," Albert said.

Sven Vanthourenhout finished a gritty fifth as he returned from a mid-season break for the races this weekend. "I didn't expect a fifth place but during the race I felt good. Of course I didn't know if I could keep it up all race long. I was on third row but could easily move up which meant the legs were good," Vanthourenhout said.

Sole American starter Jonathan Page finished 19th today. After a good start, Page featured for a while in the leader's group, however he eventually dropped back and slipped out of contention.

The fifth round of the Superprestige Series will be held in Gieten, The Netherlands on November 29.

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Full Results
1Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team1:03:05
2Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-ColnagoRow 1 - Cell 2
3Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Projob0:00:03
4Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:00:40
5Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb-Projob0:00:43
6Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Revor-Jartazi Continental TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Radomír Šimunek Ml (Cze) BKCP - Power PlusRow 6 - Cell 2
8Bart Aernouts (Bel) RabobankRow 7 - Cell 2
9Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling TeamRow 8 - Cell 2
10Jan Verstraeten (Bel) KDL Trans NVRow 9 - Cell 2
11Enrico Franzoi (Ita) LiquigasRow 10 - Cell 2
12Gerben de Knegt (Ned) RabobankRow 11 - Cell 2
13Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago0:00:55
14Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:01:19
15Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Van Vliet EBH Elshof0:01:54
16Petr Dlask (Cze) Telenet Fidea Cycling TeamRow 15 - Cell 2
17Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel) Rendement Hypo Cyclingteam VZWRow 16 - Cell 2
18Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) AA Drink - BeOneRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jonathan Page (USA) Planet BikeRow 18 - Cell 2
20Thijs Al (Ned) AA Drink - BeOneRow 19 - Cell 2
21Wim Leemans (Bel) BKCP - PowerplusRow 20 - Cell 2
22Wilant van Gils (Ned) Pro Cycling Team ZZPR.nl-Destil-MeridaRow 21 - Cell 2
23Mariusz Gil (Pol) LKS Pom Strzelce Krajenskie0:02:26
24Bart Verschueren (Bel) Revor-Jartazi Continental TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jan Soetens (Bel) Revor-Jartazi Continental Team0:03:15
26Martin Zlámalík (Cze) Prodoli Racing Team0:03:23
27Tim Van Nuffel (Bel) Rendement Hypo Cyclingteam VZW0:03:51
28Gianni Denolf (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus0:04:11
29Marco Bianco (Ita) L Arcobaleno Carraro TeamRow 28 - Cell 2
30Lukáš Kloucek (Cze) Sunweb - Projob Cycling TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
31Jan Van Dael (Bel) Sunweb-ProjobRow 30 - Cell 2
32Tom De Kort (Bel) AVB - Cycling Team0:04:31
33Ivar Hartogs (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida0:04:54
34Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Team BKCP-Power Plus0:05:25
35Stijn Huys (Bel) Palmans-Cras0:06:19
36Bold-Erdene Boldbaatar (Mol)Row 35 - Cell 2
37Naranbat Ariunbold (Mol)Row 36 - Cell 2
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Superprestige standings after 4 rounds
1Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago56pts
2Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus56Row 1 - Cell 3
3Zdenek Štybar (Cze) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team55Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Projob46Row 3 - Cell 3
5Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet Fidea Cycling Team37Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank34Row 5 - Cell 3
7Radomír Šimunek Ml (Cze) BKCP - Power Plus32Row 6 - Cell 3
8Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Revor-Jartazi Continental Team31Row 7 - Cell 3
9Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabobank26Row 8 - Cell 3
10Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb-Projob23Row 9 - Cell 3
11Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus22Row 10 - Cell 3
12Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas20Row 11 - Cell 3
13Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Colnago13Row 12 - Cell 3
14Jan Verstraeten (Bel) KDL Trans NV12Row 13 - Cell 3
15Philipp Walsleben (Ger) Team BKCP-Power Plus5Row 14 - Cell 3
16Martin Zlámalík (Cze) Prodoli Racing Team4Row 15 - Cell 3
17Wilant van Gils (Ned) Pro Cycling Team ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida3Row 16 - Cell 3
18Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Van Vliet EBH ElshofRow 17 - Cell 2 Row 17 - Cell 3
19John Gadret (Fra)1Row 18 - Cell 3
20Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) AA Drink - BeOneRow 19 - Cell 2 Row 19 - Cell 3

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