Cagey Nys wins with surprise final attack

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The cyclo-cross race in Zonhoven is the latest addition to the Superprestige series, and the demanding, hilly sandy course resulted in a tactical race. Seven riders hit the last lap together, and Klaas Vantornout's skills in the sand seemed like they were going to help him to a victory in the penultimate seventh round of the series, but it was they cagey Belgian champion Sven Nys who grabbed the flowers in the end.

World Champion Zdenek Stybar brought everybody back to Vantornout just before the last ascent of the course. Once the riders reached the uphill portion of the course, Nys unleashed his fury, attacking the others. He carried his momentum all the way to the finish for the victory.

Stybar could not hold on to Nys' wheel and settled for a second place that puts him equal with Niels Albert in the overall classification of the Superprestige series. Kevin Pauwels finished third ahead of Vantornout and Albert.

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Eventual winner Nys lost his chances for a 10th overall win in the Superprestige series by pulling out of the race in Diegem back in December. Still he was motivated enough to spoil the party of home team Telenet-Fidea who, had designed the entertaining course in the East of Flanders.

The Belgian champion is using antibiotics to get rid of a cold, but he has been having one of his best weekends of the season. "Yesterday I was really strong, too," said Nys said to TV channel VT4. "Today my experience helped me and though I'm no longer in contention for the overall win in the Superprestige series, I'm more than happy to win here."

"This was one of the most beautiful races of the season and it suited Albert with his time trialling skills. I opted to ride tactically and keep some distance from the leaders. I felt that I could close the gap easily by choosing my own track in the sand," Nys said. Klaas [Vantornout] dared to have a go, but it was too early to keep a lead until the line. I was the strongest in the finale as I was able to drop Stybar purely on power." Nys was all smiles after the finish.

The course in Zonhoven ran up and around a rehabilitated landfill. Riders had to take on a steep drop in the sand followed by a steep sandy run-up twice.

Ten riders led the race after the second lap including Stybar, Albert, Nys, Vantornout, Pauwels, Gerben de Knegt, Bart Aernouts, Sven Vanthourenhout, Radomir Simunek and Jonathan Page. Vantornout launched the first acceleration that caused serious damage in the third lap, and by the end of that lap, he was joined only by Stybar, Albert, Pauwels, Nys and De Knegt. During the fourth lap, Page suddenly lost a lot of ground as he fell from contact with the other chasers who were able to claw their way back toward the leaders' group.

Halfway through the race, Superprestige series leader Albert bounced back from a poor start and accelerated in the second part of the course that featured a long slope. As a result, the leader's group was reduced to four riders featuring Albert, Stybar, Vantornout and Pauwels. Nys and Aernouts returned one lap later when Stybar controlled the speed at the front. A little later, Sven Vanthourenhout and Erwin Vervecken joined leaders, too, creating an eight-man group with three laps to go. Thijs Al, Simunek and De Knegt led the chase at half a minute.

Vantornout seized his moment, realizing the course benefitted his running skills in the sand. During the penultimate lap, he had a gap, but he slid out when in the sand on the second steep drop. Vantornout tumbled down the drop, but his bike was came to rest 10 meters higher, forcing him to run back up the sand to grab his bike. The Sunweb-Revor rider dropped back into fourth position, but one lap later, he was back to try his luck again.

This time he got a five-second gap that seemed enough for the win but on the second part of the course, Stybar powered back towards the Belgian, with Nys, Pauwels and Albert following on Stybar's wheel.

"I knew where I had to go on this course, and I turned out to be the only rider able to create a gap today. When I tried a first time, I went over the handlebars; that cost a lot of energy," said Vantornout to TV channel VT4. "Then I tried again in the last lap, but I lost all of my momentum in the last bit. Normally I would never give away the gap I had, but I lacked the energy to keep it. I'm quite disappointed,"

Nys took profit from Stybar's work and on the last ascent of the long slope, the Belgian champion powered away and gapped the rest of the group. Stybar didn't give in, but there was not enough time left to close the gap before the finish line.

"When Klaas [Vantornout] went, I was able to follow him but I could not get past Stybar. I gambled that he would close the gap because of the points in the overall classification, and it worked. On the last climb it was clear that I had most power left in the legs," Nys said.

World champion Stybar seemed surprised by Nys' move, and he needed a fraction of a second to respond. "I made a mistake on the climb, and then Nys had 10 meters. Despite taking risks through the downhill corners, I could not close it down," Stybar said.

Still, Stybar's second place puts him in the lead of the overall classification of the Superprestige since Albert only managed a fifth place in Zonhoven. The two young riders share the same amount of points, but the rider with the best last result is granted the leader's position.

"It doesn't mean a lot. I need to finish ahead of him in the last race and that will not be easy," said Stybar of his current status as series leader. "Just like in all other competitions this one is close until the last race, too."

Right after the race a very disappointed Albert didn't fancy he had any chances left. "I'm disappointed, which is logical, I think. Yesterday I lost all chances of winning the Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy, and today I did a bad job, too," said Albert to VT4. "Physically and mentally I'm drained. I don't have fun anymore because I work hard in training, but I can't get to my desired level during the races. I'll have to drag myself toward the end of the season, and that's annoying."

"The course today, with its tough slopes and the running, would was perfect for me... when I'm good. Today, I finished fifth in the sprint among a group of five which isn't a good result. I need to stay away from the bike and rest. Maybe I need to get really drunk."

In the back among the chasers, American Jonathan Page claimed the title of being the best of the rest. He finished ninth. The former US national champion fought his way back into the top-10 after some difficult moments halfway through the race and outsprinted Simunek and Al at the end.

On February 14, the eighth round in Vorselaar will conclude the Superprestige series.

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