Belgian Jim Aernouts got the better of compatriot Tom Meeusen in a high quality race at the second round of the International Cycling Union's (UCI) World Cup for under-23 men. In addition to the traditional obstacle of Koksijde's sand dunes, some hail showers added even more spectacle halfway the race.
Belgians Tom Meeusen and Jim Aernouts got rid of French rival Arnaud Jouffroy in the finale and were left to sprint it out for the victory. Aernouts proved the stronger of the two as he grabbed the win from Meeusen.
World Cup leader Robert Gavenda didn't have a great start, but fought his way back into the race. He eventually saved his leader's jersey by holding off Marek Konwa and Belgians Vincent Bastaens and Joeri Adams in the sprint for fourth place.
Sole US-starter Zach McDonald was held up by crashes early on, but showed glimpses of his talent by going smoothly through the sand and eventually finished 43rd.
"After a few laps I blew up my engine and got overheated," McDonald told Cyclingnews. "I was grateful with the hail as it cooled me down. I knew a good placing was no longer possible and in the end I mainly focused on not being lapped."
| 1 | Jim Aernouts (Belgium) | 0:53:23 |
| 2 | Tom Meeusen (Belgium) | 0:00:02 |
| 3 | Arnaud Jouffroy (France) | 0:00:16 |
| 4 | Robert Gavenda (Slovakia) | 0:00:33 |
| 5 | Vincent Baestaens (Belgium) | 0:00:36 |
| 6 | Joeri Adams (Belgium) | |
| 7 | Marek Konwa (Poland) | |
| 8 | Tijmen Eising (Netherlands) | 0:01:01 |
| 9 | Micki Van Empel (Netherlands) | 0:01:08 |
| 10 | Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) | 0:01:30 |
| 11 | Kevin Cant (Belgium) | 0:01:33 |
| 12 | Jan Denuwelaere (Belgium) | 0:01:38 |
| 13 | Kevin Eeckhout (Belgium) | 0:02:04 |
| 14 | Marcel Meisen (Germany) | 0:02:11 |
| 15 | Cristian Cominelli (Italy) | 0:02:15 |
| 16 | Matthieu Boulo (France) | 0:02:18 |
| 17 | Mitchell Huenders (Netherlands) | 0:02:27 |
| 18 | Sascha Weber (Germany) | 0:02:33 |
| 19 | Jiri Polnicky (Czech Republic) | 0:02:40 |
| 20 | Kacper Szczepaniak (Poland) | 0:02:56 |
| 21 | Pawel Szczepaniak (Poland) | |
| 22 | Stef Boden (Belgium) | 0:03:02 |
| 23 | Sven Beelen (Belgium) | 0:03:13 |
| 24 | Wietse Bosmans (Belgium) | 0:03:30 |
| 25 | David Menger (Czech Republic) | 0:03:37 |
| 26 | Vinnie Braet (Belgium) | 0:03:51 |
| 27 | Karel Hnik (Czech Republic) | 0:03:54 |
| 28 | Corne Van Kessel (Netherlands) | 0:04:32 |
| 29 | Arnaud Grand (Switzerland) | 0:04:38 |
| 30 | Melvin Rulliere (France) | 0:04:42 |
| 31 | Ole Quast (Germany) | 0:04:45 |
| 32 | Matteo Trentin (Italy) | 0:04:50 |
| 33 | Jannik Hyldtoft Hansen (Denmark) | |
| 34 | Lukas Winterberg (Switzerland) | 0:05:03 |
| 35 | Michael Schweizer (Germany) | 0:05:37 |
| 36 | Mattias Nilsson (Sweden) | 0:05:41 |
| 37 | Elia Silvestri (Italy) | 0:06:06 |
| 38 | Dario Stauble (Switzerland) | 0:06:08 |
| 39 | Jonas Schau Guddal (Denmark) | 0:06:51 |
| 40 | Kenneth Hansen (Denmark) | 0:07:02 |
| 41 | Michael Winterberg (Switzerland) | 0:07:19 |
| 42 | Irwin Gras (France) | 0:07:49 |
| 43 | Zach Mcdonald (United States Of America) | 0:09:06 |
| 44 | Kamil Gradek (Poland) | -1 lap |
| 45 | Fabian Danner (Germany) | |
| 46 | Toni Bretschneider (Germany) | -2 laps |
| 47 | Naran Khangarid (Mongolia) | |
| 48 | Baasankhuu Myagmarsuren (Mongolia) | |
| 49 | Marek Canecky (Slovakia) | -3 laps |
| 50 | Thomas Girard (France) |
| 1 | Robert Gavenda (Svk) Slovakia | 100 | pts |
| 2 | Tom Meeusen (Bel) Belgium | 80 | |
| 3 | Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) France | 80 | |
| 4 | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Belgium | 63 | |
| 5 | Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Italy | 61 | |
| 6 | Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Belgium | 54 | |
| 7 | Lubomir Petrus (Cze) Czech Republic | 50 | |
| 8 | Micki Van Empel (Ned) Netherlands | 50 | |
| 9 | Arnaud Grand (Swi) Switzerland | 42 | |
| 10 | Tijmen Eising (Ned) Netherlands | 42 | |
| 11 | Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Czech Republic | 40 | |
| 12 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) France | 37 | |
| 13 | Pawel Szczepaniak (Pol) Poland | 34 | |
| 14 | Sascha Weber (Ger) Germany | 33 | |
| 15 | Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Belgium | 32 | |
| 16 | Joeri Adams (Bel) Belgium | 30 | |
| 17 | Kevin Cant (Bel) Belgium | 30 | |
| 18 | Marek Konwa (Pol) Poland | 28 | |
| 19 | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Netherlands | 28 | |
| 20 | Mitchell Huenders (Ned) Netherlands | 28 | |
| 21 | Marcel Meisen (Ger) Germany | 25 | |
| 22 | Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) Belgium | 18 | |
| 23 | Alessandro Calderan (Ita) Italy | 18 | |
| 24 | Luca Braidot (Ita) Italy | 17 | |
| 25 | Karel Hnik (Cze) Czech Republic | 16 | |
| 26 | Ole Quast (Ger) Germany | 15 | |
| 27 | Kacper Szczepaniak (Pol) Poland | 11 | |
| 28 | Nico Brüngger (Swi) Switzerland | 11 | |
| 29 | Stef Boden (Bel) Belgium | 9 | |
| 30 | Bryan Falaschi (Ita) Italy | 9 | |
| 31 | Sven Beelen (Bel) Belgium | 8 | |
| 32 | Wietse Bosmans (Bel) Belgium | 7 | |
| 33 | Michael Schweizer (Ger) Germany | 7 | |
| 34 | David Menger (Cze) Czech Republic | 6 | |
| 35 | Vinnie Braet (Bel) Belgium | 5 | |
| 36 | Filip Adel (Cze) Czech Republic | 5 | |
| 37 | Max Walsleben (Ger) Germany | 4 | |
| 38 | Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Netherlands | 3 | |
| 39 | Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel) Belgium | 2 | |
| 40 | Melvin Rulliere (Fra) France | 1 | |
| 41 | Matthias Rupp (Swi) Switzerland | 1 |
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