Pauwels triumphs in Zolder

Kevin Pauwels (Telenet Fidea) broke through the cyclo-cross dominance of the triumverate of Niels Albert (BKCP Powerplus), Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet - Colnago) and Zydenek Stybar (Telenet Fidea) on Saturday with a win at the World Cup in Zolder. The venue was the same as when he became the junior World Champion in 2002. On a fast course up and around the Terlaemen car race track, the timid 25-year-old Belgian grabbed his second elite career victory after taking the initiative early on.

Pauwels ended up leading the race with two Rabobank men and World Champion Albert, and then started a four-lap solo attack during which he held off Albert. The latter still had a good day when considering the World Cup standings; co-leader Stybar dropped 20 points after finishing sixth.

The winner handed the victory flowers to his grandmother before talking about his success. "I'm very happy. It's my second victory with the pros, and the fact that it is a World Cup puts it a level above my victory in Overijse last year," Pauwels said.

"I got away well with [Bart] Aernouts and [Gerben] De Knegt and rode tempo, but suddenly Albert was there. On a technical section I shook him off. I suffered a lot. It was the longest cyclo-cross I've ridden in my life," Pauwels said after grabbing the victory in the one-hour race.

The Belgian didn't plan to rest on his laurels and is now targeting the Belgian National Championships in Oostmalle. "The champagne will be for after the season."

The decisive moment in the race came during the sixth lap with a crash from Nys. At that moment, Pauwels was leading the race together with De Knegt and Aernouts. Albert took the initiative in the chase group and was closing the 16-second gap together with Stybar and Nys.

When Nys crashed on a tricky drop, he held up Stybar and thus allowed Albert to get rid of his World Cup series rival. Albert bridged up to the leaders while Nys and Stybar were caught behind other chasers. Though Albert made it to the front, he didn't stay there for long since Pauwels quickly attacked.

"I needed half a lap to recover, but I didn't have time to do that since Pauwels accelerated right away. The gap remained the same for a while but I couldn't close it down," Albert said.

Looking back at Nys' crash, Stybar didn't want to blame the Belgian champion, even though Nys then opted to sit back and recover before grabbing third place after finding his legs again in the last lap. "That's cross," Stybar concluded. "When Sven crashed, I knew it was over. I was having a bad day but from then on mentally it was over, too.

"I was riding my own race, and it was Nys' right to sit on the wheels half the race, saving energy. It's not the end of the world. I lost some points for the World Cup, but it is still possible [to win the overall]," Stybar said.

Nys explained that he needed time to weigh his chances after his crash, yo-yo-ing between easing off and saving energy for tomorrow's race in Diegem. "I crashed on my right knee, and it hurt a lot. I thought about tomorrow and the [Superprestige] lead I'm defending over there. During the last lap, I was able to move from 10th to third position, so it's confirmed that my form is alright. Now I have to wait and see how my knee will react to the crash," Nys said.

The Belgian champion was surprised to see that Pauwels was able to hold off Albert in Zolder. "Before and even during the race, I was convinced that this was Albert's course, given it's a power course good for clocking steady lap times. It's a major surprise to me, and it will stick in my mind. Pauwels showed that beating Albert on a course like this is possible," Nys said.

Albert wasn't as impressed with his defeat as Nys was. "Only Pauwels finished ahead of me. All the others were dropped quite easily," Albert said. "Kevin will not blame me for saying that he isn't there all the time. Last week he finished 32nd in Kalmthout," Albert said.

Pauwels' win today made up for that poor showing - at least in his own mind. "I don't know why I was so bad over there; this time I wasn't sliding away that much," Pauwels said. The quiet Belgian will soon forget about Kalmthout as he cherishes his breakthrough performance in Zolder.

The penultimate round of the World Cup will happen in Roubaix, France, on January 17.

Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team1:04:30
2Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus0:00:22
3Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago0:00:33
4Gerben De Knegt (Ned) Rabobank0:00:38
5Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP-Powerplus0:00:43
6Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:00:44
7Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team0:00:47
8Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank0:00:49
9Steve Chainel (Fra) Bbox Bouygues TelecomRow 8 - Cell 2
10Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus0:00:58
11Martin Bina (Cze)0:01:04
12Christian Heule (Swi)0:01:12
13Thijs Al (Ned)0:01:18
14Jonathan Page (USA)0:01:28
15Erwin Vervecken (Bel)0:01:53
16Petr Dlask (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:01:55
17Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus0:02:20
18Martin Zlamalik (Cze)Row 17 - Cell 2
19Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas0:02:25
20Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team0:02:26
21Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team0:02:42
22Marcel Wildhaber (Swi)0:02:48
23David Derepas (Fra)0:02:49
24Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Continental Team Differdange0:02:57
25James Driscoll (USA) Rock Racing0:03:19
26Mariusz Gil (Pol)0:03:31
27Ondrej Bambula (Cze)0:03:33
28Marco Bianco (Ita)0:03:37
29John Gadret (Fra) Ag2R La Mondiale0:03:44
30Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Continental Team Differdange0:03:47
31Christoph Pfingsten (Ger)0:03:49
32Troy Wells (USA)0:03:50
33Wilant Van Gils (Ned)0:03:51
34Luca Damiani (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home Pb Cooking Light0:03:52
35Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)0:03:57
36Laurent Colombatto (Fra)0:04:00
37Bram Schmitz (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh Elshof0:04:06
38Kamil Ausbuher (Cze)0:04:16
39Ian Field (GBr)0:04:53
40Milan Barenyi (Svk)0:05:00
41Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned)0:05:03
42Robert Glajza (Svk)0:05:06
43Joachim Parbo (Den)0:05:10
44Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)0:05:14
45Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram0:05:16
46Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)0:05:31
47Tommy Nielsen (Den)0:05:33
48Jérome Chevallier (Fra)0:05:41
49Marek Cichosz (Pol) Legia - Felt0:05:45
50Jean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne0:05:51
51Alessandro Gambino (Ita)0:06:16
52Marco Ponta (Ita)0:06:19
53Peter Presslauer (Aut)0:06:24
54Martin Haring (Svk)Row 53 - Cell 2
55Ivar Hartogs (Ned)0:07:15
56Brian Matter (USA)0:07:50
-2lapsLukas Kloucek (Cze) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
-3lapsOsmond Bakker (Can)Row 57 - Cell 2
-6lapsMasashi Matsui (Jpn)Row 58 - Cell 2
-6lapsBoldbaatar Bold-Erdene (Mgl)Row 59 - Cell 2
-6lapsAriunbold Naranbat (Mgl)Row 60 - Cell 2
DNFSven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling TeamRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFJustin Lindine (USA)Row 62 - Cell 2
DNFJeremy Powers (USA) Jelly Belly Cycling TeamRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFFabio Ursi (Ita)Row 64 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
World Cup standings after seven rounds
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus505pts
2Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team485Row 1 - Cell 3
3Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago415Row 2 - Cell 3
4Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team387Row 3 - Cell 3
5Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team335Row 4 - Cell 3
6Gerben De Knegt (Ned)330Row 5 - Cell 3
7Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank307Row 6 - Cell 3
8Francis Mourey (Fra) Française Des Jeux302Row 7 - Cell 3
9Christian Heule (Swi)281Row 8 - Cell 3
10Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas270Row 9 - Cell 3
11Erwin Vervecken (Bel)266Row 10 - Cell 3
12Martin Zlamalik (Cze)252Row 11 - Cell 3
13Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP-Powerplus231Row 12 - Cell 3
14Steve Chainel (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom230Row 13 - Cell 3
15Martin Bina (Cze)219Row 14 - Cell 3
16Petr Dlask (Cze) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team211Row 15 - Cell 3
17Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus206Row 16 - Cell 3
18Mariusz Gil (Pol)206Row 17 - Cell 3
19Thijs Al (Ned)204Row 18 - Cell 3
20Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team193Row 19 - Cell 3
21Jonathan Page (USA)190Row 20 - Cell 3
22Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team174Row 21 - Cell 3
23Marco Bianco (Ita)173Row 22 - Cell 3
24Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team167Row 23 - Cell 3
25Kamil Ausbuher (Cze)159Row 24 - Cell 3
26Jan Verstraeten (Bel)126Row 25 - Cell 3
27Marcel Wildhaber (Swi)124Row 26 - Cell 3
28Laurent Colombatto (Fra)122Row 27 - Cell 3
29John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale116Row 28 - Cell 3
30Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)116Row 29 - Cell 3
31Patrick Van Leeuwen (Ned)115Row 30 - Cell 3
32Ondrej Bambula (Cze)110Row 31 - Cell 3
33Alessandro Gambino (Ita)98Row 32 - Cell 3
34Luca Damiani (Ita) Colavita / Sutter Home PB Cooking Light98Row 33 - Cell 3
35Wilant Van Gils (Ned)92Row 34 - Cell 3
36Nicolas Bazin (Fra) Continental Team Differdange91Row 35 - Cell 3
37David Derepas (Fra)90Row 36 - Cell 3
38Christoph Pfingsten (Ger)88Row 37 - Cell 3
39Fabio Ursi (Ita)82Row 38 - Cell 3
40Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus76Row 39 - Cell 3
41Jérome Chevallier (Fra)75Row 40 - Cell 3
42Jonathan Lopez (Fra)71Row 41 - Cell 3
43Ian Field (GBr)71Row 42 - Cell 3
44Milan Barenyi (Svk)70Row 43 - Cell 3
45Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago59Row 44 - Cell 3
46Egoitz Murgoitio Rekalde (Spa)54Row 45 - Cell 3
47Ivar Hartogs (Ned)51Row 46 - Cell 3
48Johannes Sickmueller (Ger)48Row 47 - Cell 3
49Javier Ruiz De Larrinaga Ibanez (Spa)43Row 48 - Cell 3
50Pawel Szczepaniak (Pol)41Row 49 - Cell 3
51James Driscoll (USA) Rock Racing39Row 50 - Cell 3
52Robert Glajza (Svk)38Row 51 - Cell 3
53Vaclav Metlicka (Svk)37Row 52 - Cell 3
54Robert Gavenda (Svk) Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team35Row 53 - Cell 3
55Lukas Flückiger (Swi)33Row 54 - Cell 3
56Joachim Parbo (Den)32Row 55 - Cell 3
57Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Continental Team Differdange30Row 56 - Cell 3
58Lukas Kloucek (Cze) Sunweb Pro Job Cycling Team30Row 57 - Cell 3
59Elia Silvestri (Ita)29Row 58 - Cell 3
60Sascha Weber (Ger)28Row 59 - Cell 3
61Martin Haring (Svk)28Row 60 - Cell 3
62Sascha Wagner (Ger)26Row 61 - Cell 3
63Isaac Suarez Fernandez (Spa)25Row 62 - Cell 3
64Roy Van Heeswijk (Ned)25Row 63 - Cell 3
65Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) La - Rota Dos Moveis24Row 64 - Cell 3
66Marco Aurelio Fontana (Ita)23Row 65 - Cell 3
67Arnaud Labbe (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom22Row 66 - Cell 3
68Marco Ponta (Ita)21Row 67 - Cell 3
69Jan Soetens (Bel) Revor-Jartazi Cyclingteam20Row 68 - Cell 3
70Troy Wells (USA)20Row 69 - Cell 3
71Vladimir Kyzivat (Cze)18Row 70 - Cell 3
72Marek Cichosz (Pol) Legia - Felt17Row 71 - Cell 3
73David Seco Amundarain (Spa)16Row 72 - Cell 3
74Unai Yus Kerejeta (Spa)15Row 73 - Cell 3
75Bram Schmitz (Ned) Van Vliet Ebh Elshof14Row 74 - Cell 3
76Daniel Ruiz Echeandia (Spa)14Row 75 - Cell 3
77Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze)13Row 76 - Cell 3
78Zdenek Mlynar (Cze)13Row 77 - Cell 3
79Jody Crawforth (GBr)11Row 78 - Cell 3
80Andreas Moser (Swi)11Row 79 - Cell 3
81Tommy Nielsen (Den)11Row 80 - Cell 3
82Julien Pion (Fra)10Row 81 - Cell 3
83Jens Westergren (Swe)10Row 82 - Cell 3
84René Lang (Swi)10Row 83 - Cell 3
85David Lozano Riba (Spa)9Row 84 - Cell 3
86Clément Bourgoin (Fra)9Row 85 - Cell 3
87Gusty Bausch (Lux)8Row 86 - Cell 3
88Keiichi Tsujiura (Jpn)7Row 87 - Cell 3
89Paul Voss (Ger) Team Milram6Row 88 - Cell 3
90Peter Presslauer (Aut)4Row 89 - Cell 3
91Marek Canecky (Svk)3Row 90 - Cell 3
92Zoltan Tisza (Hun)2Row 91 - Cell 3
93Jean-Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne1Row 92 - Cell 3
94Rafael Visinelli (Ita)1Row 93 - Cell 3

 

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