For the third year in a row Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Euphony) won the Druivencross in Overijse, Belgium. The race in Overijse is a classic in the cyclo-cross season and big crowds lined up in the rain and mud to see the cyclo-cross stars.
That's despite the fact that since a few years ago the race no longer features in any of the major series. World champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) finished as runner-up – once again – behind the Belgian champion. Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) was third. Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) who won on Saturday in Antwerp but he didn't mix in with the best on Sunday.
Halfway through the race Nys made the decisive move in the soaked meadows of Overijse. The 36-year-old convincingly plowed away from Vantornout on the hilly course with Albert trying to recover from a mistake earlier in the race. The world champion was riding right behind leader Vantornout when he got into the wrong track and into the wiring. From there Nys took the initiative. First he joined Vantornout and when the latter made a mistake himself Nys was gone.
Albert worked hard and with three laps to go he got back to no more than nine seconds from the leader. An entertaining duel seemed to be unfolding. One lap later Nys gained back time on chaser Albert and the latter had to throw in the towel. Nys' lead steadily grew back up and on the bell lap the Belgian champion had time to enjoy the applauds from the big crowds.
Albert settled for second place at half a minute from Nys. Vantornout was third in the mud at less than a minute from the winner. Fast starter Thijs van Amerongen (AA Drink – Leontien.nl) didn't blow up his engine after leading the race in the first laps. The Dutchman showed he's strong on demanding muddy courses and he finished as best of the rest at 1:42, just ahead of Marcel Meisen (BKCP-Powerplus) and French champion Aurélien Duval (ECV Boulzicourt Adrisport). Pauwels barely managed to crack the top-10 after a poor start, finishing in ninth place.
Full Results
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | 0:56:40 |
| 2 | Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:00:28 |
| 3 | Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:00:51 |
| 4 | Thijs van Amerongen (Ned) AA Drink Cyclocross Team | 0:01:43 |
| 5 | Marcel Meisen (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:01:46 |
| 6 | Aurelien Duval (Fra) UV Aube | 0:01:48 |
| 7 | Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Euphony | 0:02:16 |
| 8 | Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Style & Concept | 0:02:24 |
| 9 | Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:02:44 |
| 10 | Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | Row 9 - Cell 2 |
| 11 | Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:03:00 |
| 12 | Bart Aernouts (Bel) AA Drink Cyclocross Team | 0:03:21 |
| 13 | Martin Zlamalik (Cze) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | 0:03:25 |
| 14 | Mariusz Gil (Pol) Baboco | 0:03:34 |
| 15 | Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:03:38 |
| 16 | Tim Merlier (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:04:12 |
| 17 | Micky van Empel (Ned) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | Row 16 - Cell 2 |
| 18 | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | 0:04:23 |
| 19 | Lubomir Petrus (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus | 0:04:48 |
| 20 | Jonathan Page (USA) | 0:05:00 |
| 21 | Patrick van Leeuwen (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | 0:05:26 |
| 22 | Joeri Adams (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:05:38 |
| 23 | Jens Vandekinderen (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | 0:05:50 |
| 24 | Dave De Cleyn (Bel) | 0:06:29 |
| 25 | Kevin Cant (Bel) | 0:06:54 |
| 26 | Bart De Vocht (Bel) | 0:07:02 |
| 27 (-1 lap) | Floris De Tier (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-KDL | Row 26 - Cell 2 |
| 28 | Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) 36Cycling | Row 27 - Cell 2 |
| 29 | Davy Commeyne | Row 28 - Cell 2 |
| 30 | Stef Boden (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | Row 29 - Cell 2 |
| 31 (-2 laps) | Niels Koyen (Bel) | Row 30 - Cell 2 |
| 32 | Matthias Bossuyt (Bel) Sunweb-Revor | Row 31 - Cell 2 |
| 33 | Ingmar Uytdewilligen (Bel) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
| 34 (-3 laps) | Dany Lacroix (Bel) | Row 33 - Cell 2 |
| 35 | Dries Pauwels (Bel) Melbotech Prorace CT | Row 34 - Cell 2 |
| 36 (-4 laps) | Joe Fox (GBr) | Row 35 - Cell 2 |
| 37 | Janos Panyl (Hun) | Row 36 - Cell 2 |
| 38 | Joe Atkins (GBr) | Row 37 - Cell 2 |
| 39 (-5 laps) | Hugo Ferreira (Por) | Row 38 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Radomir Simunek (Cze) BKCP - Powerplus | Row 39 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet - Fidea | Row 40 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) BKCP - Powerplus | Row 41 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Orange Babies Cycling Team | Row 42 - Cell 2 |
| DNF | Steven De Decker (Bel) | Row 43 - Cell 2 |
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