Toon Aerts seals X2O Trofee Series title at Brussels finale

A fall at the start of the Brussels Universities Cyclocross kept him well off the podium, but Toon Aerts' (Baloise Trek Lions) ninth position, 2:07 behind winner Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), was all he needed to comfortably secure the overall title at the X2O Badkamers Trofee series.

Aerts, who has finished runner-up in the series the past three consecutive seasons, had an overwhelming cumulative 7:23 lead over Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) going into the eighth and final round. Even with Iserbyt finishing second in the final contest, Aerts lost only 1:43 to him to maintain a hefty series buffer.

Vanthourenhout proved the best on Sunday, with his first series victory earning him third place overall. 

"I gave everything for three or four laps, enough for the victory. I have now won three times, I can speak of a good season,” he told Sporza after the finish.

It was his first trip back to the top step of the podium in 14 races, last winning at World Cup Namur in December. Iserbyt had back-to-back second-place finishes on the weekend, riding 24 seconds behind Vanthourenhout, while Jens Adams, 36 seconds back, took his first podium of the year.

As the 39 riders headed out of the hole shot, Aerts fell back when he inadvertently unclipped from his pedal and hit the deck. He was in full chase mode from then forward.

After the first pass, it was an all-Pauwels Sauzen affair with Laurens Sweeck trailed by Vanthourenhout and then Iserbyt leading a group of chasers a little more than five seconds behind.

On the fourth of nine laps, Vanthourenhout had taken off for good and began to pass other riders. Leading the chase was the duo of Jens Adams and Iserbyt. It took another lap for Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) to emerge and make a pass of Sweeck.

Iserbyt attacked on the final circuit to go clear of Adams as they made the times stick for the podium, while Aerts finished to celebrate the season-long goal.

“My race was ruined anyway, luckily I already had the overall victory,” said Aerts after he finished in the top 10. “This classification was one of my big goals in advance, together with the World Cup. It was a fiasco, but I'm glad I won."