Nys rails at turn in Oostmalle
In a fitting end to the season, the season’s top two strongest riders battled for a victory in Oostmalle, Belgium in the final race of the GVA Trophy series. World Champ Niels Albert had promised before the race to do his best to extend his winning streak at the race to three-in-a-row, and quickly moved to the front on the first lap, and only the two Svens (Nys and Vanthourenhout) could keep pace. Meanwhile, typical contenders Lars Boom, Klaas Vantornout and Bart Wellens had slow starts, all three sitting near 20th as the selection was made. Perhaps for the three it was just a parade?
Parade it was not for Albert, and as he kept up the pressure, only the young Kevin Pauwels was able to bridge to the leading three. But just as Pauwels made the group, Nys accelerated, and soon it was just him and Albert, with Venthourenhout and Pauwels chasing.
Nys and Albert entered the last lap together, but Albert had a disaster during a dismount. Riding on the side of his bike, he turned his semi-slick-treaded front wheel too radically in the sand, and flew over the bars. And just like that, Nys was gone.
Nys had hoped he and Albert could put on a good show for the fans, and said “I prefer to see a sprint ending, and I was ready to try for the sprint, but suddenly [Albert] was gone. And then of course you cannot wait.”
Vanthourenhout took third ahead of Pauwels. Behind the lead four, Wellens showed that he was not at the race just to show his face, and moved up impressively through the field to finish in fifth, just behind his teammate Pauwels. Boom and Vantornout, however, never recovered from their slow start, finishing in 17th and 18th.
Today was the final race for Richard Groenendaal, and the retiring Dutch star savored his last race to finish in 19th, to a standing ovation.
With his win, Nys extended his lead in the GVA Trophy series points, but had already secured the title before the day’s start. Bart Wellens retained his second place, with Stybar in third.
Daphny van den Brand leads Marianne Vos
In the women’s race, World Champ Marianne Vos and compatriot Daphny van den Brand quickly left the field behind, and the two dimunitive Dutch women rode together, neither being able to drop the other on the dry, sandy course. In the final sprint, the end result was inevitable, and Vos easily took the win. Sanne van Paassen looked to make it a Dutch sweep of the podium, but Belgian Sanne Cant caught her and beat her in the final sprint. Christine Vardaros was again the lone American, and finished her season with a 14th place.
In the U23 race, Tom Meeusen won a four-up sprint over Aernouts, Kenneth Van Compernolle and Vincent Baestaens to take the win, with World Champ Phillip Walsleben overcoming a very slow start to nearly catch the leading four. World Champ Tijmen Eising continued his dominance, winning his last race as a Junior.
Photo Gallery:
Results:
Men:
1. Sven Nys (Baal/Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) (Bel) in 1h 01:07
2. Niels Albert (Bel) 0:18
3. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) 0:22
4. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) 0:26
5. Bart Wellens (Bel) 0:30
6. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) 0:33
7. Bart Aernouts (Bel)
8. Erwin Vervecken (Bel)
9. Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned)
10. Rob Peeters (Bel) 0:41
11. Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel)
12. Gerben de Knegt (Ned)
13. Thijs Al (Ned)
14. Jan Verstraeten (Bel)
15. Ben Berden (Bel)
16. Marco Bianco (Ita)
17. Klaas Vantornout (Bel)
18. Lars Boom (Ned)
19. Richard Groenendaal (Ned)
20. Wilant Van Gils (Ned)
Women:
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) in 36:13
2. Daphny van den Brand (Ned)
3. Sanne Cant 0:48
4. Sanne van Paassen (Ned)
5. Saskia Elemans (Ned) 2:33
6. Joyce Vanderbeken 2:43
7. Reza Hormes-Ravenstijn (Ned) 3:00
8. Nikki Harris (GBr)
9. Nicolle De Bie-Leyten 3:26
10. Loes Sels
Espoir:
1. Tom Meeusen (Essen/Fidea) (Bel), in 52:02
2. Jim Aernouts (Bel) s.t.
3. Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel)
4. Vincent Baestaens (Bel)
5. Philipp Walsleben (Ger) op 0:04
6. Mitchell Huenders (Ned) 0:08
7. Quentin Bertholet (Bel) 0:13
8. Kevin Cant (Bel) 0:25
9. Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) 0:40
10. Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) 0:55
Junior:
1. Tijmen Eising (Ned) 40:49
2. Wietse Bosmans (Bel) 0:17
3. Lars van der Haar (Ned) 0:19
4. Hendrik Sweeck (Bel) 1:16
5. Jens Adams (Bel) 2:12
6. Niels Koyen (Bel) 2:18
7. Mike Teunissen (Ned) 2:36
8. Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) 2:43
9. Jesper Baelen (Bel) 3:12
10. Ritchie Denolf (Bel) 3:13
GvA Overall Standings – Final
1. Sven Nys – 276 points
2. Bart Wellens – 223
3. Zdenek Stybar – 215
4. Kevin Pauwels – 199
5. Niels Albert – 189
6. Bart Aernouts – 184
7. Thijs Al – 177
8. Dieter Vanthourenhout – 157
9. Gerben de Knegt – 153
10. Sven Vanthourenhout – 150
