by Bart Hazen
World Champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) has won the Kermiscross in Ardooie. Albert broke clear from his companions over halfway through the race to take his sixth win of the season. Zdenek Stybar and Sven Vanthourenhout completed the podium.
The first half of the race was a strategic race of two-man team tactics. From the start three duos formed a break including Sven Vanthourenhout and Klaas Vantornout (both Sunweb), Tom Meeusen and Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) and BKCP-Powerplus riders Niels Albert and Dieter Vanthourenhout. The six were later joined by Jan Soetens, Erwin Vervecken and Quentin Bertholet.
The nine riders stayed together until the sixth (of ten), laps. In lap six the World Champion showed, by absence of Sven Nys, who is the best for the moment and attacked. Sven Vanthourenhout could follow Albert for half a lap before dropping back to the chasing group.
In the latter half of the race, Albert didn’t came in any danger to take his sixth win of the season. In the final lap, Stybar dropped Sven Vanthourenhout in the battle for the second place. Klaas Vantornout and Tom Meeusen completed the top five. American Jonathan Page finished in 13th, the same position he finished at the GVA Citadelle de Namur last Saturday.
Sunday the scene continues in Pilzen (Czech-Republic) with the second World Cup of the season. Niels Albert is the current leader in the World Cup after his win in Treviso.
Result
1 Niels Albert BKCP-Powerplus
2 Zdenek Stybar Telenet Fidea Cycling Team
3 Sven Vanthourenhout Sunweb Projob
4 Klaas Vantornout Sunweb Projob
5 Tom Meeusen Telenet Fidea Cycling Team
6 Dieter Vanthourenhout BKCP-Powerplus
7 Jan Soetens Revor Cycling Team
8 Erwin Vervecken Baboco – Revor Cycling Team
9 Lubomir Petrus BKCP-Powerplus
10 Ben Berden Revor Cycling Team
11 Tom Van Den Bosch AA Drinks Cycling Team
12 Jim Aernouts BKCP-Powerplus
13 Jonathan Page Planet Bike
14 Jan Denuwelaere Rendementhypo Cycling Team
15 Quentin Bertholet Telenet Fidea Cycling Team
16 Kenneth Van Compernolle Sunweb Projob
17 Kris Lapere MEZ Team Belgium Snellegem
18 Bjorn Rondelez Lingier Versluys Beachbikers Team Vzw
19 Gianni Denolf BKCP-Powerplus
20 Robby Cobbaert XCLUZIV CYCLING TEAM
21 Geert Wellens AVB Cycling Team
22 Marco Bianco
23 Jiri Polnicky Sunweb ProJob
24 Vinnie Braet Sunweb ProJob
25 Tijmen Eising Sunweb ProJob
26 Bart Verschueren Baboco – Revor Cycling Team
27 Mattia Rossi
