Niels Albert (Palmans – Cras) continued his explosive season, taking home his fifth win of the young campaign at the year’s second Superprestige stop in Veghel-Eerde, Netherlands. Albert crossed the line a distant 39 seconds ahead of World Champion Lars boom (Rabobank), who outsprinted Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner) for second. Behind them, Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb – Projob) came home in fourth, followed by Fidea’s Bart Wellens. Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) recorded a solid 15th place finish, enough to pick himself up a point in the Superpresige standings. After two races in the series, Albert and Nys are tied atop the rankings with 28 points a piece, followed by Vantornout with 26.
Sunday’s weather was much improved from that seen at the Koppenberg Cross on Sunday. The rain was gone and the speeds were once again on the rise. One thing the weather could not change, however, was the members of the podium, with the same three riders stepping up to the podium, albeit in a different order.
The riders wasted no time to get the action underway, as Klaas Vantornout and Radomir Simunek (Palmas – Cras) took the reigns on the first lap, getting a gap established before one lap was even in the books. As the leaders completed their first circuit around the course, Albert had begun his assault, moving up to the leading duo out of the chasing group behind. Wasting no time, Albert laid down the pressure, and quickly shed Simunek from the front. Albert’s moves prompted action from the chasing group, with Sven Nys’ teammate, Rob Peeters, and the World Champ taking off in pursuit. Neither were particularly successful in taking back any time from Albert, but were able to reel back Vantornout. By the third lap, only Boom was still left between Albert and the chasers, and soon enough, even Boom was brough back into the fold.
With Albert’s lead extending, the chasers, who now numbered 11, had resigned themselves to racing for second. An attack from Nys, Vantornout and Thijs Al (AA Drink – BeOne) created some flare in the chasing group and effectively unsettled things. The attack even seemed to unsettle Nys, as he crashed a lap later, nullifying the effects of his acceleration. The group tried to take advantage of Nys’ slip up, but were unable to eliminate Nys from competition. The confusion in the chasing group allowed the lead to extend to about a minute. An attack from Nys, with Boom following, combined with a crash from Vantornout essentially settled the running order on the course, and small groups were left to fight it out for final positioning.
Albert easily cruised home, taking home the victory, with Lars Boom taking the sprint ahead of Sven Nys. Vantornout outsprinted Bart Wellens for fourth, after the two had tried in vain to close down the gap to Nys and Boom. Vantornout finished 52 seconds behind Albert, with Wellens 58 seconds adrift.
Elite Men
1 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans – Cras
2 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank
3 Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner
4 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
5 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
6 Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
7 Thijs Al (Ned) AA Drink – BeOne
8 Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner
9 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Palmans – Cras
10 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank
11 Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabobank
12 Erwin Vervecken (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
13 Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
14 Petr Dlask (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team
15 Jonathan Page (USA) Planet Bike
16 Wilant van Gils (Ned) Pro Cycling Team ZZPR.nl-Destil-Merida
17 Jan Verstraeten (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
18 Ben Berden (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
19 Tom Van den Bosch (Bel) Rendementhypo Cycling Team
20 Radomir Simunek (Bel) Palmans – Cras
21 Thijs Van Amerongen (Ned) Van Vliet EBH Elshof
22 Richard Groenendaal (Ned) AA Drink – Be One
23 Geert Wellens (Bel) AVB-USSspa Cycling Team Kasterlee
24 Eddy van IJzendoorn (Ned) AA Drink – BeOne
25 Oscar Vazquez (Spa)
26 Patrick Van Leeuwen (Bel) Het Snelle Wiel
27 Jempy Drucker (Lux) Fidea Cycling Team
28 Bjorn Rondelez (Bel) Lingier Versluys Beachbikers Team VZW
29 Roy Van Heeswijk (Ned)
One lap behind
30 Nico Clarysse (Bel)
31 Sten Raeymakers (Bel) Cyclingteam Oost-West VZW
32 Daan De Jonge (Ned) Josan-Mercedes Team
33 Patrick de Laat (Ned)
34 Micha de Vries (Ned)
35 Rik Adriaans (Ned)
DNF Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Fidea Cycling Team
DNF Camiel Van Den Bergh (Ned) Rendementhypo Cycling Team
DNF Martin Zlámalík (Cze) Prodoli Racing Team
DNF Wim Jacobs (Bel) Granville-Morgan Blue Cycling Team
DNF Jan Soetens (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
DNF Jerry Kallenfels (Ned) Easypay Cyclocross Team
DNF Mathijs Wagenaar (Ned) Team Asito
DNF Marco Bianco (Ita) L´Arcobaleno Carraro Team
DNF Germon Peeters (Ned)
U23 Men
1 Marek Konwa (Pol)
2 Jan Van Dael
3 Dave De Cleyn
4 Rik van IJzendoorn (Ned)
5 Stef Boden
6 Geert van der Horst (Ned)
7 Kevin Cant
8 Davy De Scheemaeker
9 Julian van Dijk (Ned)
10 Ruben Veestraeten
11 Kaj Slenter (Ned)
12 Bart Barkhuis (Ned)
13 Marco Minnaard (Ned)
14 Dennis Verhoeven (Ned)
15 Kevin Smit
16 Kobus Hereijgers (Ned)
17 Jorn van Veen (Ned)
18 Maurits Lammertink (Ned)
19 Jordy van Erp (Ned)
20 Mauro Gonzalez (Spa)
21 Nils van Kooij (Ned)
22 Stijn Mortelmans
23 Bjorn Selander (USA)
24 Harm van der Sanden (Ned)
25 Jelle Brackman (Ned)
26 Edwin Arts (Ned)
One lap behind
27 Jack Vermeulen op
28 Kamil Gradik (Pol)
29 Matusz Chmurzewski (Pol)
30 Cees de Ridder (Ned)
31 Patrick van Nunen (Ned)
32 Steve van Leijen (Ned)
33 Lucien Volleberg (Ned)
34 Ricardo Robben (Ned)
Jr. Men
1 David van der Poel (Ned)
2 Gert-Jan Bosman (Ned)
3 Niels Koyen
4 Jens Adams
5 Hendrik Sweeck
6 Jelle Lugten (Ned)
7 Daan Meijers (Ned)
8 Milan Svoboda (Tsj)
9 Robin Wennekes (Ned)
10 Dennis Stultiens (Ned)
11 Kenzie Boutté
12 Guillaume Van Keirsbulck
13 Daniel Vesely (Tsj)
14 Wilco van Beusekom (Ned)
15 Arlan Smit (Ned)
16 Kay Welten (Ned)
17 Joey van Rhee (Ned)
18 Davey Kleinjan (Ned)
19 Herba Wolciech (Pol)
20 Bart Harmsen (Ned)
21 Jeffrey Vink (Ned)
22 Triston Martens (Ned)
23 Mark van der Heijden (Ned)
24 Dennis van Aalst (Ned)
25 Patrik Bauer (Can)
26 Dion Vanhommerig (Ned)
27 Bram van den Oetelaar (Ned)
28 Joakim Zuidema (Ned)
One lap behind
29 Martijn Pastoors (Ned)
30 Djago Smits (Ned)
31 Willem Klein Tijssink (Ned)
32 Martijn Kip (Ned)
33 Olaf Oussoren (Ned)
34 Axel Dekker (Ned)
35 Robin Leygraaff (Ned)
36 Lars van Ballegooijen (Ned)
37 Manuel Timmermans (Ned)
