At the hilly, cobbled Brico Cross Geraardsbergen, the UCI season opener in Belgium, 2016 World Champion Wout van Aert (Crelan-Vastgoedservice) and Belgian Champion Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) opened their 2016/2017 cyclocross season with wins.
In both races, despite the technical, hilly course, pack racing was the theme of the day, and both races came down to late race moves.
Cant took a sprint finish over Jolien Verschueren (Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team) as the two nearly collided on the cobbles before Cant surged past.
Bij de vrouwen wint @Sannecant de @BricoCross Geraardsbergen. Straks is het aan @WoutvanAert en co, vanaf 15u40 @vtm pic.twitter.com/9aeoSdq8zk
— Jan Suykens (@jsuykens) September 11, 2016
In the men’s race, van Aert attacked late to catch and then distance early aggressor Michael Vanthourenhout (Marlux – Napoleon Games).
Verslag & reacties uit G'bergen. Met @WoutvanAert, Michael Vanthourenhout & @KlaasVantornout https://t.co/bcms6oaoRX pic.twitter.com/X0jUFWTe0W
— Brico Cross (@BricoCross) September 11, 2016
Vanthourenhout led home a three-rider teammate train, as Klaas Vantornout and Kevin Pauwels followed in third and fourth.
See the full video of the men’s race above, and full results of both men’s and women’s races below.
2016 Brico Cross Geraardsbergen, Belgium Results - Elite Men
| Pl | Result | Nat | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wout Van Aert | BEL | Crelan-Vastgoedservice | 1:00:02 |
| 2 | Michael Vanthourenhout | BEL | Marlux - Napoleon Games | 0:00:04 |
| 3 | Klaas Vantornout | BEL | Marlux - Napoleon Games | 0:00:08 |
| 4 | Kevin Pauwels | BEL | Marlux - Napoleon Games | |
| 5 | Corne Van Kessel | NED | Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:00:14 |
| 6 | Laurens Sweeck | BEL | Era - Murprotec | 0:00:19 |
| 7 | Jens Adams | BEL | Crelan-Vastgoedservice | 0:00:28 |
| 8 | Dieter Vanthourenhout | BEL | Marlux - Napoleon Games | 0:00:40 |
| 9 | Julien Taramarcaz | SWI | Era - Murprotec | |
| 10 | Tim Merlier | BEL | Crelan-Vastgoedservice | 0:00:46 |
| 11 | Eli Iserbyt | BEL | Marlux - Napoleon Games | 0:00:53 |
| 12 | Quinten Hermans | BEL | Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:09 |
| 13 | Thijs Van Amerongen | NED | Telenet - Fidea Cycling Team | |
| 14 | Jim Aernouts | BEL | Individueel | 0:01:27 |
| 15 | Rob Peeters | BEL | Crelan-Vastgoedservice | 0:01:44 |
| 16 | Daan Soete | BEL | Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:01:50 |
| 17 | Gianni Vermeersch | BEL | Steyaerts - Verona | 0:02:00 |
| 18 | Joeri Adams | BEL | Kdl Cycling Team | 0:02:03 |
| 19 | Yannick Peeters | BEL | Individueel | 0:02:17 |
| 20 | Tom Meeusen | BEL | Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | 0:02:21 |
| 21 | Thomas Joseph | BEL | 0:02:35 | |
| 22 | Gosse Van Der Meer | NED | 0:02:45 | |
| 23 | Vincent Baestaens | BEL | Beobank-Corendon | 0:02:54 |
| 24 | Michael Boros | CZE | BKCP - Corendon | 0:03:03 |
| 25 | Quincy Vens | BEL | Individueel | 0:03:34 |
| 26 | Bart Hofman | BEL | Nodrugs Heroes Flanders | 0:03:36 |
| 27 | Philipp Walsleben | GER | BKCP-Powerplus | 0:03:49 |
| 28 | Jappe Jaspers | BEL | Iko Enertherm-Beobank | 0:03:55 |
| 29 | Jelle Schuermans | BEL | Individueel | 0:04:04 |
| 30 | Braam Merlier | BEL | Tops Antiek - Atom 6 | 0:04:09 |
| 31 | David Van Der Poel | NED | Beobank-Corendon | 0:04:19 |
| 32 | Dario Tielen | BEL | Individueel | 0:04:46 |
| 33 | Kevin Cant | BEL | Era - Murprotec | 0:05:22 |
| 34 | Reno Bauters | BEL | Acrog - Balen Bc | |
| 35 | Vinnie Braet | BEL | Individueel | |
| 36 | Kenneth Van Compernolle | BEL | Individueel | |
| 37 | Kyle De Proost | BEL | Individueel | |
| 38 | Jente Tielemans | BEL | Acrog - Balen BC | |
| 39 | Brecht Vandenheede | BEL | Vzw Wp De Molenspurters Meuleb | |
| DNF | Diether Sweeck | BEL | Era - Murprotec | |
| DNF | Seppe Rombouts | BEL | Acrog - Balen BC |
2016 Brico Cross Geraardsbergen, Belgium Results - Elite Women
| # | Rider | Nat | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanne Cant | BEL | Enertherm-BKCP | 0:45:06 |
| 2 | Jolien Verschueren | BEL | Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | |
| 3 | Laura Verdonschot | BEL | KDL Cycling Team | 0:00:07 |
| 4 | Joyce Vanderbeken | BEL | AA-Drink-Kalas Team | 0:00:16 |
| 5 | Githa Michiels | NED | Lingier Versluys Beachbikers | 0:00:35 |
| 6 | Karen Verhestraeten | BEL | ||
| 7 | Loes Sels | BEL | Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | |
| 8 | Alicia Franck | BEL | Bike7 Racing Team | 0:00:39 |
| 9 | Ceylin Del Carmen Alvarado | SWI | Kleur Op Maat - Nodrugs | |
| 10 | Linda Ter Beek | BEL | Het Twentse Ros/Zwiep Fietsen | 0:01:23 |
| 11 | Pauline Delhaye | BEL | Pauline | 0:01:41 |
| 12 | Maud Kaptheijns | BEL | CX Cycling VZW | 0:02:01 |
| 13 | Geerte Hoeke | NED | WV Breda | 0:02:54 |
| 14 | Kim Van De Steene | BEL | Kon. VC 'T Meetjesland - Kness | 0:03:00 |
| 15 | Ellen Van Loy | BEL | Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team | |
| 16 | Esther Van Der Burg | BEL | Restore Cycling | 0:03:57 |
| 17 | Eva Maria Palm | BEL | AA-Drink-Kalas Team | 0:04:51 |
| 18 | Soetkin Vertenten | BEL | Individueel | 0:05:32 |
| 19 | Axelle Bellaert | BEL | AA-Drink-Kalas Team | 0:05:56 |
| 20 | Aurelie Vermeir | BEL | Bike Advice CT | 0:06:15 |
| 21 | Mara Schwager | BEL | LPM Luxembourg | |
| 22 | Simone Cornelisse | NED | ZRTC Theo Middelkamp | |
| 23 | Tine Rombouts | BEL | Acrog - Balen BC | |
| 24 | Katleen Fraeye | CZE | Alu Decock-Litubel-Wielerteam | |
| 25 | Jo Blanchaert | BEL | K.V.C. Deinze VZW |
