Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 4:50 PM
<a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/like-wout-van-aert-eli-iserbyt-performs-a-one-man-show-in-france-cyclocross-world-cup-2021/" title="Like Wout van Aert: Eli Iserbyt performs a one-man show in France | Cyclocross World Cup 2021″>Michael Vanthourenhout has won his first victory of this cyclo-cross season. The European champion won the Kermiscross Ardooie by distancing himself from his teammate Eli Iserbyt and Witse Meeussen in the last lap. Iserbyt came second, Meeussen third.
Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal had the top favorites for the Kermiscross Ardooie. Michael Vanthourenhout and Eli Iserbyt, disqualified in Beringen after an incident with Ryan Kamp, were both at the start of the C2-cross. The competition had to come from Joran Wyseure and Gerben Kuypers, last year’s winner.
Large group fights for victory
However, it was Lander Loockx who came through first after one lap. The Tour de Tietema-Unibet rider did not yet have a gap, because a long line of riders followed behind him. In any case, it was difficult to get away in the opening phase. Defending champion Kuypers opened up a gap just before the start of the third round, but he was soon overtaken by eleven pursuers.
Of the twelve riders at the front, Felipe Orts and Michael Vanthourenhout were very active. Partly due to their increased pace, the leading group slowly but surely thinned out further, until two laps from the end there were only eight men left. In addition to Orts and Vanthourenhout, Wyseure, Iserbyt, Kuypers, Witse Meeussen, Lander Loockx and Jens Adams were also up front. They would fight for victory.
Vanthourenhout at the party
In the penultimate round Iserbyt then disbanded his devils. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider created a gap, which could only be closed by Vanthourenhout and Meeussen. The three of them started the final round. For a moment we seemed to be heading for a sprint, but in the last stretches through the field Vanthourenhout still managed to shake off his companions. The European champion crossed the line solo and recorded his first victory of the season, after finishing second in Beringen last weekend. Iserbyt came second, Meeussen third.
