Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Decueninck) claimed the most important victory of his profession on the Hamme spherical of the X2O Trofee after an exhilarating ultimate lap battle with Belgian champion Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
After chasing again within the quick and tactical 11-lap race following a crash, Iserbyt dictated the tempo on the entrance of a five-rider lead group with lower than three laps to go. On his wheel have been Vandeputte, Spanish champion Felipe Orts (La Vila Joiosa-Neteo), European champion Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) and European champion Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
With restricted passing alternatives on the East Flanders course, Vandeputte was in a position to overtake Iserbyt and held on to safe the Flandiencross victory.
“[The victory] It means rather a lot. I have been using very effectively this season. I have been within the high 4 for each race, aside from yesterday. So to lastly take the massive win within the massive race, it means rather a lot. It means rather a lot for me, but additionally for the people who work with me, that consider in me, and it is my approach to say thanks to each considered one of them who helped me to attain this,” Vandeputte mentioned in a post-race flash interview.
“I believe technically, I rode an excellent race, and ultimately, I simply had essentially the most energy left. To say I am the strongest, it is laborious to say it was a combination between energy and method at this time, and I believe I had the correct mixture of each.”
Orts took third, as Nys crashed laborious within the ultimate lap, finally ending in 14th place, 1:59 behind the winner.
Vandeputte confirmed that he had the legs, going to the entrance on the primary lap because the riders lined up behind him. On the third lap, the primary choice was made when Iserbyt crashed on a small ramp, stating after the race that he was “hit by a photographer”, forcing the riders behind him to place their foot down.
Vanthourenhout, Orts, Vandeputte and Nys continued to cost forward on the entrance whereas behind sequence chief Lars van der Haar led the chase. After a four-lap chase, Iserbyt was in a position to join again onto the lead group as van der Haar dangled round 10 seconds behind. Vanthourenhout and Nys traded locations on the entrance earlier than Orts put in an enormous assault on the paved part, getting a small hole earlier than being reeled again in with eight laps to go.
Van der Haar completed in fifth place, 25 seconds behind the winner, however managed to keep up his lead within the X2O Trofee sequence with a slim 2-second benefit over Iserbyt.
Outcomes
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