Sven Nys got his revenge from yesterday's defeat in the Superprestige race in Hamme-Zogge when he excelled in the mud in the Jaarmarktcross in Niel. The world champion was in a class of his own and took a hugely convincing solo win ahead of young Wout Van Aert who was a surprising 2nd, and Rob Peeters while yesterday's winner Niels Albert was unable to repeat his feat and finished back in 7th.

 

Yesterday Sven Nys saw archrival Niels Albert take the spoils in the muddy Superprestige race in Hamme-Zogge but the world champion put things back on track just 24 hours later when he took a dominant win in the Jaarmarktcross. On an even more muddy course in Niel, he overcame a bad start to ride away on his own and take his fifth triumph in the historic race.

 

The early part of the race was dominated by young Wout Van Aert who had a breakthrough performance in Niel. Having attacked on the first lap, the youngster led for most of the race and at one point he was even more than 30 seconds ahead of the main favourites.

 

However, Nys was in a determined mood and the world champion made repeated acceleration on a muddy section to gradually get rid of his rivals. At first, only Philip Walsleben could keep up with him but later the German champion had to succumb too, leaving Nys in lone pursuit of the young Van Aert.

 

The world champion caught the youngster who did a fantastic job to stay with the sport's main star for more than a lap before finally falling off the pace. While Nys rode away to take the win, Van Aert did a fantastic job to take 2nd while his Telenet-Fidea teammate Rob Peeters took 3rd.

 

Like Nys, yesterday's winner Albert had a bad start but while the world champion overcame his initial struggles, Albert was always playing catch up. Having quickly realized that the win was beyond his reach, the 2012 winner lost his motivation and rode an uninspired race to take 7th.

 

The race is one of the few major events that is not part of either the World Cup or the Superprestige or Bpost Bank Trofee race series. Racing resumes in the weekend which is a big one, with the Bpost race in Hasselt held on Saturday and the Superprestige race in Gavere following one day later.

 

Walsleben and Vantonout acceletate from the gun

Philip Walsleben won the opening sprint for the front position, with Klaas Vantornout riding in second in the first part of the race. After the first muddy section, the duo got a slight gap but when Vantornout took the front position, the duo was back in the bunch.

 

Vantornout was overtaken by Julien Taramarcaz who strung the peloton. The Swiss champions applied the pressure and gaps started to open up in the peloton. Niels Albert and Sven Nys had both had a bad start and were riding far back in the main group on the muddy course.

 

Van Aert rides away

Near the end of the first lap, Wout Van Aert attacked and opened up a gap on a 10-rider chase group that included Vantornout, Walsleben amd Kevin Pauwels. Albert was leading a second group while Nys was still trying to overcome his bad start, desperately leading the chase in a third group.

 

Having hid a little in the main group, Vantornout decided to launch an attack in a muddy section. As Rob Peeters stumbled, the Belgian champion opened up a gap and set off in pursuit of Van Aert.  Walsleben and Jim Aernouts were riding in 3rd and 4th while Taramarcaz led the main peloton which now also contained both Nys and Albert.

 

Most of the peloton comes back together

Walsleben and Aernouts caught Vantornout while the main group split up under the impetus of Pauwels. Very quickly, the Sunweb rider, Thijs Van Amerongen and Rob Peeters caught the Vantornout group but when things slowed down, the peloton came back together, with Van Aert being the only remaining escapee.

 

At the second passage of the line, the leader was 30 seconds ahead of the peloton which still contained around 15 riders. Marcel Meisen hit the front and the German led the peloton in the first part of the circuit while Albert, Vantornout and Nys were hiding far back in the group.

 

Nys makes his first attack

In a muddy section, Nys suddenly hit the front and made a fierce acceleration. The world champion immediately opened up a gap, with only Walsleben being able to keep up with him. Bart Aernouts and Peeters led a small group that also included Meisen, Van Amerongen and Pauwels and was in pursuit of the Nys duo.

 

 Albert had gradually recovered from his bad start and was now getting closer to the 5-rider chase group. When he made contact, Aernouts and Peeters had, however, separated themselves from the group and were now riding together as they tried to reel in Nys and Walsleben.

 

Van Aert still with a solid gap

At the third passage of the finish line, Van Aert was 22 seconds ahead of Nys and Walseben while Aernouts and Peeters were 10 seconds further adrift. Albert, Meisen, Van Amerongen and Pauwels were not far behind as Albert took a short breather after his long chase.

 

When Nys hit the muddy section where he had made his first attack, he made another acceleration. This time Walsleben had no response and the world champion quickly opened up a big gap.

 

Nys catches Van Aert

Nys was now giving his all and was closing the gap to Van Aert at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, Peeters and Aerbouts had caught Peeters while Albert has started to accelerate in his group. The pace was too much for Meisen who disappeared.

 

At the passage of the line, Nys had caught Van Aert and the duo were 34 seconds ahead of the two chase groups that had merged into a sextet composed of Walsleben, Aernouts, Peeters, Pauwels, Albert and Van Amerongen. Meisen was riding on his own a little further behind while Taramarcaz was riding in 10th position ahead of a group led by Vantornout.

 

Nys tries to get rid of Van Aert

When Nys reached his favourite muddy section, he made an attack for the third consecutive lap but Van Aert proved more resistant than expected. The Belgian was able to keep up with his famous compatriot and so Nys had to slow down to catch his breath.

 

Van Aert knew that he was the underdog and so he wisely left all the work to the world champion. However, the world champion was on a roll and halfway through the lap, the gap had opened up to a massive 40 seconds.

 

The gap keeps growing

At the end of the 5th lap, the advantage had even grown to a minute as Albert led the chase group across the line. Meisen and Taramarcaz were riding together 25 seconds further adrift while the Vantornout group had blown to pieces.

 

Nys applied the pressure as soon as he started the next lap and finally, Van Aert succumbed. The oungster had to let the world champion go in a quest to conserve his 2nd place. Meanwhile, the AA drink of Aernouts and Van Amerongen were doing most of the work in the chase group as they had done it one the previous lap as well.

 

The chase group splits up

Aernouts' hard pace was enough for the group to split up and the AA drink rider rode away from his companions with Peeters, Walsleben and Van Amerongen chasing behind. Albert and Pauwels were now in severe difficulty and yesterday's winner Albert appeared to have given up.

 

As Nys started the penultimate lap, he was 11 seconds ahead of Van Aert who was still riding extremely well. Peeters had caught Aernouts but the duo was now 1.17 behind. Pauwels, Van Amerongen and Pauwels were 7 seconds further adrift while Albert was on his own a little further behind. Taramarcaz and Meisen completed the top 10.

 

Peeters takes third

In the muddy section, Peeters left Aernouts behind while Walsleben rode left Van Amerongen and Pauwels in his wake. At this point all the riders in the top 10 were riding on their own on the muddy course that turned the race into a true survival battle.

 

Nys started the final lap with a comfortable lead over Van Aert who was clearly more focused on securing a breakthrough 2nd place behind the world champion. However, the young Belgian was still riding a great race and was still far ahead of Peeters who had opened up a solid gap to Aernouts.

 

Albert has lost all motivation

Walsleben, Van Amerongen and Albert had now joined forces while Pauwels was a little further behind. However, Albert had clearly lost his motivation and when he stumbled in a muddy section, he appeared as though he was about to give up.

 

Nys had no reason to be concerned with Albert's travails and the world champion rode a solid final lap and had plenty of time to celebrate his win when he reached the line. Clad in a very muddy rainbow jersey, he raised his arms in celebration while Van Aert rolled across the line to take a surprising 2nd place with a tome loss of just 20 seconds.

 

Peeters maintained his gap over Aernouts to make it two Telenet-Fidea riders on the podium while Van Amerongen had escaped on his own to round out the top 5. Walsleben took 6th while a disappointed Albert took 7th ahead of Pauwels , Meisen and Taramarcaz.

 

Result:

1. Sven Nys

2. Wout Van Aert

3. Rob Peeters

4. Bart Aernouts

5. Thijs Van Amerongen

6. Philip Walsleben

7. Niels Albert

8. Kevin Pauwels

9. Marcel Meisen

10. Julien Taramarcaz