Toon Aerts (Belgium ) took a surprise win at the European Championships when he soloed to victory in the French city of Pontchateau. On a fast course that was almost like a road race, the outsider benefited from the tactical game and a strong Belgian attack to make a well-timed attack and as the chase never got organized, he won the race with a big advantage. Wout van Aert beat Clement Venturini and Mathieu van der Poel in the sprint for second.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Toon Aerts: I never thought I was going to win

"After the reconnaissance on Saturday I knew it would be a fast course, a tactical game where it was possible," European champion Toon Aerts told Het Nieuwsblad. "Of course, I had not thought about the title because I know too well that there is a group of riders that are stronger. On a course like this you never know what to expect, but I did not have the title on my mind.”

He didn’t even do so when he attacked with five laps to go and closed the gap to Frenchman Boulo. "I just wanted to close the gap," he explained, "but when I reached him, I saw that there were a few bike lengths between me and the peloton. I accelerated and suddenly I was alone. Behind me, it was apparently quiet and I just went full gas. I thought that I could maybe win by 15 or 20 seconds but it was only in the last lap that I really started to realize that I would become European champion. I took no risks anymore and soloed to victory. It is unbelievable that I can wear that jersey.”

Last season, in the Soudal Classics race in Leuven in early January, Aerts picked up his first win in the pro ranks, partly due to his teammate Tom Meeusen who did not insist unitl the end. A similar scenario played out at the European Championships where the Belgians, especially Van Aert, played the team game perfectly.

"Maybe I partly got this victory as a gift," he said, "but mind you, you have to be strong enough to ride away, to create a gap. But I must admit that I am obviously very grateful to Wout and I will definitely give him something back in the future. I am very grateful to my Belgian team mates.”

For the Telenet-Fidea Lions riders, it is his biggest victory in his young career. 

"My victory in Leuven was already a good step forward butthis is a step higher," he agreed. “The general public now knows who I am. Now I'm European champion, but I'll stay with the feet on the groun., I'm still not Wout or Mathieu, they are still the big boys and favorites in the other races. Let me enjoy this jersery. I look forward to the Koppenbergcross on Tuesday.”

Van der Poel: It was difficult to make a difference

Mathieu van der Poel was frustrated.

"At the halfway point, I moved to the back of the group because I understood that it did not make much sense," he told Sporza. "I simply focused on the final. I was not going to bring everybody back.

"I don’t think that Toen has been stolen the win. He also had to ride. I tried a few times to make a difference, but it was very difficult.

"I got the best possible result. I would have loved to have the jersey but in the end it was the second place and I think we saw a beautiful race."

Wout van Aert: "I can live with bronze"

Wout van Aert was dreaming of a first European title, but after his silver medal last year he had to settle for bronze. However, the disappointment was less apparent than in the Dutch city of Huijbergen, where he lost the jersey to Lars van der Haar.

"I traveled here to get that jersey," Van Aert admitted, "but I think Toen got a beautiful and deserved title and I can live with bronze."

The jersey was not totally a gift for Aerts but there was no real battle for gold in Pontchâteau. That was mainly due to perfect team work from Wout van Aert who sacrificed his own chances for a compatriot.

"Toen attacked at the perfect time," Van Aert said. "We were behind him, everyone looked at each other and he quickly got a big advantage. It was not up to me or the other Belgians to close that gap."

"I knew beforehand that it would be a tactical game and that's how it was. This is a smart and beautiful win for Toon and a good thing for the Belgians. Even though I wanted the jersey, I can live with that. With a third place I cannot be super satisfied, but the title is in the Belgian camp. I can now still ride in the rainbow jersey and that means a lot to me.”

Van der Haar: One mistake cost me a good result

Lars van der Haar took seventh at the European Cyclocross Championships today in rance, racing in the colours of the Netherlands a year after winning the title in 2015.

The race was a close one between the main favourites for the title, before one rider broke clear and profited from the others marking one another behind to take a solo win 45 seconds ahead of second place. Following a few mistakes in the run into the sprint for second, van der Haar came over the line in seventh place after just over an hour of racing on the testing circuit in Pont-Château.

“I made one mistake and that cost me a good result. I should have moved up in the descent before the technical zone, but decided to stay behind Van der Poel. After the tech zone I couldn’t follow and that was a mistake.

“The whole race went really fast but I made good calls and was in front a lot. But in the end was not good enough to make the race, just to follow.

“When Toon went I looked at the others. He stayed away as nobody went. Then I focused on second which was still possible. And then I made a mistake in the prep for the sprint which was stupid and only my own mistake. Now it’s on to Koppenberg.”