Tom Meeusen was superior in the Waasland Cross in Sint-Niklaas. "I thought that Rob Peeters would keep fighting. No, it was just a matter of making no mistakes," said the winner afterwards. "It was not possible to pass Tom so I only rode to defend what I had," said second-placed Rob Peeters.

Meeusen: Two from two is not a possibility

Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea Lions) got an important victory in Sint-Niklaas. Last week, the Belgian did not ride the European championships. 

"I had to wait and see. I deliberately skipped the European Championships last week but I have trained very hard. Thus, I was tired at the start of the Koppenbergcross and I did not have great result. That disturbed my head a bit but this win makes up for it. With lots of sand sections, the course suited me. It was nice to to race on such a course," he told Het Nieuwsblad.

Meeusen was chased by Rob Peeters but the latter failed to make him crack. 

"I thought that Rob would keep fighting,” he said with a laugh. “No, no. It was just a matter of making no mistakes. I didn’t make any and kept a solid pace. Therefore he could not come back.”

On Sunday the third round of the Superprestige Series will be held in Ruddervoorde. 

"I have already won and been on the podium there , but probably I'll feel today’s effort. But that does not matter, I will give everything. But two from two is not at issue with Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel at the start. We'll see," the winner said.

Rob Peeters: It does not work to put myself under pressure

Rob Peeters (Crelan-Vastgoedservice) was satisfied with second place in Sint-Niklaas. It's a solid comeback from a rider that has been written off too often. 

"People do so pretty quickly, it often happens," Peeters told Sporza. "Last year I would already have given up hope, but now I’m not. I am not disturbed by what they say. I love this race. You just start and have the legs. Then you have to keep going. That does not work every week.”

Peeters also realized that mistakes would determine the race.

"With Tom and me, it was wait and see who would make the first mistake. But he didn’t. I rode faster and faster through the sand sections, but he did so too. Eventually I was about to crash. I found my courage again, but I could not catch Tom bijhalen. Behind me there was a big gap. Then I just rode to conserve what I had. "

After the downs of the past year, Peeters has no pressure anymore, not even for tomorrow. 

"To make my mark every week is not possible. I must wait and seize my chance when it is there. To put myself under pressure does not work. If I am bad, I go home directly and I do not think more about it.”

Toon Aerts: I had the legs in the finale

The European champion Toon Aerts (Telenet-Fidea Lions) took third place Ster in Sint-Niklaas. The other two were already gone but Aerts was still able to take third. 

"Personally, I was not fresh enough to ride the entire race in the lead. In the final I had it in the legs, but not in the entire race."

Aerts benefited from a number of sections where he could catch his breath. Hence, he could recover enough to secure third place. 

"The course was not suited to me. Such a race just before the race in Ruddervoorde is just too difficult. The organizers should sometimes take that into account."