Aernouts takes home victory in under-23 race
Belgian one-two as Frenchman rounds out podium
Belgian Jim Aernouts got the better of compatriot Tom Meeusen in a high quality race at the second round of the International Cycling Union's (UCI) World Cup for under-23 men. In addition to the traditional obstacle of Koksijde's sand dunes, some hail showers added even more spectacle halfway the race.
Belgians Tom Meeusen and Jim Aernouts got rid of French rival Arnaud Jouffroy in the finale and were left to sprint it out for the victory. Aernouts proved the stronger of the two as he grabbed the win from Meeusen.
World Cup leader Robert Gavenda didn't have a great start, but fought his way back into the race. He eventually saved his leader's jersey by holding off Marek Konwa and Belgians Vincent Bastaens and Joeri Adams in the sprint for fourth place.
Sole US-starter Zach McDonald was held up by crashes early on, but showed glimpses of his talent by going smoothly through the sand and eventually finished 43rd.
"After a few laps I blew up my engine and got overheated," McDonald told Cyclingnews. "I was grateful with the hail as it cooled me down. I knew a good placing was no longer possible and in the end I mainly focused on not being lapped."
1 | Jim Aernouts (Belgium) | 0:53:23 |
2 | Tom Meeusen (Belgium) | 0:00:02 |
3 | Arnaud Jouffroy (France) | 0:00:16 |
4 | Robert Gavenda (Slovakia) | 0:00:33 |
5 | Vincent Baestaens (Belgium) | 0:00:36 |
6 | Joeri Adams (Belgium) | Row 5 - Cell 2 |
7 | Marek Konwa (Poland) | Row 6 - Cell 2 |
8 | Tijmen Eising (Netherlands) | 0:01:01 |
9 | Micki Van Empel (Netherlands) | 0:01:08 |
10 | Lars Van Der Haar (Netherlands) | 0:01:30 |
11 | Kevin Cant (Belgium) | 0:01:33 |
12 | Jan Denuwelaere (Belgium) | 0:01:38 |
13 | Kevin Eeckhout (Belgium) | 0:02:04 |
14 | Marcel Meisen (Germany) | 0:02:11 |
15 | Cristian Cominelli (Italy) | 0:02:15 |
16 | Matthieu Boulo (France) | 0:02:18 |
17 | Mitchell Huenders (Netherlands) | 0:02:27 |
18 | Sascha Weber (Germany) | 0:02:33 |
19 | Jiri Polnicky (Czech Republic) | 0:02:40 |
20 | Kacper Szczepaniak (Poland) | 0:02:56 |
21 | Pawel Szczepaniak (Poland) | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
22 | Stef Boden (Belgium) | 0:03:02 |
23 | Sven Beelen (Belgium) | 0:03:13 |
24 | Wietse Bosmans (Belgium) | 0:03:30 |
25 | David Menger (Czech Republic) | 0:03:37 |
26 | Vinnie Braet (Belgium) | 0:03:51 |
27 | Karel Hnik (Czech Republic) | 0:03:54 |
28 | Corne Van Kessel (Netherlands) | 0:04:32 |
29 | Arnaud Grand (Switzerland) | 0:04:38 |
30 | Melvin Rulliere (France) | 0:04:42 |
31 | Ole Quast (Germany) | 0:04:45 |
32 | Matteo Trentin (Italy) | 0:04:50 |
33 | Jannik Hyldtoft Hansen (Denmark) | Row 32 - Cell 2 |
34 | Lukas Winterberg (Switzerland) | 0:05:03 |
35 | Michael Schweizer (Germany) | 0:05:37 |
36 | Mattias Nilsson (Sweden) | 0:05:41 |
37 | Elia Silvestri (Italy) | 0:06:06 |
38 | Dario Stauble (Switzerland) | 0:06:08 |
39 | Jonas Schau Guddal (Denmark) | 0:06:51 |
40 | Kenneth Hansen (Denmark) | 0:07:02 |
41 | Michael Winterberg (Switzerland) | 0:07:19 |
42 | Irwin Gras (France) | 0:07:49 |
43 | Zach Mcdonald (United States Of America) | 0:09:06 |
44 | Kamil Gradek (Poland) | -1 lap |
45 | Fabian Danner (Germany) | Row 44 - Cell 2 |
46 | Toni Bretschneider (Germany) | -2 laps |
47 | Naran Khangarid (Mongolia) | Row 46 - Cell 2 |
48 | Baasankhuu Myagmarsuren (Mongolia) | Row 47 - Cell 2 |
49 | Marek Canecky (Slovakia) | -3 laps |
50 | Thomas Girard (France) | Row 49 - Cell 2 |
1 | Robert Gavenda (Svk) Slovakia | 100 | pts |
2 | Tom Meeusen (Bel) Belgium | 80 | Row 1 - Cell 3 |
3 | Arnaud Jouffroy (Fra) France | 80 | Row 2 - Cell 3 |
4 | Jim Aernouts (Bel) Belgium | 63 | Row 3 - Cell 3 |
5 | Cristian Cominelli (Ita) Italy | 61 | Row 4 - Cell 3 |
6 | Vincent Baestaens (Bel) Belgium | 54 | Row 5 - Cell 3 |
7 | Lubomir Petrus (Cze) Czech Republic | 50 | Row 6 - Cell 3 |
8 | Micki Van Empel (Ned) Netherlands | 50 | Row 7 - Cell 3 |
9 | Arnaud Grand (Swi) Switzerland | 42 | Row 8 - Cell 3 |
10 | Tijmen Eising (Ned) Netherlands | 42 | Row 9 - Cell 3 |
11 | Jiri Polnicky (Cze) Czech Republic | 40 | Row 10 - Cell 3 |
12 | Matthieu Boulo (Fra) France | 37 | Row 11 - Cell 3 |
13 | Pawel Szczepaniak (Pol) Poland | 34 | Row 12 - Cell 3 |
14 | Sascha Weber (Ger) Germany | 33 | Row 13 - Cell 3 |
15 | Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Belgium | 32 | Row 14 - Cell 3 |
16 | Joeri Adams (Bel) Belgium | 30 | Row 15 - Cell 3 |
17 | Kevin Cant (Bel) Belgium | 30 | Row 16 - Cell 3 |
18 | Marek Konwa (Pol) Poland | 28 | Row 17 - Cell 3 |
19 | Lars Van Der Haar (Ned) Netherlands | 28 | Row 18 - Cell 3 |
20 | Mitchell Huenders (Ned) Netherlands | 28 | Row 19 - Cell 3 |
21 | Marcel Meisen (Ger) Germany | 25 | Row 20 - Cell 3 |
22 | Kevin Eeckhout (Bel) Belgium | 18 | Row 21 - Cell 3 |
23 | Alessandro Calderan (Ita) Italy | 18 | Row 22 - Cell 3 |
24 | Luca Braidot (Ita) Italy | 17 | Row 23 - Cell 3 |
25 | Karel Hnik (Cze) Czech Republic | 16 | Row 24 - Cell 3 |
26 | Ole Quast (Ger) Germany | 15 | Row 25 - Cell 3 |
27 | Kacper Szczepaniak (Pol) Poland | 11 | Row 26 - Cell 3 |
28 | Nico Brüngger (Swi) Switzerland | 11 | Row 27 - Cell 3 |
29 | Stef Boden (Bel) Belgium | 9 | Row 28 - Cell 3 |
30 | Bryan Falaschi (Ita) Italy | 9 | Row 29 - Cell 3 |
31 | Sven Beelen (Bel) Belgium | 8 | Row 30 - Cell 3 |
32 | Wietse Bosmans (Bel) Belgium | 7 | Row 31 - Cell 3 |
33 | Michael Schweizer (Ger) Germany | 7 | Row 32 - Cell 3 |
34 | David Menger (Cze) Czech Republic | 6 | Row 33 - Cell 3 |
35 | Vinnie Braet (Bel) Belgium | 5 | Row 34 - Cell 3 |
36 | Filip Adel (Cze) Czech Republic | 5 | Row 35 - Cell 3 |
37 | Max Walsleben (Ger) Germany | 4 | Row 36 - Cell 3 |
38 | Corne Van Kessel (Ned) Netherlands | 3 | Row 37 - Cell 3 |
39 | Kenneth Van Compernolle (Bel) Belgium | 2 | Row 38 - Cell 3 |
40 | Melvin Rulliere (Fra) France | 1 | Row 39 - Cell 3 |
41 | Matthias Rupp (Swi) Switzerland | 1 | Row 40 - Cell 3 |
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