Middelkerke: Van der Poel, Cant win Superprestige series closer in Belgium

Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) and reigning two-time world champion Wout van Aert (Crelan-Charles) continued their fiercely contested rivalry over the eighth and final round of the Superprestige in Middelkerke, Belgium on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Dutch champion and rainbow jersey predecessor won his seventh Superprestige of the season and his second since finishing runner-up to Van Aert at the world championships in Bieles due to several mid-race flats. Van Aert (BEL) took second 10 seconds back, followed by Lars van der Haar (Telenet-Fidea Lions), Laurens Sweeck (ERA-Circus0 and Gianni Vermeersch (Steylaerts-Verona) all 29 seconds off the winner.

Van der Poel also claimed the series title with 119 points with Van Aert in second (113), Sweeck in third (92) and Kevin Pauwels (Marlux-Napoleon Games) in fourth (72).

Top 10

• 1. Mathieu VAN DER POEL, (NED), in 56:26
• 2. Wout VAN AERT, (BEL), at 6:46
• 3. Laurens SWEECK, (BEL), at 6:56
• 4. Lars VAN DER HAAR, (NED), at 7:03
• 5. Gianni VERMEERSCH, (BEL), at 7:25
• 6. Tom MEEUSEN, (BEL), at 7:51
• 7. Vincent BAESTAENS, (BEL), at 8:12
• 8. Corne VAN KESSEL, (NED), at 8:21
• 9. Diether SWEECK, (BEL), at 8:24
• 10. Klaas VANTORNOUT, (BEL), at 8:29

Cant also cruises to race, series win

Recently crowned UCI Cyclo-cross world champion Sanne Cant (IKO Enertherm-Beobank) claimed her fourth Superprestige win of season.

The reigning eight-time Belgian champion crossed the line looking relaxed after five laps with seven-second lead over Dutch rival Sophie de Boer (Breepark), who won two rounds this season including last week’s penultimate Superprestige in Hoogstraten. Ellen van Loy (Telenet-Fidea Lions) rounded out the podium in third (+1:06) followed immediately by Krawatencross winner Maud Kaptheijns (Steylaerts-Verona) two seconds later (+1:08).

The 26-year-old Cant finished the season atop the elite women’s overall standings with 113 points, 13 more than Van Loy and De Boer tied with 100 points to slot into second and third respectively. American Elle Anderson finished fourth overall with 69 points.

Elite women

• 1. Sanne CANT, (BEL), in 49:33
• 2. Sophie DE BOER, (NED), at 9:42
• 3. Ellen VAN LOY, (BEL), at 0:40
• 4. Maud KAPTHEIJNS, (NED), at 0:41
• 5. Nikki BRAMMEIER, (GBR), at 0:55
• 6. Helen WYMAN, (GBR), at 1:00
• 7. Laura VERDONSCHOT, (BEL), at 1:23
• 8. Elle ANDERSON, (USA), at 2:25
• 9. Loes SELS, (BEL), at 2:52
• 10. Alicia FRANCK, (BEL), at 3:13
• 11. Karen VERHESTRAETEN, (BEL), at 3:42
• 12. Pauline DELHAYE, (FRA), at 4:02
• 13. Ceylin DEL CARMEN ALVARADO, (NED), at 4:05
• 14. Annemarie WORST, (NED), at 4:21
• 15. Joyce VANDERBEKEN, (BEL), at 4:40
• 16. Veerle GOOSSENS, (NED), at 4:48
• 17. Suzanne VERHOEVEN, (BEL) , at 6:06
• 18. Geerte HOEKE, (NED), at 6:14
• 19. Amira MELLOR, (GBR), at 6:15
• 20. Linda TER BEEK, (NED), at 6:46
• 21. Esther VAN DER BURG, (NED), at 6:57
• 22. Julie WRIGHT, (USA), at 7:27
• 23. Shana MAES, (BEL), at 8:20
• 24. Aurelie VERMEIR, (BEL)
• 25. Jinse PEETERS, (BE`L)
• 26. Kim VAN DE PUTTE, (BEL)
• 27. Julie VAN DE VELDE, (BEL)
• 28. Irene GERRITSEN, (NED)
• 29. Christine VARDAROS, (USA)
• 30. Meg DE BRUYNE, (BEL)
• 31. Erin FACCONE, (USA)
• 32. Tine ROMBOUTS, (BEL)
• 33. Lise VAN WUNSEL, (BEL)
• 34. Jo BLANCHAERT, (BEL)
• 35. Anke VAN ROMPAY, (BEL)
• 36. Valerie BOONEN, (BEL)

Elite men

• 1. Mathieu VAN DER POEL, (NED), in 56:24
• 2. Wout VAN AERT, (BEL), at 56:44
• 3. Laurens SWEECK, (BEL), at 56:54
• 4. Lars VAN DER HAAR, (NED), at 57:01
• 5. Gianni VERMEERSCH, (BEL), at 57:23
• 6. Tom MEEUSEN, (BEL), at 57:49
• 7. Vincent BAESTAENS, (BEL), at 58:10
• 8. Corne VAN KESSEL, (NED), at 58:19
• 9. Diether SWEECK, (BEL), at 58:22
• 10. Klaas VANTORNOUT, (BEL), at 58:27
• 11. Jim AERNOUTS, (BEL), at 58:31
• 12. Wietse BOSMANS, (BEL), at 58:35
• 13. Tim MERLIER, (BEL), at 58:39
• 14. Daan SOETE, (BEL), at 58:41
• 15. Kevin PAUWELS, (BEL), at 58:53
• 16. Joeri ADAMS, (BEL), at 59:02
• 17. Dieter VANTHOURENHOUT, (BEL), at 59:47
• 18. Julien TARAMARCAZ, (SUI), at 59:50
• 19. Jan DENUWELAERE, (BEL), at 1:00:14
• 20. Stan GODRIE, (NED), at 1:00:23
• 21. Jens ADAMS, (BEL), at 1:00:48
• 22. Rob PEETERS, (BEL), at 1:01:10
• 23. Twan VAN DEN BRAND, (NED), at 1:01:19
• 24. Michael BOROŠ, (CZE), at 1:01:34
• 25. Kenneth VAN COMPERNOLLE, (BEL), at 1:01:46
• 26. Ingmar UYTDEWILLIGEN, (BEL), at 1:01:54
• 27. Patrick VAN LEEUWEN, (NED), at 1:02:11
• 28. David VAN DER POEL, (NED), at 1:02:14
• 29. Braam MERLIER, (BEL), at 1:02:36
• 30. Javier RUIZ DE LARRINAGA IBANEZ, (ESP), at 1:02:54
• 31. Daan HOEYBERGHS, (BEL), at 1:02:59
• 32. Jens VANDEKINDEREN, (BEL), at 1:03:03
• 33. Thijs VAN AMERONGEN, (NED), at 1:03:27
• 34. Niels WUBBEN, (NED), at 1:04:08
• 35. Dave DE CLEYN, (BEL), at 1:04:46
• 36. Philipp WALSLEBEN, (GER), at 1:04:58
• 37. Nicolas LEBESQ, (FRA)