Dan Seaton gallery: 2012 Superprestige Gavere, men's race

Nobody seemed quite sure what to make of these well-stickered fans. Photo: Dan Seaton

Lars Van Der Haar (Rabobank) led the field down the first muddy descent. Photo: Dan Seaton

Thijs Van Amerongen (AA Drink-Leontien.nl) and Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea) on one of the wooded climbs

Rob Peeters (Telenet-Fidea) rode to a fine fifth-place finish. Photo: Dan Seaton

Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) powered his way through the field and into second place. Photo: Dan Seaton

Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) and Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) did battle early in the race, but the world champ had an off day. Photo: Dan Seaton

Spain’s Jose Antonio Diez Arriola (Bikezona.com) amused fans with a mid-race wheelie. Photo: Dan Seaton

Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) leads Julien Taramarvaz (BMC) down one of the few not-totally-muddy descents. Photo: Dan Seaton

Bart Wellens’ good start put him in position for his first podium of the season in a major race. Photo: Dan Seaton

Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) was unstoppable yet again. Photo: Dan Seaton

Britain’s Ian Field had a very good start, but didn’t make it to the finish of the race. Photo: Dan Seaton

American Jonathan Page threads his way through the field after a broken derailleur set him back at the start. Photo: Dan Seaton

Fans did whatever they could to get a view of the race on the packed course. Photo: Dan Seaton

Riders were so muddy it was difficult to identify them. Photo: Dan Seaton

Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) gets encouragement near the top of the climb with two laps to go. Photo: Dan Seaton

Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea) is all alone as he chases Nys and Vantornout up the climb. Photo: Dan Seaton

Nys and Vantornout get the bell as they head into the last lap together. Photo: Dan Seaton

Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) looks back and sees that victory is assured. Photo: Dan Seaton

Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) takes his eighth career win in Gavere. Photo: Dan Seaton

American Jonathan Page smiles after storming back from a disastrous start to a 12th-place finish. Photo: Dan Seaton

Dan Seaton gallery: 2012 Superprestige Gavere, men’s race