Albert, Cant win Bpost Bank finale in Oostmalle
Albert locks up series title with snowy solo win
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Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) won the finale of the Bpost Bank Trofee in Oostmalle, Belgium, on Sunday and left the track with the overall series title in hand.
Albert rode away from the field early in the snowy affair. Klaas Vantornout and Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), Jim Aernouts (BKCP), and a few others gave chase, but the series champion was unbeatable. Pauwels suffered a mechanical with two laps to go and was out of the race.
“I’m happy with my titles in this series and the World Cup,” said Albert. “Oostmalle was one of the first elite cyclocrosses I won. It’s pretty much my favorite course and if I have a good day, I am hard to beat, especially with the conditions like today. ”
Vantornout was second and Aernouts was third.
“On a day like this, on such Niels course, you know it,” said Vantornout. “So, I shifted my focus quickly to the fight for second place. This was a nice ending to a great season for me.”
In the women’s race, Sanne van Paassen (Rabobank-Giant Off-road) led early, but suffered a late mechanical. Sanne Cant (BKCP) came around her for the win, with Sabrina Stultiens (Rabobank) second and Helen Wyman (Kona) third.
With her win, Cant secured the overall over Wyman, 135 points to 113 points.
Dan Seaton contributed to this report.