Belgian champion’s final lap mechanical leaves door open for big rival
Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) won the Superprestige night race in Diegem, Belgium to repeat his victory of 2009. After being away off the front of the race with Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet} for most of the race, Albert managed to get away and win alone after the Belgian champion unshipped his chain on virtually the final corner of the final lap.
World champion Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) marked his return from taking most of the month off with third place.
Stybar announced his return to racing in the most emphatic fashion with a first lap acceleration that saw him distance the rest of the field. The World champion’s cause was helped by a slip from teammate Tom Meeusen on the first corner and he managed to pull out a substantial lead. The other favourites were fighting back though, led by Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) and they had almost caught him as he crossed the line at the end of the lap.
Unfortunately for Stybar he was to come down on the very same corner as Meeusen had, allowing Nys to come by with Niels Albert and a number of others behind him.
Nys and Albert pulled steadily clear of the rest over the course of the next lap with the Telenet-Fidea pair of Kevin Pauwels and Rob Peeters leading the pursuit. Stybar, stuck in the back behind them, was working his way back towards the front.
The two Belgian leaders spent the course of the remaining five laps of the race trying to escape one another, as both riders managed to get a few metres clear before being steadily drawn back again.
On the final lap, with still nothing to choose between the two riders, Albert squeezed past Nys on the first of two tight switchbacks. The 2009 World champion once again tried to accelerated away but Nys was equal to his acceleration once more.
On a not-too-technical left hand bend close to the finish though, disaster struck for Nys as his chain came off; as he struggled to replace it Albert powered away to take an uncontested victory. Nys drifted over in second place, once again the victim of bad luck on what he considers his bogey course, while Stybar’s accelerations behind them were not quite enough to catch the Belgian champion and he had to settle for third place on his return.
Despite missing out on victory Nys increased his lead in the overall Superprestige rankings. The Belgian champion now leads chief rival Pauwels by 82 points to 65 and with just two races to go Nys looks to be heading for an unprecedented tenth win in the season long competition.
Result Superprestige Diegem
1. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus
2. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
3. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet-Fidea
4. Rob Peeters (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
5. Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-fidea
6. Philipp Walsleben (Ger) BKCP-Powerplus
7. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet-Fidea
8. Sven Vanthourenhout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor
9. Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Style and Concept
10. Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabo-Giant Offroad Team
Superprestige standings after 6 rounds
1. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet 82pts
2. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet-Fidea 65
3. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet-Fidea 64
4. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus 61
5. Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea 56