Belgian champion takes eighth victory on legendary cobbled climb
Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet) finally put an end to the Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) domination of the 2010/11 cyclocross season by taking victory in his seventh successive Koppenbergcross; his eighth win in the race in all. The Belgian champion led the race from the very start and finished 1’07” clear of Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus), and 1’28” ahead of Kevin Pauwels (Telenet-Fidea).
“The old man has not worn out,” said Nys to Sporza after his victory. “For me, this race is as important as winning the World Champioships.”
“After the first lap I knew it was good,” the Belgian champion explained. “In the last lap I got a little panicked by that flat tire. I had a half lap to ride and I had everything to lose. This is not something I want to repeat.”
“After Zonhoven [on Saturday] I had some left over,” he continued, “while I saw that the others were broken. I therefore had the thought that I would win today for the eighth time. I was getting goosebumps.”
The first to make a move on the opening lap was American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike) but this was quickly countered by Nys. He was followed by Stybar, Klaas Vanournout (Sunweb-Revor), Bart Arnouts (Rabobank) and Pauwels: Albert, who’d had a bad start followed close behind.
For a while World champion Stybar was able to stay with Nys, but for once this season he was unable to match the pace of the leaders and faded; behind them Albert was chasing alone, with Pauwels and Vantournout following.
Even a final lap flat tyre was not enough to stop Nys and he crossed the line with eight fingers in the air. Albert followed more than a minute later with Pauwels, who’d escaped Vantournout taking third. Stybar managed to overtake the fading Vantournout to take fourth and retain his lead in the GvA Trofee standings.
Result Koppenbergcross
1. Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet
2. Niels Albert (Bel) BKCP-Powerplus @ 1’07”
3. Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Telenet-Fidea 1’28”
4. Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Telenet-Fidea @ 2’08”
5. Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb-Revor @ 2’24”
6. Gerben de Knegt (Ned) Rabobank 2’46”
7. Bart Wellens (Bel) Telenet-Fidea @ 3’40”
8. Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank @ 4’02”
9. Enrico Franzoi (Ita) BKCP-Powerplus @ 4’10”
10. Tom Meeusen (Bel) Telenet-Fidea @ 4’26”