Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) won a second successive UCI World Cup race in sensational fashion, overtaking Toon Aerts (Team Deschacht-Hens-FSP) late on after he looked destined for the win, but crashed in the final few hundred metres.
Aerts had attacked at the beginning of the final lap on a cobbled climb and had a good lead heading into an off-camber section, but went over the bars and was overtaken by the in-form Vanthourenhout.
Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) was third, after threatening to upset the favourites with a mid-race attack. It was a breakthrough performance by the youngster, who's best result this season before today had been a sixth place at the Exact Cross in Beringen.
Vanthourenhout is the man of the moment, having won on Saturday in Herentals and taken the second round of the UCI World Cup in Dublin. He took full advantage of Aerts' misfortune in the mud.
"If you are in good condition then luck is by your side," Vanthourenhout said after the finish.
"I thought the race was over," he said of the moment when Aerts got a gap on the final lap. "But I know that if you are totally unlucky in the off-camber section it is really difficult, so it was in my mind to have a good line. I saw in front that Toon has a crash and so I just go full gas until the finish."
Vanthourenhout extends his lead in the UCI World Cup, a competition he has never managed to win.
"It's very important the GC for me. We will see in a few weeks at Hulst and Zondhoven which are very difficult for me, so we will see."
How it Unfolded
The 2024/25 men's elite UCI World Cup continued on the historic course in Namur, and it proved to be one of the toughest and most dramatic races of the year so far.
Getting the best of the start was Toon Aerts on the tough climbing opening in Namur, but he was soon overtaken by a fast-moving Gerben Kuypers (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX) who looked good on the first lap.
UCI World Cup leader and winner from Saturday's race in Herentals Michael Vanthourenhout had made a poor start and was well off the pace in the first lap. Aerts led alongside Kuypers, Kevin Kuhn (Charles Liégeois Roastery CX)) and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) through the first lap with the likes of Thibau Nys (Baloise-Trek Lions) and Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) not far behind.
Iserbyt struggled on lap two as others closed in on the leaders. A large front group formed, led by Kuhn, with Vanthourenhout and Nys beginning to make their way through. Aerts crashed into the barriers on the off-camber section and fell back through the field, creating a crack in the group with four leading and another ten chasing.
Saturday's winner Vanthourenhout was making his way up to the leaders, but his rival Nys had dropped back and was 37 seconds off the lead after lap two. Iserbyt, meanwhile, looked as though he may be injured and pulled out of the race.
Vanthourenhout hit the front for the first time on lap three with Kuhn, Sweeck, Kuypers, Aerts and Verstrynge trying to keep in touch. Only Verstrynge and Kuypers were able to stay with stay with the rangy Belgian, with Aerts several seconds in arrears.
Verstrynge hit out on lap five, distancing Kuypers but unable to put a dent in Vanthourenhout. Aerts was making up his lost ground and made it a front four. Verstrynge, who won the race in Namur as an under-23 last season, kept the pressure on, forcing mistakes from Vanthourenhout, but the pair were locked together at the end of the lap with Aerts a few seconds back ahead of Kuypers who was now with Pim Ronhaar.
Vanthourenhout couldn't stay with Verstrynge during lap six, but used the climb at the beginning of the seventh to close the youngster down. The World Cup leader took the front as he looked to wrestle back control from Verstrynge, who was putting in a career-best performance. Aerts and Ronhaar were both still less than 15 seconds behind the leaders.
Vanthourenhout attacked on the climb at the beginning of the penultimate lap, but was matched by Verstrynge. Soon after, Aerts re-joined the leaders, having had a measured race. Aerts came to the front on a climb and for the first time Verstrynge looked in trouble but stayed with his more senior rivals.
Verstrynge summoned everything he had left to put in an attack at the beginning of the final lap. Aerts accelerated over him and got an immediate gap. Vanthourenhout came past Verstrynge and was five seconds behind Aerts on the descent. Verstrynge, exhausted from his earlier efforts, fell on a steep descent.
Aerts was the strongest on the second major climb of the course but crashed for the second time in the race on the succeeding off-camber section. Vanthourenhout took advantage, riding the section cleanly and building a lead.
Vanthourenhout stayed strong and mistake-free to take a second successive World Cup win and extend his lead in the overall standings. Aerts was second just a few moments behind, while Verstrynge took the best result of his senior career with third.
Results
Results powered by FirstCycling
