Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb-Revor) won the national cyclocross in Otegem today, escaping alone to win 18 seconds ahead of Kevin Pauwels (Telenet-Fidea) and Dieter Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus). The race serves as the championship for the province of West-Flanders, but is also known as the "second chance for the nationals" race as it falls the day after the Belgian Championships.
Vantournout attacked after three laps, immediately gaining a lead over an eight-man group of pursuers that also contained yesterday’s winner Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet). Three laps from the finish Dieter Vanthourenhout and Kevin Pauwels attacked the chasing group in pursuit of Vantournout but he hung on to take the victory alone.
Tom Van den Bosch (AA Drink) beat Nys in the sprint for fourth place.
"I have a season behind me which, despite many problems, still managed to build constant results," said Vantournout to Belgian press agency Belga after the race. "I rode a good Belgian Championships and I was in second. Today was a rather quiet start. I held myself back until the third lap and then gave it everything. My teammate Sven Vanthourenhout left a gap and I was instantly ready for a long solo. That I completed perfectly."
After his crash involving a spectator in yesterday’s Belgian Championships race, Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) did not start. The World champion is still unsure about competing in Sunday’s penultimate World Cup race in Roubaix, France as he tries to recover in time for the World Championships in Tabor, Czech Republic two weeks later.