Cyclocross: Grand Prix de la Région Wallonne - Dottignies

Sven Nys has won his second of the season by winning the Grand Prix de la Region Wallonne in Dottignies. The rider from the Belgian Landbouwkrediet team was the best ahead of his team mate Rob Peeters and the Belgian "prince" Niels Albert. Italian Enrico Franzoi, competing in his first cross of the season, did very well with a fourth place and making the race very hard. Ben Berden rounded off the top 5.

The best start in the race was for Sven Nys, Klaas Vantornout and Enrico Franzoi. Franzoi didn't seem to mind it was his first race of the cyclocross season as the Liquigas rider took the initiative. Franzoi got a gap together with French champion Francis Mourey, Sven Nys and Rob Peeters. Niels Albert missed the break but due to the work of his team mate Philipp Walsleben he was able to bridge up to the front.

After three laps Nys, Peeters, Mourey, Franzoi and Albert had 15 seconds on Ben Berden and Dieter Vanthourenhout but the gap was still growing. By the end of the fourth lap the gap was up to 35 seconds on twelve chasers but it became clear the winner of the race was in front.

Over half way the race Rob Peeters attacked and created a gap of twenty seconds. In the meantime Mourey had to drop off the break as he couldn't follow the pace anymore.

In the final two laps Peeters was still in front as Niels Albert started to hammer his pedals. Franzoi got dropped and Nys could easily follow with his team mate still in front. Going into the final lap Peeters was caught and Albert had to battle against the Landbouwkrediet duo for the victory. They both started to attack Albert but the young Belgian was able to parry the attacks.

In the sprint Nys was the fastest ahead of his team mate as Albert didn't had any energy left for the sprint.

Tomorrow the real cyclocross season will start with the first race of the prestigious Superprestige series. The series will kick off in Ruddervoorde. Sven Nys won this series last year.

Result
1 Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner
2 Rob Peeters (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner
3 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans - Cras
4 Enrico Franzoi (Ita) Liquigas
5 Ben Berden (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
6 Wesley Van der Linden (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
7 Davy Commeyne (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
8 Francis Mourey (Fra) Française des Jeux
9 Tom Van Den Bosch (Bel) Palmans Cras
10 David Willemsens (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
11 Philipp Walsleben (Bel) Palmans - Cras
12 Jan Verstraeten (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
13 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team
14 Constantino Zaballa Gutierrez (Spa) Povoa Cycling Club
15 Aurélien Duval (Fra)
16 Pieter Ghyllebert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen
17 Mariusz Gil (Pol)
18 Martin Müller (Swi) Team Inovex
19 Christian Heule (Swi) Stevens Racing Team
20 Eddy Van Ijzendoorn (Ned)
21 Quentin Bertholet (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team
22 Dieter Vanthourenhout (Bel) Palmans - Cras
23 Nico Brüngger (Swi)
24 Bart Verschueren (Bel) Revor Cycling Team
25 David Seco Amundarain (Spa)
26 Lubomír Petruš (Cze) Empella Czech Team
27 Oscar Vazquez Crespo (Spa)
28 Jan Denuwelaere (Bel) Adinkerkse Veloclub
29 Malte Urban (Ger)
30 Dries Petrus (Bel)
31 David Juarez Alday (Spa)
32 Kevin Smit (Bel)
33 Jeffrey Depuydt (Bel)
34 Valentin Scherz (Swi)
35 Erlantz Uriarte Okamika (Spa)
36 Laurent Moulin (Bel)
37 Johan Myngheer (Bel)
38 Jordan Becquet (Bel) La Royale Pedale Saint-Martin - Tournai

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