After 26 minutes of cross, Nys took the lead, but half the race the leading group was still ten men strong. That group would even increase to fourteen riders before the penultimate round. Van der Haar and Iserbyt accelerated and started the last two laps with a ten-second lead. With Nys in the wheel, Van Aert closed the gap. In the final lap Nys accelerated decisively. Nys succeeds Van Aert, who had to pass Iserbyt and Van der Haar for the places of honor, as winner of the Spanish World Cup Cross.
“The sun was good this week. It helps the body to recover. After Otegem I mainly focused on body stability to strengthen my weak leg. And that was quite successful. I immediately felt very good about the match. “I led the cross and maintained the pace to secure Michael Vanthourenhout’s position in the rankings. Wout van Aert was not allowed to get into the race too well.”
Iserbyt had no answer to Thibay Nys’ splitting attack. “I knew that I was certainly not the best on the uphill stretch. I did have a small gap there, but then you see that Nys can push a few more watts with a new pace acceleration. I was not strong enough to do so on such an To ride up that slope in a stunning manner. So finishing second was the highest possible.”