Michael Vanthourenhout was the only one to choose to ride in both Zonnebeke and Benidorm. After the victory in the Kasteelcross, the West Flemish had to get up at four o’clock this morning to catch his flight.
Van Aert pulled away from fellow escapee Michael Vanthourenhout in the final lap. For Van Aert it was his last cyclocross this winter. He fell in the last hundreds of meters but still stood his ground, without a saddle.
Thibau Nys completed the podium within a handful of seconds ahead of new Belgian champion Eli Iserbyt, the leader in the World Cup.
World champion Mathieu van der Poel crashed in the eighth of nine rounds and lost his chances of winning. He finished fifth. Until today, the Dutchman was undefeated this winter after ten consecutive victories.