Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Napoleon Games) won the fourth round of the cyclocross World Cup in Namur, Belgium on Sunday.
Wearing the white World Cup leader’s skinsuit, the Belgian made his move on the final lap, and proved to be the most sure-footed on a difficult, hilly course, getting the best of Lars van der Haar (Giant-Shimano) and Philipp Walsleben (BKCP-Powerplus).
Early in the race, a group of seven riders broke off the front of the field. The lead group began to slowly pull apart during the first 20 minutes of racing, until Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) attacked with six laps to go. Van der Haar took up the chasing duties, and with a big effort, he bridged alone to the 26-year-old Belgian leader.
Behind, Corné van Kessel (Telenet-FIdea) and Pauwels battled for third place.
When they came through with five laps to go, Van der Haar had faded and was riding with van Kessel and Pauwels.
The chasers persisted and brought Meeusen back, a little over the race’s halfway mark.
With four laps left, van der Haar attacked on one of the course’s many steep hills, early in the lap. The Dutch champion quickly got a gap, and the increased pace caused Meeusen to drop from the chase.
Walsleben, who’d been lurking in fifth place, overtook Meeusen, and soon had the podium in his sights.
On a high-speed descent, van Kessel crashed on a right-hand corner and lost his chance at the podium.
With three to go, van der Haar’s advantage had grown, and Pauwels, the World Cup series leader, chased alone. Walsleben sat in third position.
Undeterred, Pauwels slowly reeled in van der Haar, and by the penultimate lap, the 30-year-old Belgian had returned to the front of the race. Pauwels moved ahead of van der Haar after a trip through the pits. The two traded the lead a few times but waited to attack.
On the final lap, the two leaders slowed a bit, and began to play tactical games, offering Walsleben a ray of hope, as he chased close behind. But it was not meant to be. Pauwels accelerated away from van der Haar and extended his lead on a brutally technical off-camber section.
“Just before the off-camber I felt good, and I had a little gap,” said Pauwels.
Van der Haar was forced to settle for second place, and Walsleben stayed close to finish third.
Now, Pauwels is poised to claim the World Cup series overall. “Two races to go, it’s looking really good. The next two races are really made for me,” he said.
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