Cycling: At the fourth Superprestige race of the season, there was a surprise in Merksplas. In the men's race, Michael Vanthourenhout celebrates the greatest success of his career. Lucinda Brand benefited from the double fall misfortune of favorite Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado in the women's race.
Vanthourenhout celebrates a tearful victory
Cheering in the Pauwels Sauzen team – bingoal! At the fourth Super Prestige Race At the end of the season, the team celebrated a historic triple triumph. Michael Vanthourenhout won the first race of his career. He left his teammates and fellow Belgians Eli Iserbyt and Lauren's Sweeck in Merksplas behind. Behind missed Toon Aerts (Telenet – Baloise) narrowly made it onto the podium in the sprint and ended up in fourth place, which was ultimately disappointing for him. With the success of Michael Vanthourenhout, fans now saw four different winners in four Superprestige races.
Michael Vanthourenhout:
“I went into the last lap with a few seconds advantage. That's when I knew that I didn't have to think about it, I had to go through with it. It was great in the forest. And then the lead was big enough.”
Daily rating in Merksplas:
1. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) 59:33
2. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) + 0:08
3. Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) +0:13
4. Toon Aerts (Telenet – Baloise) +0:13
5. Corne van Kessel (Tormans) +0:22
Overall rating after 4 of 8 runs:
1. Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) 57 points
2. Toon Aerts (Telenet – Baloise) 54
3. Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) 52
4. Lars van der Haar (Telenet - Baloise) 46
5. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) 45
🥇Michael Vanthourenhout wins his very first Telenet Superprestige some in his career! 👏🏼 #SPMerksplas #Superprestige2021 pic.twitter.com/oo2UDSbl4t
— SuperprestigeCX (@SuperprestigeCX) November 22, 2020
Brand puts pressure and wins
There was also a – at least slightly – surprising winner in the women’s category. Lucinda Brand (Telenet – Baloise) could the world and European Champion Ceylin del Carmen Put so much pressure on Alvarado (Alpecin – Fenix) that she fell twice. Between the two Dutch women it was seven seconds behind the winner compatriot Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) slide. In the overall ranking of the Superprestige races, Lucinda Brand moves up to one point behind the leader, Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado.
Lucinda Brand:
"It's part of the course that mistakes happen. We were about the same strength. Because of her mistakes in the last lap it was easy to drive to victory. But that is part of cyclocross.”
Daily rating in Merksplas:
1. Lucinda Brand (Telenet-Baloise) 43:10
2. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) + 0:07
3. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin – Fenix) +0:16
4. Annemarie Worst (777) + 0:20
5. Sanne Cant (Iko – Crelan) +0:36
Overall rating after 4 of 8 runs:
1. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin – Fenix) 57 points
2. Lucinda Brand (Telenet-Baloise) 56
3. Annemarie Worst (777) 51
4. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) 47
5. Yara Kastelijn (Creafin - Fristads) 46
🥇 Brand zet Alvarado on the druk, followed by a schuiver dead. Lucinda is he as de kippen bij om haar tweede some van het seizoen te winn 🚴🏻♀️🏆 pic.twitter.com/oW3BvzJFkH
— SuperprestigeCX (@SuperprestigeCX) November 22, 2020