Michael Vanthourenhout wins the opening HG Cyclocross round at Dendermonde as Pauwels Sauzen dominate

Due to the dry conditions, the pace on the course in Grembergen was fast, and the gaps remained small for a long time. Pim Ronhaar suffered a flat tire early on and had to fight his way back from the back of the pack. At the front, several riders remained in contention for the win for a long time.

Cameron Mason impressed by covering a large portion of the climbing section on his bike, but as the race entered its final laps, it was mainly Vanthourenhout, Corsus, Wyseure, and Gerben Kuypers who joined the fight for the top spots. The outcome of that battle wasn’t decided until the final stretch.

Two mistakes by Wyseure in the final lap gave Vanthourenhout the opening he needed to pull away. The experienced Belgian took full advantage and never relinquished his lead. Corsus capped off the celebration for Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw with a second-place finish, while Wyseure narrowly held off Kuypers in a particularly thrilling battle for third place.

Ronhaar managed to fight his way back to fifteenth place after his early mechanical trouble. Of course, all eyes were also on the pink jerseys of the new Bomba JOIN team led by team managers Laurens ten Dam and Stefan Bolt. Mees Hendrikx, the other member of the new cyclocross team, finished only seventeenth in Dendermonde.

Vanthourenhout secured a thrilling home victory for his team, led by team manager Jurgen Mettepenningen, in a race organized by Mettepenningen’s organization. As the winner, he also received the special grand prize of 100 kilograms of mussels for his fan club.

1. Michael Vanthourenhout - Pauwels Sauzen - Altez Industriebouw 59:20
2. Yordi Corsus - Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw + 0:02
3. Joran Wyseure - Crelan-Corendon ''
4. Gerben Kuypers - Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw ''
5. Niels Vandeputte - Alpecin-Premier Tech + 0:04

6. Witse Meeussen - Crelan-Corendon + 0:12
7. Ryan Kamp - Bomba JOIN + 0:15
8. Cameron Mason - 777TV + 0:18
9. Victor Van de Putte - Charles Liégeois + 0:34
10. Toon Vandebosch - Crelan-Corendon + 0:50