RONSE, Belgium (VN) — World champion Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) won the GP Mario De Clercq on Sunday.
At midrace Albert was off the front with Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor), pursued by Nys, Bart Aernouts (AA Drink) and Bart Wellens (Telenet-Fidea), some 19 seconds down.
Next time through the start finish the leaders had padded their advantage to 24 seconds. Nys was still leading Aernouts, but Wellens was gone.
As Pauwels and Albert battled up front, so did Nys and Aernouts.
Albert laid down a powerful attack and put some daylight between himself and Pauwels, about five seconds’ worth. Hitting the pavement at 28 minutes in he seemed committed to the move and pressed onward.
Behind, Aernouts was glued to Nys’ wheel, but the two were 46 seconds down. He took the front of the chase when Nys was forced to run an off-camber, downhill left-hand hairpin that had been deviling him, but the Belgian champ soon resumed control.
Forty-five minutes in Albert had extended his lead over Pauwels, who was looking like a beaten man.
Behind, Nys punched it and rid himself of Aernouts, but he had left it too late. Going into bell lap Albert was 10 seconds ahead of Pauwels, and the Belgian champion was 52 seconds down.
A resurgent Pauwels made a valiant chase on the final lap as Albert seemed finally to tire, closing to within five seconds of the world champion.
But Albert was first to the tarmac and gave it everything he had. One quick look under the arm and he was celebrating, just seconds ahead of a dejected Pauwels. Nys crossed alone for third, more than a minute down.
Editor’s note: Stay tuned for more from Ronse.
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