Superprestige Oversijse: Michael Vanthourenhout overpowers Pim Ronhaar for victory in second round of cyclocross series

Ronhaar’s previous pair of races saw him score podium finishes at two Dutch races, including Exact Cross Heerderstrand on Saturday. He rode at the front of the race in Overijse for much of the day, but rolled across the finish 7 seconds behind Vanthourenhout for another runner-up finish.

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From a chase group of five riders, Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) took third place, 13 seconds back.

Vanthourenhout let others do the work on the opening laps, then dug deep with a massive acceleration on the steepest climb to distance his closest rival and take the win.

Sunny and dry conditions made for fast conditions on Sunday in the second stop of the eight-race Belgian series, with leaves and residual mud making for slippery sections in the many corners on the Overijse course.

Drama ensued on the opening lap as Toons Aerts (Deschacht-Hens CX) suffered a broken chain and had to run most of a half lap to switch bikes. It was not in the cards for the Belgian rider to repeat his victory from the 2018-2019 season.

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Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development) set the early pace at the front, with Verstrynge moving to the front as the strung-out peloton completed the first circuit. Vanthourenhout was tucked in the top 10 on the second lap and Verstrynge continued at the front, now with Ronhaar on his back wheel.

On lap 3 of 9, Ronhaar moved to the front and along with Verstrynge and Vandeputte, the trio began to open a gap to the rest of the field. The 24-year-old Dutch rider got out of the saddle multiple times to push the accelerator as they began the fourth lap, Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley Racing Team) and Lars van der Haar (Baloise Glowi Lions) sitting fourth and fifth, respectively, now 8 seconds back.

Nieuwenhuis led the group across the line at the mid-point of the race, with Ronhaar in second place and the Belgian trio of Vanthourenhout, Vandeputte and Verstrynge lining out the front quintet. Once on the fifth lap, Vanthourenhout moved to the front. He held a steady pace, not blistering, which allowed Cameron Mason (Seven Racing) to catch the back of the lead group, Van der Haar slipping back a few bike lengths in front of Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon) and Jente Michels (Alpecin-Deceuninck Development).

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Ronhaar struck again on the short climbs of the sixth lap, gaining five seconds quickly on Vanthourenhout, who reconnected with the young Dutch rider on a run-up climb. Once they crossed the twisty trails of the meadow, Pinhaar looked back and only saw the series leader behind, the duo clearing the field.

Once the leaders heard the bell for the final lap, the race for third was not between Nieuwenhuis, Vandeputte and Michels, while Verstrynge made an effort to close a 10-second gap to join the group; his effort was rewarded with a catch.

At the front, Ronhaar and the series leader exchanged glances at each other and then exchanged accelerations to set up the final surge of speed by Vanthourenhout on the steepest climbing section in the woods and moved away for the victory.