Kevin Pauwels (Sunweb-Revor) continues to show off his great early season form by ending the Koppenbergcross reign of Sven Nys , who has won the race seven years in a row. World champion Zdenek Stybar finished third in Melden, near Oudenaarde, Belgium.
Rain drops started to come down halfway through the race, a flat tyre by Nys and a run-in with a building by Stybar gave Pauwels the gap he needed, and he exploited it to the maximum. During the seventh lap both Nys and Stybar switched bikes on the top of the Koppenberg and it turned out to be the key moment of the race. Nys's rear tire immediately flatted while Stybar was sliding all over the place. Pauwels didn't know what happened and created a gap on his rivals. Pauwels gained even more time on Nys in the final part of the race and at the finish the gap was 31 seconds on Nys and 1:11 on Stybar.
Pauwels, on his Ridley X-night, now becomes first leader of the Gazet van Antwerpen Trophy, and will defend that honour in the second round in Ronse.
Result:
1. Kevin Pauwels
2. Sven Nys
3. Zdenek Stybar
Pictures: Belga, Photonews