Fill them up again for Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauces-Bingoal): for the 2nd time in a week he was allowed to throw his arms in the air. In the Stellacross in Leuven, Belgian champion Toon Aerts beat in the sprint. On Wednesday Sweeck was already the strongest in Niel.
Aerts for the double hat trick
The Stellacross in Leuven was perfect for Toon Aerts for the past two seasons. The Telenet-Baloise Lions rider had already won the previous two rounds of the Ethias Cross and was therefore able to score a double hat-trick on the military domain of Heverlee.
Aerts had understood that message well and from the start signal he put the string on it, only Laurens Sweeck could hold on to it. The two front runners turned around well and soon had a 10 second lead. European champions Eli Iserbyt and Michael Vanthourenhout had missed the bus.
Sweeck plays team play well and sprints the fastest
When Iserbyt had to let Vanthourenhout drive a little later, the game seemed to be in a decisive fold. Sweeck was able to play the team game, with teammate Vanthourenhout who was able to keep putting Aerts under pressure from behind.
However, a strong Aerts kept the gap above ten seconds, Sweeck rubbed his hands in the meantime. At the start of the last round, everyone expected an ultimate attempt from the defending champion, but it never came.
In the sprint on the sloping arrival lane, Aerts initially caught the Belgian champion well and even seemed to be able to withstand the fast Sweeck for a while, but the last 50 meters turned out to be too much. Sweeck takes the flowers again after his victory in Niel last weekend. Aerts sees his winning streak stopped in Leuven.
Sweeck: “I think we played it fair”
Sweeck played the team game perfectly and could finally count on his fast sprint to be able to beat Aerts. “I would have liked to try something, but Toon just drove very strongly”, winner Sweeck responded. “He has been in the lead for almost the entire race and I could not have done that myself.”
On the way, companion Aerts sometimes showed his irritation. “Of course he wanted me to join, but I had no reason to do that because Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout were behind us”, says Sweeck. “I think we played it very fair and it was a nice cross.”
Of course Aerts wanted me to join, but I had no reason to do that.
“I think I have led the entire race until the last 50 meters”, Aerts responded afterwards. “I was not so much against Laurens, but especially against their entire block. It is his right that he is in my wheel for sixty minutes, but that of course spoils my chances.”
Aerts: “I have been bumping into that strong block of Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal for several weeks and then it is difficult to race. Too bad that I miss the punch to beat Sweeck at the end, but it was a race that made me a bit stronger again. have become.”
