Sweet Sweeck: Belgian finally earns his first World Cup victory in Maasmechelen

In his eighth season as an elite rider, Laurens Sweeck (Belgium/Crelan-Fristads) earned his first World Cup victory on Sunday’s new course in Maasmechelen, Belgium. Eli Iserbyt’s World Cup winning streak ended at five: two races last January and the first three rounds this season. Cameron Jette, the lone Canadian, came in 34th.

You can watch the 2022-2023 UCI Cyclocross World Cup at FloBikes.

After winning the first three rounds, Iserbyt led Sweeck–who he beat Saturday in the first round of the Superprestige series–by 38 points.

As on Saturday in Ruddervoorde, Cameron Jette was the sole Canadian.

Sweeck insisted on the hole shot on Lap 1. Quinten Hermans, who was in Position 2, crashed on the first steep descent. Lars van der Haar, stymied by a late flat on Saturday in Ruddervoorde, was on Sweeck’s six with Iserbyt. Niels Vandeputte of Alpecin-Deceuninck was prominent early in the lap. Iserbyt led the string over the line at 7:20. Jette was 34th.

Lap 2 kept the front group large. Van der Haar took a fresh machine. Going into Lap 3 of 9, Iserbyt, van der Haar, Sweeck and Michael Vanthourenhout found some daylight but once more it came back together. Iserbyt pitted. Sweeck was the locomotive of the 24-car train, Stan Godrie the caboose. Jette stayed at 34th.

On Lap 4, Sweeck’s pace snipped the string. He had Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout as company. Swiss champ Kevin Kuhn was the closest pursuer and he sewed up the hole. However, the trio took its leave again and crossed the line 6 seconds ahead of Kuhn and company.

Early into Lap 5, Iserbyt crashed, bloodying his knee and messing up his bike. Sweeck then distanced Iserbyt’s teammate Vanthourenhout. Van der Haar and Kuhn edged closer to Vanthourenhout. Sweeck was nine seconds clear.

Van der Haar chased solo on Lap 6 but Iserbyt found him going into Lap 7. It was tense stuff: could Sweeck stay away and finally score a World Cup win? His gap to Iserbyt and van der Haar grew to 24 seconds.

The man in green gradients carried on his bid for glory on the penultimate lap, Iserbyt and van der Haar making no inroads in their efforts to bring Sweeck back. The bell lap saw van der Haar drop Iserbyt. Sweeck grabbed a new bike. The crowd sounded its hoorays all along the circuit.

Iserbyt hasn’t finished off the podium in nine races this season.

The fifth round is on November 13 in Beekse Bergen, the Netherlands.

2022-2023 UCI ‘cross World Cup #4 Maasmechelen
1) Laurens Sweeck (Belgium/Crelan-Fristads) 1:02:30
2) Lars van der Haar (The Netherlands/Baloise Trek Lions) +0:13
3) Eli Iserbyt (Belgium/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) +0:20
34) Cameron Jette (Canada)