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Cant and Nys win on the sand dunes of Koksijde

Belgian Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) certain can, as she won her second race in two consecutive days, defending her Koksijde title in the third round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.

Belgian Sanne Cant (Enertherm-BKCP) certain can, as she won her second race in two consecutive days, defending her Koksijde title in the third round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup. In the men’s race a thrilling finish between Belgian youth (Wout Van Aert) and age (Sven Nys) saw Nys take his seventh career victory at the brutally sandy Koksijde course.

The women’s race was contested in rain, hail and 4-degree temperatures. Dutch rider Sophie De Boer led after the first lap, but by Lap 2 Cant and Brit Nikki Harris (Telenet-Fidea) nabbed the lead. Cant wouldn’t be denied and seized a gap that she would not surrender. Harris placed runner-up. Cant has won the first four rounds of the Superprestige series and took the top honours at the GP Hasselt Saturday. Cant takes over the World Cup lead.

There was talk of the American squad not racing due to the imminent terrorist threat in Brussels, but Katherine Compton (Trek), winner of the 2010 edition, stood third on the podium.

On the men’s side Van Aert (Vastgoedservice Golden Palace) led after one lap, but soon he went clear with cagey vet Sven Nys (Crelan-AA Drink) and the two pulled out a large lead. Nys stole away when Van Aert punctured at the end of Lap 2. The action was furious as the riders squirmed all over their bikes in the sand.

Van Aert rejoined Nys, but a little mistake that made the younger rider unclip and dismount on the penultimate lap saw Nys tear away again. Once more Van Aert battled back to his countryman for the bell lap. Nys made an error that put Van Aert alone up front. The drama of the final half lap was tremendous as Nys tracked Van Aert and the two switched the lead while fighting the sand.

It was Nys’s move on the final corner after a section of mud that put him on the finishing stretch of pavement with a gap. Van Aert’s shoulders dropped when he realized he had been bested by the 39-year-old Nys. It was Nys’s 50th World Cup victory. Like Cant, Nys also triumphed Saturday in the GP Hasselt.

World champion Mathieu van der Poel (The Netherlands/BKCP-Powerplus) returned to cyclocross racing after a long lay-off following knee surgery to take third.

Canadian Michael van den Ham had a mixed reaction to his race.

One spot ahead of van den Ham was Mark McConnell (Hot Sauce Cycling Club). Cameron Jette did not finish.

Twenty-one-year-old Van Aert keeps the World Cup lead. The next round of the World Cup is December 20 in Namur, Belgium.