Michael Vanthourenhout records his first victory since the European Championship in Gullegem

Saturday January 6, 2024 at 3:56 PM

Michael Vanthourenhout has won the Hexia Cross Gullegem. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal rider, who achieved his first victory since winning his European title in Pontchâteau (November 5), went on an adventure alone halfway through the cross and managed to successfully complete his solo.

The Hexia Cross Gullegem did not have the strongest field of participants, but there were a few nice names at the start, including Michael Vanthourenhout, Thibau Nys and Gianni Vermeersch. They got a golden opportunity to win another cross. Nys looked hungry at the start: he was the first to enter the field. After that he dropped back a bit, while Vermeersch and Joran Wyseure accelerated. This duo had a small lead over Vanthourenhout and Nys after one lap. Shortly behind, Cameron Mason and Lander Loockx, among others, rode.

Vanthourenhout shakes the tree
In the second round the names mentioned came closer together, in the third round we briefly had a leading group of six: Vermeersch, Wyseure, Nys, Mason, Loockx and Vanthourenhout. The latter continued in the second part of the third round. Nys was initially able to follow him, but at a certain point he saw him driving away meter by meter. After three of the seven rounds, the European champion had a twelve second lead over Wyseure and Nys, who had come together.

Mason and Vermeersch were also close by, giving us a quartet in pursuit on the fourth lap. Mason, who was completely up to speed, took the initiative. He picked up the pace so quickly that he separated from his companions. The Briton thus became Vanthourenhout’s first attacker. The European champion did not really have to worry, because the difference was still more than twenty seconds after five laps. Meanwhile, Wyseure and Nys fought for third place. They were already more than half a minute behind.

Second victory of the season Vanthourenhout
Going into the final lap, Wyseure and Nys had lost some ground, but the difference between Vanthourenhout and Mason remained fairly stable: 23 seconds. Too much to create any actual tension. Although Vanthourenhout could not rest on his laurels, it seemed unlikely that victory would elude him. And indeed, after seven rounds Vanthourenhout crossed the line as the winner. It was only the second time this season that he was allowed to raise his hands.

Behind them, Mason took second place. It had also been a while since he recorded a top result for him. At the beginning of December he finished second in the Superprestige Boom, but after that he was only in the top five once more. Now he was on stage with Vanthourenhout and… Wyseure. In the final round the latter had fought an exciting duel with Nys and decided in his favor.

Hexia Cross Gullegem
Result men
1. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauces-Bingoal)
2. Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds)
3. Joran Wyseure (Crelan-Corendon)
4. Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions)
5. Lander Loockx (Tour de Tietema-Unibet)
6. Felipe Orts (La Vila Joiosa-Neteo)