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The sand dunes of Zonhoven delivered tight pack racing and a thrilling final three laps.

Could the rested Laurens Sweeck take advantage of his jet-lagged competitors? Could Toon Aerts, winner in Zonhoven in 2019 with a last-lap attack, defend his title after a canceled race 2020? Might the mighty Eli Iserbyt extend his World Cup overall lead?

Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

It took the full ten laps to answer these questions.

Sweeck looked best early on, taking an early lead on the sandy course, while Iserbyt, Aerts, Michael Vanthourenhout, Lars van der Haar and Quinten Hermans gave chase.

Hermans must have been relieved to ride the barrier-free course after Saturday’s mishap at the barriers.

Toon Aerts and teammate Lars van der Haar go 1-2 in Zonhoven. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

Toon Aerts and teammate Lars van der Haar go 1-2 in Zonhoven. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

The lead group traded turns at the front and attacks, until an Iserbyt effort started the final fireworks. Van der Haar gave chase, but the two leaders on the penultimate lap lost momentum on a sandy uphill ride-then-run section. The tall Toon Aerts used his momentum to narrow the gap, and suddenly, it was all back together with a lap and half remaining.

Heading into the difference-making climb that Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado used to secure a podium spot, Toon Aerts cleanly rode the sand, while Iserbyt bobbled at the base.

One by one, the chasers had to dismount, and Aerts’ lead stretched to 20 seconds in one single climb.

Aerts stormed to victory with a final lap effort, while Van der Haar ran past an early-remounting Iserbyt on the final lap’s last climb to secure second behind his teammate.

Toon Aerts takes Zonhoven. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

Toon Aerts takes Zonhoven. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

With third, Iserbyt extended his World Cup lead over Hermans, who was fifth.

Toon Aerts and teammate Lars van der Haar go 1-2 in Zonhoven with Eli Iserbyt in third. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

Toon Aerts and teammate Lars van der Haar go 1-2 in Zonhoven with Eli Iserbyt in third. Elite Men. 2021 Zonhoven UCI Cyclocross World Cup. © Cyclocross Magazine

Full results below. See the Women’s report and results from the Zonhoven World Cup here.

2021 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven Results: Elite Men

PosNrName / UCI Cyclocross TeamNATTimeGap
1.13AERTS Toon
BALOISE TREK LIONS
BEL58:58-
2.2VAN DER HAAR Lars
BALOISE TREK LIONS
NED59:08+0:10
3.12ISERBYT Eli
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL59:12+0:14
4.19SWEECK Laurens
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL59:17+0:19
5.15HERMANS Quinten
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
BEL59:24+0:26
6.14VANTHOURENHOUT Michael
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL59:35+0:37
7.17SOETE Daan
CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES
BEL1:00:10+1:12
8.5VAN KESSEL Corne
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
NED1:00:20+1:22
9.21VANDEBOSCH Toon
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:00:31+1:33
10.3RONHAAR Pim
BALOISE TREK LIONS
NED1:00:50+1:52
11.20ADAMS JensBEL1:01:09+2:11
12.4KAMP Ryan
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
NED1:01:20+2:22
13.29KUHN Kevin
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
SUI1:01:26+2:28
14.35BOROS MichaelCZE1:01:31+2:33
15.16BAESTAENS Vincent
CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES
BEL1:01:50+2:52
16.8HENDRIKX Mees
IKO - CRELAN
NED1:02:03+3:05
17.40MASON Cameron
TRINITY RACING
GBR1:02:07+3:09
18.33ORTS LLORET Felipe
BURGOS-BH
ESP1:02:10+3:12
19.24MEEUSSEN Witse
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:02:14+3:16
20.22FERDINANDE Anton
PAUWELS SAUZEN - BINGOAL
BEL1:02:19+3:21
21.7NIEUWENHUIS Joris
TEAM DSM
NED1:02:21+3:23
22.23AERTS Thijs
BALOISE TREK LIONS
BEL1:02:25+3:27
23.25THOMAS Theo
TORMANS CYCLO CROSS TEAM
FRA1:02:43+3:45
24.41MEISEN Marcel
ALPECIN - FENIX
GER1:02:51+3:53
25.18VANDEPUTTE Niels
ALPECIN - FENIX
BEL1:03:12+4:14
26.34SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Kevin
NESTA - MMR CX TEAM
ESP1:03:26+4:28
27.30LILLO Dario
CX TEAM DESCHACHT-GROUP HENS-CONTAINERS MAES
SUI1:03:33+4:35
28.10GODRIE StanNED1:03:33+4:35
29.31BERTOLINI Gioele
SELLE ITALIA - GUERCIOTTI - ELITE
ITA1:03:35+4:37
30.11DEL GROSSO TiborNED1:03:42+4:44
31.6VAN DER POEL David
ALPECIN - FENIX
NED-3 LAP
32.36STRANSKY MatejCZE-3 LAP
33.26BOMMENEL Nathan
A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM
FRA-3 LAP
34.38ASKEY Lewis
GROUPAMA - FDJ
GBR-3 LAP
35.28PHILIBERT Aurelien
ARDENNES CROSS TEAM GECIBAT
FRA-4 LAP
36.9VERBURG LukeNED-4 LAP
37.37BARNES Daniel
TEAM SPECTRA WIGGLE P/B VITUS
GBR-4 LAP
38.27BURNET Pierrick
A.S BIKE CROSSTEAM
FRA-5 LAP
39.42HAEHNEL FrederikGER-5 LAP
40.43JETTE CameronCAN-6 LAP
41.45NOLAN Sean
EVOPRO RACING
IRL-6 LAP
42.32PARENTI NicolaITA-7 LAP
43.44O REGAN TimothyIRL-7 LAP
39CHILTON Ben
TEAM SPECTRA WIGGLE P/B VITUS
GBRDNS