Meeusen with game face on at Laarne (file photo). © Kurt van Hout
EEKLO, BELGIUM – Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) took the win at G.P. Stad Eeklo, a day after winning at Superprestige Middelkerke, moving into third place in the overall classification of that series.
A group of three soon formed at the front of the race including Meeusen, Michael Vanthourenhout (BKCP-Powerplus), and Tim Merleir (Sunweb-Napoleon Games), but the pace proved too high for Merleir who subsequently dropped back to finish 10th.
Neither of the leaders could shake the other and it came down to a sprint finish with Meeusen proving the stronger of the two. Telenet-Fidea teammate Wout Van Aert , the 2014 U23 Cyclocross World Champion recently turned elite racer, took third ahead of Sven Nys (Crelan-AA Drink).
Toon Aert (Telenet-Fidea) finished out the top five. American Jonathan Page finished in 20th.
2014 G.P. Stad Eeklo Elite Men's Results
| Rank | Name | Nat. | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom MEEUSEN | BEL | 1:03:29 |
| 2 | Michael VANTHOURENHOUT | BEL | 1:03:35 |
| 3 | Wout VAN AERT | BEL | 1:03:43 |
| 4 | Sven VANTHOURENHOUT | BEL | 1:03:52 |
| 5 | Toon AERTS | BEL | 1:03:59 |
| 6 | Sven NYS | BEL | 1:04:09 |
| 7 | Jens ADAMS | BEL | 1:04:13 |
| 8 | Jim AERNOUTS | BEL | 1:04:29 |
| 9 | Laurens SWEECK | BEL | 1:04:40 |
| 10 | Tim MERLIER | BEL | 1:04:49 |
| 11 | Julien TARAMARCAZ | SUI | 1:04:53 |
| 12 | Marcel MEISEN | GER | 1:05:20 |
| 13 | Quinten HERMANS | BEL | 1:05:26 |
| 14 | Jens VANDEKINDEREN | BEL | 1:05:33 |
| 15 | Gianni VERMEERSCH | BEL | 1:05:36 |
| 16 | Kenneth VAN COMPERNOLLE | BEL | 1:06:17 |
| 17 | Vincent BAESTAENS | BEL | 1:07:12 |
| 18 | Mariusz GIL | POL | 1:07:25 |
| 19 | Jonas DEGROOTE | BEL | 1:07:42 |
| 20 | Jonathan PAGE | USA | 1:08:03 |
| 21 | Nicolas CLEPPE | BEL | |
| 22 | Antonin MARECAILLE | FRA | |
| 23 | Kevin CANT | BEL | |
| 24 | Martin BINA | CZE | |
| 25 | Stef CLAEYS | BEL | |
| 26 | Tim DE SCHUYTER | BEL | |
| 27 | Camille DUBOIS | FRA | |
| 28 | Nick BOTH | AUS | |
| 29 | Teemu VIHOLAINEN | FIN |
