"I had to go over my limit to follow Wout" - Michael Vanthourenhout burned out in Van Aert's slipstream at Superprestige Gullegem Cross

The Belgians really came to the fore at Superprestige Gullegem Cross on Saturday afternoon as Wout van Aert took his first victory of the winter ahead of Pauwels Sauzen - Cibel Clementines duo Eli Iserbyt and Michael Vanthourenhout.

Van Aert was challenged by Vanthourenhout for the first part of the race, before Iserbyt offered the opposition in the second half. According to Vanthourenhout himself, he simply pushed to hard trying to match Van Aert early on, paying for his efforts towards the end. "I had to go over my limit to follow Wout," explained the former European champion post-race. “I then took over for a while to slow down the pace, but then Eli accelerated and I actually had to let go."

From there, it was a battle for Vanthourenhout to completely explode and hold onto his place on the podium, a task he successfully managed to achieve. “I really had to find my own pace for a lap. It was a shame that I could no longer compete for the win, but I am already happy that the disease (Vanthourenhout has been battling illness of late ed.) does not bother me too much towards the next races,” he assesses.

The fact both he and teammate Iserbyt managed a podium continues the strong winter for Pauwels Sauzen - Cibel Clementines. "I think Eli was also very strong. I think it was a nice duel at the front. At the same time I had a duel with Joran Wyseure and it was nice that I was able to decide that in my favour,” he concludes. "After that illness, I am happy with that third place. Hopefully I can build up that condition again, so that I can gain a few more percent."