"I think I would have won here without that fall" - Under the radar, Gerben Kuypers puts in stupendous performance in Beringen

Gerben Kuypers is one of the riders who's evolving the most in the cyclocross field and yesterday in Beringen he impressed. He was victim of a big mishap at the start of the race, but finished quite close to the front riders at the end of the day.

“It happened on the first lap, in the descent at the end of the lap. I was in second position, but I hit a stone. I immediately had a blowout and because I was riding tubeless, my tire also came off. So I couldn't avoid a fall. Then I had to walk a bit and I left last again," Kuypers said in an interview with Wielerflits. “I was one minute and ten seconds behind, but I got back to the front. I'm not quick to say it, but I think I would have won here without that fall. I actually felt it in the first round that I had very good legs.”

Effectively, after responding to a move from Lars van der Haar at the start of the race, the Belgian was pushed to the very back of the field and spent the whole race overtaking other riders. He did so quite impressively however. He claims to have lost over a minute, but finished only 25 seconds down on compatriot Thibau Nys - in seventh place.

“So I can only be satisfied. I especially hope that I have proven myself before the European Championships, because then I want to be good" he says, of his first big goal of the season in early November. "That will be within three weeks and I have set my sights on that course. However, there are only three weekends to prove yourself, because I have no certainty that I will be selected. However, I have now shown that I am good.”

After his sharp evolution this year and this ride in Beringen, Kuypers will with no doubt be among the favourites for the upcoming crosses in the following weeks. “After that I also had a good summer. I was able to ride a nice road program, which helped me make progress. I feel that those longer road races are important."

"What is possible at the European Championships? Gosh, at the World Championships I came sixth and the two aliens (Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, ed.) were still there. Not now, so yes. I hope for a top 5. That would be nice, but it could also be that I come tenth. And above all, I have to be selected first. Anyway, I have now proven that I am good."