"It comes down to a few percent" - Toon Aerts extremely close to comeback victory in Merksplas

Toon Aerts returned from a two-year doping suspension last winter but only with a few races on the schedule. Now racing for the Deschacht - Hens - FSP team he is racing a full season once again and he came very close from beating all other seasoned pros at the Aardbeiencross Merksplas.

In the absence of Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Tom Pidcock, the riders who race the full cross season have been splitting the victories amongst themselves quite evenly. Laurens Sweeck took a strong win yesterday whilst the likes of Thibau Nys, Eli Iserbyt and Lars van der Haar were no match. In second place was Toon Aerts, who rode a strong race and saw only his old rival beat him on a fast course that counted for the Superprestige cup - in which he is now seventh.

"Still, there is a feeling of satisfaction. In contrast to the previous races, I was able to continue fighting for the lead. I took control of the race and I am quite proud of that." Aerts was well positioned throughout the race, and lacking the explosivity of some of his rivals, in the final laps he took it up and put in a very strong pace that only Sweeck could make a move from.

Still, despite his third place at the Koppenbergcross, this may have been the Belgian's strongest performance since his return, and gives higher hopes of a victory to come soon. "To really finish it off now, it comes down to a few percent and I am working hard on that. I have to succeed again in the future, maybe I just didn't have enough confidence today," he concluded.