Merksplas win "gives me a lot of confidence for the future" Joris Nieuwenhuis says

The first big Belgian cross in his palmarès and the biggest win of Joris Nieuwenhuis' career so far. This Saturday was a special day for the Baloise - Trek Lions rider, who was by far the strongest at the Superprestige Merksplas.

“I think the last two laps, when I didn't see anyone when I looked back. Then I started riding a little more slowly, because I was also thinking about tomorrow. Then I realized it," Nieuwenhuis said in a post-race interview. "I think the fact that my lower back held up today made a big difference compared to the other crosses where I had a lot of problems with my lower back."

The Dutchman made the difference on the first lap of the race, handling the muddy and technical section better than all his rivals. Niels Vandeputte initially kept up with his acceleration, but six out of the seven laps saw Nieuwenhuis ride solo. He had enough space to race the final two conservatively. He showed great signs in Niel, finishing second only to Eli Iserbyt, but today there was no stopping him.

"There were very tough parts, but there were also very technical parts. That suits me. It's a relief, but it also gives me a lot of confidence for the future," the 27-year old said of his best triumph to date. "It shows that I am doing well, also in the field of training and everything surrounding it. I am very happy with this.”