In the men's #cyclocross Worldcup race in #Benidorm that starts at 3.10pm CET, Belgian's cyclocross version of Game of Thrones will not see another episode: Michael Vanthourenhout will be a DNS due to illness, so we won't have to look out for more escalations of his feud with Laurens Sweeck. Unless Iserbyt feels he needs to wade into that muck as well.
Let's hope the Pauwels Sauzen will focus on their own race and the race will be ridden in good sportsmanship (unlike, you know, the #BK2023).

As expected the polemics regarding the men's #BK2023 #cyclocross race are in full swing.
When checking for the hashtag #BKveldrijden on the birdie network, I could not find one person defending what the mechanics of Pauwels Sauzen did in #Lokeren.
This was foul play, and foul play should never be rewarded with a win in sports.
Shame on Jurgen Mettepenningen and his team: no #fairplay trophy for you guys.

Turns out it's NOT allowed to change position in the techzone during the race.
So there was clear foul play at hand even without getting in Sweeck's way and face twice.
Pauwels Sauzen is not known as a team that excels in fairplay, but today at the #BK2023 they engaged in foul play.

This clearly was and is not okay. And yes: Shame on Jurgen Mettepenningen.
#cyclocross #Lokeren

Turns out it's NOT allowed to change position in the techzone during the race.
So there was clear foul play at hand even without getting in Sweeck's way and face twice.
Pauwels Sauzen is not known as a team that excels in fairplay, but today at the #BK2023 they engaged in foul play. Not okay.
#cyclocross #Lokeren

At the start of Belgium's championships race in #Lokeren, the support team of Vanthourenhout was positioned at the END of the tech zone. They then changed to the beginning of the zone where they got in the way of Sweeck twice, not once.
Sweeck understandably is pissed and does not hold back in the post-race interviews. He's blaming the mechanics of Vanthourenhout to have done this on purpose. There you've got the polemics I was expecting.
#cyclocross #BK2023

The win in the men's #cyclocross #BK2023 in #Lokeren is for Michael Vanthourenhout who kept Laurens Sweeck at a few meters throughout the final lap.
The way this gap occurred was all but okay however, and trust me: there will be polemics after this race about what happened in the tech zone not once, but twice.
Thibau Nys gets the Bronze medal at an age of 10 years. Eli Iserbyt finishes in 4th. And Gerben Kuypers wins the title for elite men without a professional contract.

Final lap for Michael Vanthourehout at the #BK2023 in #Lokeren with Laurens Sweeck chasing at 4secs.
Thibau Nys at 58secs, Iserbyt at 1min30.
#cyclocross

In the tech zone, Sweeck gets hindered by the team of Vanthourenhout for the second time already. He clearly is not happy and lets them know about it. And Vanthourenhout has not been waiting. This is NOT how this race should be decided. More sportsmanship and an intervention from a race commissaire needed!
#BK2023 #cyclocross

With two laps to go at the men's national #cyclocross champs in Belgium, the positions up front look to have been consolidated.
leaders Sweeck, Vanthourenhout
Thibau Nys + 0.32
Iserbyt + 1.09
Vanthourenhout had to close a gap in lap 4. It took him a while, but he made it back to Sweeck.
#Lokeren #BK2023

Six laps will be the race distance. After 3 laps at these #BK2023 in #Lokeren, Thibau Nys has reduced the gap to Sweeck and Vanthourenhout to 15secs. Iserbyt has ridden away from Jens Adams, but he's 45secs behind - and 30secs off the Bronze medal.
Behind Adams, a trio of youngsters with Kuypers, Verstrynge and Kielich.
#cyclocross

At the beginning of the 3rd lap, in the men's national championships race in #Lokeren, Belgium, Laurens Sweeck asks Michael Vanthourenhout to take the lead. He does so and puts a couple of bike length into him.
Thibau Nys still on his own in 3rd at 20secs, then Eli Iserbyt and Jens Adams while Emiel Verstrynge has lost some bike lengths.
No information on the number of laps to be ridden yet.
#BK2023 #cyclocross

Verstrynge, Adams and Soete have all gone past Iserbyt in lap 2 of the men's national championship race in #Lokeren, Belgium. That's the battle for 4th behind Nys. And behind the two race leaders Laurens Sweeck and Michael Vanthourenhout.
Some raindrops falling to keep the mud thin.
#BK2023 #cyclocross

After lap 1 in the men's national championship #cyclocross race in #Lokeren, Laurens Sweeck and Michael Vanthourenhout have a gap of 17secs to Thibau Nys.
No lack of action: Nys went over the handlebar as the front wheel of his bike took a dive in a deep mud pool. Thus Iserbyt and Verstrynge get back to him. Jens Adams in 6th place for now.
And Iserbyt with another crash, hitting a root with his front wheel and flying over the handlebar. Three crashes in one lap and a painful left hand. #BK2023

The best start in the men's #cyclocross championship race in Belgium has been for young Thibau Nys, but at the tech zone Laurens Sweeck takes over and opens up a gap. Michael Vanthourenhout reacts right away and moves into 2nd. Eli Iserbyt with some mistakes in lap 1 and in 4th place, chasing. #BK2023 #Lokeren

For the men's national #cyclocross championships, we switch to Belgium for the #BK2023 in #Lokeren.
With only Wout van Aert skipping this race, it should be a belter! Plenty of class lining up for this one. According to the riders the course has dried up significantly and there will be less running sections.

Today's #cyclocross program for me:
A. 1:45PM CET #NK2023 Dutch championship women in #Zaltbommel with Puck Pieterse, Fem van Empel, Lucinda Brand, Ceylin Alvarado, Marianno Vos, Inge van der Heijden and Denise Betsema. Course is very, very muddy!
B. 3:15PM CET #BK2023 Belgian championship men, apart from Wout van Aert pretty much everyone is competing.
Should be a cracker as well!

Stay tuned on how these races unfold.

While Viktor Vandenberghe is on his own in the lead, Wies Nuyens has lost a lot of time due to a flat rear tire. Seppe van den Boer is coming up strong in 3rd - and Yordi Corsus is a DNF in lap 3 due to some issues with his ankles. He probably got that injury from running in the mud. #cyclocross #BK2023

Viktor Vandenberghe, Wies Nuyens and defending champion Yordi Corsus three team mates have taken control of Belgium's national championship race for the junior men. Plenty of running sections which clearly is not in the favour of Corsus who now loses 3rd at the end of lap 2. #cyclocross #BK2023

Viktor Vandenberghe, Wies Nuyens and defending champion Jordi Corsus three team mates have taken control of Belgium's national championship race for the junior men. Plenty of running sections which clearly is not in the favour of Corsus. #cyclocross #BK2023