van der Hoorn beats Van Aert in Schaal Sels 2017

Taco van der Hoorn won the 92th edition of the 1.1-UCI road race Schaal Sels (Sels Trophy). The 23-year old Dutchman closed a gap in the final kilometers between him and Wout van Aert and beat the Cyclocross World Champion in the sprint. Tim Merlier took the third place.

At 12h12, the start sign was given for a trip of 188 kilometer with 35 kilometers of unpaved roads and 33 kilometers of cobble stones. A lot of riders tried to go in the breakaway, but no attempt succeeded. At 100 kilometer before the finish line, Justin Jules took half a minute and he could maintain this advance well. With 50 kilometer to go, Wout Van Aert accelerated for the first time.

Only 8 riders could follow: his teammates Stijn Devolder and Tim Merlier, WB Veranclassic - Aqua Protect teammates Ludwig De Winter, Justin Jules, Lukas Spengler and Olivier Pardini, Taco van der Hoorn (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij) and Amund Grondahl Jansen (Team Lotto NL - Jumbo). Jules and Pardini were dropped out and Devolder and van der Hoorn got a flat tire. Only the Dutchmen could find connection with the leading group again, so six riders were fighting for victory.

During the local lap, De Winter also got a flat tire, so six leaders became five. None of them could escape in the last unpaved section, but at 2,5 kilometers Wout Van Aert surprised everybody with an acceleration. It looked like he was going to win, but van der Hoorn could close the gap. The Belgian started the sprint ahead, but it was the Dutchman who passed the finish line first. The first victory for the 23-years old van der Hoorn, who also became second in Dwars door het Hageland and fourth in Slag om Norg, other offroad-races in the Lowlands.

Did you miss our race or you want to see it again: watch it on YouTube (thanks to MotoMediaTeam)!

Top ten:

1. Taco van der Hoorn (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij)
2. Wout Van Aert (Veranda's Willems - Crelan)
3. Tim Merlier (Veranda's Willems - Crelan)
4. Amund Grondahl Jansen (Team Lotto NL - Jumbo)
5. Lukas Spengler (WB Veranclassic - Aqua Protect)
6. Ludwig De Winter (WB Veranclassic - Aqua Protect)
7. Martijn Budding (Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij)
8. Stijn Steels (Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise)
9. Dennis Van Winden (Israël Cycling Academy)
10. Mihkel Raim (Israël Cycling Academy)

Full result here.