Zdenek Stybar Wins Superprestige Middelkerke

Zdenek Stybar Wins Superprestige Middelkerke

Zdenek Stybar hit another gear other riders simply didn't have at Superprestige Middelkerke, and the next level effort earned him a victory on Saturday. At one point early in the race, he fell in a sandy section and fell outside of the top 10.

It only took Stybar —Czech National Champion—  a little more than a lap to ride his way back into the top five, catch a group of three, and ride away from the group with five laps to go.

The only rider that could stay with Stybar on Saturday was Belgian National Champion Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet). The two rode back and forth for four laps, trading turns at the front. Their biggest gap was roughly 25 seconds to a chasing group of four. As it came down to a two-up sprint, Stybar was at the front and looked back waiting to see if Nys would go. Nys did not, and Stybar went for the sprint just meters from the line. Nys came up on his left side, but couldn't beat Stybar's power at the finish.

"This week I trained in Mallorca on my road bike, with my teammates and I enjoyed a lot," Stybar said. "Honestly today I was surprised to be so strong. I tried to give my best today, even to please my dad. He predicted my victory last night at the phone, I couldn't delude him. The track was super, with a lot of corners. After the crash in the first part of the race I tried to stay calm and find my rhythm. The last laps with Nys were fantastic. I really enjoyed sharing with him the race sorrounded by the supporters. After this race I'm even more disappointed for the World Championships. I was in great condition but the sickness did not allow me to be competitive."

This is the 15th win for Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team this season.

Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) was third on Saturday.