ReportSteven De Jongh from beginning to end! The 23-year old Dutch rider Steven De Jongh has won the 54st Kermis Prize of Sport with a strong performance. With an international field, 9 riders went away but he was the faster from Russian Pankov and the Australian rider David McKenzie. It was the Dutchman's first victory in Belgium after a two year professional career. During the final lap, he and Verstrepen made a late attack on the top group of 13 but Raymond Meys and two groups of three came back during the last two kilometres.Of the 88 starters, Wilfried Nelissen rode 15 laps before pulling out. In the top group was De Jongh, Nico Renders, Johan De Geyter, Danny Baeyens, Rik Van Slycke, Karl Pauwels and Tony Bracke. More than 35 seconds separated this group from the rest. During the third lap, another attack came with Spaenhoven, De Jongh, Phil Jacobs, Eric De Clercq, Karl Pauwels, Verstrepen, D'Hollander, Luppens and Jarno Vanfrachem. This attack lasted until the 80 km mark. Next attack came on the eleventh lap when Spaenhoven, Jacobs and De Clercq went away but their 55 second gap melt like snow in the sun. During the second last lap, 13 riders attacked and the TVM De Jonge was never threatened. Race distance - 165 kms:1. Steven DE JONGH (Ned) TVM 3.49.00 2. Oleg Pankov (Uzk) 3. David McKenzie (Australia) 4. Jacob Piil Storm (Den) 5. Thierry Marichal 6. Raymond Meijs 0.13 7. Kurt Van Lancker 8. Hans De Clercq 0.17 9. Johan Verstrepen 0.42 10. Rik Van Slycke 11. Bart Leysen 12. Michel Cornelisse (Ned) 0.54 13. Michel Vanhaecke 0.57 14. Christ Hendryckx 15. Geert Verheyen 16. Andy De Smet 1.02 17. Eric De Clercq 1.05 18. Kris Gerits 1.12 19. Louis de Koning (Ned) 20. Johan De Geyter 21. Hans De Meester 1.18 22. Tim Lenaers 1.24 23. Tom Stremersch 24. Masahiko Mifune (Jap) 25. Jean-Pierre Heynderickx 1.34 26. Patrick De Wael 27. Jarno Vanfrachem |