Brabantse Pijl 2021: Pidcock wins three-up sprint

image: Cor VosThe Brabantse Pijl comes down to a three-up sprint. Tom Pidcock outpowers Wout van Aert and Matteo Trentin on the false flat finish in Overijsse. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results Brabantse Pijl 2021

1. Tom Pidcock (gbr)
2. Wout van Aert (bel) s.t.
3. Matteo Trentin (ita) + 0.02
4. Ide Schelling (nld) + 0.07
5. Robert Stannard (nzl) s.t.
6. Dylan Teuns (bel) s.t.
7. Benoît Cosnefroy (fra) s.t.
8. Toms Skujins (lat) s.t.
9. Oscar Riesebeek (nld) s.t.
10. Andreas Leknessund (nor) + 0.12

Race report
After 30 kilometres of hard racing Bryan Coquard, Andreas Leknessund, Jordi Meeus, Julian Mertens, Ludovic Robeet, Anders Skaarseth and Brent Van Moer manage to jump off the front. Emmanuel Morin and Kevin Van Melsen track the seven down before the leaders open up a gap of more than 6 minutes.

Just before the first passage on the line Cavagna, Skujins, Bystrom and Stannard attack in the peloton, while Cosnefroy, Teuns and Riesebeek chase the four down.

With 40 kilometres remaining Pidcock accelerates in the peloton. Trentin goes with him, while Van Aert bridges across. While the group Cavagna rejoins the remaining attackers – Robeet, Van Moer, Leknessund, Meeus, Skaarseth – the three regain contact as well.

Trentin goes solo to hear the bell for the last lap ring with a lead of 20 seconds. Schelling rejoins the chasers moments later.

Pidcock and Van Aert attack on the Hertstraat to rejoin Trentin before the Moskesstraat. The three stay together on the steep cobbles, while Cosnefory and Teuns try to bridge across. But to no avail.

Van Aert opens the sprint, but his jump lacks power. Pidcock overhauls his fellow cyclocross champion to win the Brabantse Pijl.

Another interesting read: route 2021 Brabantse Pijl.