British rider Cameron Mason finished fifth in a thrilling edition of the UEC Cyclo-cross European Championships, just four seconds off the top spot. The 25-year-old fought back from a 20-second deficit in the closing laps to contend for a medal on the difficult sandy terrain in Middlekerke, Belgium.
2016 European champion Toon Aerts reclaimed the title nine years later, outsprinting last year’s champion Thibau Nys in a nail-biting finish. Joran Wyseure completed a clean sweep of the podium for Belgium. The Netherlands’ Pim Ronhaar livened up the race with near-constant attacks but mistakes cost him precious seconds, finishing fourth ahead of Mason.
Mason, who was second at the European Championships in 2023, managed to keep pace with the sand specialists in the later laps before fading slightly on a breathless final lap as a six-man group geared up for a sprint finish. The majority of the cyclo-cross calendar takes place on muddier ground better suited to the Briton.
An emotional Aerts, who returned from a two-year ban for a positive test for letrozole, said: “This is such a special day… the last years were so difficult, to reach this today is incredible.” In the women’s elite race, the Netherlands swept the podium, with Inge van der Heijden winning solo, 41 seconds clear of Lucinda Brand.
