Toon Aerts completed in fourth place on the Precise Cross in Sint Niklaas on Saturday. It was his first race in two years after the expiration of his two-year doping suspension.
The 30-year-old thought he may make it onto the rostrum however Lars van der Haar (Baloise-Trek) out-sprinted him for third place 12 seconds behind race winner Michael Vanthourenhout and his Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Eli Iserbyt.
“The rostrum may need been the icing on the cake, however the cake will style candy. I’m happy after as we speak,” Aerts mentioned.
He needed to cross greater than 40 riders after beginning within the final row since he has no UCI factors towards grid positions and he made fast work of attending to the entrance.
“Should you see the place I got here from, it was certainly an excellent begin,” Aerts informed Wielerflits. “It took a very long time for it to open on the left facet. I had counted on it opening there, similar to different years. I assumed for a second: it is totally different this yr, however in the long run, it occurred and I used to be in a position to seize some locations.
“In fact, that takes some getting used to after such a protracted interval with out cross, however I survived, so I’m very pleased with it.”
Aerts examined constructive for the breast most cancers drug letrozole in an out-of-competition management earlier than the Cyclocross World Championships in 2022.
After his vigorous but unsuccessful defence towards the doping constructive, which he attributed to contaminated meals, the UCI suspended him for 2 years.
Aerts appears to have garnered ample assist from his followers.
“In latest days, many individuals have despatched me good luck. There have been additionally those that wrote: ‘Get pleasure from it’. I loved it, however it nonetheless damage,” he mentioned to Sporza.
“At sure moments I actually needed to go deep. However then I assumed: “Come on, man, an hour of struggling, what’s that in comparison with the 2 years during which you suffered?”
He additionally had loads of assist from the spectators on the course.
“I had the sensation that it was a championship. These are moments after they stand on the sidelines with bells and whistles and cheer. And as we speak I had slightly little bit of that feeling once more.
“I’m extraordinarily grateful to these folks [Aerts’ fan club] as a result of they’ve guided me by means of the previous two years. This can be a day that I can’t neglect for the remainder of my life.”
Now racing with Deschacht-Hens-Maes, Aerts heads to the X2O Trophy in Brussels – the second to final race of the season that concludes subsequent week in Oostmalle.Â
“Tomorrow is a very totally different course, I feel. I had slightly hassle as we speak with the slipping and sliding within the corners. Tomorrow there will probably be a variety of that, so it will likely be there once more to start with. However in precept, the course fits me higher than as we speak’s.”
Earlier than his doping constructive, Aerts had simply hit his stride, climbing onto the rostrum with Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel on the World Cup in Dendermonde and notching up his first European World Cup victory in Zonhoven.
 “That can also be the rationale why I’ve maintained my braveness over the previous two years. If it labored then, why would not it work sooner or later,” Aerts mentioned to Sporza.Â
“As we speak I used to be capable of finding my place on the high of cyclocross. I hope that this may solely get higher by collaborating in an increasing number of competitions.”
Lucinda Model (Baloise Trek) gained the ladies’s occasion in Sint Niklaas forward of Laura Verdonschot and Annemarie Worst.
