Glenn Bielen: two out of two in Vorselaar

DThe VLM internationals descended on Vorselaar, on a fast and demanding course. Glenn Bielen was in a class of his own with two race wins, while Brent Aerden had a day to quickly forget.

Lars Huysmans was once again dominant in the 250cc, and Raf Belmans surprised in this second MX Sam-Rent Team event with his first victory in the Inters B.

Series 1: Bielen rock-solid, Brent Aerden falls short

In the morning, Tyla Van de Poel had already caused a surprise by setting the fastest time in timed practice. At the start of the first heat, however, it was Betemo rider Kevin Schellens who led the pack, ahead of Van de Poel and Glenn Bielen.

Schellens' reign was over after two laps. Glenn Bielen took over the lead, having already passed Van de Poel. Bielen led the charge for Van de Poel, while Brent Aerden quickly moved up to third place. His brother Enzo, who started third, crashed in the opening phase and had to restart from the very back.

Van de Poel was chasing Bielen with Brent Aerden on his wheel, but Bielen was never able to gain more than a three-second lead. It turned into something of a train, until Van de Poel opened up the pace two-thirds of the way through the race to let Brent Aerden slip into second place. However, Bielen rode incredibly strongly and did not allow Aerden to launch even a single attack.

Behind that trio, a second group waged a fierce battle, featuring Inter B rider Joe Vanderreyt and Lars Huysmans, currently the best man in the 250cc. But excluding that group, Enzo Aerden made a strong comeback: from tenth to fourth place, ahead of Huysmans and Vanderreyt. Van de Poel finished third, well behind. Bielen took a strong race victory and held off Brent Aerden.

Series 2: Bielen doubles, Brent Aerden misses podium after penalty time

It was an unprecedented trio that got off to the best start in the second heat, lined up in a row. It wasn't the most famous names — Glenn Bielen, Joe Vanderreyt, and Tyla Van de Poel — who dove into the first corner together. That is where things immediately went wrong for Vanderreyt, who lay motionless and was carried off with a shoulder injury.

Bielen, winner of the opening series, was briefly riding alongside Van de Poel, Enzo Aerden, and a surprisingly strong Wout Van Beysterveldt, while Brent Aerden had to fight his way back from eighth place. Aerden launched overtaking maneuvers lap after lap but had to watch helplessly as Bielen, truly dominant, pulled further and further away. When Brent Aerden caught up with his brother Enzo and took over second place, the gap was already well over ten seconds.

In the 250cc, winner Lars Huysmans had to chase down a Wout Van Beysterveldt who had made a good start. Once Huysmans had passed him, he crashed and Van Beysterveldt was back in the lead. But Huysmans restored order almost immediately and, a few minutes later, was able to overtake Van Beysterveldt again to triumph in the 250cc.

Crossing the finish line, the result of the second heat was Bielen, Brent Aerden, Enzo Aerden, and Van de Poel. However, Brent Aerden received a one-minute penalty for missing a red cross flag and a yellow flag, shown due to an injured rider. Because of that one-minute penalty, Brent Aerden didn't even make the podium. That went to Glenn Bielen with a double heat victory, ahead of Enzo Aerden and Tyla Van de Poel.

Winners of the day

Glenn Bielen was a deserved winner of the Inters 500 with two race wins, ahead of Enzo Aerden and Tyla Van de Poel. In the Inters 250cc, Lars Huysmans was once again dominant, ahead of a strong Wout Van Beysterveldt and Bart Janssens. In the Inters B, Raf Belmans celebrated for the first time, despite the crash of Joe Vanderreyt — a new name at the top of the B class.

A long break follows: there are no races scheduled in the VLM ranks for about five weeks. The resumption takes place on July 12 and 13 at the Duinberg in Retie.

Results

VLM Inters Series 1

1. Glenn Bielen 24:14.683, 2. Brent Aerden +07.208, 3. Tyla Van de Poel +39.767, 4. Enzo Aerden +45.606, 5. Lars Huysmans +55.837, 6. Joe Vanderreyt +1:11.385, 7. Kevin Schellens +1:14.862, 8. Jamie Haanen +1:17.052, 9. Arno Van Mieghem +1:30.490, 10. Wout Van Beysterveldt +1:40.952, 11. Raf Belmans +1:52.979, 12. Boyd Van Endert +2:00.994, 13. Alexander Verbeeck +2:03.984, 14. Sven Wouters +2:21.488, 15. Chiel Vanhaeren +1 lap, 16. Sten Sauvillers +1 lap, 17. Bart Janssens +1 lap, 18. Dieter Vromans +5 laps.

VLM Inters Series 2

1. Glenn Bielen 24:46.943, 2. Enzo Aerden +21.021, 3. Tyla Van de Poel +47.736, 4. Lars Huysmans +1:01.835, 5. Brent Aerden +1:03.480, 6. Wout Van Beysterveldt +1:09.841, 7. Arno Van Mieghem +1:18.825, 8. Jamie Haanen +2:03.603, 9. Raf Belmans +2:14.278, 10. Chiel Vanhaeren +1 lap, 11. Bart Janssens +1 lap, 12. Sten Sauvillers +1 lap, 13. Sven Wouters +1 lap, 14. Boyd Van Endert +1 lap, 15. Kevin Schellens +7 laps, 16. Alexander Verbeeck +9 laps, 17. Joe Vanderreyt +12 laps.

Final Standings Inters 500 Vorselaar

1. Glenn Bielen 50, 2. Enzo Aerden 40, 3. Tyla Van de Poel 40, 4. Brent Aerden 40, 5. Arno Van Mieghem 30, 6. Jamie Haanen 30, 7. Sven Wouters 27, 8. Kevin Schellens 16.

Final Standings Inters 250 Vorselaar

1. Lars Huysmans 50, 2. Wout Van Beysterveldt 44, 3. Bart Janssens 38, 4. Boyd Van Endert 38, 5. Dieter Vromans 0.

Final Standings Inters B Vorselaar

1. Raf Belmans 47, 2. Chiel Vanhaeren 40, 3. Sten Sauvillers 36, 4. Joe Vanderreyt 25, 5. Alexander Verbeeck 20.

VLM Inters Race 1 Vorselaar

Glenn Bielen 24:14.683, 2. Brent Aerden +07.208, 3. Tyla Van de Poel +39.767, 4. Enzo Aerden +45.606, 5. Lars Huysmans +55.837, 6. Joe Vanderreyt +1:11.385, 7. Kevin Schellens +1:14.862, 8. Jamie Haanen +1:17.052, 9. Arno Van Mieghem +1:30.490, 10. Wout Van Beysterveldt +1:40.952, 11. Raf Belmans +1:52.979, 12. Boyd Van Endert +2:00.994, 13. Alexander Verbeeck +2:03.984, 14. Sven Wouters +2:21.488, 15. Chiel Vanhaeren 1 lap, 16. Sten Sauvillers 1 lap, 17. Bart Janssens 1 lap, 18. Dieter Vromans 5 laps

VLM Inters Race 2 Vorselaar

1. Glenn Bielen 24:46.943, 2. Enzo Aerden +21.021, 3. Tyla Van de Poel +47.736, 4. Lars Huysmans +1:01.835, 5. Brent Aerden +1:03.480, 6. Wout Van Beysterveldt +1:09.841, 7. Arno Van Mieghem +1:18.825, 8. Jamie Haanen +2:03.603, 9. Raf Belmans +2:14.278, 10. Chiel Vanhaeren 1 lap, 11. Bart Janssens 1 lap, 12. Sten Sauvillers 1 lap, 13. Sven Wouters 1 lap, 14. Boyd Van Endert 1 lap, 15. Kevin Schellens 7 laps, 16. Alexander Verbeeck 9 laps, 17. Joe Vanderreyt 12 laps

Final Standings VLM Lommel Inters 500

1. Glenn Bielen 50pts, 2. Enzo Aerden 40pts, 3. Tyla Van de Poel 40pts, 4. Brent Aerden 40pts, 5. Arno Van Mieghem 30pts, 6. Jamie Haanen 30pts, 7. Sven Wouters 27pts, 8. Kevin Schellens 16pts

Final Standings VLM Lommel Inters 250

Final Standings VLM Lommel Inters B

1. Raf Belmans 47pts, 2. Chiel Vanhaeren 40pts, 3. Sten Sauvillers 36pts, 4. Joe Vanderreyt 25pts, 5. Alexander Verbeeck 20pts

Tekst: Frank Janssen
Photos: MX Grietje