The race, in three figures
The race, in words
Thibaut Vercruysse finished in the top 10% of the field at Mechelen 2026, in 1:08:42 for 59th of 561 men in the Open division.
Legs and stations told different stories: 95% of the field beaten on the runs, 71% on the stations. Stronger after halfway: 1:23 better against the middle of the field than before it. Time in the roxzone, 6:04, was faster than 91% of the field.
Mechelen gave the field time back: about 3:00 faster than the average race this season, by 1,568 athletes who raced both. Thibaut Vercruysse's fastest of 2 finishes in the Open division.
Eight blocks
Bar = field beaten · tick = median
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Block 01 7:23Running 1 3:03v median −0:35
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Block 02 6:32Running 2 3:42v median −0:49
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Block 03 7:51Running 3 3:47v median −1:00
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Block 04 8:23Running 4 3:49v median −1:00
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Block 05 8:30Running 5 3:55v median −1:04
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Block 06 5:57Running 6 3:51v median −1:00
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Block 07 8:05Running 7 3:51v median −0:58
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Block 08 10:06Running 8 4:22v median −1:01
Roxzone, per block
Approach · Exit 6:04
Against the middle of your field
Men · n = 556
A pace, not a person: at every mat, the middle of the 556 men who finished.