As always since the start of this season, World Cup leader Luca Bramati was fastest off at the start on a course that was a little slippery due to the recent rain, ahead of a small group including Van der Poel, Herijgers, Willemssens, De Bie, De Clerq and defending champion Erwin Vervecken. The other Italian, Daniele Pontoni, was not far behind and soon found his way back to the front of the race, in the second lap, before accelerating even more together with former world champion Pol Herijgers. The two riders broke away with a few seconds lead over the impressive Willemsens with Van de Abeele, De Clerq, Van der Poel and Bramati. A little further back was a group with Verwecken, De Bie, Janssens, Van Riet, Berden, and the excellent Pascal Triebel, the leading Luxembourger. The next two laps did not change much, except that Van der Poel and De Clercq were replaced by Danny De Bie and Erwin Verwecken in the first chasing group and, little by little, the gaps widened further.

It was shortly after halfway point that Pol Herijgers managed leave Pontoni behind and gain a decisive advantage, with a 30-second lead over the next group. Unable to catch up with Herijgers due to a heel injury that hampered him on the running sections, the Italian champion nevertheless managed to hold off his pursuers, namely Verwecken, Van den Abeele, Bramati, and Janssens, who came back from behind very strongly. Pol Herijgers continued to increase his lead and won the ACC Contern international cyclo-cross for the third time, 25 seconds ahead of Daniele Pontoni and 42 seconds ahead of Marc Janssens, who was faster in the sprint than Verwecken, Van den Abeele, and former junior world champion Erik Boezewinkel. Pascal Triebel finished as the best Luxembourger in a respectable 14th place alongside Danny De Bie and Pascal Van Riet, well ahead of Virgil Maus who nevertheless achieved an excellent 20th place in this very competitive field.