Pauwels won the overall mountain ranking in the 2007 Tour Down Under and was second in the sixth stage of the 2006 Tour de l'Avenir in France.
Pauwels's performance in the 2007 Tour Down Under showcased his expertise in mountainous terrain, as he secured the top spot in the overall classification and finished second in the sixth stage of the 2006 Tour de l'Avenir held in France.