Cyclo-cross. Van der poel éœure van aert in the world cup in Maasmechelen

The Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel, impressive of agility and power, won alone, with more than a minute ahead of the Belgian Wout Van Aert, Saturday in Maasmechelen (Belgium), during the 11th of 12 Cyclo-Cross World Cup rounds. The duel between the two tenors of the discipline promised to be promising but several technical errors of Van Aert allowed “MVDP” to isolate themselves in mind from the second of the eight towers of a particularly muddy and slippery circuit.

Unbeaten this season in the plows this season, the world champion explained after the race he was still suffering from a coast injury that had deprived him of competition in the past two weeks. “I really took advantage of this race, very technical on a route that suited me really well,” he said.

Van Aert said he was “satisfied” with his “good condition”. “I had good sensations but my fall (in the second round) delayed me too much and made things too complicated,” said the Visma-Lease training runner.

Unlike Van Aert, which reduced its season to five cross to favor the road preparation, Van der Poel has made the winter campaign a goal.

He will be the immense favorite of the Liévin Worlds, in early February in France, where he plans to match the record of world titles (7) owned by the Belgian Eric de Vlaeminck.