The seventh stage of Cyclocross World Cuprun today, December 26, at Gavere (East Flanders), provided entertainment and excitement on a technical and muddy track, which put the 96 cyclocross riders from 18 nations to the test. Among them, four Italians: Gioele Bertolini, Lorenzo Masciarelli, Edoardo Bolzan and Samuele Silla Gilioli.
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The route, designed around the suggestive Grenier castle, required extreme technical skills with climbs, steep descents and sections to be tackled on foot. The difficult conditions, combined with the constant risk of slips, attracted thousands of spectators, willing to brave the cold to watch this race by paying 16 euros for a ticket.
The race
Mathieu Van der Poelstarting on the second grid, demonstrated once again that he is in extraordinary form, despite the tight calendar that saw him as a protagonist in Zonhoven (Sunday) and Mol (Monday) in the previous days.
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In the first lap, the European champion Thibau Nys dictated the pace, but he paid the price for the difficulties of the track with a fall. The battle was heated between Nys, Tim Roonhaar, Michael Vanthourenhout and Van der Poel, who closed the opening lap in the lead, 10 seconds ahead of their pursuers.
On the second lap, World Cup leader Michael Vanthourenhout took control of the race, followed by Van der Poel and Nys. Roonhaar lost contact, leaving room for Emiel Verstrynge among the pursuers.
Van der Poel's masterpiece
The decisive turning point came at the start of the third lap, when Van der Poel changed gear. With disarming power, he left his rivals behind, accumulating a 26-second lead over Nys and Vanthourenhout at the end of the lap. From then on it was a lonely ride for the Dutchman, who was able to maintain an impressive pace in the following four laps, progressively increasing the gap.
The others: human heroes fighting against a god
Van der Poel is like Thor, the god of thunder. By comparison, the other runners seem more like the Avengers before they joined forces: talented, yes, but always one step behind their leader. Michael Vanthourenhout, with his regularity, could be the “Captain America” of cyclocross, reliable and determined, but he lacks that decisive blow to take down his divine opponent.
Thibau Nys has the courage and energy of a young “Spider-Man”, ready to risk everything, but still immature to face a Thor like Van der Poel. Laurens Sweeck and Tim Roonhaar are instead similar to “Hawkeye” and “Black Widow”: experts, technical and tactical, but without the power necessary to turn the tide of an already marked battle.
The comparison with Wout van Aert: the expected “Hulk”.
If Van der Poel is Thor, Wout van Aert is Hulk, the only one who, with his brute strength and resilience, can counter the dominance of the Flying Dutchman. The anticipation for their direct challenge is sky high: two titans ready to clash on the epic terrain of Loenhout. Tomorrow, Friday 27 December, in the Exact Cross.
