Who will stop Mathieu Van der Poel? Big favorite of the Exact Cross of Loenhout, the Dutch cyclist honored his status by winning, Friday December 27, the event organized in the Flemish province of Antwerp, thus signing his fourth victory in as many cyclo-crosses contested this season, after his successes in Zonhoven, on December 22, Mol on December 23 and Gavere, on December 26, already in the Plat Pays.
The Alpecin-Deceuninck team rider, 29, took the lead of the race, five minutes after the start, and did not let go, certain of his technical superiority on a heavy and muddy course. He nevertheless had a little scare at 6e lap after hitting an advertising barrier in a corner, but he was able to leave without damage. Mathieu Van der Poel took a little over 58 minutes to complete the seven laps of the event, in front of a large audience.
Already crowned six times world champion, double title holder, the grandson of Raymond Poulidor will aim for a seventh coronation, on February 2, in Liévin (Hauts-de-France), with the objective of equaling the Belgian’s record Eric De Vlaeminck. His next outing is scheduled for Sunday in Besançon.
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Difficult return for van Aert
First place untouchable, the fight for second was fierce between three locals: Thibau Nys, 22 years old, crowned European champion in Galicia (Spain) at the beginning of November, the pure cyclo-cross specialist Laurens Sweeck, 31 years old, and his great rival, Wout van Aert, 30 years old, three times world champion in the discipline (2016, 2017 and 2018).
The elbow of a spectator having accidentally touched the frame of his bike, the latter fell in the last lap of the event, abandoning any chance of a podium. He finally finished 4e36 seconds behind the winner. Thibau Nys, who beat Laurens Sweeck in the sprint, took second place fourteen seconds behind the winner.
The crowd was hoping for a duel of giants, but it did not take place. This is due to the still-improvable form of Wout van Aert, who was making his comeback a few days after his withdrawal, due to stomach aches, during the Mol cross-country race. The Visma-Lease a Bike team rider had not raced since September due to a knee injury following a fall during the Tour of Spain.
Announcing a reduced program of six races (compared to twelve for Mathieu Van der Poel), Wout van Aert described his ambitions as “modest” in cyclo-cross this year. Its main objective is to prepare for the road season.
