“Organized My Race and My Round Well”- 28-Year-Old Dutch Cyclist Showcases Dominance and Secures Victory in Mol’s Cyclocross Battle

As sand sprayed and pedal churned through the challenging terrarium, Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert locked horns in a breathtaking duel at the Exact Cross Zilvermeercross in Mol. Even though, it was the first time for Van der Poel, his calculated mastery led him to the pinnacle of success beating Van Aert, the relentless force on the cyclocross circuit. 

The world champion dominated the challenging course beating his Belgian rival and securing a comprehensive win over him. As Van der Poel steps into his second race of the season, his renowned victory will serve as a motivation propelling the cyclist to defy all odds that will come his way. 

Van Aert’s strategic triumph through sand

A crucial element of the Mol circuit, Van der Poel, soared through the demanding sand sections executing his strategies thereby delivering a flawless performance. His adept navigation through the treacherous terrain helped him to build a significant lead against Van Aert. Holding the 7th place in the UCI ranking, the 28-year-old cyclist emphasized his meticulous race organization. 

  

Van der Poel shared his experience of being on the top while debuting in his first cyclocross showdown with legend Van Aert, “I felt very good. I rode well through the sand and that was the most important thing here. Then you can quickly make a difference. I had organized my race and my round well. I was able to recover to ride error-free in the sand. And like I said, that’s the most important thing here. I enjoyed myself.”

At the beginning of the cyclocross race, both the cyclists were at par leaving everyone behind them as they raced towards glory in Herentals over the weekend. However, Van der Poel gradually took the leap, leaving Van Aert behind on the third of 10 laps. 

The continuing saga of rivalry builds anticipation

Even though, Van Aert showcased similar dominance during his debut in Essen at the beginning of this month, he had been slightly off his peak performance. While pedaling through steep ranks, the moments of struggle did have a serious impact on the cyclist. 

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Van der Poel enlightened us about Van Aert’s resilience despite not being in his best form, “Wout indicated that he is tackling the winter without being in the best shape. That seems smart to me in his case. I think he will make it difficult for me in other races and sit at the front. He is  going to win a few this season.”

Van der Poel has full faith in Van Aert’s capability to challenge him in the future. This raises the anticipation among cycling fans to witness a showdown among the ‘big three ’ featuring Van der Poel, Van Aert, and Tom Piddock at the forthcoming CX World Cup in Antwerp. 

Pidcock’s entry will add an extra layer of dimension complementing the Van der Poel and Van Aert’s recent duel. In some other news, Baloise Trek Lions’ Lucinda Brand had grabbed her third victory in cyclocross this season beating her rival Shirin van Anrooij on the third lap.  

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