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Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) secured his fourth World Cup win in a row, soloing to the victory after a masterclass efficiency by way of the sand in Zonhoven.
The 2 groups that had been dominant in numbers, Baloise Trek Lions and Crelan-Corendon, had been no match for the World Champion, who made his successful transfer on the fourth of eight laps and prolonged his result in 20 seconds as he crossed the road for the victory.
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions) received the race for second place, gaining a small hole as he entered the ending right away, forcing Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) to accept third. Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions) completed fourth.
Toon Vandebosch (Crelan-Corendon) was initially among the many chase group racing for second however a crash on the ultimate sand descent noticed him lose time and end fifth at 59 seconds again. World Cup chief Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) struggled with the tempo throughout this spherical of the collection and completed in sixth at 1:11.
“I’m tremendous pleased with how this a part of the cyclo-cross season went, however I’m additionally pleased that I can go to Spain and work on the shape once more,” Van der Poel stated afterwards, admitting that he raced extra conservatively in the beginning in Zonhoven because of the colder temperatures.
“I needed to see how the race developed. It was chilly and took me some time earlier than I acquired into my very own rhythm. It’s a troublesome race, and I didn’t need to waste an excessive amount of vitality at the moment.“
“I’m all the time pleased to win, in fact. I felt OK, and I’m pleased I can go and do extra coaching.”
The way it unfolded
The boys’s subject lined up below bitterly chilly temperatures for the twelfth spherical of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Zonhoven. Collection total chief Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) returned to competitors after taking every week off to recuperate from a abdomen sickness and dehydration.
World Champion Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who had received the final three consecutive World Cups in Antwerp, Gavere and Hulst, was additionally on the beginning line however absent had been his greatest rivals Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).
Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions) led the sphere onto the circuit, however he was shortly handed by Iserbyt and Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) on the primary descent by way of the deep sand as Van der Poel moved into fourth place.
A mechanical compelled Cameron Mason (Cyclocross Reds) into the pits, however the British Champion didn’t swap bikes and as a substitute pulled out of the race.
Nieuwenhuis pushed to the entrance and opened a small hole, quickly joined by Van der Poel and Sweeck. The trio began the second lap with a spot of 9 seconds on a bunch led by Iserbyt, Pim Ronhaar (Baloise Trek Lions) and Toon Vandebosch (Crelan-Corendon). A number of seconds again, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions), Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Emiel Verstrynge (Crelan-Corendon) tried to regain contact with the entrance of the race.
By the third lap, a entrance group of seven riders settled right into a race rhythm: Baloise Trek Lions teammates Ronhaar, Nys and Nieuwenhuis, Crelan-Corendon teammates Sweeck, Verstrynge and Vandebosch, and the lone Van der Poel. By this level, Iserbyt struggled to maintain up with the tempo and ended up too far off the again of the leaders.
Van der Poel made his successful assault on lap 4 with a surge on the uphill sand part, opening his hole to 12 seconds when he reached the sand descent. He orbited the circuit with flawless talent by way of the sand, 25 seconds forward of his nearest rivals, Nieuwenhuis, Sweeck, Ronhaar and Vandebosch.
By the top of the fifth (of eight) laps, Van der Poel began to catch lapped riders on the course and confirmed no indicators of slowing down, extending his result in 32 seconds on lap six.
There was no denying Van der Poel the victory in Zonhoven, and with two laps to go, the race for second place heated up between Baloise Trek Lions’ Ronhaar and Nieuwenhuis and Crelan-Corendon’s Sweeck and Vandebosch.
Vandebosch acquired his line mistaken on the sand descent, which induced him to crash and lose time to the group and the stability to shift in favour of Baloise Trek Lions.
Teammates Rohnaar and Nieuwenhuis pushed the tempo, forcing Sweeck to reply and chase after every surge. Nieuwenhuis led the trio by way of the ultimate part of the circuit with Sweeck on his wheel and Rohnaar struggling to remain involved.
Nieuwenhuis accelerated onto the ending straight with a spot to safe second place forward of Sweeck in third and Rohnaar in fourth.
Outcomes
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