Liévin’s D-Day
Today was the long-awaited showdown in Liévin. Since Wout van Aert’s late commitment to the race, cyclocross fans were anticipating a titanic duel with Mathieu van der Poel. Unfortunately, that battle never truly materialized—partly due to Van der Poel’s explosive form, but also because of Van Aert’s disastrous start.
False Start for Van Aert
Right from the gun, Van Aert was at a significant disadvantage compared to his Dutch rival. While Van der Poel secured a front-row starting position, Van Aert had to begin from the fourth row. This was a consequence of his limited race schedule this season, which meant he hadn’t accumulated enough points for a better grid position.
And that disadvantage proved decisive. Van Aert found himself boxed in at the start, while Van der Poel launched off the line at full throttle. To make matters worse, Van Aert got stuck in traffic and even lost more places instead of gaining ground. The race seemed over for him before it had even truly begun.
Van der Poel Unstoppable
As expected, Van der Poel wasted no time asserting his dominance. Within the first lap, he had already built a 22-second lead over the rest of the field. His first lap was the fastest of the race, and by the time the riders hit the muddy sections, he was in complete control.
Meanwhile, Van Aert’s situation remained dire. After just one lap, he was already 40 seconds behind. From that point on, the race turned into a formality for Van der Poel—he only needed to avoid mistakes and maintain his pace. His seventh world title was never in doubt. With this victory, Van der Poel equaled the legendary Erik De Vlaeminck’s record of seven cyclocross world championships.
Belgians Complete the Podium
Despite his disastrous start, Van Aert showcased his resilience. He gradually picked off riders one by one, producing some remarkable surges, especially on the tough uphill finish. Thibau Nys and Joris Nieuwenhuis briefly managed to stay with him, but they eventually had to let go.
Van Aert rode a strong race to secure second place—a commendable result given the circumstances. The Belgian celebration didn’t stop there. A determined Nys managed to drop Nieuwenhuis in the closing stages, securing the bronze medal.
Conclusion
Van der Poel was simply on another level, delivering a masterclass performance to claim his seventh world title. Meanwhile, Van Aert salvaged what he could, proving his strength with a remarkable comeback to second place. With Nys also on the podium, it was still a proud day for Belgian cyclocross. However, there was no denying that the day belonged to Van der Poel—once again, the undisputed king of the mud.
