Jan 4, 2024 at 2:42 PM Update: an hour ago
Mathieu van der Poel has continued his impressive winning streak in cyclo-cross. The Dutchman kept Wout van Aert far behind him in Koksijde on Thursday. Among the women, Fem van Empel was in a class of her own.
Van der Poel allowed Van Aert to follow his track in the West Flemish dunes for half a lap. Then the Dutch all-rounder placed his famous acceleration and the race was already over.
At the finish, Van der Poel had a minute and nineteen seconds lead over compatriot Pim Ronhaar, who turned out to be the toughest of the opposition. Van Aert finished third shortly after. Tom Pidcock was missing from Koksijde due to illness.
There is no limit for Van der Poel this cyclo-cross season. The world champion doesn’t care what surface he rides on or which competitors are at the start. He was by far the best all nine times he participated.
This was accompanied by an incident in Hulst on Saturday. Van der Poel spat at spectators who misbehaved, which made the sport look at itself. The race in Koksijde went without any significant unkindness.
Van der Poel ends his busy holiday period on Sunday with a cyclocross in Zonhoven. His next and final clash with Van Aert is scheduled for January 21 in Benidorm. The World Cup in Tábor is on February 4.
Battered Van Empel leads the Dutch podium
Van Empel arrived in Koksijde battered, after her fall in the cross in Baal on Monday. The 21-year-old Dutch woman won that match, but afterwards received several stitches in her damaged knee.
It didn’t bother Van Empel for a moment in the Belgian coastal town. The world champion quickly pulled away from her competitors and took a lead of more than twenty seconds within one lap.
The superior Brabant woman extended that lead in the course of the cross, to a difference of forty seconds on number two Lucinda Brand and number three Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado.
The two fought an interesting battle just before the finish, after Brand had given away a significant lead. Del Carmen Alvarado almost overtook Brand, but fell just short.
Van Empel showed in Koksijde that she has regained her top form. Last week she was surprisingly defeated in Hulst and Gavere, partly due to a cold and knee problems. She now has fourteen cross victories this season.
Fem van Empel won with ease in Koksijde. Photo: Getty Images
2024-01-04 15:18:33
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