Well, the multiple square-offs between world champion Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert didn’t exactly materialize as many times as we hoped, but there’s one last time to see the superstars go at it.
Visma – Lease a Bike’s Van Aert was supposed to start his cyclocross season on Dec. 23 at the Zilvermeercross round of the Superprestige series in Mol, Belgium. But just before, Van Aert felt sick after a ride and had to withdraw from the race.
According to a statement from his team, his sinuses were completely blocked, and he could hardly eat. “Suddenly, the illness took hold, and Wout felt unwell. There was nothing that could be done,” his manager Jef Van Den Bosch said to HLN. “It was a matter of recovering and taking it day by day.” He did debut at the Exact Cross, taking fourth.
In the new year, he returned to the Superprestige for the Gullegem round on Jan. 4 where he won. The following day, he shifted to the World Cup in Dendermonde, Belgium, which he won. On Jan. 19, he raced in Benidorm, Spain taking fourth. Van Aert’s cyclocross campaign will conclude at the World Cup in Maasmechelen, Belgium, on Saturday.
Alpecin–Deceuninck’s Mathieu van der Poel’s cyclocross schedule included the World Cup in Zonhoven on Dec. 22, followed by the Superprestige in Mol on Dec. 23. He then competed in the World Cup in Gavere on Dec. 26 and the Exact Cross in Loenhout on Dec. 27. On Dec. 29, he raced in the World Cup in Besançon, and on Jan. 1, he DNS at the X2O Trofee in Baal. And after a nagging injury, Van der Poel had to skip the X2O Trofee in Koksijde on Jan. 3 and the World Cup in Dendermonde on Jan. 5. However, he is back with the World Cup in Maasmechelen on Saturday but won’t race the World Cup in Hoogerheide on Sunday.
He will be there to defend his crown at the world championships in Lièvin on Feb. 2.
To watch the two superstars go head to head, you can watch it for free on the UCI YouTube channel, or if you have a FloBikes account, go to FloBikes.com.
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…