Cross fans: it’s time for a rematch between the Big Two.
The Azencross in Loenhout returns on Monday as part of the X²O Badkamers Trofee. Once again it sets the stage for another chapter in the loooooong rivalry between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Loenhout regularly draws a festival-sized crowd. And surely, the presence of the sport’s two biggest names should only add to the atmosphere.
The course itself remains unchanged. It’s a mix of fast straights, paved sections and technical elements.
Van der Poel arrives as the defending winner after a dominant solo ride last year, while Van Aert continues to search for the right formula against his long-time rival this winter. Loenhout offers a different test than the sand-heavy races elsewhere on the calendar, which could shift the balance.
The world champion has been unbeatable…but not so much for the Visma – Lease a Bike rider. On Sunday, van Aert arrived in Dendermonde as the favourite, but had to settle for seventh. The fast, twisty course didn’t suit him, and he spent much of the race chasing rather than leading. “The feeling just wasn’t great,” he said. “Compared to previous races, I struggled with the explosive efforts. I wasn’t aggressive enough.”
He came close to a victory just before Christmas, however. But Tibor Del Grosso outsprinted him in a nail-biter at the Superprestige in Heusden-Zolder.
In the elite women’s race, Siobhan Kelly will be the sole entrant as the others take a day off during the very busy Kersteperiode. In the men’s, Tyler Clark, Rhett Bates and Liam Sargeant will be there. Fabrice Dufresne and Thomas Deniger will race in the junior men’s race
You can check out the elite races on Flobikes.com. The elite women will begin at 7:40 a.m. ET. Canadian Cycling Magazine will have a full report and results from all categories afterwards.
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