Let’s be honest—men’s ‘cross racing can be waaaaaay more enjoyable when Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert square off. Unfortunately, that probably isn’t what guys Eli Iserbyt, Michael Vanthourenhout, and Toon Aerts think. When the Big Two toe the line, everyone else knows they are racing for the third spot on the podium.
Van Aert’s season
Visma – Lease a Bike’s Van Aert was supposed to start cyclocross season on Dec. 23 at the Zilvermeercross round of the Superprestige series in Mol, Belgium. On Saturday afternoon, Van Aert suddenly fell ill after a short bike ride. As a result, he had to withdraw from yesterday’s race in Mol. His sinuses were completely blocked, and he could hardly eat due to stomach issues. “Suddenly, the illness took hold, and Wout felt really unwell. There was nothing that could be done,” his manager Jef Van Den Bosch said to HLN. “Now it’s a matter of recovering and taking it day by day.” According to Wielerflits, his Visma – Lease a Bike thinks he may be good to go two days after Christmas, at the Exact Cross series event in Loenhout. In the new year, he returns to the Superprestige for the Gullegem round on Jan. 4. The following day, he shifts to the World Cup for three consecutive rounds, starting in Dendermonde, Belgium. On Jan. 19, he’ll race in Benidorm, Spain. Van Aert’s cyclocross campaign concludes at the World Cup in Maasmechelen, Belgium, on Jan. 25.
MvdP’s season
Alpecin–Deceuninck’s Mathieu van der Poel’s cyclocross schedule includes the World Cup in Zonhoven on Dec. 22, followed by the Superprestige in Mol on Dec. 23. He will then compete in the World Cup in Gavere on Dec. 26, and the Exact Cross in Loenhout on Dec. 27. On Dec. 29, he races in the World Cup in Besançon, and on Jan. 1, he takes part in the X2O Trofee in Baal. Van der Poel will compete again in the X2O Trofee in Koksijde on Jan. 3, before heading to the World Cup in Dendermonde on Jan. 5. His schedule continues with the World Cup in Maasmechelen on Jan. 25, followed by the World Cup in Hoogerheide on Jan. 26. He’ll cap off his cyclocross season at the world championships in Lièvin on Feb. 2.
So since the Big Two didn’t get a chance to Monday at at Mol, that means Dec. 27, at Exact Cross Loenhout, might be the first meet-up. Following that, they will go head to head at Jan. 5, 2025, at World Cup in Dendermonde, and Jan. 25, at the World Cup in…
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