Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) did not maintain again on the Superprestige spherical in Gullegem as he powered by means of the mud for his first cyclocross race win in 12 months, simply 24 hours forward of the World Cup in Dendermonde.
In his second begin of the 2024-2025 cyclocross season, Van Aert delivered an sudden victory on Saturday, going away from second-placed Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) on the ultimate lap.
Van Aert saluted his son Georges, who turned 4 years outdated, by elevating 4 fingers as he crossed the end line. He additionally raised his arms to glide to a cease and caught his tongue out of his mud-covered mouth as a part of the birthday celebration.
“At any time when Georges needs to be photographed, he pulls a ‘humorous face’, as he calls it. That is why I did it immediately, to congratulate him on his birthday that means,” he advised Het Nieuwsblad after the victory.
A winner in Gullegem two seasons in the past, Van Aert began on the third row within the 2025 version and rapidly vaulted into the lead group with favourites Iserbyt, Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon), Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) and Superprestige collection chief Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck). By the fourth lap, he started a gradual acceleration to assert the race lead.
A remaining assault on the sixth of eight laps left Iserbyt as the one rider to match Van Aert. It got here all the way down to the ultimate circuit when Iserbyt slipped in a muddy nook after which needed to dismount and run on a small punchy climb that adopted, permitting Van Aert to sail away for the solo win.
“This win got here as a shock to me. I did not count on I used to be going to have the ability to beat these guys on this course,” Van Aert stated within the post-race broadcast interview. “Arduous to consider, as a result of individuals suppose I all the time journey to win. However now 2025 has began and that feels actually good.
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“On the technical sections I typically struggled to comply with the others, however I knew the difficult course would begin to weigh on everybody. On the final lap, I elevated the tempo as soon as extra, which finally proved to be sufficient to take victory. I am very proud of that.”
Van Aert’s abbreviated ‘cross season took successful on the finish of December when he missed a deliberate opener at Superprestige Mol as a result of sickness and made his debut 4 days later at Actual Cross Loenhout. He completed fourth at his opening match, which was his first competitors since crashing out of the Vuelta a España with a knee harm in September.
There are actually solely a trio of World Cup rounds remaining on Van Aert’s winter calendar, which incorporates Sunday’s Dendermonde contest. He was as a result of face off with long-term rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) there however the Dutchman needed to pull out as a result of a persisting rib harm.
In his post-race interview, Van Aert stated he didn’t have massive expectations for the remaining winter marketing campaign, however would “take pleasure in myself” on the World Cup contest on Sunday.
“I needed to dig deep immediately, however tomorrow there’s already one other powerful race in Dendermonde. I’ll give my greatest there once more. I’m trying ahead to it.”
The Belgian stated he wouldn’t take part within the UCI Cyclocross World Championships as he plans to give attention to the highway and conquests within the spring Classics.
After competing in Dendermonde, he’ll head to Visma-Lease a Bike’s January coaching camp in Spain earlier than racing on the World Cup in Benidorm. He’ll then shut out his 2024-25 ‘cross marketing campaign on the World Cup in Maasmechelen, the place he and Van der Poel ought to share their second and remaining duel of the winter.
