Dendermonde, December 28, 2023 – A criterium-style race, born from unexpectedly dry conditions, saw Wout Van Aert finish sixth at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, unable to match the relentless pace of successive attacks. The three-time world champion admitted he lacked the explosive power needed to contend for the win, a surprising turn for a rider with a previously perfect record on this course when the ground was soft.
Nys Springs Upset in Fast-Paced Dendermonde Race
Youngster Thibau Nys claimed victory, narrowly edging out Tibor Del Grosso in a thrilling sprint finish.
- Thibau Nys (Baloise Glowi Lions) won the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Dendermonde.
- Wout Van Aert (Visma – Lease a Bike) struggled with the fast pace and finished sixth.
- Tibor Del Grosso (Alpecin – Deceuninck) secured a career-best second-place finish.
- Van Aert cited a lack of explosive power and difficulty with repeated accelerations as key factors in his performance.
The 31-year-old Van Aert found himself unable to break clear of a leading group of ten riders throughout the race. “It was a difficult course,” Van Aert said afterward. “The first 10 riders were close together. It could just as well have been a different result. But I came here to compete for the win and I never did.”
Just five days prior, 22-year-old Tibor Del Grosso had narrowly defeated Van Aert in a sprint finish at Heusden-Zolder, achieving the best World Cup result of his career. Today, Del Grosso followed Nys across the finish line.
“I think everyone tried attacking once,” Van Aert continued. “But making a real difference was almost impossible. I was better in the second half of the race, better in position. But two laps from the end, I let myself be done a little too much, I was too far back in the group, and then my race was actually already done.”
What’s the key to success in cyclo-cross? According to Van Aert, it’s about explosive power and consistent acceleration, qualities he felt he lacked in Dendermonde.
Van Aert acknowledged a dip in his form, stating, “The feeling was not great, less than the past few days. I had trouble with the explosive attack and was not so aggressive. I had trouble with the succession of accelerations. It is not going to be faster than this kind of cross, sprinting from corner to corner. Then other guys come to the surface, but I just wasn’t at my best.”
The conditions in Dendermonde were a stark contrast to Van Aert’s previous successes at the venue. He had previously won all three of his prior appearances when the course was muddy. “From the previous editions, I never thought that I would come here without any mud,” Van Aert said before the race. “It was very hard when it was muddy like last year, maybe it was a bit too much, I kind of liked it. Today the track contains too few natural obstacles, it will be really fast and come down to the finer details.”
Currently without a win this cyclo-cross season, Van Aert will have a quick opportunity to rebound against his long-term rival, Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), at Loenhout tomorrow (December 29), followed by races in Mol on January 2 and Zonhoven on January 4.
When asked about his chances for a victory this season, the three-time world champion admitted, “Winning is always hard. If Mathieu doesn’t participate, the chance is greater for others to win, but beating the rest is also difficult. I hope to be better in Loenhout than today.”
Van Aert is scheduled to conclude his cyclo-cross campaign at the Belgian national championships in Beringen on January 11. Last season, he extended his season to compete against Van der Poel at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, which will be held in Hulst on February 1 this year.
Angelo De Clercq, the Belgian national coach, expressed hope that Van Aert will extend his program to include the world championships. “I still hope that Wout will start in Hulst. Now when I make my pre-selection, I fill in his name in pencil,” De Clercq told Sporza. “I don’t think it’s completely out of the question that he will go to the world championships, but a final selection will be made around the Belgian championships. Then we’ll see if Wout is there or not.”
However, De Clercq acknowledged that Van Aert’s recent defeats, coupled with the possibility of continued cold and freezing conditions in the Netherlands, might lead him to stick to his original schedule. He hopes a competitive showing against Van der Poel in the coming days will boost Van Aert’s confidence.
“Maybe there will come a time when Van Aert gets a confidence boost by going along with Van der Poel for a long time in Loenhout or Zonhoven,” De Clercq said. “That may completely change that feeling for him. Every opportunity that comes is one to be seized. It would be another world championship that is gone. I still hope that Wout will be at the start. Not only is Wout important to us in terms of sport, but he is also a leader. All the youngsters look up to him and it’s very important to have him with us to such a championship.”
