Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) was unmatched in a winning solo performance at the final round of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Hoogerheide, securing both the day's victory and the overall series title on Sunday.
The World Champion took back-to-back wins in what was a history-making weekend after winning the two rounds in Maasmechelen and Hoogerheide and securing his 50th and 51st career World Cup wins, surpassing a decade-old record previously held by Sven Nys.
Van der Poel had plenty of time to celebrate across the finish and turn around to watch the race for second place that came down to a bike-throw with his Alpecin-Premier Tech teammates Tibor Del Grosso and Niels Vandeputte claiming second and third place, respectively.
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After leading out the sprint, Thibau Nys (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau Lions) was forced to settle for fourth place on the day.
Van der Poel won eight of the 12 rounds of the top-tier series, closing out the series ranking with 320 points, while Nys finished in second place overall with 264 points and Vandeputte in third place with 247 points.
He now turns his attention to Hulst to defend his rainbow jersey on February 1, in a bid to win an eighth cyclo-cross world title and surpass Erik De Vlaeminck to set a new record.
"I'm happy. Also, yesterday, I felt strong, and today, again, I had good legs. I worked hard in Spain to be in top shape, and it seems that worked. Hopefully, I can have a good and easy week, and then go for it [world title] next weekend," Van der Poel said in a post-race interview, noting the importance of winning the overall.
"It is only my second [overall title], and I'm happy to make it work. It was a bit difficult with not doing all the races, and I think with Benidorm it was a bit easier to go for the overall."
How it unfolded
Van der Poel went into the race as the overall leader of the series after winning seven rounds, and was the favourite to take the day's win and secure the overall series in the final round in Hoogerheide.
Nys was the fastest off the starting line, taking the holeshot and leading the long line of competitors over the top of the flyover. However, Joris Nieuwenhuis (Ridley) pushed past the Belgian Champion and led the race up the stairs and onto the tarmac for the start of the second lap.
As the race settled in, Van der Poel and Nys appeared comfortably placed at around fifth and sixth wheel, with Nieuwenhuis and Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens CX Team), Mees Hendrickx (Heizomat-Cube), followed by Alpecin-Premier Tech teammates Vandeputte and Del Grosso.
A crowd-favourite Del Grosso caught air over the flyover before launching straight into an attack with Van der Poel on his wheel, the pair opening a gap on eight chasers.
Van der Poel then surged, distancing Del Grosso at the end of the third lap, and he eventually drifted back to the chase group that also included Vandeputte, Nys, Hendrickx, Nieuwenhuis, Aerts, Felipe Orts Lloret (Ridley Racing Team) and Gerben Kuypers (Pauwels Sauzen-Altez Industriebouw), who had all lost 18 seconds by the start of the fourth lap.
Van der Poel, who had won the Hoogerheide World Cup on seven previous occasions, appeared to orbit the circuit with ease – fast but also flawless – as his gap exploded to over a minute at the start of the eighth and penultimate lap.
Behind Van der Poel, the race heated up for second place, with Nys surging on the last lap, only to be quickly followed by Del Grosso, Aerts, Vandeputte and Orts Lloret.
Long after Van der Poel crossed the line with his eighth victory in Hoogerheide, Nys led the chase group onto the tarmac in a sprint for the finish line. The Belgian looked to have the runner-up spot in hand; however, he was caught and passed at the line by Del Grosso and Vandeputte.
Results
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