Mathieu van der Poel collapses after winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Jens Adams climbs the Koppenberg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Vanthourenhout (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Dieter Sweeck (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tom Meeusen (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Boros and Kevin Pauwels climb the Koppenberg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel on the ground after winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel on the ground after winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel and Jens Adams show the pain of Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Daan Soete after the finish of Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel on the ground after winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Vincent Baestaens (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The elite men's podium at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Toon Aerts at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Lars van der Haar and Mathieu van der Poel (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Yu Takenuchi at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Vanthourenhout at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Tim Merlier (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Daan Soete at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Boros at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Rob Peeters climbs the Koppenberg (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The elite men climb the Koppenberg at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The elite men climb the Koppenberg at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Koppenbergcross runner-up Toon Aerts (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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An exhausted Mathieu van der Poel wins Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Koppenbergcross runner-up Toon Aerts (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel en route to winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel en route to winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel en route to winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The Koppenbergcross podium: Toon Aerts, Mathieu van der Poel and Lars van der Haar (Ned) Telenet-Fidea (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The Koppenbergcross podium: Toon Aerts, Mathieu van der Poel and Lars van der Haar (Ned) Telenet-Fidea (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Toon Aerts, Mathieu van der Poel and Kevin Pauwels (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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World champion Wout Van Aert at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel in the lead at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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The men get underway at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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World champion Wout Van Aert at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Laurens Sweeck (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel en route to winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel en route to winning Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Vanthourenhout (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Toon Aerts leads Mathieu van der Peol (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Lars van der Haar (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Michael Vanthourenhout (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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World champion Wout Van Aert at Koppenbergcross (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
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Mathieu van der Poel on the Koppenbergcross podium (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) continued his domination of the European 'cross circuit, taking out his 12th victory of the season in the Koppenbergcross. While his previous wins have been near start-to-finish solo attacks, this time the Dutchman was pushed to his limits by runner-up Toon Aerts (Telenet-Fidea) and third-placed Lars van der Haar.
Van der Poel attacked early in the race, but had repeated issues with his pedals, and was caught by Aerts, Van der Haar and world champion Wout Van Aert (Crelan-Charles). The quartet had a stalemate until Van der Haar made a move mid-race.
Van Aert buried himself to bring the Telenet-Fidea rider back, but then struggled on the cobbled ascent of the Koppenberg and was distanced from the others.
Van der Poel bided his time, only making his move in the last half lap, distancing the scrappy European champion, but the effort cost him and the Dutch champion collapsed after the finish line and still struggled to catch his breath in the post-race interview.
Full Results
#
Rider Name (Country) Team
Result
1
Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Beobank-Corendon
1:07:49
2
Toon Aerts (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
0:00:12
3
Lars van der Haar (Ned) Telenet Fidea Lions
0:00:24
4
Wout Van Aert (Bel) Crelan - Charles
0:01:14
5
Kevin Pauwels (Bel) Marlux - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
0:01:29
6
Jens Adams (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Vastgoedservice
0:01:30
7
Corne van Kessel (Ned) Telenet Fidea Lions
0:01:36
8
Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Marlux - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
0:01:42
9
Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Marlux - Napoleon Games Cycling Team
0:01:49
10
Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Era Real Estate - Circus
0:01:50
11
Michael Boros (Cze) Pauwels Sauzen - Vastgoedservice
12
Daan Soete (Bel) Telenet Fidea Lions
0:01:54
13
Tom Meeusen (Bel) Beobank-Corendon
0:02:38
14
Tim Merlier (Bel) Crelan - Charles
0:03:27
15
Ian Field (GBr) Hargroves Cycles Race Team
0:03:37
16
Jonas Degroote (Bel) Team Mahieu - Kona - Vandermeeren
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