Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin - Deceuninck) won the final round of the UCI World Cup in Besançon, France, on Sunday, soloing to his fifth World Cup victory. In second place was Laurens Sweeck (Crelan - Fristads) ahead of Joris Nieuwenhuis (Baloise Trek Lions).
French champion Clément Venturini (AG2R La Citroën Mondiale) finished fourth on home ground, while Van der Poel's teammate, Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin - Deceuninck) claimed fifth.
"I can be happy with how I felt today, and hopefully, with some rest next week, I think I will feel my best next week," Van der Poel said to reporters after the race.
"It was really hard to make a difference from the start. I wanted to take it a bit easier in the beginning and then see what I could do with an attack on the hardest part of the course. On a fast course like this, this is the best thing you can do. If a big group is behind you, they will look at each other a few times."
How it unfolded
Despite somewhat chilly conditions at 4 degrees Celsius, the sun was out, and the conditions were dry and fast in Besançon for the final round of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
With 55 riders from 13 nations lining up for the final test before the world championships in Hoogerheide next weekend, tensions were high in a men's elite field that was missing Wout van Aert (Jumbo Visma), who won the sixth round of X2O Badkamers - Flandriencross in Belgium the day before.
Van der Poel was first into the hole shot and up the stairs section ahead of Kevin Kuhn (Tormans Cyclo Cross Team), former Swiss champion, and a number of favourites, but quickly settled in, riding third wheel on the opening lap.
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French champion Venturini took to the front for most of lap 2, creating a separation of an elite group of 12 riders, until Kuhn launched a massive move a lap later, prompting a watchful van der Poel to respond.
A significant gap opened to the second group when the leaders came through the start/finish line for lap 4.
Van der Poel opened up the throttle toward the end of the fourth lap, easily creating daylight between himself, leaving Venturini to lead the chase group.
Van der Poel was in a class of his own on the extremely fast course, swiftly gaining a 30-second lead. With three laps to go, it became a race for second among the chasers. Sweeck took over from Venturini and put more pressure at the front, with Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) on his wheel.
On the penultimate lap, Van der Poel had etched out an advantage of almost a minute, and looked technically flawless, save for a minor mistake coming in too hot before dismounting on the steps, which he quickly corrected.
Kuhn rocketed to the front of the chase group of 11 as they made their way through the finish line with two laps to go, and the gaps started to open up, but no rider had one clear advantage. Vandebosch put in an acceleration, keen to take the podium with his teammate, Van der Poel, but it was Iserbyt who did the damage on the final lap until a mechanical problem took him out of contention.
Sweeck then moved into second place, and held his advantage to the line ahead of 26-year-old Nieuwenhuis.
The Cyclocross World Championships is set to place next weekend in Hoogerheide, where Van der Poel and Van Aert will face off.
A former professional and two-time cyclo-cross US national champion, Beard is also an award-winning journalist and cycling commentator. Since leaving competition, she has written for several major cycling media outlets, worked as media director for major US stage races and consulted with men's and women's professional cycling teams.
