Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) survived a battle in the mud and ice to win the elite men’s World Cup race in Dublin, taking the honours in only his second cyclocross race of the winter.
The Belgian national champion suffered a bad start and several mechanicals, including a mechanic's towel in his gears at one point, but chased back each time before surging away to open a gap with just over a lap to race.
Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Fristads) limited his losses to finish second at 14 seconds and so extend his lead in the World Cup. World Champion Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) seemed set to win with two laps to go only to fall back suddenly. He fought back to take third at 17 seconds.
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Van Aert was presented with the towel that blocked his gears by Sporza television interviewer Renaat Schotte and proudly put it around his shoulders and waved it on the podium as he took pride in his win.
“This is pure cyclocross,” Van Aert said, praising the muddy course and the Irish fans who came out to cheer him to his first race in Ireland.
“It’s been a pleasure to meet the Irish fans and it was a really exciting course that changed throughout the day. There was a huge crowd and so I’m really proud to be here. Now I can say I’ve never lost a bike race in Ireland.”
Yet van Aert admitted it had not been easy.
“It was a really hard race for me, especially mentally. I had to fight my way into the race because I was missing a little but at the start and too far off in my positioning. When I felt better I had a mechanical and so it was a long race. In the end it was so tough that I could still make the difference.”
Van Art was forced to start from the second row of the grid after only riding in Antwerp this season and he paid the price, with a dozen or so riders ahead of him as they dived into the parkland of the Dublin’s Sport Ireland campus.
Pidcock also had a bad start and suddenly the two stars of the sport were stuck in the traffic around 10th place as the specialists surged away during the first lap.
Pidcock used his bike skills to quickly move up but Van Aert needed more time, finally closing the gap after a big effort to pass Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions).
European Champion and mud specialist Michael Vanthourenhout and his Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal teammate Eli Iserbyt lead the race, with the later going clear briefly until van Aert and Pidcock caught thanks to bunny-hopping the barriers as Iserbyt dismounted.
Everyone opted for a bike during the second lap due to muddy conditions, the significant Irish crowd cheering on every rider.
Van Aert looked comfortable and checked the position of the chasers after two laps but then suddenly lost ground after locking up his rear wheel. He had to dismount and chase back to Pidcock and the other leaders.
After three laps Pidcock, Vanthourenhout and Sweeck opened a gap but Van Aert made sure he joined them, as did Iserbyt and Adams. But after an intense 30 minutes of racing, the elastic was stretching as the mud covered the riders faces, bodies and bikes.
Pidcock decided it was time to up the pace to see if Van Aert had recovered from his chase efforts. He had and two opened a gap on Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout.
Yet Van Aert was forced to chase again on lap five after a rival mechanic’s rag became caught in his gears. He had just passed the entrance to the pits and so had to run back, enter the pit area and get a bike.
Somehow he closed the gap again to remain in contention, as Pidcock surged away on the front. However the efforts needed in the mud and cold equaled the riders, with seven riders together.
Van Aert, Pidcock, Sweeck, Vanthourenhout, Iserbyt, Van der Haar and Jens Adams were all there and with a chance. Pidcock had looked strong and consistent until this point but then dropped to the back of the group.
Iserbyt moved into the lead with Van Aert on his wheel as all seven took a bike change for the finale. Then suddenly opened up the turbo, using his strength to quickly open a gap.
He didn't look back and didn’t need to. Sweeck was already 10 seconds as the bell rang out for the final lap, with everyone else further back and fighting for the podium.
Van Aert reached the finish alone and celebrated his first win of the winter with his arms in the air.
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