Mathieu Van Der Poel at the finish (Image credit: Tim de Waele)
Mathieu van der Poel (Beobank-Corendon) crushed the competition once again, tackling a slippery, muddy course at the Druivencross Overijse with typical aplomb.
So dominant was the European champion's performance that he was already cleaning off the thick layer of mud that had enveloped him over the hour-long race as he watched Corne van Kessel (Telenet-Fidea) out-sprint Tom Meeusen (Beobank-Corendon) for second place.
Van der Poel wasted no time, sprinting off the line with US champion Stephen Hyde (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld) on his wheel. Hyde would lose ground over the course of the first lap, while the Dutchman carved out an ever-growing gap on his rivals.
