VAN DER POEL IS BACK 😮 | 2024 UCI Cyclocross World Cup Zonhoven Men's Highlights

Had a completely different approach and look at where he is at the start. So if we look where he is here, back behind Cameron Mason, and this is the point where he moves up. Look at this. The speed at which he's able to move up in that mud section. We know it's tough. We saw in the women's race how some riders really struggled in that and others excelled. And van der Poel just slides his way into third spot. And in a previous season, this would be super fast. It'd be really tricky for him to do. But because of the mud, he's actually able to use his power and he's able to pedal just into the top of the crawl to get that extra bit of speed so that when he comes out at the bottom, he's ahead of Toon Aerts. He's into this section, which we know he loves. He's able to ride it as is Aerts on this lap and on multiple laps as well. And he just gets a solid gap. And as soon as you let Mathieu get a gap, then the race is over for the win. And it comes into small groups like this. You've got to be with him when he goes. We know that. Well, he's very good at that. You know, Tom Pidcock's always been very good at that. And for riders like Thibaut Neys, that's for Thibaut. And that's maybe what the teams will look at now is for riders like Thibaut is you've got to be with him when he goes. You've got to be right with him when he makes that move. But Thibaut is able to separate himself from this group, this large group that then battled in for that third spot. And Thibaut is able to get a really solid gap because they are playing around a bit. And here we're about to see Eli come out of the line and then he hits into the fence. And that takes him out of that group as well. And then it's up to Van der Haar makes a mistake there. So Arts is able to get a bit of a gap. But the race isn't over for that third spot yet. No, really good work for Joran Vissura as well. That final, you know, those final laps as well. A 7.34 final lap for Joran Vissura, which sort of puts that into perspective as well in that race for third. But Mathieu van der Poel crossing the line. Thibaut was playing to take some risks there. He was all in in Vegas there, wasn't he? We definitely feel like he was slowing when he didn't need to. He needed to really push a bit further, but the television shortens the angle and he was able to to easily secure that second run. Mathieu van der Poel, many congratulations. Was this your best first race ever of the season? One of the best and maybe the one I didn't expect. So yeah, it's really nice. You didn't really expect this? No. Yeah, to be honest, like I said before the start, I did a different approach to my first race. A bit less interval and more like endurance rides to try and get through this busy period. A bit fresher than I did last year. But yeah, I felt really good from the beginning, actually. Also, the technique was was really good today, so I'm happy. The Eurovisiora is your third place on the podium today for Kriel and Corendon. Well, these guys do not have their training game on point at all, do they? No, Helen wants all coordinated matching trainers. Thibaut Nes is our second place on back on good form, as he said, it feels like a winner today. And so the form is back. The luck going his way as well today. You need a lot. You could say you need a bit of here in Zornhoven and the win. The big man is back. Mathieu van der Poel of Alpe Zinderkönig, the world champion. A lot of love, as you would expect for Mathieu. Said he took a different approach coming into this winter, which is a frightening prospect, Helen. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I could believe it for sure. He definitely plays around on his cross bike, though. So, you know, let's not say he hasn't ridden a cross bike at all. Our top ten looks like this. Mathieu van der Poel is back. Thibaut Nes takes second. Eurovisiora is our third spot on the podium. Tonart, Van der Haar, Swaik, Van der Putte, Isabit Adams and Van Tooren our top ten, two minutes and 37 seconds, separating our top ten here in Zornhoven.