Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) ended Mathieu van der Poel’s (Alpecin-Deceuninck) 10-race win streak on the cyclocross World Cup in Beindorm on Sunday, arriving solo on the end after the Dutchman crashed into a post on the penultimate lap and fell out of rivalry for victory.
The Belgian’s first victory of the cyclocross season over his long-term rival virtually led to catastrophe after he additionally hit the deck and broke his saddle attempting to remount his bike after dismounting to leap the boundaries on the ultimate lap. Van Aert averted the embarrassment and held on for victory after dropping Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels-Sauzen-Bingoal) earlier within the lap.
But in his final cyclocross race of the season, it wasn’t the victory itself that was paramount for Van Aert, however the robust feeling in his legs and skill to reply to Van der Poel’s stinging assaults up the toughest inclines for the primary time this season.
“It is all the time good to win a race, nevertheless it wasn’t an important factor at this time,” Van Aert instructed.
“I hoped to have good legs and finish the season with a great feeling. I managed to do this, and in the long run, I’m happier with that than the win itself.”
“I used to be capable of dig deep and struggle with Mathieu. I have not been ready to do this this winter. It is a disgrace that we could not have a duel in the long run, however there have been quite a lot of different robust riders that I needed to beat. It wasn’t simple, however I am glad I received.”
Van Aert’s earlier three appearances on the cross bike noticed him end 1:43, 1:55 and 0:43 behind Van der Poel in Koksijde, Baal and Hulst respectively, highlighting his rival’s dominance this season even over a three-time World Champion within the self-discipline.
Benidorm was Van Aert’s remaining cyclocross look of the 2023-24 season after making a aware resolution to trip much less of the self-discipline, with full deal with the Spring Classics and attempting to win the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
“Wout has used a number of cyclocross races to organize for the street season. He did not make his cyclocross marketing campaign too lengthy and was capable of do different mandatory coaching and coaching camps on the identical time,” Heijboer highlighted.
“The place to begin was that we did not construct as much as peak kind however labored on a gradual build-up. It labored, and we are going to proceed with per week’s coaching in Spain proper after this final cross.”
Van Aert is about to make his street debut in 2024 on the Classica de Almeria on February 11, earlier than racing the Volta ao Algarve forward of the cobbled Classics in Belgium and France.
The cobbled Classics full his spring programme earlier than debuting at the Giro d’Italia the place he’ll be chasing phases alongside sprinter Olav Kooij and younger GC hope Cian Uijtdebroeks.
Jonas Vingegaard must make do with out Van Aert at this yr’s Tour de France because the Belgian prioritises the Giro and Paris Olympics as an alternative in summer time. He’ll practice at altitude whereas Vingegaard tries to win a 3rd Tour de France.
Van Aert rode 9 cyclocross races in comparison with final season’s 14 and in contrast to in 2023, he received’t be persevering with onto the World Championships in Tabor the place Van der Poel will look to defend his title. Van Aert, Heijboer and Visma-Lease a Bike are hoping this may make the distinction come the Monuments in Spring.
A win at certainly one of biking’s 5 largest one-day races was the one lacking piece from Jumbo-Visma’s all-but-perfect 2023 season that saw them claim all three Grand Tours with totally different riders.
2024 marks 4 years since Van Aert took his first and solely Monument at Milan-Sanremo. He’s been on the rostrum in six of his final 10 Monument appearances and by no means completed outdoors of the highest eight. Nonetheless, there have been no added victories.
This might be an unimaginable file, however in the identical time span, Van der Poel has claimed two Excursions of Flanders and simply final season received each Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix, with a street race world title on prime in Glasgow.
Van Aert is the chief of a really robust Visma-Lease a Bike Classics workforce that dominated the cobbled races till Flanders and Roubaix final yr. He can be hoping the transfer away from a full cyclocross season can add that few further per cent on the largest days to beat the likes of Van der Poel.
“This winter the cyclocross is way more of a way than an finish. Every little thing relies on spring,” Heijboer advised Het Nieuwsblad in December.
“Final yr, I discovered it mentally troublesome to deal with the cyclocross season after which transfer on to the spring,” mentioned Van Aert lately.
“I did not wish to go away something to probability with the Spring Classics.”
