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Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) received an exciting battle towards Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) on the Superprestige Diegem on Wednesday.Â
The Belgian Champion capitalized off a last-minute error from Pidcock by means of the final nook into the underside of the circuit’s decisive staircase to take the victory, as Van der Poel completed 33 seconds again in third place.
“This cannot be wholesome,” an exhausted however triumphant Van Aert mentioned in a post-race interview.
The blistering race between the three prime riders swung backwards and forwards on every lap, however with Van der Poel distanced on the ultimate lap, the race for the win was between Van Aert and Pidcock.
The 2 leaders fought for the primary place into the ultimate steps, however Pidcock was compelled off his bike to run by means of the mud within the final left-hand flip whereas Van Aert raced into the lead out of the nook, ran up the steps, clipped in and sprinted for the day’s victory.
“I assumed the final time I went over him, I used to be a bit complacent. I had the lead into the ultimate stairs, and Wout got here handed me in that final bit earlier than the ultimate bridge, so at that time, I used to be by no means going to beat him. He ran up these stairs and jumped on his bike earlier than I even seemed up. It was a disgrace I could not pull it off,” Pidcock mentioned.
The way it unfolded
The third day of cyclocross racing in a row this week, after the World Cup in Gavere and Superprestige Heusden-Zolder, Superprestige Diegem supplied an evening race in its return to the calendar since 2019.Â
Headling the beginning line have been the ‘huge three’ of cyclocross; Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers).
A crash off the beginning line caught out about half a dozen of the 92 starters as Kevin Kuhn (Tormans) led the race onto the grass.Â
The Swiss champion was adopted by Pidcock, Van Aert and Van der Poel, together with Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions), Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Fristads), Toon Vandebosch (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal).
Vanthourenhout crashed over the limitations after colliding with Sweeck, and the European Champion remained sat together with the circuit for a number of seconds, later remounting his bike and ending fifth.
Heading into the second lap, the lead was swapping backwards and forwards between Pidcock and Iserbyt, with Van Aert and Van der Poel following shut behind, after which seven seconds again to Van der Haar and 14 seconds to Kuhn and Sweeck.
A powerful begin for Pidcock noticed the world champion set a fast tempo that allowed him to open a small hole over his rivals, forcing Van der Poel and Van Aert to chase at a tempo that Iserbyt appeared unable to carry.
The 4 riders regrouped forward of the run-up, as Van Aert took the lead, however their cooperation did not final lengthy as Van der Poel attacked by means of the sand pit and gained a slight lead on the chasing trio.
Van der Poel had a four-second lead on Van Aert firstly of the third lap (of eight), with Pidcock at 5 seconds again, Iserbyt at 20 seconds, and Van der Haar even additional behind.
Van Aert and Pidcock regained contact with Van der Poel on the pavement part of the course, with the ‘huge three’ as soon as once more racing for the victory. The trio of Iserbyt, Van der Haar and Vanthourenhout reunited barely additional again of their race for fourth place.
Van Aert put stress on his rivals alongside the facet of the pitch, and whereas Van der Poel was fast to reply, Pidcock appeared to wrestle, making micro efforts to regain contact in third wheel.
Van der Poel, who persistently took 15 to twenty metres out of his rivals by means of the sand pit and into the limitations, managed to open a number of seconds on the fourth lap. The transfer compelled Van Aert to do the majority of the work, with Pidcock on his wheel, to chase the lone chief.Â
Van der Poel had 4 seconds in hand firstly of lap 5 and prolonged his lead by means of the sand pit once more. A decided Pidcock pushed forward in pursuit of Van der Poel whereas Van Aert, for the primary time on this race, appeared to point out indicators of fatigue.
Van der Poel had 9 seconds on Pidcock and 13 seconds to Van Aert firstly of lap six. As Van der Poel took a recent bike, Pidcock and Van Aert opted to not enter the mechanic pits however as a substitute picked up pace. Van der Poel seemed again over his shoulder on the pavement to see each Pidcock and Van Aert proper on his wheel, resetting the race for victory.
Van Aert was the subsequent to make his transfer by means of the sand pit and over the limitations, showing to have recovered from his earlier effort and placing stress on Van der Poel and Pidcock.
Seven seconds separated Van Aert from his two greatest rivals with two laps to go, however Van der Poel reconnected with him, and because the pair sat up in a tactical battle, Pidcock rode handed them to the entrance.
Pidcock appeared to achieve a second wind and picked up pace heading into the final lap with Van Aert on his wheel. The pair dropped Van der Poel within the course of, forcing the Dutchman to accept third place.
Into the sand one final time, Van Aert took the lead on the proper, Pidcock a detailed second on the left, and the pair got here out side-by-side. Over the limitations, Van Aert remained within the lead till Pidcock overtook him by means of the technical turns, each riders wanting the primary place into the ultimate steps.
Van Aert hit the steps first, as Pidcock needed to get off his bike and run by means of the ultimate nook, with the Belgian again on his bike and sprinting for the win in Diegem.
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