Wout van Aert had to find his rhythm: "And then Mathieu had already gone"

In Antwerp, Wout van Aert finished just off the podium—partly due to a flat tire—but in the X2O cross of Hofstade, the Belgian took second place. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider had to acknowledge only one superior competitor—none other than Mathieu van der Poel. However, this is no reason for Van Aert to be disappointed.

The Kempen native is primarily satisfied with his first podium of the cyclocross season. "I had a good start. I chose the right side of the pack when passing, but I still had to find my rhythm in the first lap. I then made a mistake, and there was a crash involving Niels Vandeputte. By the time I was riding in second position, Mathieu had already taken off," he said after the finish in an interview with Sporza.

Enjoying it
"In the second half of the race, I did find my good legs. So, I am quite satisfied," Van Aert continues, who in the finale even found the opportunity to enjoy the large crowd turnout in Hofstade. "In the last three laps, I knew the win was no longer possible, so I could occasionally take in all the cheers. I am already 31 years old, but it’s incredibly awesome to experience."

Earlier in the race, Van Aert did try to catch the escapee Van der Poel. "But after my mistake, it was no longer possible to close in on Mathieu. Once I had a clear path, I also lost a lot of time in a particular lap. Mathieu was clearly the strongest again. So I finished where I deserved."

Signs of Progress
Still, the Belgian sees plenty of signs of progress for the upcoming cyclocross races. "Technically, it was much better than in Antwerp. In the last three laps, I also didn’t have to push completely to the limit. So, I crossed the line feeling better. That’s what I had hoped for before the start of the race."

Van Aert congratulates Van der Poel on his victory – photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos