PHOTOS | Snowstorm turns Exact Cross Mol into historic cycling event - Van der Poel and Van Aert race in the snow and sand
Cycling
This Friday provided one of the most unique images in modern cycling history, as the 2026 Exact Cross Mol was raced under a heavy snowstorm, creating an unique visual in the second race of the year. Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert headlined an epic day on the bike, with pictures telling the story of what happened on the 2nd of January.
The cyclocross season was thus far mostly ridden under very dry conditions, unusually dry even. As recently as late December, the riders continued to face dry conditions which made races much faster and tactical overall.
The traditional mud that marks the cyclocross winters every year was not present this time around in almost any way, until the riders flipped the page and entered 2026. Literally on the first day, the GP Sven Nys in Baal was raced under rainy conditions, making it a muddy course.
But nothing would've prepared the riders for what they were going to face in Mol at the Exact Cross - a race that didn't feature many top figures, but featured weather conditions that turned the race into one of modern cycling's most visually impressive professional events.
In road cycling, such weather either brings races to a halt, or neutralizes them. In cyclocross it is rather safer due to the low speeds and the bikes already being adjusted for low traction conditions. However this didn't prevent a disaster from taking place, in the form of Wout van Aert's crash which led to a fractured ankle and the end to his cyclocross season.
Until that moment however, fans got what was being one of the season's best races, with the dramatic footage showcasing the snowstorm in the lake town. Sand and snow combined, as the snowstorm began during the women's race. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado took a victory in style.
In the men's race it was Mathieu van der Poel who took a hard-earned victory in freezing conditions, being joined by Toon Aerts and Felipe Orts on the podium. Below is a set of pictures from the race that has perhaps been the absolute highlight of the 2025-2026 cyclocross season.
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Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado won the women's race after a snowstorm started during the event
Wout van Aert chasing Mathieu van der Poel by himself at the start of the race
Wout van Aert looked at his very best level before crashing out
Van Aert and van der Poel racing together in one of the sand sections
Perhaps the biggest 'what if' of the winter. Mathieu van der Poel was put under pressure for the first time this cyclocross season, but Van Aert would crash out minutes later
Van der Poel won the race, but it wasn't without a lot of pain in the freezing conditions
Van der Poel's most difficult win of the season thus far? World Champion never looked comfortable in the snow of Mol
The snowstorm covered the sand in Mol and made for very unique visuals
Van der Poel won but it can't be said that he was carrying a smile onto the podium, with a whool hat and gloves covering him
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- big rival … ridiculous.Ketterechts07-11-2026
- It would be great if the World Champion's jersey could be rotated among McNulty, Simmons, and Jorgenson. They threaded the needle perfectly. If each hadn't done exactly what he did, exactly when he did it, the race would have gone to one of the more heralded superstars. That said, how nice that this humble and hardworking guy gets his moment in the sun.
MarkFour07-11-2026 - This is a really interesting idea, which, if well prepared could even be very successful. Very little money needs to be involved for a first season and any success could lead to rapid interest from sponsors.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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