"For me it is really a surprise that I can do this" - Wout van Aert delighted by first victory of the winter in Gullegem
Cyclocross
Wout van Aert has taken his first victory since the 2024 Vuelta a Espana, emerging on top at Superprestige Gullegem Cross this Saturday afternoon in Belgium. After a thrilling battle with Eli Iserbyt, Van Aert triumphed, giving his son Georges a brilliant 4th birthday present.
After a tightly fought opening few laps, Van Aert and Iserbyt began to draw clear of the rest of the pack heading towards the final couple of laps, getting involved in a two-man battle for victory. As they continued to trade the lead with the finish line nearing, it looked like ending in a sprint finish, before the pressure from Van Aert finally told and Iserbyt made a crucial error and lost the back wheel of the Visma star.
“I had to dig deep. The first two or three laps I always felt like I had some left,” Van Aert reflected in his post-race interview. “When I rode through the first time, Michael Vanthourenhout, Eli and Joran Wyseure were still quite close. Then I focused on the final. The last two laps I just tried to smother Eli.”
"I didn’t start with the expectation that I would be able to beat those guys. It already felt really good that I was at the front of the race. On a course like that, with so many bends, it’s hard to get rid of Eli. I even had the feeling that I had dropped him once, but I just didn’t see him riding behind me. He can hide well,” Van Aert continued. “Of course. I really started this winter without expectations. I say it every time, but it seems hard for people to believe. Because they are used to me always competing to win. For me it is really a surprise that I can do this already. 2025 has started and it feels really good.”
| 01 | van Aert Wout | - | 01:01:25 |
| 02 | Iserbyt Eli | - | + 10 |
| 03 | Vanthourenhout Michael | - | + 31 |
| 04 | Wyseure Joran | - | + 40 |
| 05 | Vandeputte Niels | - | + 01:03 |
| 06 | Kamp Ryan | - | + 01:07 |
| 07 | Orts Lloret Felipe | - | + 01:07 |
| 08 | Verstrynge Emiel | - | + 01:08 |
| 09 | Mason Cameron | - | + 01:14 |
| 10 | van der Haar Lars | - | + 01:34 |
| 11 | De Bruyckere Kay | - | + 01:49 |
| 12 | Kuhn Kevin | - | + 02:03 |
| 13 | Loockx Lander | - | + 02:11 |
| 14 | Sweeck Laurens | - | + 02:32 |
| 15 | Vandebosch Toon | - | + 02:39 |
| 16 | Meeusen Tom | - | + 02:41 |
| 17 | Aerts Thijs | - | + 02:51 |
| 18 | Venturini Clément | - | + 03:03 |
| 19 | Vermeersch Gianni | - | + 03:39 |
| 20 | Groslambert Martin | - | + 03:48 |
| 21 | Merlier Tim | - | + 03:58 |
| 22 | Van de Putte Victor | - | + 04:03 |
| 23 | Janssen Wout | - | + 04:07 |
| 24 | Huybs Ward | - | + 04:26 |
| 25 | Behrens Eike | - | + 05:11 |
| 26 | De Moyer Kenay | - | + 05:25 |
| 27 | De Vet Sander | - | + 05:43 |
| 28 | Lauryssen Yorben | - | + 06:03 |
| 29 | Alderweireld Robin | - | + 06:24 |
| 30 | Delnoije Remon | - | + 06:33 |
| 31 | St-Onge Maxime | - | + 06:35 |
| 32 | Scott Tom | - | + 06:38 |
| 33 | Janout Jan | - | + 06:48 |
| 34 | Nuyens Wies | - | + 07:02 |
| 35 | Morichon Mathieu | - | + 07:28 |
| 36 | Van Loocke Lars | - | + 07:40 |
| 37 | Vanhoudt Yenthe | - | + 07:49 |
| 38 | Conaway Calvin | - | + 07:53 |
| 39 | Crispin Mickaël | - | + 07:55 |
| 40 | Van Den Broek Axel | - | + 08:07 |
| 41 | Du Mouza Quentin | - | + 08:18 |
Première victoire de la saison pour Wout Van Aert après une belle bataille avec Iserbyt notamment ! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/UNL071U8th
— Cycling Legend (@CyclingLegend_) January 4, 2025
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Him, Lance, and their team of cheaters completely destroyed pro cycling in the US.Sweep06-01-2025
- He tested positive. His team doctor got banned. They trafficked in steroids. But if you ignore those things and the complete rise from nowhere and then return to pub race levels. Then sure.Sweep06-01-2025
- "training, nutrition and aerodynamics" ??? In four years? Uh, nope. Not one iota. This is what dopers have always said to explain their rise from nobodies to complete dominance. Every single time.Sweep06-01-2025
- Froome was certainly the Grand Tour rider of his generation, and one of the all-time greats. Cycling was lucky to have him, with his quiet, humble, and workman-like approach to competition. It was a shame his reign ended so brutally and suddenly. The sport is fortunate once more that such a wealth of generational talent has come along to replace him, with MVDP, Van Aert, Roglic, Vingegaard, and Pogacar. It's especially cool to see the gracious exuberance of Pogacar in such contrast to Froome's reserve, or Armstrong's grim competitiveness.
MarkFour06-01-2025 - it is cringeworthy to read XC when you are referring to cyclocross, which I think you are as Wout does not do XC. CX = cyclocross. XC = cross country mountain biking. and so you have the rest: XCO = cross country olympic race. XCM = cross country marathon. XCC = cross country short track.mij06-01-2025
- I see your point BTW, as I said, maybe go for green one year or something. his long winded response is typical - pointless, self promoting, and needlessly wordy LOL. oh and he is smarter than all.mij06-01-2025
- His last important race before the Tour is P-R and his next important race after is CX WC 2026 since he has no chance at the WCRR So unless he really goes into MTB this season, there's really no reason to skip a TdF and compete for a few stages and yellow jersey at the beginningvappaxbipmv06-01-2025
- How I can say that? Let’s look at the spirit of it and put it into context. Firstly, we are all cycling fans, we have been for a while, we’ve almost all been here a while too so have absorbed some feeling for each commentators style. For those of you who might not understand, I post with the assumption, we all know enough background not to have to explain every thought with 3 paragraphs of background to justify a statement. I also don’t waste my time repeating mundanity, I try to bring a more original angle or stone to any discussion that creates a more complete picture of the whole story (often not told). So, as far as I see, and I’ve said it before, MVDP is kind of unique in racing just about 12 months a year. He races to win, ie, he also trains for that, ie he has to train to peak more than a dozen times a year as opposed to typical road racers (including Jonas, Remco* and to a lesser extent WVA and Pog) who try to peak 1-around 3, 4 max half a dozen x a year). Obviously, training for a three week race and doing it is going to put a dent in results before and after and maybe even as far as the “off-season” (when he is at his most active winning xc week after week after week for years. Do you see my point a bit better now?Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- Sorry, maybe you thought I meant on TV? Obviously, most of the big fans in Belgium watching these two would take the opportunity to go watch live. I was once unlucky the TdF passed right near my house (when I lived in the south of France) it was over in 30 seconds, all 180 riders.Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- How can you say that, last season he had 7! race days before the Tour, that's neither a lot nor oftenvappaxbipmv06-01-2025