"I didn’t expect this myself today" - 1:15 minutes enough for Mathieu van der Poel to drop entire cyclocross field and win debut cross in Zonhoven

Mathieu van der Poel, like last winter, opened his cyclocross season with a victory after dropping his competition in a matter of just over a minute. A level above the rest, the World Champion won the World Cup Zonhoven this Sunday.

“And one that I didn’t really see coming. As I said before the start, I approached my first cross differently. I did a few less intervals and a few more endurance rides. I wanted to get through this busy period a bit fresher than last year," he said in a post-race interview. "But yes, I felt really good from the start. The technique was also really good, so I’m happy.”

Van der Poel will have his main goal at the World Championships in just over five weeks, but is already in an unmatchable form right from the start. “More than on schedule. I didn’t expect this myself today. I think it was to my advantage that it was such a tough cross. It was a bit less interval. I could just ride my own pace from the start. I’m really happy with the feeling I had.”

In the race that was highlighted by the sand sections, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider moved up from a third row start into the head of the race in just over a minute, and made the difference immediately in the sand. “I had a good start. In the beginning you can’t do much when you’re in the group".

"The last bend before we went to the Kuil (the track's famous sand pit, ed.), I actually took quite badly. I made another mistake. But I think I came out of the mud better than the rest. I was on the right track straight away, also when leaving the pit.” There was no competition, he did the entire race by himself, at the pace he wanted, quickly building over a minute's lead over everyone ele.

“I just rode a fairly constant pace, a pace that suited me well. When you are alone, you can divide the course a little better. I was able to catch my breath a little better for the technical parts. Then you also make fewer mistakes.” Thibau Nys finished second to him, 1:30 minutes behind.

Only hours before the race, Team Visma | Lease a Bike confirmed the absence of Wout van Aert from tomorrow's Zilvermeercross, where the two were meant to be racing against each other for the first time this winter. “I think that is a great shame. Certainly for him," van der Poel commented. "I think he, like me, enjoys doing a few races. He didn't have many on it and then this one falls away."