"Mentally, I was flying along with the riders " - Drone operator shares his experience covering the World Championship

The World Championship was a big success, and the addition of drone cameras added an extra layer of excitement. Thanks to the operator Jan Crommelinck, viewers were able to see the riders in action like never before.

The use of drones eliminated a previously unseen area on the race course, bringing spectators closer to the riders than ever before. This new perspective offered a unique look at the fierce competition between two long-time rivals as they fought for the prestigious rainbow jersey.

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Jan Crommelinck recently gave an insight into his experience covering the event. "I've been doing it for 12 years now as my main career. For me, it's like riding a bike, It was a great experience,” he told sporza.

In the face of the intense excitement, as the race neared its end in the final lap, even Crommelinck was unable to contain his emotions."Mentally, I was flying along with the riders on the course. Especially when I was on the trail of Wout and Mathieu. Then I felt the adrenaline and excitement."

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While drones are a regular fixture in other sports for offering a comprehensive view to spectators, their use in cyclocross was a new development. "Now they give us the opportunity to do it. But they had only one rule - to stay about three to five metres from the riders. That was the only rule I had to respect."

He further added, "You can't fly above the public. In Hoogerheide, it was possible to close a part of the track for the public. So it was possible for me to fly without public next to the track."

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Filming the intense competition between Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel was one of Crommelinck's most challenging tasks. "It was a big deal because the race with Mathieu and Wout was a very big battle. So I had to be very cool to do this - you can't afford a mistake. I tried to keep myself calm, but the last when I went into the forest with them, it was like I was also in the race. I had to be calm, and you had the people were screaming very loudly. So it was difficult to keep the focus," concluded Crommelinck.

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