Results World Cup Zonhoven | Mathieu van der Poel dominates from start to finish for ninth straight victory as Thibau Nys suffers damaging crash

The men’s race at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Zonhoven was decided almost as soon as it began, with Mathieu van der Poel producing a ruthless start-to-finish performance to claim his ninth consecutive victory. From the opening lap, the world champion rode alone at the front, setting a tempo no one else could approach on the treacherous sand and icy corners.

Van der Poel launched immediately from the start and carved out a gap within minutes, flowing through the early technical sections with complete control. Behind him, Toon Aerts initially emerged as the closest challenger, but even he was quickly forced into damage limitation as the leader’s advantage grew into double figures.

As Van der Poel settled into a measured rhythm at the front, the race behind him became increasingly unstable. Thibau Nys briefly took responsibility in the chase but was repeatedly forced into cautious lines on the slick descents. His race was effectively undone when he lost control and crashed heavily into the barriers, snapping his handlebar and all but ending his challenge, a major blow both to his afternoon and his World Cup ambitions.

With Nys removed from contention, the fight for the remaining podium places began to take clearer shape. Tibor del Grosso asserted himself as the strongest of the chasers, riding with increasing confidence and gradually distancing Emiel Verstrynge. The pair consolidated second and third places as the race moved into its closing laps, Del Grosso even finding time to entertain with an audacious leap over an obstacle despite the slippery conditions.

Further back, crashes continued to punctuate an unforgiving race. Witse Meeussen went down hard in the descent of the Kuil and was briefly left shaken, while a tight battle developed for fourth place. Niels Vandeputte ultimately won a sprint for fourth ahead of Aerts, with Michael Vanthourenhout finishing sixth.

Out front, Van der Poel was never troubled. He entered the final lap with a commanding advantage and crossed the line 45 seconds clear of Del Grosso, completing another imperious display on a course that punished every lapse and underlined his current dominance of the discipline.