VIDEO: Wout van Aert crashes heavily in the snow and abandons Exact Cross Mol in pain

Wout van Aert was forced to abandon the men’s Exact Cross Mol after a heavy crash brought his race — and the much-anticipated duel with Mathieu van der Poel — to an abrupt end.

The incident occurred midway through the race as the leading group negotiated one of the slickest corners on the circuit. With snow continuing to fall and the asphalt treacherously slippery, Van Aert lost control from second position and slammed into the barriers at speed.

Although the Belgian managed to remount, the impact had clearly taken its toll. Riding visibly discomforted and favouring his knee, Van Aert continued briefly before drifting into the material post. Moments later, he stepped off the bike and received a warm jacket from team staff, confirming his abandonment.

The crash came just minutes after Van Aert had fully regrouped with Mathieu van der Poel following earlier twists in their duel. What had been shaping into a high-quality head-to-head was instantly turned into an anticlimax by the unforgiving conditions.

With snow, cold and churned-up surfaces pushing riders to the limit throughout the afternoon, the incident underlined how little margin for error remained, even for the very best.

Watch the moment of the crash in the video below!