Due to the weather, last weekend's Cyclocross World Cup battle in Dendermonde descending into an absolute mudfest. In the swamp though, Wout van Aert put in a dominant performance to secure his first World Cup winning of the winter.
Van Aert dominated in the Dendermonde mud, taking victory by over a minute from second placed Emiel Verstrynge. Afterwards, the Team Visma | Lease a Bike star's attitude was praised as much as his performance, with Danish cycling legend Brian Holm totally enthused by Van Aert's pure love of the sport and desire to still get out and compete on a cold and wet winter's day, in a muddy Belgian field
"He doesn't have to do it or prove anything," the 62-year-old Holm said in a post on social media about Van Aert's victory in Dendermonde last weekend. "Wout could live in Monaco, drive a red Ferrari, or cruise around and get a tan in Calpe, but he didn't!! This is a Champ. Respect."
King of the Mud 👑
— Velon CC (@VelonCC) January 6, 2025
Wout van Aert defied wet and muddy conditions to dominate the World Cup race in Dendermonde
📸 Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool pic.twitter.com/McYNRnD8rd
the first two commentators got at this already, but the above article has such a sneering tone i think it’s annoying a bunch of us… Living in WARM, SUNNY PLACES is kinda part of being a competitive cyclist. you know, training in winter and stuff? but even if it WASN’T, sheesh… I like and respect wout, too, but not because (let’s imagine) he drives a 1974 chevy vega and lives in belgium year ‘round.
Primoz also “lives” there (no-ne in their right mind would actually physically stay there all year but most of the “residents” probably only spend a few months, if not weeks at “home”. No-one seems to know much about this MVDP car, as I said before, I doubt it’s his.
so far, the only things i’ve heard about van der poel’s private life are that he appears to like his girlfriend, golf, and sports cars. if the lamborghini isn’t his then i hope one day he gets one all his own if that’s what he wants. i won’t like him any less.
Tadej lives in Monaco, Van der poel drives a Ferrari (or Lamborghini), a lot of cyclists get tanned in beautiful beaches... and they are Champs and deserve respect too. It's called "calendar" and money (and/or) career goals to reach.