Wout Van Aert considered that character played a big role on winning the race- "Halfway through the race I completely lost faith, but in the end I turned the knob again"

Wout Van Aert achieved another cyclocross win, this time at the Superprestige category in Diegem, Belgium. The race offered us another great battle for the win between the trio Van Aert,Van der Poel and Pidcock, with the Belgian getting the victory this time.

"This cannot be healthy ", where his first words at the flash interview that was done immediately afterwards the race.

"Halfway through I actually gave up a bit as a result, I really thought Mathieu had gone flying after another bad sand pass from myself ',stated Van Aert referring to the moment where at mid race Van Der Poel gain advantage over him and Pidcock.

"In the end I saw them again and started to believe in them again. But those last two laps it was on character, I was squeaky clean", added the Belgian about the moment that defined the race and lead to his final duel with Pidcock that was done almost to the finish line.

"Cross, it's rock hard, halfway through the race I completely lost faith, but in the end I turned the knob again," Van Aert concluded about his performance on this race.

Still, despite catching and eventually beating his rival Van der Poel, Van Aert dismissed that has an extra motivation aspect, "I don't think that plays a role in the race... you just want to get that win. Obviously it's hard to beat Mathieu, but I just want to be at my strongest at the start and then the best comes out in me" ended the Belgian.

Wat een cross! 🤩 Pas in de voorlaatste bocht knalt Wout van Aert naar de zege in #SPDiegem. 💥 Wereldkampioen Tom Pidcock 🌈 is tweede 🥈. Mathieu van der Poel mag als derde mee op het podium. 🥉 #Superprestige2023 pic.twitter.com/19KXd7xKz9

— SuperprestigeCX (@SuperprestigeCX) December 28, 2022