Wout van Aert second at GP Sven Nys but not before attacking van der Poel: "I had hoped to make it a little more difficult for Mathieu"
Cyclocross
Wout van Aert did not match Mathieu van der Poel at the GP Sven Nys, but once again he tried to do so. With a new tactic this Monday, the Belgian attempted to be the one attacking this time around, however it didn't have the hoped result.
“I had hoped to make it a little more difficult for Mathieu. That worked well in the beginning,” Van Aert said in a post-race interview. “But I know what I'm doing, so I can post this. It was surprising that I finished so far behind Mathieu. He was super strong today. All I could do was give my best on this tough course. I really suffered, but second was the highest possible.”
New day, new attempt, but still no-one seems able to be anywhere close to the Dutchman. Now van Aert focuses on Koksijde which could be the final big opportunity for the Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider to beat his rival.
"Anyway. After that I will have a weekend of rest, which I am looking forward to as well. I've worked quite hard in recent weeks, with all those crosses. It was very intensive. Hopefully I can still ride a nice cross in Koksijde, I always like to go there. I'm looking forward to that," he concludes.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Noted. But I had to appease his fans.MajorPayne19-10-2026
- I wonder if he'll race Challenge Mallorca
Rafionain-Glas19-10-2026 - Head to head time-splits: Jay Vine vs Remco Evenepoel: 10.5 km - Vine lost 45 seconds to Evenepoel 34.2 km - Vine lost a further 1:10, and was caught in the vicinity of that checkpoint. Note: I remember Vine getting caught before the second checkpoint, and ProCyclingStats log supports that, however, the gap at the second checkpoint was less than 2 minutes. 45.4 km - Vine lost only 16 seconds Of course, Vine lost less time in the middle section than the early section, but at the final segment rate, he'd have lost 15 seconds in the opening section and and 34 seconds in the middle. It is possible that Vine paced himself very well but that seems unlikely. In comparison with Stefan Küng: Kung lost: 26 seconds at T1. A further 1:11 by T2. A further 40 seconds by the finish. Relative to Evenepoel, Küng did slow down by the end. Maxime Decomble: Lost 47 seconds at T1. A further 1:20 by T2. A further 26 seconds by the finish. Mikkel Bjerg: Lost 37 seconds at T1. A further 1:34 by T2. A further 46 seconds by the finish. It is not concrete evidence that Vine cheated though it certainly doesn't absolve him. However, watching the race, I am 100% sure that Vine did not pull over and follow a different line when Remco passed him. Remco pulled away quite quickly, but the gap did not balloon and Vine definitely got aero assistance.Rafionain-Glas19-10-2026
- That ship has sailed years agovappaxbipmv19-10-2026
- He doesn't have to. I'd be perfectly happy if he loses SB if he then wins everything elsevappaxbipmv19-10-2026
- Please don't put Remco in the same sentence as Tadej. It's disrespectful to Tadej. Please make a note of this.KissinKate19-10-2026
- ....and you just described how americans are fleecing american fans as well. We don't even get the eurosport coverage you get. What you see on yurrup HBO is not available in this country. Trust me, being a cycling fan sucks everywhere.KissinKate19-10-2026
- While media outlets point to the loss of Richard Carapaz, Kasper Asgreen, and rising talents like Steinhauser as a sign of trouble, this is actually classic EF Pro Cycling tactical pivot at play. Operating on less than half the budget of state-backed super-teams, Jonathan Vaughters smartly maximized Carapaz’s return on investment by turning high salary and health setbacks into Tour stage wins, Yellow, and the Polka Dot jersey, before freeing up vital capital when his valuation peaked. Let us be completely honest here: Carapaz’s departure to NSN is strictly about securing one final massive payday before calling time on his career, rather than building a lasting sporting legacy. EF built a squad around him and gave him tactical freedom that few teams would offer, but given his ongoing health concerns and age, keeping him at that price point represented an unsustainable risk. It is very unlikely he will match the freedom or success he enjoyed at EF with his new team, making this move a pure business decision for a veteran rider cashing in on his remaining value. In contrast, while signing Tao Geoghegan Hart carries its own physical risk, it comes at a vastly different financial scale that protects EF's bottom line while offering immense upside. Replacing that climbing depth won't happen overnight, but bringing in Tao fits EF’s proven reclamation playbook perfectly by providing a low-pressure, culture-first environment for a proven Grand Tour winner to find his magic legs again. Backed by a secured core in Ben Healy, Neilson Powless, and Sean Quinn through 2029, EF isn't crumbling; they are simply resetting their wage structure, staying nimble, and betting on high-ceiling upside where richer teams only see risk.wambo19-10-2026
- This is classic EF Pro Cycling: where other WorldTour squads see risk and injury recovery as a liability, Jonathan Vaughters sees high-ceiling potential and an opportunity to build a custom runway for a rider's resurgence. While Richard Carapaz's high salary and health setbacks made a traditional Grand Tour victory unlikely against today's dominant talents, EF smartly maximized every ounce of his ability by pivoting toward high-visibility targets like a Tour de France stage win, the Yellow Jersey, and the King of the Mountains title. Now, with Carapaz moving on, Tao Geoghegan Hart’s ceiling when healthy is undeniable, and after a tough couple of years recovering from his Giro crash, EF's patient, culture-first approach might be the exact environment he needs to find his magic legs again. EF has consistently proved that they do not need the largest budget in the peloton to extract elite value and deliver memorable performances. By giving Tao the time and tactical freedom to rebuild without overwhelming pressure, this move could easily pay huge dividends and shock a lot of people in the coming seasons.wambo19-10-2026
- The article makes it sound like a great thing and something to be applauded. The reality is is gives the Americans another 6 years to fleece European cycling fans or force them to hunt around Europe with VPN’s for free feeds. Not something to be celebrated in my book. Before someone points out that coverage of this depth costs money, yes, I agree but not £30+ per month a fee I will wager will gradually increase now this deal has been cemented.Paul53119-10-2026
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🇧🇪 #Baal Gave it all. 🥈
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