Wout van Aert has won the World Cup race in Dendermonde after an impressive solo. The 30-year-old Belgian proved too strong for the competition on the tough course. It was Van Aert’s second win in as many days.
The day after his victory in Gullegem, Van Aert lined up for the World Cup race in Dendermonde. On the muddy course, a sharp Van Aert, who had won this race twice before, immediately managed to move up a few positions in the opening phase.
In the third of eight laps, the Belgian took control at the front. Van Aert increased the tempo halfway through the race. Quickly he extended his lead to more than a minute. Fellow Belgians Emiel Verstrynge and Joran Wyseure joined him on the podium.
“I didn’t expect I could achieve this”, Van Aert said. “It means a lot that I managed to win twice this weekend. I surprised myself. It’s already a huge boost towards the upcoming road season. In terms of feeling, I’m right on track.”
“At the finish line I had a big lead, but it wasn’t easy. After the start I decided not to take any unnecessary risks. On this course, you have time to pass others. The key was to find my rhythm as quickly as possible and avoid making mistakes. It got tough in the final laps, but the gap was enough in the end. I am very grateful for the many fans along the course. The atmosphere was incredible. The support from the fans really means a lot to me.”
Van Aert will now head to Spain, where the team training camp will take place. The next cyclocross race for the Belgian will be the World Cup race in Benidorm on 19 January.
