Between the Dutch and the Belgian they add seven world cyclocross titles, another who joins the fight is the British Olympic champion Tom Pidcock.
Cyclocross has sparked global interest for “mud cycling” thanks to the long rivalry, fierce and passionate, between two great monsters of the specialty, the Dutch Mathieu Van der Poel and the belgian Wout Van Aert, four and three times world champion respectively.
In case this duel was unattractive, to the party British Olympic Champion Tom Pidcock has joined. This weekend, in Dendermonde (Belgium), the three will meet in a fight without quarter.
Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) they arrive with an advantage to the appointment. The former has been intractable, winning recently at Val di Sole, Boom and Essen, while the young Briton has just shown himself at Rucphen. However, Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix), “the most anticipated man”, will make his debut after overcoming a knee injury and is not full of expectations.
“I will try to follow Van Aert, but the truth is that I do not know how I am going to respond,” says Van der Poel., who in turn is clear that his crucial appointment is scheduled for January 30 in Fayetteville (United States). That day and in that place he will defend the title of world champion.
The three kings of the modality they will offer a good gift to the fan the day after Christmas, with an expectation unknown until now in cyclocross.
As Van der Poel explains, “The rivalry with Van Aert transcends sports, it’s a great story” that allows both of them to strengthen and improve with respect to the others ”. His great goal is to aspire to the record of 7 universal titles of the Belgian De Vlaeminck, but before, with five titles he could equal Renato Longo, André Duffraise and Albert Zweifel.
Both Van der Poel and Van Aert have a multitude of admirers, but also detractors. They have in common that they arouse passions, since in such a mechanized road cycling the irruption of both has brought freshness to the races, more spectacle, a product of his offensive styles, with attacks from afar.
Many fans have found an appeal in this form of road racing, including within the WorldTour. At Tour de France both left their stamp in 2021 with stage wins, and also in the great classics.
Van der Poel and Van Aert have been racing since cadets, both in cyclocross and on the road. The story comes from afar and now with 26 and 27 years respectively, those duels are lived in the mud and the asphalt for the delight of cycling. En route they have been measuring their forces since 2019.
For overall performance, Van Aert es superior a Van der Poel and Asphalto, being able to win classics and stages in the Tour of all colors, sprinting, mountain, time trial … but and cyclocross domina Van der Poel.
However, victories were even between the two in 2021, just as they did when they started racing elite cyclocross races 6 years ago. The Dutchman has not shown as much on the road, focusing his best performances in one-day tests.
Undoubtedly, These are two phenomena that break the discipline of robotic cycling with strategies from another era, on any terrain and at any time, with the aim of blowing up the race in search of victory.
The cyclocross world welcomes the fight between the three kings as a blessing. A modality that is religion in countries like Belgium and Holland and that has already been exported throughout Europe because it is an attractive show for the public. It barely lasts an hour, technique and strength predominate, falls occur, brutal rhythm changes … a show also starring true phenomena on the bike. (D)
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
