As we wind up 2024 with EUROTRASH Monday, Mathieu van der Poel has won three more cyclocrosses: The UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Besançon, Exact Cross Azencross in Loenhout and UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Gavere. All the cross action videos, reports, results and what the rider’s think.
TOP STORY:
- Jonas Vingegaard talks about his crash: “I thought I was going to die”
Rider news:
- Oier Lazkano wanted to become a porn actor
- TV commentator Michel Wuyts: “Mathieu van der Poel is a professional in everything, including feigning tension”
- Mathieu van der Poel arrives in Gavere in a new Lamborghini
- Antonio Morgado hard on himself after first pro year
- Lorena Wiebes is looking to ride more track after successful National Championships
- Provisionally suspended Antwan Tolhoek talks from Thailand
- Alec Segaert gets a new role at Lotto Dstny
Team news:
- No Caleb Ewan in the Jayco Alula team for the Tour Down Under
- Gleb Syritsa to step down to the Astana development team for relatively unknown Chinese rider
- Jenno Berckmoes extends contract with Lotto
- TotalEnergies new kit for 2025 by Bioracer
- Intermarché-Wanty is proud to present a cheque for €10,085 to Restos du Coeur
Race news:
- Volta ao Algarve thinks Remco Evenepoel will ride their race
The last EUROTRASH coffee of 2024…. Happy New Year!
TOP STORY: Jonas Vingegaard talks about his crash in the Basque Country: “I thought I was going to die”
Vingegaard’s crash on the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country was back in April, 2024, but for Jonas Vingegaard it will always be a black day. On Danish television, the two-time Tour winner, with his wife Trine Marie, spoke about that fateful day in the Basque Country.
The Tour of the Basque Country was overshadowed by a big crash during the fourth stage from Etxarri Aranatz to Legutio. Several riders suffered serious injuries, including Primoz Roglič, Remco Evenepoel, Jay Vine and Jonas Vingegaard. The Dane in particular was in very serious condition. The leader of Visma | Lease a Bike remained motionless on the ground and was eventually taken to the nearest hospital on a stretcher and with an oxygen mask. Seven broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken collarbone, a broken finger and a collapsed lung. A long rehabilitation followed, but Vingegaard returned to the peloton.
“It was the first time I didn’t try to get back on the bike,” Vingegaard remembers. “I thought I was going to die of a hemorrhage. At that moment, I thought it was over.”
“I had to cry a lot,” speaking of his time in hospital. “I kept thinking about Frida (his daughter), Trine (his wife) and our unborn son. Especially the idea that they would have to live without me, I couldn’t bear it. When I was lying there on the ground, I thought: if I survive this, I will end my career.”
Vingegaard did came back and managed to return to the peloton after a long rehabilitation and surprisingly was ready for the Tour de France in time. He won a stage and finished second overall, behind Tadej Pogačar. “We both felt that I should continue, because it is and remains my passion,” said Vingegaard. “In the hospital I didn’t even think about the Tour. When you’re in the ICU, you’re not even allowed to go to the toilet. Then you don’t think about the Tour.”
Vingegaard came back for a stage win and 2nd overall in the Tour:
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Besançon Men 2024
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won his fifth cross of the winter cross season on Sunday. The World champion rode almost the entire race solo off the front in the Besançon World Cup. Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-FSP) finished second and Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was third at over 30 seconds.
After his victories in Zonhoven, Mol, Gavere and Loenhout, Mathieu van der Poel travelled to France in a private jet for the Besançon World Cup on Sunday. The World champion would be up against Laurens Sweeck, Michael Vanthourenhout, Pim Ronhaar, Toon Aerts and Niels Vandeputte, but could they do anything?
Van der Poel didn’t have a great start and it was Toon Aerts was the first on to the grass, the World champion had been squeezed a bit at the start. The Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal riders were a lot further back. Eli Iserbyt couldn’t get into his pedal and World Cup leader Michael Vanthourenhout fell in the first metres of the race. Aerts continued at the front of the race and created a small gap on the others. Van der Poel moved up to second place and then crossed to the leader. After one lap, the first pursuers, led by Felipe Orts, followed at 8 seconds. Niels Vandeputte, Loris Rouiller, Emiel Verstrynge, Pim Ronhaar and Joran Wyseure were a little further back. Iserbyt and Vanthourenhout came through in 24th and 31st places. Vanthourenhout also had to change shoes during the second lap. Van der Poel stayed on the wheel of Aerts, who kept the pressure on. After a quarter of an hour of racing, Van der Poel took over and set a high pace that Aerts couldn’t hold. Aerts, second in the World Cup, was then joined by Vandeputte. After two of the seven laps, the two were 10 seconds behind Van der Poel.
Van der Poel slowly continued to increase his lead over Aerts and Vandeputte, who were not certain of a podium place, because Wyseure kept them in sight. A bigger gap opened up on Thomas Mein, who was fifth after four laps. Orts and a returning Iserbyt remained within 1 minute. Aerts again distanced himself from Vandeputte, although the difference remained limited to just a few seconds. At the bell, Aerts’ lead had increased to 13 seconds and he came a bit closer to Mathieu van der Poel, who looked to be easing off. Nothing happened after that. The World champion held his ground in the final lap. The second place went to Aerts and Vandeputte came third. There was a duel between Wyseure and Iserbyt for fourth place. Iserbyt came out on top. Vanthourenhout managed to take seventh place after his unlucky race. Surprisingly, Thomas Mein was sixth.
Race winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “It was a nice circuit, with a nice crowd. It’s nice to race here in France. We don’t often go abroad with the race anymore, so it’s nice to see so many people here. The last two laps were even harder. But I kept doing my thing. I stayed out of trouble the whole race. That was my intention. Of course it’s also a bit easier if you can choose your own lines. But every now and then you take a corner just not right, after which you think: I’m going to take a different track the next lap. But then it turns out not to be the right one either. The third time you arrive there, you have a dilemma: do I do it again like that or do I go for my first track? I found Gavere a bit more difficult. But it was a very difficult circuit. It’s also nice to come to France with the World Cup. I also raced there two years ago. There are a lot of spectators, very enthusiastic spectators. That’s great to see. Tomorrow there’s another long training session planned. Tuesday I’m going to rest and then on Wednesday I’ll be back in Baal.”
2nd, Toon Aerts (Deschacht-Hens-Maes): “It was tough. The climb at the back of the course is definitely something that hurts. But for the rest it was mainly about technique. In Hulst, a week ago, I was still really searching for technique. I had a hard time finding my way then. But today it went surprisingly well. I have to say that this circuit is on the one in Liévin (World Championships course), so that gives me confidence. I may not have fully recovered yet, I can still feel that everything is still coming loose in my nose. But at some point you have to go all-in again. That was today. The confidence had completely disappeared (due to the illness). If you have to skip a race like Loenhout, six, seven kilometres from my door… I had tears in my eyes when I had to make that decision. Riding and winning in Loenhout is a childhood dream. But that gave me the courage today to really complete that hour. I had a lot of grip in the first corners. We were away with a few guys right away. I didn’t look back and just did my own thing. On such a technical course, that’s the most important thing. I’m happy with my hour of cross. I didn’t get really nervous about that. I didn’t come here today with the ambition to win. You know that Mathieu van der Poel is starting here. And that Niels Vandeputte can do this very well. But I wanted to secure that podium, so I looked more at Joran (Wyseure) than at Niels. Niels wasn’t going to take over, of course, because Mathieu’s teammate had gone. I just kept doing my own thing. I rode at a high pace, so that Joran didn’t come back. And eventually I was able to get Niels in a gap.”
3rd, Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “I think I can be satisfied. I think I rode a good race. I had a good start. I moved up to third place quite quickly. Then I thought I would close the gap to Mathieu and Toon, but then Mathieu just accelerated. I didn’t see him again. I was able to close the gap to Toon. I hoped to stay with Toon a bit longer, but I made a few mistakes here and there. After that it was difficult to close the gap. I tried a few times, but I think Toon was just a bit stronger. To then end up on the podium with him and Mathieu, is something I can be satisfied with. It was a very technical circuit. I think you could compare the circuit a bit with that of Hulst (where Vandeputte won), but Hulst was a bit more dangerous. But they were both very technical. I enjoy such courses, also with roots and such. I think the course was almost perfect for me.”
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Besançon Men Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 1:04:57
2. Toon Aerts (Bel) Deschacht-Hens-FSP at 0:20
3. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck at 0:36
4. Eli Iserbyt (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:49
5. Joran Wyseure (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:58
6. Thomas Mein (GB) Hope Factory Racing at 1:10
7. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 1:17
8. Kevin Kuhn (Sui) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 1:26
9. Michael Boros (CZ) Elkov-Kasper at 1:35
10. Felipe Orts Lloret (Spa) Ridley Racing Team at 1:44.
Besançon’24
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Besançon Women 2024
Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) won the Besançon World Cup cross on Sunday. The World champion rode away from the others in the first lap and won with a lead of over half a minute. Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) was second, Blanka Kata Vas (SD Worx-Protime) took third place. Marianne Vos rode to fifth place on her return to cyclocross.
The return of Marianne Vos to the women’s cross in Besançon was the bid news at the start. The eight-time World champion came to France to compete after a break of almost two years. But she was not the top favourite. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado, Lucinda Brand and reigning World champion Fem van Empel were also at the start.
Zoe Bäckstedt was the fastest at the start and was first to hit the off-road. She was followed by the other fast starter, Marie Schreiber. The Luxembourger took the lead, but then slipped. Fem van Empel, who also had a good start, then took over at the front. Brand and especially Alvarado were a bit further back, but the differences were small after the first half lap. Vos had to make up more ground due to a poorer starting position. Van Empel kept up the pressure. She created a gap on her own and extended her lead over the others. At the finish of the first lap, she had 6 seconds on Bäckstedt, Brand and Blanka Kata Vas. Alvarado, riding in 7th place, was already half a minute down. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider ended up in a group with Vos, who had made up a lot of places, in the second lap. This was already a big deficit to the front of the race. Bäckstedt was dropped by Brand and Vas. The two remaining pursuers were 11 seconds behind Van Empel after two of the five laps. The World champion continued to pull away after that. After three laps, she had almost half a minute on Brand and Vas, who were engaged in a duel for second place. At a minute behind Van Empel, Vos closed in on Bäckstedt.
At the start of the last lap, Van Empel still had half a minute on Brand. The Dutch champion had struggled with Vas’s pace in the third lap, but in the fourth lap she had in turn left the Hungarian. The podium looked to be set when the bell rang. The positions did not change. Van Empel took the win, while Brand and Vas came second and third. Behind the first three, there was still a battle going on for fourth place. Vos had the upper hand, but Bäckstedt didn’t give up yet. The British rider passed Vos and took fourth place. Vos held off Alvarado, who rode a good final lap. Marie Schreiber only finished in eighteenth place and dropped in the World Cup standings.
Race winner, Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike): “It was a fun race. The supporters were great. It was very slippery on this circuit, so it was an advantage that I could ride my own race. That was perfect, I think. I had a very good start. After that, I rode my own pace from start to finish. That turned out to be enough. It went according to plan. I made few mistakes. I think that was also important. I’m in good shape. Can it be better? It can always be better, but whether that is the case now, I don’t know. In any case, we will continue to work hard for it.”
2nd, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions): “This morning, during the reconnaissance, I didn’t really have a good feeling on the course. During the race I got a better and better feeling, so I’m very happy with that. In that respect it was a good race. It was difficult to deliver power for a long time on this course. Maybe because it was slippery, or maybe because of the cold, because you don’t really feel it then. In the first lap I really had to warm up. For the type of rider I am, I think I had a decent start. Every lap I got a better feeling. It was nice that I could follow Blanka (Kata Vas) a lot in the beginning. After that I got more and more into my rhythm, but I think Fem also found her rhythm, because she had a big gap.”
3rd, Blanka Kata Vas (SD Worx-Protime): “I was close a lot this winter, but now I’m finally on the podium. I’m really happy. I really loved this circuit. It was like surfing. I enjoyed the turns. It was hard to stay focused though. I was really tired in the last lap, so I kept making more and more mistakes. It was a shame that I had to let Brand go, but she was clearly stronger. She’s always really strong in the last laps. So I wasn’t surprised. I just tried to stay focused and not make too many mistakes. I’m doing all the World Cups, but I’m skipping the national championship. I’m also going to Spain for a training camp with the team. In the coming period, I’ll focus more on training and preparing for the World Championships.”
5th, Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike): “I’m pretty happy. It was a tough race, but I was happy that I could move up well in the peloton. When I was around fourth or fifth place, it got really tough. I didn’t have any energy left at the end. I fought until the finish. I’m happy with today’s race. I was really, really tired. And when you’re tired, your coordination gets a bit worse. So the last lap might not have been the best lap. But it was a nice duel with Zoe Bäckstedt. That was fun. The whole lap was actually tough. There weren’t many parts to recover. When it goes up, you have to push or run. And when you go down, you have to be really sharp and focused, because every corner is slippery.”
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Besançon Women Result:
1. Fem van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike in 52:45
2. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:37
3. Kata Blanka Vas (Nun) SD Worx-Protime at 1:02
4. Zoe Backstedt (GB) Canyon//SRAM at 1:51
5. Marianne Vos (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike at 1:53
6. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 1:57
7. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 2:09
8. Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 2:25
9. Célia Gery (Fra) As Bike Racing at 2:29
10. Hélène Clauzel (Fra) As Bike Racing at 2:40.
Besançon’24
Exact Cross Loenhout – Azencross Men 2024
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the Exact Cross in Loenhout on Friday. The World champion rode away from Wout van Aert in the first lap, who was riding his first cyclocross of the season. Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon) was able to pull back Van der Poel, but the Belgian eventually had to let the World champion go. In the end, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) was second, ahead of Sweeck. Van Aert had to settle for fourth place after a crash in the final lap.
The cyclocross in Loenhout was the first duel of this cyclocross season between Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert. The World champion had already won three races since his return to cyclocross, in Mol, Zonhoven and Gavere. Van Aert was making his comeback in cyclocross in Loenhout. The Belgian said before the start that he was a bit nervous and didn’t expect a duel with Van der Poel.
Van Aert had a good start. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider was the first to go off road, with Van der Poel and Tim Merlier, who was also racing for the first time this season, on his wheel. Van Aert rode on the front, but after 5 minutes Van der Poel decided that it was enough. Van Aert made a mistake and lost a few seconds. The Belgian was able to put up a strong fight for a while. Van der Poel’s lead remained limited for a while, until Van Aert made another mistake. Van Aert then had Laurens Sweeck and Niels Vandeputte in front of him, while Thibau Nys was also able to catch them. Sweeck, who didn’t ride in Gavere, tried to jump to Van der Poel.
Sweeck had to go deep, but at the end of lap three he managed to close the gap to Van der Poel. A very strong performance by the Crelan-Corendon rider. While Van Aert and Nys worked together in the chase, Sweeck soon found it very difficult to follow Van der Poel. At the start of the fourth lap, he lost 7 seconds. Van der Poel was gone. Sweeck then had to worry about Van Aert and Nys. The two continued to work well together and gradually came closer to Sweeck. In the penultimate lap, the duo caught Sweeck, and so the three would fight for second place. Van Aert took the initiative in the final lap, but the Visma | Lease a Bike rider crashed and he had to settle for fourth place. Van der Poel rode solo to the finish line. He won his fourth consecutive cyclocross race of the season. Nys won the battle with Sweeck for second place, Van Aert was fourth and Vandeputte fifth.
Race winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “My saddle was broken, so I had to change bikes. But Sweeck also rode strongly, I certainly didn’t let him come back. After that I just had to keep doing my thing and then I could extend my lead a bit further. And that worked out. It was a difficult race, it wasn’t easy to make the difference. It’s a course where it’s difficult to really ride much faster than someone else, because then you quickly make mistakes. But I think it’s a nice lap. Furthermore, I had cold hands for the first time. So it was definitely the toughest cross so far, especially after yesterday’s tough cross (Gavere). He immediately set a high pace (Van Aert). I thought it would be good to continue straight away. But I wasn’t surprised by his level. He hasn’t been sitting still lately. Of course he also has the talent and class in himself”
2nd, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions): “I got that (a puncture) in the middle of the first lap. I didn’t lose much time, but I did lose contact with the front of the race. After that I had to chase the whole time, I was never really with it. Fortunately I had a good companion in Wout van Aert. Second was definitely the highest I could achieve today. I feel that I am physically at my best, like at the European Championships and in Overijse. It just depends a bit on the course where I perform best. I am really looking forward to Diegem myself. In addition, I want to try to follow Mathieu van der Poel in one of the next races.”
3rd, Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon): “I was a bit overwhelmed that I was suddenly there. I actually just rode a good passage in front of the washboard, it wasn’t necessarily the intention. But when I got to Mathieu, things didn’t go so well. I rode a bad lap and then it was immediately a fight for second place. In the end I was able to sprint with Thibau. I put in an extra gear in the sprint, but that caused my acceleration to go too far. In retrospect, I should have kept sprinting in that first gear, then I think I would have had it.”
4th, Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike): “But following Mathieu van der Poel was too ambitious. That’s a shame, because a second or third place was still possible. It actually took a long time before I was in my pedal, but there was still room to move up. That way I was able to finish the first lap at the front. That was a good lap. When Mathieu accelerated, it was actually mainly technically not good. I tried to join again, but that was too ambitious. After that I had a good companion with Thibau Nys. We worked well together and were able to join Laurens Sweeck again. It’s a shame that I fell after that. That wasn’t because of Thibau, but because of a spectator who was hanging over the course. I’m certainly happy with the feeling, but a second or third place was still possible. But I’m satisfied with the feeling, it was a successful day. I didn’t expect to be riding among them so soon. Now I’m going to do a good training week and then it’s time for the Gullegem and Dendermonde races. Those will be two tough races.”
Exact Cross Loenhout – Azencross Men Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 58:11
2. Thibau Nys (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:14
3. Laurens Sweeck (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:15
4. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:36
5. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 1:09
6. Jens Adams (Bel) Lotto-X-Oats Athletes For Hope at 1:15
7. Thomas Mein (GB) Hope Factory Racing at 1:27
8. Lander Loockx (Bel) TDT-Unibet at 1:34
9. Tim Merlier (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step at 1:54
10. Thijs Aerts (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 2:04.
Loenhout’24:
Exact Cross Loenhout – Azencross Women 2024
Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon) won the Exact Cross Loenhout for women on Friday. The Belgian beat her Crelan-Corendon teammate, Sanne Cant in a duel. Third place in the Azencross went to the very young Imogen Wolff (Visma | Lease a Bike).
Fem van Empel, Puck Pieterse, Lucinda Brand or Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado were all missing from Loenhout. Blanka Vas and Marie Schreiber also didn’t start. The three Belgian women, Sanne Cant, Marion Norbert Riberolle and Julie Brouwers were the expected to take the honours with opposition from Lauren Molengraaf and Yara Kastelijn.
The best start came from the young Molengraaf. She soon had Cant, Kay and Larissa Hartog with her. Behind, Brouwers tried to come back, while Norbert Riberolle and Kastelijn had very bad starts. The battle was far from over, because in the second lap it all came back together. Brouwers, Norbert Riberolle and Imogen Wolff joined Cant, Kay, Molengraaf and Hartog.
Wolff, who rides for Visma | Lease a Bike, didn’t hesitate and immediately pulled hard. However, the very young British rider had to watch as Cant, who had just crashed, apparently followed easily and pulled hard herself. It was a strong acceleration of the pace by Cant, because only Norbert Riberolle could follow. The two created a big gap, which meant that there would be a duel between two Belgians in Loenhout. Belgian champion Cant seemed to have everything under control, but a mistake in the penultimate lap cost her the win. Norbert Riberolle was given a few seconds as a gift and did not hesitate. Cant had to pull out all the stops, but was unable to close the gap. And so it was not Cant, but Norbert Riberolle who took the win in Loenhout. A disappointed Cant came second, third place went to Wolff.
Race winner, Marion Norbert Riberolle (Crelan-Corendon): “I am super happy. In consultation with my trainer and the team, I decided to start here, because it was a chance for a win. However, I did not feel so good today during the reconnaissance. My legs were very heavy, it was not easy. I was also sleeping a bit too much at the start. I have a lot of respect for her (Sanne Cant). She used to be my idol. But in the final I did not wait and I took my chances. It is very good for my morale that I can win here.”
2nd, Sanne Cant (Crelan-Corendon): “I fell quite hard, so I am especially happy that I finished today. It was quite tricky next to the pits with very deep ruts. I shot out of one of those ruts and rode into a pole. That was not too bad, but then I fell with my leg on my own handlebars. That really hurt, I actually rode with only one leg after that. I tried to hold on, but it didn’t go so smoothly anymore. It’s hard to say if this will have lasting effects. But I actually fear that the pain will get a bit worse”
Exact Cross Loenhout – Azencross Women Result:
1. Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon in 48:49
2. Sanne Cant (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 0:23
3. Imogen Wolff (GB) Visma | Lease a Bike at 0:50
4. Larissa Hartog (Ned) ZZPR.nl-Orange Babies Cycling Team at 0:52
5. Julie Brouwers (Bel) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 0:53
6. Anna Kay (GB) Proximus-Cyclis-Alphamotorhomes CT at 0:57
7. Jamie de Beer (Ned) Heizomat RadTeam p/b Hermann at 1:01
8. Lauren Molengraaf (Ned) Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at 1:07
9. Yara Kastelijn (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 1:17
10. Marthe Truyen (Bel) Fenix-Deceuninck at 1:51.
Loenhout’24:
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Gavere Men 2024
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won his third cross of the season on Thursday. In the UCI World Cup in Gavere, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions) did make things a bit more difficult for Van der Poel in the fist two laps. In the end they finished second and third.
Before Van der Poel has his first clash of the season with Wout van Aert in Loenhout on Friday, the World champion had to deal with a strong field in Gavere on Thursday, with top riders Nys, Toon Aerts, Vanthourenhout and also young U23 World cross champion, Tibor Del Grosso. Starting from the second row, Van der Poel took around 10 minutes to get to the front of the race. Nys took an early lead in the race, with Pim Ronhaar, Vanthourenhout and a little further back, Van der Poel and Del Grosso.
At the start of the second lap, Ronhaar, Vanthourenhout, Nys and Van der Poel rode away from the others and then everyone was waiting for an attack from the World champion. It finally came at the start of the third lap after 20 minutes of racing. On one of the running sections the difference between Van der Poel and his opponents was obvious. The Dutchman rode away from Vanthourenhout and Nys, they would now fight for second place.
Vanthourenhout and Nys stayed together for a long time, but Vanthourenhout was the better rider and took second place. Nys would eventually finish in third place, although he had to work hard for it. In the penultimate lap Lars van der Haar came back strongly, but it wasn’t enough to take the podium place from his teammate. Van der Poel was well ahead of the others and despite a few mistakes in the last lap, he crossed the finish line in Gavere with a lead of almost thirty seconds on Vanthourenhout and closer to a minute on the others.
Race winner, Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck): “It was hard to stay focused. That’s why I made a lot of mistakes. The course only got harder. The mud got thicker and thicker, at one point it was almost impossible to ride through. I really made a lot of mistakes, so I was happy when I crossed the finish line. Michael was still really putting pressure on, so I felt this one. That’s exactly why I’m racing this winter. The conditions were very difficult. It feels familiar to race against Van Aert, so I’m looking forward to it. We’ll see tomorrow”
2nd, Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal): “I didn’t even try (to stay with Van der Poel). That would be dangerous, because I could blow up. I really focused on second place, because I haven’t been able to compete for the podium in recent years. It’s great that I’ve succeeded now. I told myself the whole race: wait for the last lap to attack the climb, but I couldn’t do that on the last lap. It was a struggle all the way to the top and hoping that Nys wouldn’t catch up.”
3rd, Thibau Nys (Baloise Trek Lions): “We knew for a long time that Van der Poel was the strongest and that it would be difficult, but it’s a shame that I couldn’t get second place. I felt like the second or third strongest in the race today. I had my good and bad parts of the course. That climb suited me very well, as did the part after that towards the second pits. After that I had a few bad spots where I had difficulty getting a grip on the rear wheel. Then it’s hard to make the connection. But I’m satisfied, on to tomorrow.”
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Gavere Men Result:
1. Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck in 1:05:29
2. Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 0:26
3. Thibau Nys (Bel) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:41
4. Lars van der Haar (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:55
5. Emiel Verstrynge (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 1:32
6. Niels Vandeputte (Bel) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 1:48
7. Tibor Del Grosso (Ned) Alpecin-Deceuninck Development Team at 1:50
8. Cameron Mason (GB) Cyclocross Reds at 1:52
9. Joran Wyseure (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 2:06
10. Toon Aerts (Bel) Deschacht-Hens-Maes at 2:24.
Gavere’24:
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Gavere Men 2024
Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike) took the win on her return to cyclocross. In Gavere, the cyclocross World champion was the best. Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) and Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck) joined her on the podium in East Flanders.
Van Empel hasn’t ridden a cyclocross for the past eleven days due to a training crash, where she injured her left knee. As a result, she had to miss the World Cup cyclocross events in Zonhoven and Hulst and some other races. On Thursday the World champion showed that she had not lost any form during her lay off. In the first lap, Van Empel and Pieterse had a small gap on Kata Blanka Vas, Marie Schreiber, Zoë Backstedt and Lucinda Brand. The four behind Van Empel and Pieterse did catch the leading pair, but they couldn’t hold on for long.
In the second lap, Van Empel dropped Pieterse. The Fenix-Deceuninck rider struggled for a long time, but eventually had to give in to Van Empel. At the start of the penultimate lap, the gap had already grown to 28 seconds. As a result, Van Empel was able to ease off on the extremely tough course in Gavere. The battle was for second place. Partly due to a fall by Pieterse, Brand managed to overtake her with one and a half laps to go. The 22-year-old Pieterse then fell again, but she did everything she could to stay in Brand’s wake. Just before the finish, she managed to catch up with Brand, but that was as far as she could do. Brand held on for second and Pieterse was third.
Race winner, Fem van Empel (Visma | Lease a Bike): “The conditions weren’t easy. The wind made it really tough. I had to stay focused throughout the entire race, and I think I managed that well. It was all about giving everything until the finish line. In these conditions, it’s not ideal to ride solo because you’re constantly battling the wind, but I can’t complain. I think I delivered an excellent performance today. Now, the focus shifts to next weekend.”
2nd, Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions): “It wasn’t great. I just lacked the freshness and made a lot of small mistakes, which ultimately made big differences. It certainly wasn’t bad, but if I could get rid of those small mistakes I would have been in the running for the win for much longer. That would definitely have been better for my morale.”
3rd, Puck Pieterse (Fenix-Deceuninck): “This was one of my best starts this season and I managed to keep my pace. Lucinda passed me in the last laps, but I knew she was a strong runner. She struggled for a while, but in the last minutes she still rode away from me. Next time I might have to choose better lines”
UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup – Gavere Women Result:
1. Fem van Empel (Ned) Visma | Lease a Bike in 52:24
2. Lucinda Brand (Ned) Baloise Trek Lions at 0:37
3. Puck Pieterse (Ned) Fenix-Deceuninck at 0:46
4. Kata Blanka Vas (Hun) SD Worx-Protime at 1:36
5. Zoe Backstedt (GB) Canyon//SRAM at 2:06
6. Inge van der Heijden (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 2:18
7. Marion Norbert Riberolle (Bel) Crelan-Corendon at 2:30
8. Manon Bakker (Ned) Crelan-Corendon at 2:56
9. Marie Schreiber Lux) SD Worx-Protime at 3:25
10. Denise Betsema (Ned) Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal at 3:35.
Gavere’24:
Oier Lazkano Wanted to Become a Porn Actor
Oier Lazkano said he was interested in working in the porn industry. “I am serious when I have to be, but I also like to joke.” Although those jokes sometimes lead to misunderstandings…
If we go back to this year’s E3 Saxo Classic. Lazkano was talking to a group of students. “They asked me a stupid question and I gave a stupid answer,” Lazkano supposedly said he wanted to become a porn actor. “But of course that’s not true,” he told Sporza. His statement was picked up, because on the start podium of the Tour of Flanders, the Spaniard was announced as ‘the rider who wanted to become a porn actor’. Now he wants to clear up that misunderstanding. “That stupid answer typifies me. I am serious when I have to be, but I also like to joke. The riders know that by now and so do the cycling followers.”
Lazkano is facing an important year. He is leaving his Spanish team Movistar and is moving to the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team. “I am very happy that I made the switch. The team has confidence in me and the same goes the other way around. This new chapter will offer me opportunities.” The all-rounder wants to score in the Classics, but dreams of one specific race. “I don’t know why, but I would rather ride the Tour of Flanders than Paris-Roubaix. I dream of being the first Spaniard ever to win Flanders’ Finest.”
Oier Lazkano the porn star:
TV Commentator Michel Wuyts: “Mathieu van der Poel is a Professional in Everything, Including Feigning Tension”
Mathieu van der Poel has had a very good start to his cyclocross season. Winning every race he has started. Dutch TV commentator, Michel Wuyts praised the World cross champion, but pointed out that: “Van der Poel will not be in the mood for overwhelming demonstrations everywhere.”
“I saw Van der Poel in Zonhoven and realised: experiencing the highest perfection must also be a pure pleasure for him. The difference with the powerlessness of pursuer Toon Aerts was great. After one and a half minutes of cyclocross, he realised that following was almost suicidal”, the cycling commentator said.
Wuyts doesn’t expect Van der Poel to leave anything behind. “So Van der Poel continues his destructive tour and the opponents are left with the fight for the national title or some rummaging in the mouse droppings in February. Don’t be too afraid of boredom. Van der Poel will not be in the mood for overwhelming demonstrations everywhere. He loves some playful duelling in Loenhout or keeping illusions alive for a while in Diegem.”
“I wonder: how does Mathieu tackle the usually flooded Dendermonde? His back has to hold up, right? Maybe that is where Van Aert’s chance of winning lies.” Wuyts sees a cunning Van der Poel, in various ways. “There is more. The soloist Van der Poel is often kept out of the picture by the TV director after two laps. A bit sad, but the director prefers to switch to a bit of a fight, for second place. Van der Poel knows very well that he has to serve his sponsors. And how he can get the picture. So he holds back a bit, like in Gavere. MVDP is a professional in everything. Also in feigning tension.”
Van der Poel not solo for the TV:
Mathieu van der Poel arrives in Gavere in a new Lamborghini
Does Mathieu van der Poel have a new car? On Thursday afternoon, the Dutchman arrived in an orange Lamborghini at the World Cup cyclocross in Gavere. We know that Van der Poel is crazy about Lamborghinis. Last year, the Dutchman was given a Lamborghini Urus with the license plate 1-MVDP-1 as a gift by the Italian car manufacturer. It now seems that there is a new Lamborghini car in the Van der Poel garage.
The Lamborghini that Van der Poel arrived in Gavere with was not just any old car. It is a Revuelto, the first electric plug-in hybrid from Lamborghini. The sports car has a V12 engine in combination with three electric motors, which together are good for a power of more than 1000hp.
The top speed of this Lamborghini is around 350 kilometres per hour and accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour within 2.5 seconds. Interested parties should bring a large wallet. The basic price is €511,000, more than half a million euros. As a true Dutchman, Van der Poel drives his Belgian registered ‘Lambo’ in an orange colour. “But I didn’t choose that colour myself”, Van der Poel told Het Laatste Nieuws. “It certainly doesn’t drive badly, but it was very busy on the road”, he added.
Nice new wheels Mathieu:
Antonio Morgado Hard on Himself after First Pro Year
Antonio Morgado has completed his first pro year. The young Portuguese rider looks back on a year with a number of good results, but he is quite hard on himself. “If I keep improving and have good legs, it might work out one day”, Morgado tOLD Sporza.
The first time Morgado showed himself was in the Walloon one-day race Le Samyn. Morgado narrowly finished second behind Laurenz Rex. What was particularly striking was his statement after the race. Morgado admitted that he actually doesn’t like ‘these kinds of Belgian races’ at all. He has since come back to those words. “In the meantime, I like the Belgian Classics a bit more. Last year I discovered that I do have a preference for big and long races such as Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders. Paris-Roubaix also suits me. But this year I had some problems with my bike in Hell, which is why I finished 86th.”
After his second place in Le Samyn, Morgado finished fifth in the Tour of Flanders, although he remains self-critical. “Did I cost 3 million in the Sporza Wielermanager last year? Well, then I’m still worth 3 million. I only had two good results in Belgium last season. To cost 4 or 5 million, I have to finish more in the top 10.”
Morgado briefly talked about Grand Tours. He won’t be riding one in 2024, but secretly still dreams of a career as a GC rider. “I know that I normally can’t win a Grand Tour because of my body shape. But I will always try to become a better climber during my career. If I keep improving and have good legs, it might still work out one day.”
Antonio Morgado want’s more in 2025:
Lorena Wiebes is Looking to Ride More Track after Successful National Championships
Lorena Wiebes has got a taste for track cycling. The 25-year-old Dutch rider had a dream debut at the World Track Cycling Championships earlier this year with gold in the scratch and last week she rode to three national titles on the track. If it were up to Wiebes, she would also be at the European Championships next year.
With national titles in the omnium, points race and scratch, Lorena Wiebes crowned herself the undisputed track queen of the National Championships in Omnisport Apeldoorn last week. The fast rider, who is mainly has her success on the road, has fully discovered herself as a track cyclist this year.
The recent successes on the track have left her wanting more. “When will I wear this World Championship jersey next time? I think I will ride the European Championships in Belgium in February,” Wiebes told Cyclingonline. “My team (SD Worx-Protime) is giving me some space to further explore my track ambitions.”
The European Track Championships are on the track in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium, starting on 12 February.
More track for Lorena Wiebes:
Provisionally Suspended Antwan Tolhoek Talks from Thailand
Antwan Tolhoek has spoken on social media. The cyclist from Zeeland has been provisionally suspended since February 2024 due to a positive doping test in which traces of anabolic androgenic steroids were found. A definitive suspension has not yet been issued, but Tolhoek has remained out of the spotlight since then. This week he shared a message from Thailand.
On Instagram, Tolhoek says that he is now committed to cyclists who want to be tested. “1, 2, 3, test! Get all the information about your strength and heart rate zones during our personalised lactate tests. These are done outside, because this will help you improve your performance on your bike,” said the former Visma | Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek rider.
It seems that the 30-year-old Tolhoek has started his own project. The Instagram account ‘Tolhoek Cycling Tours’ has also been started. “Testing your power zones using a professional lactate measurement and a technique used by almost all WorldTeams.”
Tolhoek, who was fired by the Portuguese team Sabgal-Anicolor after the doping test, also shared a photo a month ago that he was participating in the Dustman 2024 Chiang Rai, a gravel race in Thailand. Whether there is a comeback for the rider depends on a ruling from the UCI that is still pending. Until then, Tolhoek has been provisionally suspended.
Antwan Tolhoek has a new job:
Alec Segaert Gets a New Role at Lotto Dstny
2025 will be an important year for Alec Segaert. The young rider of Lotto Dstny gets a new role at his team after the departure of several big names. Will he become the new star of Lotto Dstny? Or will his first major classic victory be a while off? “I will have to save myself more for the final.”
2024 was a good year for Segaert. The 21-year-old rider took his first WorldTour victory. He won the time trial in the Renewi Tour. “A first victory in the WorldTour, I didn’t see that coming. For the first time I could compete at that level and I could have won the stage race for the same amount of money,” Segaert told Sporza. “I gained a lot of confidence from it for next year.”
In 2025, Segaert will get a new role, he explained. “After the departure of Victor Campenaerts and Florian Vermeersch, I will have a different role. I will have to save myself more for the final. Together with Arnaud De Lie and Jenno Berckmoes, we still have a very good team with different opportunities and tactics to win races.”
One of the races in which Segaert wants to do well is Paris-Roubaix. “I had a positive experience there this year. I was in the first group but then had three bad luck from the Wallers forest onwards. In Paris-Roubaix, everything has to go well.” Finally, Segaert adds that a Grand Tour is an option. “I am on the longlist for the Tour. There is a time trial in the first week of the Tour de France. But whether I go to the Tour will also depend on the spring, how I feel.”
Alec Segaert has a new team role:
No Caleb Ewan in the Jayco Alula Team for the Tour Down Under
With three weeks to go till the start of the 25th Santos Tour Down Under (21-16 January), the first WorldTour race of the new season, Jayco AlUla has announced its seven-man selection, but Caleb Ewan is not in the team.
The now 30-year-old sprinter often starts his season in his home country, first with the Australian championships and then the Tour Down Under. Ewan has been successful in the past, winning nine stages. His last victory in the Tour Down Under was four years ago in 2020. Ewan ended his contract with Lotto Dstny by mutual agreement in October 2023, after months of wrangling with his team boss Stéphane Heulot. The little sprinter then signed a two-season contract with Jayco AlUla. Ewan has been second team sprinter to Dylan Groenewegen. Astana Qazaqstan was interested in signing Ewan over the winter, but that fell through.
Jayco AlUla looks to be going for the GC in the 2025 Tour Down Under. Luke Plapp will probably be the team leader, but Chris Harper and Swiss champion Mauro Schmid are also capable of a good final overall place. In the flat stages, it will be up to Campbell Stewart to take on the sprints.
“The Tour Down Under course is getting harder every year,” said team manager Matthew Hayman, looking ahead to the six-day stage race. “But we know that it is still very difficult to make a difference. It often comes down to a game of seconds. It’s all about the small details. We will definitely fight for a good final classification with Luke Plapp and Mauro Schmid.”
Jayco AlUla team for the Tour Down Under (21-16 January):
Luke Durbridge (Aus)
Chris Harper (Aus)
Michael Hepburn (Aus)
Kelland O’Brien (Aus)
Luke Plapp (Aus)
Mauro Schmid (Sui)
Campbell Stewart (NZ).
No Ewan Down Under:
Gleb Syritsa to Step Down to the Astana Development Team for Relatively Unknown Chinese Rider
In the ‘new’ XDS Astana team, Gleb Syritsa will have to make way for Haoyu Su in the Kazakh-Chinese team, according to various sources. The 24-year-old Syritsa was seen as one of the most important sprinters within the team after Mark Cavendish left, but the team has decided to ‘demote’ the Russian to the development team.
With the arrival of sponsor XDS, the ambitious team of manager Alexander Vinokourov wants to be one of the best teams in the World again. XDS is prepared to give the Astana team a serious financial boost, but in return XDS also wants a Chinese presence. The team has reportedly signed a Chinese rider.
The relatively unknown Haoyu Su is a 24-year-old Chinese rider rode for the Continental China Glory-Mentech team for the past two seasons. Su is known as an all-rounder. In the past, he was third in the Chinese time trial championship, but with a fourth place in the 2022 Tour of Qinghai Lake he showed that he can do more than just time trials. The XDS Astana roster for the 2025 season already consisted of thirty riders. On paper, there was no room for the new Chinese rider, but the team has found a solution. They have chosen to demote Gleb Syritsa to the development team. This gives XDS Astana the space to register Haoyu Su as a WorldTour rider.
For Gleb Syritsa, this is a major blow, especially because the Russian has been working hard as a sprinter in recent years. The fast rider won the opening stage of the Tour of Langkawi last season and raced to good places in the AlUla Tour, Tour of Oman and UAE Tour. In the past ZLM Tour, Syritsa finished in the top five on four times, including two second places.
Haoyu Su – New rider with XDS Astana:
Jenno Berckmoes Extends Contract with Lotto
Jenno Berckmoes extends his contract with Lotto Cycling Team. The winner of the Muur Classic will remain with the team until 2027.
It was already certain that Jenno Berckmoes (23) would race in Lotto red next season. However, after an impressive year—including victory at the Muur Classic in Geraardsbergen—the Belgian rider has signed an improved and extended contract. Berckmoes will stay with Lotto Cycling Team until 2027.
Jenno Berckmoes: “I didn’t hesitate long to extend my contract. It may sound like a cliché, but I feel at home with this team. Since joining Lotto last season, my teammates, the staff and everyone in the organisation have become like family to me. Moreover, I’m convinced that in terms of performance and support, we are among the best in the peloton. The fact that I could add two extra years to my contract allows me to continue my growth calmly. I’m ready for the next step.”
Stéphane Heulot, CEO: “Jenno Berckmoes proved this past season that he has immense potential. It was therefore a logical decision for us to offer him a new contract. Jenno is a rider who can hold his own in both Flemish and Ardennes classics, as well as deliver strong results in shorter stage races. We are very pleased to keep him on board.”
Jenno Berckmoes to stay with Lotto:
TotalEnergies New Kit for 2025 by Bioracer
TotalEnergies has new race kit for next year. The French team is entered into a partnership with the Belgian Bioracer for their cycling clothing. They announced this in a press release, when the new clothing was also presented.
In recent seasons, TotalEnergies used clothing from Sportful, but that partnership has ended. From the new season, the French team will be riding in clothing from Bioracer. That partnership will last for at least two seasons. The new kit of the French ProTeam is, just like in previous years, predominantly white, with various colour details. The logo of main sponsor TotalEnergies is on the chest, with the logo of the French region Vendée underneath. The shorts are dark blue, also featuring the logo of TotalEnergies and that of bike sponsor ENVE.
TotalEnergies 2025 kit:
Intermarché-Wanty is Proud to Present a Cheque for €10,085 to Restos du Coeur
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, team Intermarché-Wanty set up a fundraising campaign during the Tour de France to support the Restos du Coeur. On Friday 27th of December 2024, Intermarché-Wanty received Patrick Banneux, Chairman, Zohra Zarouri, Director, and several volunteers from the Association Départementale 59A of the Restos du Coeur to present them the cheque from the hands of Jean-François Bourlart, General Manager of the Intermarché-Wanty team.
The presentation of this cheque for €10 085 to the Association Départementale 59A of the Restos du Coeur concludes a series of actions that have helped to put the Restos du Coeur in the spotlight, and to give many young beneficiaries of Restos du Coeur a glimpse behind the scenes of the Belgian World Team during the rest days of the Tour de France 2024. Thanks to the generosity of over 400 donors, the fundraising target of €10 000 has been reached!
Jean-François Bourlart (General Manager Intermarché-Wanty): “We are proud to conclude 2024 by presenting this cheque for over €10 000 to Restos du Coeur. As a cycling team, we feel the duty to make a commitment to associations that are meaningful to the community as a whole. And of course, we’re already thinking about the Grand Départ of the Tour de France in Lille next July, so we can envisage other solidarity support operations to help the most disadvantaged.”
Patrick Banneux (Chairman AD Restos du Coeur 59A): “We are delighted to receive this cheque from team Intermarché-Wanty. It’s the first time that a sports team has given financial support to our association, and we’re particularly proud of it given the impact of their latest Tour de France. More than ever, we have two priorities: to help single-parent families and to develop early childhood initiatives by creating friendly places where children can find the means to blossom and escape the isolation caused by poverty.”
Volta ao Algarve Thinks Remco Evenepoel Will Start this Year’s Race
Remco Evenepoel at the start of the Volta ao Algarve in mid-February? The organisers of the Portuguese stage race seems to think this is possible. Unfortunately, this will not happen, because Evenepoel will still be out of action.
The confusion was started by the organisers of the Volta ao Algarve. “In 2025, the fans will also be able to enjoy two top teams in the Tour of Algarve: Soudal Quick-Step and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The team of the winner of the previous edition, Remco Evenepoel, has been at the start of our race since 2007”, they wrote on their website.
“Among the riders who have already been confirmed by Soudal Quick-Step for 2025, there are three names besides Evenepoel who have already finished on the podium of the Tour of Algarve: Ethan Hayter, Maximilian Schachmann and Ilan Van Wilder,” they seem to insinuate that Evenepoel will also start in the Portuguese race in 2025. That is not possible at all. The former World champion and current Olympic champion is still struggling with a serious injury. Evenepoel told Studio Brussel a few weeks ago that he expects that he will not be able to race again until April. So participation in the Volta ao Algarve is completely out of the question.
Who will ride Algarve in 2025?
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