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Mud and Fun of Cyclocross

Van Aert victorious on return to UCI Cyclocross World Cup

Wout van Aert of Visma-Lease a Bike dominated the field in treacherous muddy conditions to win the Cyclocross World Cup in Dendermonde, Belgium, with a solo effort on Sunday.

– The day after winning the Superprestige Gullegem race to register hs first cyclocross win in a year, van Aert overcame a slow start in the opening two laps and a very muddy course to ride away for the second victory of what will be an abbreivated cyclcocross season for the Belgian.

Wout VAN AERT (BEL/Visma-Lease a bike) racing the muddy parcours of the Elite Men’s Race at the 2025 UCI cyclocross World Cup race in Dendermonde, Belgium on January 5th. // Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202501050161 // Usage for editorial use only //

– Powering through the standing water and deep slop, van Aert took over the lead of the race and never looked back as he rode away to victory from Emile Verstrynge by a margin of 1m 10s, while Joran Wyseure finished third in a race where Belgian riders filled the top five.

Wout VAN AERT (BEL/Visma-Lease a bike) racing the muddy parcours of the Elite Men’s Race at the 2025 UCI cyclocross World Cup race in Dendermonde, Belgium on January 5th. // Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202501050160 // Usage for editorial use only //

– “Cyclocross races, while doing it sometimes you question why. It’s so difficult to concentrate, to pull it off, but great fun. It means a lot to me, that’s for sure. To be honest, I’m ahead of the schedule I had in my mind, so it’s a confidence boost to keep working to the road season,” said the 30-year-old who now has three wins at the Dendermonde World Cup.

Wout VAN AERT (BEL/Visma-Lease a bike) racing the muddy parcours of the Elite Men’s Race at the 2025 UCI cyclocross World Cup race in Dendermonde, Belgium on January 5th. // Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202501050158 // Usage for editorial use only //

– In the women’s race, which was once again dominated by Dutch rider Lucinda Brand, Britain’s Zoe Bäckstedt completed the top five, while previous podium-finisher Kata Blanka Vas finished in 11th.

Wout VAN AERT (BEL/Visma-Lease a bike) wins the muddy Elite Men’s Race at the 2025 UCI cyclocross World Cup race in Dendermonde, Belgium on January 5th. // Kristof Ramon / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202501050157 // Usage for editorial use only //

– The UCI Cyclocross World Cup continues on January 19, 2025, in Benidorm, Spain.

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