Mathieu van der Poel and Fem van Empel both started the new year on Monday with a victory in the GP Sven Nys, a cyclocross in Baal, Belgium. All-rounder Van der Poel left the competition without a chance on the swampy course. It was already the eighth victory in a row for the man who is still in a class of his own this cyclo-cross season.
One minute and 54 seconds behind Van der Poel, his eternal rival Wout van Aert finished second. Van der Poel won the competition for the fifth time on New Year’s Day. Last year the victory went to Eli Iserbyt. The Belgian was missing from the start this year.
“I enjoyed it, it is always a fun cross that suits me well,” Van der Poel said in the mud after the battle. “This is the most fun as a cyclo-cross rider, a very technical course with those deep ruts. Wout immediately set a strong pace. I took over, had a nice gap again and then rode fairly clear. It was a fun day,” concluded he.
13th win of the season
For the 21-year-old Van Empel, the victory in Baal was already her thirteenth victory of the season. In the final round, the world champion from Den Dungen left compatriot Lucinda Brand behind.
Unlike the World Cup in Hulst, Zeeland, there were no incidents in Baal. Last weekend, Van der Poel spat in the direction of a number of spectators during the cross in Hulst. The 28-year-old world champion stated afterwards that he had been particularly annoyed by the constant booing from a group of spectators.