Mathieu van der Poel rides 208 km home from cancelled Koksijde World Cup

Mathieu van der Poel made the best of a cancelled race day after the Koksijde World Cup was cancelled on Sunday due to high winds. Van der Poel opted to ride back to Antwerp after the organizers announced that all races would be cancelled.

Van der Poel expressed his disappointment after the organizers made the announcement that the fourth round of the World Cup was cancelled. The former cyclocross world champion argued that the decision was made too far in advance—four and a half hours before the men’s race was scheduled for—since the forecast was for lighter winds in the afternoon.

Still 4u30 till the race starts, decision was made way too fast in my opinion. They predict less wind this afternoon. #cxweahter

— Mathieu Van der Poel (@mathieuvdpoel) November 20, 2016

However, van der Poel did not allow the disappointment of not being able to race one of his favourite courses prevent him from having a good day on the bike. Instead of the intense effort of an hour long cyclocross race requires, van der Poel put in six hours of riding over 208 km between the race venue and van der Poel’s hometown of Antwerp.

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Other riders expressed their agreed with the organizers decision to cancel the racing with current world champion Wout van Aert, van der Poel’s arch nemesis out on the course on many days, saying that it was brave to cancel such a beloved event with riders and fans traveling from afar to enjoy the courses notorious sand dunes.

Dissapointed to not race today but I think the organisation has made a brave decision to cancel all races. Safety first!

— Wout van Aert (@WoutvanAert) November 20, 2016

FYI driving a 3 tonne camper on the motorway in this wind is dangerous the UCI made the right call for rider and spectators safety. #wild https://t.co/VWMrBWO8US

— Helen Wyman (@CXHelen) November 20, 2016

Videos from earlier in the day, with wind ripping through a tent, showed that riders would have likely had difficulty navigating the course safely. The World Cup resumes next weekend in Zeven, Germany.

Als je dit ziet is afgelasting de enige juiste keuze. Jammere zaak, maar veiligheid gaat voor! #TelenetUCICXWC #Koksijde pic.twitter.com/FEFOsVJIyr

— Gianni Vermeersch (@GVermeersch) November 20, 2016

Across the border in the Netherlands, the conditions proved ideal for the fourth edition of the Dutch National Headwind Championships.