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In command: Wout Van Aert has won all five of his December ‘cross races

Belgian champion takes second consecutive Superprestige race at Heusden-Zolder

Just one day after Wout Van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tom Pidcock squared off on a cyclocross course for the first time this season, the Big Three returned to action Monday at the sixth round of the Superprestige series in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. It was another dominant performance from Van Aert, who soloed eight of the nine laps to go five for five in December 2021 cross races. Matthew Leliveld was the top Canadian out of four Canucks.

The Superprestige Season So Far

Van Aert claimed the last round of the Superprestige. Eli Iserbyt, who leads the World Cup and Superprestige series, had three rounds in his pocket and led Round 1 winner Toon Aerts by two points going into Monday’s race.

Again, the Big Three weren’t in the front row at the start, but quickly Van Aert occupied Position 2. Pidcock was around eighth and van der Poel 11th. Daan Soete led the string through most of the lap. Van Aert led over the line at the end of Lap 1, with Pidcock sixth and van der Poel 10th.

Daan Soete leads the string on Lap 1.

Van Aert continued on the front in the beginning of Lap 2 with Aerts and Quinten Hermans clinging to him. Pidcock and then van der Poel led the closest chase group 8 seconds back. Van Aert went solo, and a mistake from Aerts on a short, steep rise allowed Pidcock and van der Poel to catch up. Van Aert’s lead was 12 seconds heading into Lap 3.

Van Aert busts loose on Lap 2.

On Lap 3, van der Poel, Iserbyt and Pidcock assumed the roles of closest pursuers. The Belgian champion was 22 seconds clear midway through the circuit. Van der Poel crashed. Van Aert’s gap was up to a half minute at the line.

Van der Poel couldn’t get his mojo working again, and it was Pidcock, Iserbyt and Hermans making up the main chase on Lap 4, 41-seconds in arrears. Van der Poel laboured +1:22.

The Belgian champion was rampant on Monday.

Van Aert continued to pour it on. Almost a minute behind and with three more laps still to race, Pidcock, Iserbyt and Hermans were thinking more about the podium than the winner’s flowers.

A crash on Lap 6 couldn’t break Van Aert’s stride and he still had 53 seconds over his closest pursuers. Iserbyt and Pidcock dropped Hermans.

Van der Poel had enough and withdrew on Lap 7, his first ‘cross DNF in three years. Hermans rejoined Iserbyt and Pidcock but was always lagging just a little.

When they heard the bell, Iserbyt and Pidcock were 1:03 behind, and it seemed that the Belgian had the better legs of the two, but the Brit would prevail in the sprint to come runner-up.

The next, and last, Superprestige race is not until February.

2021-2022 Superprestige, Round 6, Heusden-Zolder

1) Wout Van Aert (Belgium/Jumbo-Visma) 1:03:36
2) Tom Pidcock (Great Britain/Ineos Grenadiers) +1:04
3) Eli Iserbyt (Belgium/Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) s.t.
55) Matthew Leliveld (Canada)
60) Michael van den Ham (Canada)
76) Hugo Brisebois (Canada)
84) Cameron Jette (Canada)