Wout van Aert makes victory gesture for son as he carries momentum into World Cup debut in Dendermonde

Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) did not maintain again on the Superprestige spherical in Gullegem as he powered by the mud for his first cyclocross race win in 12 months, simply 24 hours forward of the World Cup in Dendermonde.

In his second begin of the 2024-2025 cyclocross season, Van Aert delivered an sudden victory on Saturday, going away from second-placed Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) on the ultimate lap. 

Van Aert saluted his son Georges, who turned 4 years outdated, by elevating 4 fingers as he crossed the end line. He additionally raised his arms to glide to a cease and caught his tongue out of his mud-covered mouth as a part of the birthday celebration.

“Whenever Georges must be photographed, he pulls a ‘humorous face’, as he calls it. That’s why I did it right now, to congratulate him on his birthday that approach,” he informed Het Nieuwsblad after the victory. 

A winner in Gullegem two seasons in the past, Van Aert began on the third row within the 2025 version and rapidly vaulted into the lead group with favourites Iserbyt, Laurens Sweeck (Crelan-Corendon), Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Cibel Clementines) and Superprestige collection chief Niels Vandeputte (Alpecin-Deceuninck). By the fourth lap, he started a gradual acceleration to assert the race lead.

A last assault on the sixth of eight laps left Iserbyt as the one rider to match Van Aert. It got here right down to the ultimate circuit when Iserbyt slipped in a muddy nook after which needed to dismount and run on a small punchy climb that adopted, permitting Van Aert to sail away for the solo win.

“This win got here as a shock to me. I did not count on I used to be going to have the ability to beat these guys on this course,” Van Aert mentioned within the post-race broadcast interview. “Hard to imagine, as a result of folks suppose I at all times journey to win. But now 2025 has began and that feels actually good. 

“On the technical sections I typically struggled to comply with the others, however I knew the difficult course would begin to weigh on everybody. On the final lap, I elevated the tempo as soon as extra, which in the end proved to be sufficient to take victory. I’m very proud of that.”

Van Aert’s abbreviated ‘cross season took a success on the finish of December when he missed a deliberate opener at Superprestige Mol because of sickness and made his debut 4 days later at Exact Cross Loenhout. He completed fourth at his opening match, which was his first competitors since crashing out of the Vuelta a España with a knee harm in September.

There at the moment are solely a trio of World Cup rounds remaining on Van Aert’s winter calendar, which incorporates Sunday’s Dendermonde contest. He was because of face off with long-term rival Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) there however the Dutchman needed to pull out because of a persisting rib harm.

In his post-race interview, Van Aert mentioned he didn’t have massive expectations for the remaining winter marketing campaign, however would “get pleasure from myself” on the World Cup contest on Sunday.

“I needed to dig deep right now, however tomorrow there’s already one other robust race in Dendermonde. I’ll give my greatest there once more. I’m trying ahead to it.”

The Belgian mentioned he wouldn’t take part within the UCI Cyclocross World Championships as he plans to concentrate on the street and conquests within the spring Classics. 

After competing in Dendermonde, he’ll head to Visma-Lease a Bike’s January coaching camp in Spain earlier than racing on the World Cup in Benidorm. He’ll then shut out his 2024-25 ‘cross marketing campaign on the World Cup in Maasmechelen, the place he and Van der Poel ought to share their second and last duel of the winter.