🚴🌈 | Mathieu van der Poel probeerde al solo te gaan met nog 125 kilometer te gaan, maar nu zit de Nederlander dan toch weer terug in de voorste groep. Het is dus nog spannend 🫣🫣 #Leuven2024 📺 Koers stream je op HBO Max
Grandeur at World Gravel Championship: Mathieu van der Poel adds new world title to palmares after impressive race
CyclingSunday, 06 October 2024 at 17:07
Mathieu van der Poel won a very enjoyable third edition of the World Gravel Championship in Leuven. In Flemish Brabant, seven riders, all active at the highest road level, dominated the final. Van der Poel settled in the finale with his last remaining opponent, Florian Vermeersch.
After Marianne Vos' resounding victory on Saturday,
Sunday, it was time for the men's edition of the World Gravel Championship. In Halle, the riders, consisting of more than three hundred men, were ready for their title fight at noon. Thereby - just like the cross - some nervousness was involved, knowing how important those first kilometers would be to get out of the mass.
Hence, it wasn't surprising that the cyclocross riders took control until the first 180-degree turn. The first twenty or so riders managed to get through, but behind them, the pace slowed. The last riders were forced to run, which led to some immediate separation.
At that point, about thirty riders took their positions in peloton one, including big names like Van der Poel, Stuyven, Mohoric, Gianni Vermeersch, Quinten Hermans, and veterans like Jan Bakelants and Greg Van Avermaet. Stimulated by the Dutch top favorite, the front group was reduced to seven not much later: Vermeerschen, Stuyven, Mohoric, Tiesj Benoot, and the surprising Kevin Panhuyzen snuck along.
However, always-hungry-for-more, Van der Poel from Kapellen gave it another spin. With 115 kilometers to go, fifteen kilometers further than Tadej Pogacar in Zurich last week, Van der Poel suddenly raced solo in front. That was pretty hefty, the Dutchman realized. He allowed about fifteen other riders to return, including teammates Kielich and Meurisse and Vermeersch and Hermans. Benoot had to let go at that point due to a flat tire.
Read more below the video!
With these riders, we cut to the pre-final, which consisted of two local loops in and around Leuven: Van der Poel, Mohoric, Vermeersch, Vermeersch, Stuyven, Lawrence Naesen, Matevz Govekar, Rick Ottema, Tim Merlier, Hermans, Meurisse, Kielich, Toon Aerts, Jonas Lindberg, Panhuyzen, and Connor Swift. At that point, the first chasers had to give in over a minute.
Van der Poel keeps pounding on the door
We maintained a status quo for a while, but Van der Poel ended it with another attack sixty kilometers from the finish. With this, he once again battered the group; only Mohoric, Stuyven, Hermans, Swift, Gianni, and Florian Vermeersch had an answer ready. So they passed with seven at the second-to-last passage at the finish line in Leuven.
Read more below the video!
🚴🌈 | Een nieuwe aanval van Van der Poel! Connor Swift kan nog met de Nederlander mee 🚀🚀 #Leuven2024 📺 Koers stream je op HBO Max
Then, the poker could begin, and the men of Alpecin-Deceuninck especially showed themselves. Stuyven and F. Vermeersch, as Belgians, already foiled G. Vermeersch and Hermans, who related more to Van der Poel than their compatriots. The Dutchman, in turn, had already closed the gap to the 2022 world champion once, but in the end, it all came down to the final lap.
In it, F. Vermeersch attacked 35 kilometers from the finish, to which the top favorite of the orange reacted cleverly. In no time, the two had a half-a-minute advantage while the bunch behind them was already paralyzed. Van der Poel and Vermeersch understood this from the front and accelerated well together.
That proved the decisive move, as they quickly realized in the chasing group that a third place remained. At the front, Van der Poel decided not to wait and instead took advantage of a little hill thirteen kilometers from the finish to attack solo.
A 110. A 60. Y a 13. ❤️🔥 Van der Poel da el estacazo definitivo con su tercer ataque y se marcha sin cadena a por el arcoíris. #Leuven2024 | #LaCasadelCiclismo
Results World Gravel Championship 2024 - men
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024