🚵🇧🇪 | Ai ai ai! Toon Aerts had de beste papieren in deze Citadelcross, maar geeft het helemaal weg met een valpartij. Michael Vanthourenhout profiteert en wint voor de derde keer op rij. #CXWorldCup 📺 Stream veldrijden op HBO Max
Aerts calls himself a 'Neo-pro' and looks ahead to facing "those two rascals," Wout van Aert and Mathieu Van der Poel: "Not delusional to think I'll beat them"
Cyclo-crossTuesday, 17 December 2024 at 11:05
Toon Aerts had his first victory since returning from his doping suspension within reach on Sunday during the Namur World Cup, but he threw it away himself after crashing on the final passage of the slanted section. It was his own mistake, as he admitted later. “I feel like a neo-pro again,” was his conclusion.
It was raining crashes in the challenging cyclo-cross race of Namur. The course was wet and muddy. Aerts started strong but was significantly set back when he slid out on the off-camber section in the second lap. He even ended up under the fencing, costing him valuable time before he could get back into the race. The Belgian, however, fought tenaciously, chasing back to join Michael Vanthourenhout, the eventual winner, and the surprising Emiel Verstrynge.
After an attack by Verstrynge in the final lap, Aerts countered powerfully, gaining a lead on his competitors. Only Vanthourenhout stayed close, but even he seemed beaten. Then came the final passage on the tricky off-camber section. Aerts made an error, slipped, and handed what looked like a certain victory to Vanthourenhout.
“I made a stupid mistake on the slanted section,” Aerts admitted to IDLProCycling.com afterward. “In that final lap, I was completely on the limit, and I made a big error. I should have taken it a bit more cautiously because the climb in the final section suits me well. Even if Michael had come back, I could’ve still won. It’s my own fault, no excuses.”
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Aerts feels like 'a neo-pro' again and is still adjusting to the final-lap stress
The 31-year-old rider entered “the decisive part of the race,” in a winning position as he described it himself. “I admit that I started that slanted section with the intention of riding through it full throttle. In hindsight, that was stupid. That’s where experience comes in. Over the summer, I often joked that I feel like a neo-pro again, after not being able to race for two years (due to a doping suspension, ed.). And in a way, that’s true. I’ve noticed over the past weeks, especially at the start of the season, that I make stupid mistakes and lack a bit of technical sharpness.”
Because of his absence in recent years, Aerts has had little to no experience—except for a handful of recent races—riding in finales where he’s competing for the win. “More often than not, when I find myself in that situation, I make technical errors, even though I’m capable of handling it. It’s partly the stress, my heart rate is higher, I have to give it my all, and then you start to see double, and that’s when I make those mistakes.”
Unlike his direct rival Vanthourenhout, Aerts ended up at the bottom of the slanted section, while Vanthourenhout managed to pass along the top. “I can’t really say I chose the bottom line. But often in an off-camber section like that, you end up somewhere you don’t really want to be. The track drifted all the way to the outside, and then you just hope you’re leaning enough to avoid hitting the post. I’ll need to watch it back to see exactly why I ended up at the bottom. But it was a costly mistake.”
Toon sees opportunities in Zonhoven and Gavere: "But if those two rascals show up at the start..."
Although Aerts missed out on the victory, he rode a strong race. That didn’t offer him much consolation immediately after the finish, as you’d expect. “At this moment, I’m mostly disappointed. I’m still cursing about it. I had really set my sights on this weekend. Yesterday (in Herentals, ed.), I had mechanical issues, and today the mistake was my own.”
Without that decisive mistake, Aerts had a great chance to win, and according to the rider, it’s better to secure victories while you can. “I’ve already seen how hard it is to even get a podium spot, and there won’t be many more opportunities this season.”
Still, Aerts sees chances in the upcoming Christmas period, just as he did in Namur. “In Hulst, I need to survive and score points. Zonhoven and Gavere are two races that suit me well in the coming weeks. Two races where I want to compete for the marbles again. But we also have to see who shows up at the start. You know that if those two rascals show up, there’s no point in kidding yourself that we’re going to beat them. But even then, a second place is still great.”
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Latest Comments
- I wish we could have seen him try. He'd absolutely get dropped before Pogi overtakes his domestiquesVeganpotter10-12-2024
- Talk is cheap! Next year barring crashes with a healthy team... all well be on track! Some need to talk to make a headline!mootman27-11-2024
- I do not see this event listed on HBO Max Sports Online? Can anyone confirm? Thanks!
MrYuck23-11-2024 - It seemed that he was focusing forward at the time of the crash, after seeing a quick video snippet. But one thing I think he should focus on more intently is breaking a bad habit he has, right now. And that is his constant looking over his shoulders. He does that so much, that I am very sure it is not good for him. Simply watch videos of the greats of CX and you will see very little of that constant looking over their shoulders. That is a behavior that betrays a bit of insecurity on his part. He shouldn't be so concerned, incessantly, about what is over his shoulder. He needn't worry they didn't all disappear. He neds to keep his focus more ahead of himself, and he needs to pay a bit more attention to himself, in a confident manner. It is very frustrating to watch, because it is apparent that he has a lot of potential, and is in much better shape thwan many of his competitors, but the mental game needs to be sharpened more, because that part of strategy plays a huge part in the final results
reemmo022-11-2024 - hahahaha love this shit! I didnt even watched the race, but reading all the gossip articles of how stupid this is!Zatoichi19-11-2024
- 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