Wout van Aert felt the consequences of a tough highway coaching block on the ninth spherical of the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Benidorm, coming away with a fourth place behind Thibau Nys.
The Belgian had gained in Spain on the two earlier editions of the occasion, however this time needed to battle again from a poor grid place and begin which left him in twenty eighth place.
Van Aert needed to work his method via the sector on a quick course, reaching the entrance group midway via the eight-lap race. The 30-year-old then needed to shut a niche to Lars Van der Haar and Eli Iserbyt on the penultimate lap to maintain in rivalry for the victory.
Van Aert was visibly drained on account of his efforts and was pushed down the main group when European champion Thibau Nys launched his profitable assault simply after the ultimate huge ramp. He tried to observe however ran out of power with Nys and Iserbyt up the highway, whereas Van der Haar handed him within the closing phases to assert the ultimate podium spot.
“It was a super-fast race, I did not actually really feel nice,” mentioned Van Aert. “I had a foul begin after which I felt that already it wasn’t going to be my day.
“I used to be fairly on the restrict from the start. I did not really feel actually contemporary and it took actually lengthy for me to get to the entrance group. That is by no means an excellent signal. You probably have good legs, you instantly get to the entrance in these first two laps.”
Van Aert mentioned that he was saving himself to make one huge assault late within the race, having hung in on the rear of the principle group – which was whittled down from 15 riders to eight because the race reached its denouement – after making his method up the sector.
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“Within the remaining laps, I needed to gamble for one good assault, however Thibau was stronger within the remaining lap. I felt like I needed to save [energy], however on the penultimate lap, I needed to shut a niche to Iserbyt and Van der Haar already,” he mentioned.
“From then on, I did not have a transparent plan anymore. I used to be simply making an attempt to observe, however I began too far behind Thibau after which I noticed him going away, he was exceptionally robust.
“I additionally mentioned that Thibau was the one I needed to keep watch over. And the way he accelerated the final lap, chapeau.”
Van Aert missed the Belgium Cyclocross Championships final week, as a substitute travelling to Spain for an intensive highway coaching camp with Visma-Lease a Bike. He is set to make his 2025 highway debut with the Clásica Jaén and Volta ao Algarve in mid-February, with the spring Classics, Giro d’Italia, and Tour de France all on his plate afterward this 12 months.
The Belgian, nonetheless, mentioned that the coaching camp was not an excuse for “not having the legs to make a distinction” in Benidorm.
“It was an intensive interval with many hours of coaching,” he instructed WielerFlits earlier than the beginning. “I had an excellent relaxation day yesterday. In order that shouldn’t be an excuse.
“I’ve educated laborious, however everybody comes right here with their very own preparation. I do not need to name that an excuse both. It is simply that sooner or later is completely different from the subsequent. It was definitely not unhealthy, as a result of I did come again from far-off. However I did not have the leg to make the distinction.”
Van Aert will not be taking over the UCI Cyclocross World Championships this season, marking the third time in 4 seasons he’ll have missed the season’s premier occasion. As an alternative, subsequent Saturday’s World Cup spherical in Maasmechelen – and one other duel with Mathieu van der Poel – will host his season finale.
“I think to come back again slightly more energizing,” he mentioned. “But it surely was a pleasant journey to Spain. And I hope I can arrive in Maasmechelen with a greater feeling.”
Regardless of a comparatively disappointing lead to Benidorm, Van Aert was constructive in regards to the race – run on a dry, quick, and sandy course – and its organisation amid rumours that they’re aiming to host the 2029 Cyclocross Worlds.
The occasion hasn’t visited Spain because it was raced in Getxo in 1990, whereas the upcoming 4 editions go to France (Liévin), the Netherlands (Hulst), Belgium (Ostend), and the Netherlands (Hoogerheide).
“It’s one thing very constructive {that a} Spanish organisation needs to organise a World Championship,” Van Aert instructed Wielerflits. “We’ll stay far too near Belgium within the coming years. So, it will be a pleasant change, though I’ve to say that the course might provide a bit extra for a World Championship.”
