Three very young riders climbed up the
podium of the 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships on Sunday afternoon in Tábor, Czech Republic. In front of 20 000 fans (35 000 over all during the weekend of racing), the trio that dominated the biggest event of the weekend was led by Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands). He became the youngest UCI Cyclo-cross World Champion ever at the age of 20. He was twice UCI Cyclo-cross World Champion in the Junior Men category and also the 2013 UCI Road World Champion in the Junior Men category. Last month Van der Poel decided to race the World Championships in the Elite Men category, just like Sunday’s runner-up Wout Van Aert (Belgium). The winner said the switch was his best decision ever. Nineteen years ago his father Adrie became World Champion too in Montreuil, France. Mathieu van der Poel dominated the hour long race on a technical course in the Bohemian town from start to finish. Just like most riders he made some mistakes but clearly found the right balance between technical skills – bunny-hopping the barriers - and power. Van der Poel successfully held off the return from a disappointed Wout Van Aert and compatriot Lars van der Haar (Netherlands). Despite his tender age of 23 the latter was the oldest rider on the podium.
Van der Poel already created a gap at the end of the opening lap, profiting from a chain problem on Wout Van Aert his bike. One lap later a similar situation put him alone in front once again. Van der Poel kept going flat out and was never caught back. Van Aert was thrown backwards when making a hard crash. UCI World Cup winner Kevin Pauwels (Belgium) managed to shake off all his rivals except for watchdog Lars van der Haar but he was unable to close the gap with the leader. With three laps to go Van der Haar dropped Pauwels and tried to get back on his compatriot in front. He got back to as close as seven seconds but then Van der Poel hit back with his technical skills. In the final laps Van Aert fought his way back into the medals. He overtook Pauwels and joined Van der Haar in the final part of the race. Shortly after Van der Poel celebrated his world title a sprint would decide the remaining podium spots. Van Aert overtook Van der Haar in the final corner and easily outkicked him in the sprint. Despite winning the sprint Van Aert was clearly disappointed that one more rider was ahead of him. Belgian riders Pauwels, Klaas Vantornout, Tom Meeusen and Gianni Vermeersch claimed the next positions, ahead of Marcel Meisen (Germany), Philipp Walsleben (Germany) and Marco Aurelio Fontana (Italy).
Earlier on Sunday the
, without Van der Poel and Van Aert were battling for the world title. Fourteen years after the victory from Sven Vanthourenhout it was his cousin Michael Vanthourenhout (Belgium) who received the honour of receiving the rainbow jersey in Tábor. UCI World Cup winner Michael Vanthourenhout made no mistakes on the slippery course and finished solo. It was the only golden medal for cyclo-cross country Belgium at the 2015 UCI World Championships. Halfway the race Vanthourenhout rode away from his rivals in the slippery long descent that headed to the finish line. Laurens Sweeck (Belgium) tried to bridge back up to his compatriot but multiple crashes ruined his chances. Vanthourenhout managed to stay upright and roll in for a well deserved victory. At short distance Sweeck battled with Stan Godrie (Netherlands) and Clément Venturini (France) for the remaining podium spots until the final lap. Venturini never managed to get away from his fourth placed and faded back. A late crash from Godrie threw him out of contention for the silver medal, finishing just behind Sweeck. Fast young starter Joris Nieuwenhuis (Netherlands) was a good fifth in Tábor, ahead of Toon Aerts (Belgium). The rest followed more than a minute behind the winner. Jakub Skala (Czech Republic) was the first local rider to cross the line in seventh place.
At the end of the second day of the UCI World Championships both Belgium and Netherlands won five medals. Belgium claims one golden and four silver medals. Netherlands won one golden and four bronze medals. Denmark won one golden medal on Saturday morning in the Junior Men category with Simon Andreassen and France won a golden medal in the Women category on Saturday afternoon with
.
The 2016 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships will take place in Heusden Zolder (Belgium).