Mathieu van der Poel is still the unbeaten serial winner of the 2017/18 ’cross season. Also in the first race of the Super Prestige racing series in Gieten the Dutch Champion of Team Beobank-Corendon quickly took the lead on his STEVENS Super Prestige to start a solo ride after the first half lap.

In difference to his first victories the solo ride did not take long when after three laps World Champion Wout van Aert and other riders caught up, among them van der Poel’s team mate Tom Meeusen.

Intermediate attacks from Laurens Sweeck (ERA-Circus), also on STEVENS Super Prestige, and van Aert diminished the head group, though, so that only Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, Laurens Sweeck and Lars van der Haar remained.

Eventually Mathieu van der Poel went for a solo attack when he could break away three laps before the finish. Wout van Aert tried to catch up but he had to finish second in front of Laurens Sweeck.

”The race was much more thrilling than expected,” Mathieu van der Poel said after the race. ”You cannot win every race with a solo effort.” Yet, he wants to conserve his good form because winning as many races as possible is on his bucket list for the season. Tom Meeusen comes in 11th, David van der Poel 13th.

Double Victory For Beobank-Corendon In The U23 Race
The men’s U23 race ended in a double victory for Beobank-Corendon. Jens Dekker sort of surprised himself a little, as he said after the race. His team mate Adam Toupalik finished a strong second.

The 2016 U-19 World Champion Dekker continued: ”I honestly had not tried to break away. But after two intermediate sprints it worked out.” At the same time his chasers started making mistakes which resulted in a steadily increasing gap. This superior victory boosted the young rider’s morale significantly after an unlucky previous season.

”Last year I maybe was not ready for the U23. Now I think I’m prepared.” Also, Adam Toupalik broke away with an attack and went for his second podium place within a week. ”I am very pleased and feel very good. Only Jens was stronger today.”

World Champion Sanne Cant did not have a good day in Gieten. She was behind Maud Kaptheijns in the final lap, positioned for a podium finish, when she crashed and eventually came in sixth.

Triple Victory For Beobank-Corendon  - First Wins For Laurens Sweeck in the Soudal Series
Adam Toupalik had already finished second during the week in the first race of the Toi Toi Cup. Together with Philipp Walsleben and David van der Poel he took advantage of the team’s numeral superiority. In the second half of the race Walsleben went for the decisive attack, while Toupalik and van der Poel left the chase to their competitors. These tactics worked out, Toupalik and van der Poel were better rested than the others and broke away.

Also during the week Laurens Sweeck proved to be in good shape in the first race of the Soudal Series in Neerpelt, Netherlands. In the absence of Mathieu van der Poel and Wout van Aert who both were preparing for the upcoming race in Gieten, the Belgian of Team ERA-Circus took off on his STEVENS Super Prestige with two laps remaining to leave the competition behind.

The success in Neerpelt is Sweeks third victory of the season already. Quinten Hermans who rode strongly as well took second place.