2021 CX Worlds WE: Dutch Domination…Again

It was wet and pouring rain. The Dutch in their orange jerseys dominated the front row. The green light shined, and they were off. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado got off to the best start—taking the hole shot. But around that first turn, on the first bit of mud in the race, Alvarado crashed, holding up those behind and forcing the rest of the field to go even wider in the turn. But despite that the Dutch still had five other riders in the top six. Over the bridge and into the first section of sand, who was on the front riding away? Yes, of course, across the sand, it had to be the Scheldecross winner: Denise Betsama—the Dutch were firing off their first arrow. Of course, this is isn’t exactly true. The teamwork was not here today with the Dutch, because about five of their riders were legitimate favorites for the win. Behind Dutch “teammates” Lucinda Brand and Annemarie Worst chased, but Betsama strongly distanced them over the rideable sand—by the top of the recrossing of the bridge Betsama was ten seconds ahead.

Betsama blew the race open in that moment. Already the entire race was broken into chasers of ones and twos. Onto the grassy back half of the course, the grass was extremely muddy and slippery: the riders would need to beware. Betsama leading, Brand tracking behind, Worst chugging to draw even with Brand, Yara Kastelijn and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado further back. Was it anticlimactic to see before the first lap was even over it was five Dutchwomen in the top five chasing each other down across an already 30 second gap? Not yet, not yet. Betsama has jumped to these early leads all season, and it was highly questionable if she could hold off Brand and Worst’s ensuing chase, and what if Alvarado could come on strong after her initial fall? The sand sections were absolutely brutal. Betsama rode well, but her running was not on par with the others. Brand rode the firmer sand going to the far outside of the course. Alvarado clearly seemed off her best day. Perhaps it was the wet and cold conditions: the sand was intense, the bridge was no simple challenge, and they all needed to keep on high alert around the muddy tricky turns of the back side of the course.

Annemarie Worst caught up to Brand by the bridge of the second lap, and from there the two did a combined chase of Betsama still ahead. Alvarado and Kastelijn chased together in fourth and fifth. And behind that? All were wilting, all save one: the American Clara Honsinger in her blue jersey with stars and stripes. Once more she had a subpar start, but now she was warmed up, now she was ready to go hunting for orange Dutch jerseys that stick out O! so clearly. Perhaps Clara needs to add on one lap before the race starts, for clearly she seems to always need a few minutes warm up.

The race really started to come alive on the third of five laps. Betsama, Denise Betsama proved she is the best sand-rider in the peloton. But alas! Alas for Betsama, she does not have the sand-running prowess to complement the riding. On the running sand sections, Betsama was hawked down by Brand and Worst. O! Denise! This was your opportunity to take the rainbows, but alas! now you are caught be Lucinda Brand and Annemarie Worst—no! Riding across the sand, Worst churning and riding in the deep—using all her energy to ride through—touched Brand’s back wheel with her own front wheel: over the bars she went, planting her whole body into the sand. Worst got up quickly, but now the chase was on as Brand pushed the pace ahead with Betsama clinging on to her wheel.

Now the race was absolutely full gas, Brand was throwing everything at this to distance Worst for good—Betsama hung on for the ride as best she could. Worst frantically chased. And a separate battle behind was forming as American Honsinger chased Alvardo and Kastlijn to break the Dutch dominance. But in one of the turns into a slippery little ridge, Brand’s backwheel slipped out and she was down, while Betsama lost traction over the top. Behind Worst fought on to continue battling towards them. On, on the chase went into that fourth lap, things may have only been status quo, but O! this was a finely-balanced chase and race. Over and down the bridge, Worst rode faster and further across the deep sand that Betsama and Brand who were ahead of her. Along the shore, Worst literally rode her momentum and chased down Betsama and Brand. After the running section in front of the beautiful Colonnade, Worst was almost back on. Running to the bridge, Worst assuredly finally and definitively latched back on, after exactly one full lap of chasing since she had fallen in the same place. Worst went straight to the front and set the pace up and over the bridge. Thus it was a trio of leaders, with it all to play for: who would ride this last lap and a half fastest to take the World Title? Behind, Honsinger had caught Alvarado and Kastelijn in the fight for fourth, how much further could Honsinger advance. 43 seconds ahead were the trio, the trio fighting for the podium, could Honsinger get within a shout of them? All three stomped through the muddy grass, even Betsama alone so early seemed to be having a second wind—pushing the pace, landing some blows on her two rivals. And once more, Worst slipped and crashed in the mud, two already for her! But by the finish line, Worst heard the bell at the same time as Brand and Betsama, because already she was shoulder to shoulder with them once again.

Over the bridge and into the sand for the last time! Surely, the deep sand, the most challenging part of this course would decide this race. Off the bridge and across the sand to the shore, once more Worst rode the sand best, creating a gap. Brand got off the bike and was chasing, but Betsama wavered and was held up in the sand, the gap was created and in the heat of this race, that was all she wrote for Betsama—no matter how frantically she fought to catch back on. Alas! The running sections were the final dagger for Betsama—her relative weakness was fully exploited. And thus, the race was now down to two.

Brand was up for this now, on the final sand run to the bridge, she distanced Worst as well. But Worst had the guts and the heart to match her, with all her strength she came back to draw even with Brand on the steep-ramped bridge. For the last time up the bridge, they both threw everything at it on that 21% ramp. Brand went over first by a hair and created a second gap on the descent. But onto the grass once again, Worst chased her down again—Worst who had already crashed and chased back twice. Behind Betsama was fading, resigned to only defend her podium position. And in fourth American Clara Honsinger was definitively distancing Kastelijn and Alvarado behind—what a revelation she has been this year, a hope for years to come is this young American.

But up front, once more Worst chased down Brand, both on the full limit. Worst not only caught Brand, she passed her to dictate that absolutely highest of paces. There was only one muddy half-lap to go in this World Championship and yet still the race was neck-and-neck. Twice Worst had clawed her way back with huge efforts, finally it was her time to attack: after chasing back both those times, surely she had proven she was on the best form this day—she was the one with the biggest engine. But then, only ten seconds since taking the lead, up a slick muddy ridge. Worst took a more rounded outside line and yet still she struggled for traction. Brand went on the steeper inside and also stomped the pedals to find traction as well. Into the apex of the turn their shoulders met, they were even and on the same trajectory. The shoulders rubbed, and Worst with her more curving line slipped and fell over into the mud as Brand stayed upright. And that was it, that was the race, clear for every viewer to see! Brand was strong and confident, the fall cost Worst maybe only five seconds, but that was all Brand needed. She stayed upright and kept on the pressure for the rest of the race. Worst who had chased down Brand two or three times already, did not have enough distance or time to chase down Brand once more, even though alas! Worst certainly had the engine.

Brand came to the final straightaway and finally gave a look back in the final corner, then she knew she had it, she knew she was the new World Champion. And Worst? 8 seconds back, and you could see on her face, already reeling and replaying that last fall in her head. Betsama came in for third, and Honsinger in fourth. Brand was a deserving World Champion, and surely she earned the right to don the Rainbow Jersey for this whole next year. But, surely also, our hearts go out to Annemarie Worst who overcame so many technical mistakes by having the strongest engine in the race. But surely, technical skills are part of what makes cyclocross cyclocross, and Annemarie of course knows this. It was a thrilling race, a perfect viewing spectacle from start to finish, and it perfectly highlights why we always tune back in for cyclocross.

2021 Men’s CX Worlds: Deflation Interrupts the Mighty Aces PRINT

They were the first two to line up as usual. The Belgian in powder blue went up first. The Dutchman in orange lined up right next to him. Neither acknowledged the presence of the other. Who knows if any sort of cordial greeting was exchanged between the two of them for the whole ten-minute lead up to the race. But when all were ready: the heartbeat countdown began, the lights flashed green and they were off. Both Wout Van Aert in that dominant Belgian powder blue jersey and Mathieu Van Der Poel in the classic Dutch orange had excellent starts, both leading into the first turn. They perfectly nailed the first flyover. And as predicted, they were charging bulls up the steep 21% Golden Gate Bridge of Cyclocross. Down the bridge Van Aert came to the front, across the sand he flew like a cannonball across the beach. It looked like he had the greatest tailwind in the world pushing him on, but in fact he did not. Van Der Poel and the rest of the top ten about rode most of the section, but at the very end all hopped off for at least a moment except for Wout. There they were on the shore of the North Sea, already it was a dual meet between the Belgians and the Dutch, the added twist for this race was that the saltwater waves were at the highest tides we had yet seen. The wet relatively packed section of sand was being freshly coated with water, and thus the wheels, the gears, the chain, and the feet of our riders were getting completely drenched. But Wout seemed unphased with a 5 bike-lengths lead. But as they turned from the shore and into the deep-sand run toward the Colonnade—the architectural beauty of the course—it was of course Mathieu Van Der Poel that led the strung-out chasers to connect back with Wout. They hit the pavement section for the slightest of respites, and then into the last section of sand before the recrossing of the bridge. Wout was the first one all weekend to ride it. Van Der Poel the second. And though the other Belgians got through the whole section on the bikes as well, by the top of the bridge, with its 21% ramps, it was already the duel we expected and always love.

Though you could not see it in his eyes, because of the sunglasses, you could see it in the body language, the riding style, and the fact that he refused to let Mathieu ride on the front: Wout had come to play, on the psychological front he was on top form this day. Every one-eighty turn, he kept in front of Van Der Poel that first lap, he led him into the stairs. Wout was dictating how this race would be ridden. At the end of the first lap the two aces already had a fourteen second gap over four Belgian chasers: all usual top ten suspects, but for this tale their names matter not. Into the Golden Gate Bridge once more, Van Der Poel bossed his way to the front with his big shoulders, down the other side and across the beach, both flew, riding the entire section. Along the shore Poseidon’s sea nymphs continued to have their fun. Both labored heavily to ride the section, orange in front of powder blue—it was an iconic image to see these archrivals in the national jerseys being battered by the waves. Off the bikes and into the run they went, and yet here they did not look as labored, it seemed only a routine affair, the usual duel they’ve had for the hundredth time. The pavement was easiest, but across the last deep sand section, for a moment Van Der Poel had to hop off the bike. Wout rode the sand clearly better, he had a few seconds gap by the bridge. He hauled himself up, but Van Der Poel was already chasing well—and yes, all race Mathieu rode that second bridge ramp better. On the back grassy half of the course, Wout pushed his advantage and did not let up for a second. The race was absolutely full gas from the second lap! Wout pushed on like a tank, testing Van Der Poel’s chasing skills. And then suddenly, three seconds behind Van Der Poel was instantly more behind as he fell over in a muddy rut. It cost him ten seconds, but he was back on the bike already chasing. Yesterday it was extremely muddy and the course conditions were very different, but as I watched the earlier races, I did not think this course had any “speed-limits.” A classic mistake, because for most of the riders this weekend, including 90% of the men’s elite field, this course did not have any speed limits. But for our aces, these two O! so dominant ones, yes, it speaks to their highest quality, they find the “speed-limits” even on the seemingly less technical courses. And thus, on the second lap, perhaps some thought Wout had already won this race, but surely Van Der Poel had not yet had his full shout.

In such scenarios in past years, such a crash could rattle Van Der Poel beyond repair, and he would lose the psychological and thus the physical battle in that very instant. Perhaps, as he ages, he is maturing most on that psychological front, for less and less often we are seeing him throw in the psychological towel. At the end of the second lap, he came in fifteen seconds down on Wout. And then the chase began in earnest—Van Der Poel unleashed his famous Relentless Lap. The Lap where not a soul in the world can keep pace with him. I have said it before, over any Cross course in the world, Van Der Poel can produce the best One Lap of any race. He has quite the engine and always the most superior technical skills. Wout may have more endurance for an hour, but to analogize to runners: surely Wout is the better over the full longer distances, the 5 and 10,000 meters, but Mathieu has him over the middle distances, the 8 and 1,500. And should those long-distance races become “sit-and-kick” affairs, Mathieu is deadly over those closing 800 meters. Thus Wout continued to push the pace and did not let up at all across any of the sand—surely he was turning himself inside out. But over the grassy back half of the course, Van Der Poel could not be staved off—his Relentless Lap was too deadly. Every straightaway he was closing half the distance to Wout, by the stairs he was within five seconds of him. How! How could Mathieu’s Relentless Lap be so dirty and deadly to hawk down even his greatest adversary so quickly?

Just as we were finally asking this question—for surely Wout is better than this—the adept Belgian cameramen zoomed in and caught it: Wout had a flat. And what was worse: Van Der Poel’s Relentless Lap was not yet over. Wout was slow in the turns, unclipping or even hopping off the bike where Mathieu nimbly spun through firing on all cylinders. Wout gutted out the finishing straightaways of the lap and the early ones of the following—surely turning himself inside out—but it was not a relief when he got the pit to get a new machine, it was all hands-on deck. Van Der Poel’s lead was cresting above ten seconds. Should the lead rise above fifteen seconds, it would be a big ask to catch that Dutch champion—an ask Wout only would possibly be able to answer. Should the lead grow over 20 seconds the writing would be on the wall. And should the lead grow over thirty seconds, all hope would be extinguished—barring major mishap.

Thus Van Der Poel went over the bridge and onto the beach for the fourth time on the fourth lap of the race. His pace was still hot, still riding at a high level, but his hellish Relentless One Lap was over. He was back in his usual high rhythm, a rhythm so high only five or seven riders in the world can keep up with it. And of those five or seven riders that can even keep pace, only two or three on their top form have the ability to chase him back down after the Relentless Lap is complete. Thus Wout began that process once more. He labored his bike through the sand, and though he did not look physically great, he was slicing the gap to Van Der Poel. To catch him, the difference would need to be made up on those sand sections that play into Wout’s hands—if he could ride them, flawlessly. On that fourth lap he did, and the fifteen second lead was down already to nine. Up the Golden Gate Bridge, Wout was clearly laboring, he was on or beyond some sort of Limit. But ahead, heaving and weaving like an ox dragging a freight train behind with all his might on that 21% ramp, Van Der Poel accidently unclipped. It was reminiscent of Sagan on the final ramp in the 2015 Richmond Worlds Road Race. Like Sagan, Van Der Poel agilely clipped back in within half a second. But let us pause for half a second ourselves and marvel at the man’s ability. To unclip and reclip in an instant on a 21% ramp after 30 minutes of racing completely limit, when the legs are burning from four minutes of the most intense sand-riding of your life: his momentum only slightly slowed. Wout gained two, maybe three seconds back, but Van Der Poel—even in that moment—barely skipped a beat.

With that bonus two or three seconds gifted to Wout on the ramp, his hopes brightened. On the grassy back half straightaways he ate into the advantage once more. Despite the flat, Wout was throwing the kitchen sink at this: three times he has been World Champion, but three times has Van Der Poel as well. Already in 2020 Wout was runner-up, the Silver medal, in not only the World Championship’s Time Trial, but the Road Race as well. Surely, he was sick of Silver, surely he dreamed of the taste of Gold once more, and surely he dreamed even more of wearing the Rainbows once more for a full year. Yes, he was on a mission, flat or no, he had to go on. He had to pursue Van Der Poel over the technical domain that is Mathieu’s bread-and-butter. And on that fourth lap, O! how he did! O! Wout! Wout! How deep were you digging to match the technical skill and endurance of that mighty archrival Mathieu Van Der Poel! The gap was 8 seconds across the finish line. The race was now half over, could the second half deliver as many fireworks as the first?

Over the bridge and into the sand they went again. Wout seemed to ride with an invisible rocket strapped onto his back—just as Buzz Lightyear once did. He blasted across the deep sand to the shore. Along the shore, Van Der Poel labored as the waves splashed him. The waves did not seem to effect Wout for so dialed in on Mathieu was he! Yes, the mighty Van Der Poel was now the prey, being hunted by the only other man fit to hunt him down on the cyclocross courses, Wout Van Aert, the champion of Belgium, representing his country on home soil in his powder blue National Team Jersey. Surely, Wout would not allow the Dutch to win every race of the weekend! Coming off the shore, Van Der Poel seemed to be relieved to being running once more instead of taking a beating from the waves, but by now his lead over Wout was no more than a handful of seconds. The bikes were slung over their shoulders, their mighty legs stomping through the sand made them seem like giants or walking trees, each’s free arm pumped like the greatest piston of a steam engine racing to its destination. Onto the bikes once, onto the pavement near the beautiful Colonnade, and into the last treacherous sand section before the bridge crossing once more. Van Der Poel seemed steady and powerful, but Wout was on an all-out kamikaze assault to close the gap. His back wheel flailed; his elbows spastically flapped to keep his balance like a poultry bird. Alas! He was too reckless! As the back wheel shifted and shifted, so did the front and momentum was lost. He couldn’t ride the whole section. Wout hopped off the bike and ran for it, still trying to close the gap. He re-mounted on the firm bit of sand in the middle of the section as Van Der Poel steadily rode on for the whole stretch. Van Der Poel nailed the final bit of deep sand at the end of this section, but Wout behind, beyond the absolute Limit—snot dripping from his nose, mouth gaping, though we could not see behind his glasses surely his eyes were sunken with fatigue—on this final bit of sand before the bridge, once more Wout could not ride it straight through and had to dismount again. Van Der Poel rode the ramp of the bridge well, while Wout slowly heaved with all his remaining might behind. Wout crested the top of the bridge 12 seconds behind Mathieu.

The rest of the lap, Van Der Poel’s lead began to balloon. There was no decisive “bowing of the head” from Wout to signal assured defeat, but it was clear the lights were going out. Alas! This day Wout would not be going to the Moon as the GME Redditors do say. At the end of that fifth lap of eight, Mathieu’s lead was 14 seconds, and Van Aert would continue to leak seconds for the rest of the race. Wout had no second or third wind that he would need to catch Van Der Poel, he was he fried, all he could do was hold the pace and maintain the gap as best he could and hope Mathieu had a mechanical. But Mathieu would not, and he’d go on to beat Wout by 30 seconds. After the race, Wout said he had cracked. To be candid, I say “Well, yeah, Wout. That was totally obvious.” But Wout said he cracked mentally, that he could usually fight harder against Mathieu. Wout knows his mind and body better than I, but Wout, I believe you are being too hard on yourself. Surely, you were cracked today, but it seemed to me you simply cracked physically before mentally: there was little more energy you could put out against Mathieu this day. If you had not had the flat, surely your duel would have gone a few more laps deeper and the results may have been different. And perhaps, you chased Mathieu down too early, doing in two laps what you should have done in a more measured three or four. But intensely watching that hour race, it seems simply preposterous to say you didn’t give it everything you had. You seemed almost angry at your resignation in the last laps; yes, you lost this battle, but perhaps this shall stoke your fires hotter for the next ones that are surely to come.

And what more is there to say of our champion—sorry, World Champion—who dons the Rainbow Jersey for the third year in a row? He sat up and fist-pumped the air a few times as he came across the line. You could see on his face, he was very happy with this victory, he knows how it so beefs up his palmares; and yet, it was also clear for all to see, and all already know: he has been here before. The final laps were a routine affair, the race had been decided. With Coronavirus, few were there to celebrate with at the finish as well. But it was another big day in the rivalry. It was another head-to-head victory over Wout in a race of the highest significance. Surely, Mathieu is keeping score. Today was a pivotal and major battle in their career-long rivalry. With Wout’s better 2020 Road season—despite his Flanders loss—he drew the already decade-long war even once more. But after this cyclocross campaign and definitive major battle here at Worlds, Mathieu takes the lead in this rivalry-war once more. Mathieu, I do believe you are on your way to becoming the greatest Cross rider of all time should you continue to even only produce the relatively brief season you have just treated us to. Celebrate, and enjoy this savory rub-match win—please don’t treat it like just a routine affair. But obviously also, I know you shall not rest on your laurels for too long at all: surely, soon your eyes will be focused on your ambitious 2021 calendar: the Spring Classics, Grand Tour debuts, the mountain bike leading up to Tokyo, and Road Worlds in Flanders. It’s a full plate, and in addition to it all, if you are not going head-to-head with Wout, surely, you must match his diverse and massive accomplishments that shall be produced next year. I say this too, Mathieu. It is no secret, I root for Wout more than you, I’m even openly bummed he lost this race. But it is because Wout so often finds himself in an underdog position to yourself, it really is quite remarkable. You are cycling royalty, from the bluest-of-blood cycling families. Add in the fact that your versatility and reliability makes you into a giant. I find it exciting when giants are slayed, but do not take it personally, and do not underestimate how much respect I have for the giants. Your accomplishments are long and impressive, your famous Amstel win is possibly the greatest feat of athleticism I have ever seen. You are a champion, and I cannot wait to see what you do for the rest of your career. Were I a 1940s Italian, I would have been a Bartali fan, but I would not have hated Coppi—I would have rooted for Coppi only a little less. And all know the story, when Bartali retired all the Bartaliani became Coppiani anyways. Yes, you see what I am doing, after this World Championship in Ostend, now the comparison can openly be made, proclaimed for all to hear. This rivalry you have with Wout is our generation’s Coppi vs Bartali and it does not seem like your rivalry shall slow for many more years to come. Treasure this reality, Mathieu, especially since for at least a few more months: you are in the lead of this figurative race that is one of the ultimate rivalries in the history of cycling.

2021 Cyclocross Men’s World Championships Preview PRINT

And so we come to it at last, once more. “Once more into the breach, dear friends, Once More!”  Another great battle for our time, surely another clash of titans shall ensue. It is to chronicle such clashes that drove me to form this show. Beyond “umpteen” amounts of times have they clashed before—perhaps we near triple digits of proper mano-a-mano duels, and yet our craving for duels between these archrivals can never be satisfied if both are the favorites on the start line. Such a rivalry as theirs is truly becoming a World War across the Cycling Calendar, but this week we return to their oldest and most beloved of stomping grounds. It is the biggest stage, for the seventh year in a row they are the premiere headliners, for seven years in a row they have made us triple circle the last Sunday of January on our calendars. Yes, each with three World Titles, this shall be a rub match, perhaps even a grudge match. “Once more into the breach” indeed this Sunday, as Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) and Mathieu Van Der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) line up once more to fight for World Title honors.

O! Who can rise up to the occasion and match the pedal strokes of these mighty champions? Who can summon the power of a chariot drawn by four horses? Who can run across a dune sea with their bike slung over the shoulder? Who can muscle up a climb with the fury of a charging bull? Who can throw all caution to all Four Winds that are sure confluence this day as they descend down the other side? Who can rail the turns at the acutest of angles and wildest of speeds? Surely, all the other challengers know this is what shall be required of them if they are to even attempt to go toe-to-toe with Van Aert and Van Der Poel.  Surely Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) and Tom Pidcock (Trinity Racing) are in the ascendency and prepared to hold their own. Pidcock outright beat Van Der Poel at Gavere in one of their first races back. Iserbyt has held down the cyclocross fort all season, put in a full calendar of Cross with no appointments on the Road delaying his start; from wire to wire he has been here, save a handful of races missed while nursing an elbow injury. But surely these two are not yet at the peaks of their powers, still in ascendency and I fear it is not enough if Van Aert and Van Der Poel are on their best days. Is it even wise for them to attempt dive into the gruesome fighting and epic madness that shall be caused by the battle that shakes the foundations of the cycling world as so often happens when these two aces meet? What of Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal), or Toon Aerts (Baloise Trek Lions), or Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal)? Vanthourenhout has rode at a consist level higher all this season. Toon has not seemed his best, but should come good on a demanding course—never count him out! And Sweeck, why! We all know how much he loves the sand, surely where he always goes better. But alas! They and Pidcock and Iserbyt and all the others must be fighting for only that last podium spot barring mishap.

How shall the race play out? I do believe the weather must be a factor, it is supposed to rain and even snow on the lead up days to the race. How packed shall the sand be? How slick shall the grassy turns be? Shall we see running sections beyond the large beach? Let us weigh up the two aces. Here are the most current attributes of the two top men at this moment—and it must be noted: I love that their advantages and disadvantages have both evolved over even just their short careers thus far. I need not say it, but I shall so that it is recorded: Matheiu Van Der Poel has the greatest bike-handling skills in this field, perhaps he is even currently the greatest bike handler in any cycling discipline. In addition to this fact, it seems to me, he can put in the most deadly and fastest one-lap time on any course amongst the field—and when he does so, try as he might, not even Wout has a chance to keep up with him. And finally, on paper, Van Der Poel still has the edge in a sprint, but that is no longer assured or anywhere close to a given. Meanwhile, at this time, Wout’s advantage is that he clearly has the biggest engine in the sport at this time, but that advantage is cancelled out because I do not see him any longer as a top three bike handler in this field (Matheiu, Pidcock, and Iserbyt at least are superior). With his massive engine, he has most power for the full hour’s ride—more power than even Van Der Poel for the full race. Additionally, Wout clearly licks his lips at significant changes of elevation on a course: he is prepared to climb and be the last survivor among his competitors, forget not his 2020 Tour de France! And finally, what has been the most dominant facet of his game this season is the running. Remember Dedermonde this season? O! How muddy it was—perhaps more than half the race was on the feet and off the bike! It was this race that Wout, covered in mud from helmet to toe, won by two full country miles over Van Der Poel who finished in second almost 3 minutes down. Thus the merits are laid out. Now let us balance these merits using this Ostend course as a scale, and let us see whose merits weigh heavier and whose lighter.

Plan and simply, the first half of the course must favor Wout and the second half shall be tailored to Van Der Poel’s technical skills and accelerations. The long straightaways shall give a hair’s width advantage to Wout, the first flyover the big bridge—the Golden Gate Bridge of cyclocross—should suit them evenly in the first laps. And then we come to the beach and the big sandy loop. Here is the ultimate question: how much of it shall be rideable? How much shall they have to run? Surely they shall be able to ride near the water, but with rain and enough snow, shall the crossings from shore to bridge be more rideable than usual or more shall the sand still be O! too deep? We shall not see until they go at such sections at full tilt, on the first lap of the race. Coming out of such a sandy section, the second ascent of the bridge should suit Wout’s big engine undeterred and not skipping a beat coming straight off the sandy stretches. And then we come into Van Der Poel’s domain, especially should the course prove simply slick and not sopping mud. But how much room will be in the course turns? How much speed shall needed to be scrubbed in the tightest ones? Perhaps not as much as usual, for it seems based on past years space in plentiful on these verdant wide lanes, perhaps Wout shall be able to hang onto Van Der Poel on this back half of the course.

Yes, it seems to be an evenly matched contest and really comes down to the day-of conditions to see who the advantage finally breaks for. Besides the Golden Gate Bridge, Wout has no elevation change advantage. Should the sand be more packed and limit the amount of running the scales swing towards Van Der Poel’s favor as we assume he shall handle the sandy ruts better. Slick grass on the other side favors Van Der Poel as well. But despite this, it must be remembered that in such World Championships as these: Wout is more clutch. There have already been multiple full seasons where Mathieu has dominated Wout every race all season, but Wout still has his best day at Worlds and upsets Van Der Poel. This year it is more finely balanced, Wout was the one to win the last race on Sunday. In such a race, yes, Van Der Poel had a minor mechanical that cost him twenty seconds or so, but twice he tried his deadly relentless lap, and he could not catch-on to Wout’s wheel. And should there be copiously amounts of running across the sands, we could be seeing Wout win by another country mile. Thus I make my prediction—or perhaps it is only what I hope for most: the two aces, Mathieu in his Dutch orange and Wout in his Belgian powder blue, break away completely on the first or second lap in the sand. Evenly matched they are, but around the twenty-minute-mark on the grassy side of the course, Van Der Poel launches his deadly relentless lap, the one lap where not a soul can match him. Thus a gap shall grow to Wout, but it shall be no bigger than ten or fifteen seconds. And over the beach for the rest of the laps Wout shall claw Mathieu back, and the race is decided on the last lap where Wout shall need to definitively break Mathieu on the beach or they shall go together to the sprint where Mathieu shall win. So I shall hedge my bets just slightly, I predict Wout shall break Mathieu on the beach in the later laps, but if he cannot it shall come down to a sprint at the line and Mathieu shall be the victor. It has been said before, when these two square off, should it be a proper duel who wins matters not: for thus once again all the cycling world wins.

2021 Cyclocross World Championships Women’s Preview PRINT

Thus I foray into uncharted territory with this Preview. For the first time, I have made the effort to consistently watch the women’s cyclocross season. Back in the days of yore when I first started watching cyclocross, I, in the United States, had to rely on the 21st Century bootleggers: the modern day pirates who livestreamed the Belgian feed of the sport the Belgians love so much. To watch live required I wake up early on my Saturdays and Sundays, and quite frankly if I had been burning the midnight oil Friday or Saturday night it was simply too much to wake up so early for the women’s elite races who competed before dawn. In the more recent years of Van Der Poel domination: to watch cyclocross was a bit of a chore if the race was only going to be dominated by one man, especially after such a long road season; thus I watched not consistently the women before nor the replays after. Perhaps the short-burst lockdown season finally, finally did not ware me out fully this year, and I was ready to divide in and watch names I had seen in the headlines for years and on only the biggest of stages before. Thus I say once more, surely this is uncharted territory for me, but into that wilderness I go with one full season’s experience under my belt.

The Road or lack-there-of to become Cyclocross World Champion this year had led us all the way to Ostend, Belgium. Directly on the coast of the North Sea this course lies. Yes, yes, you already know it: on the North Sea coast surely it’ll feature sand. The laps shall be relatively short, but what a doozy of a sand section is in store for these cyclocrossers. From the start-line there are a few opening straightaways, then they climb and descend over a massive bridge and they enter a mighty-encompassing loop of the entire beach. How shall the sand be this day? Surely the sea-soaked sand directly on the shore shall be rideable enough, but how deep and unrelenting shall the rest be? Surely the legs shall burn with the amount of running they face. Surely, such a section is in the literal running for most grueling sandy-trek in all of Belgian Crosses. When they have finished that they cross the bridge once more to return to a relatively standard and common grassy cyclocross track with some minor lumps, many twists, perhaps a flyover or two or even a staircase.

What! O! What shall happen this year? Who is such a course suited to best? The lanes are wide and the sandy beaches even wider. The incline of the bridge is steep on both sides, surely the legs shall burn—but how much? How much shall they run along such a sandy beach? I tell you now, I will not lie, I am not sure which woman is the best runner among them nor especially not which is best over a flat sandy course. Perhaps the sandy Scheldecross is the most comparable course to this. That race was won by Denise Betsama (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) who separated and rode away from Lucinda Brand (Baloise Trek Lions) halfway through the race. Perhaps, perhaps, such a course could suit this Denise Betsama. Since that win, I have watched her attack early in many of the races, growing a large gap early forcing Lucinda Brand and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin-Fenix) to chase her down for large majorities of the race. Yes, on such a course perhaps a hot first half-lap over the bridge around the beach and up the bridge again can provide Betsama an ideal early escape. But she lines up at this race of course in her Netherlands National Team kit…and so do Brand and Alvarado.

How shall the Dutch play this? O! So dominate have they been, this season they seem to routinely take seven or eight of the top ten spots each race! The top race favorites must be Alvarado and Brand, surely, both have free reign to do as they please…or shall TAKE free reign to do as they please. But what of their teammates? Will Betsama be allowed to attack early…or shall she just do it anyways? What about living legend Marianne Vos (Jumbo-Visma) or Annemarie Worst (777) and the rest of the Dutch talents? Surely all must have some level of autonomy, but what shall be the orders regarding the foreign rivals. Surely, it would be embarrassing if the Dutch with such abundance of riches miss out on the Rainbows due to infighting!

Yes, this Dutch women’s team is a juggernaut if ever there was one, the other nations can only significantly come at them in ones and twos. Sanne Cant (Iko – Crelan) seems Belgium’s Only Hope to win on home soil; Belgium, O! Belgium where has your firepower gone? For alas! it has seemed this season Sanne Cant’s heydays of three straight World Titles are behind her now, surely age is creeping up her, and it shall prove a Herculean task to wind back such a clock. Alas! The same is true for American hero Katie Compton whose twilight clearly closes in, but for the Americans there is a new hope: Clara Honsinger (Cannondale—Cyclocrossworld). In the hardest fought races into this late season Honsinger has rode bravely to finish on or just below the podium against all such big names. Shall she slay the Dutch giants this race? I think the key for Honsinger success is obvious: she must put together or achieve a better start than she has in the past. In her many podiums and high placings, she is doing such things with surging second halves. With such an open and demanding section of beach early on, providing ample passing room, perhaps this is her chance to achieve an ideal start. Clara! May you represent the Stars and Stripes well! But what of those who come from the island only one strong wind gust away, surely I speak of the Brits. Evie Richards (Trek Factory Racing) and Anna Kay (Starcasino) what do you have in store for us on this day of days? Surely, such wind and salt blowing from the North Sea shall make you feel almost at home, no? Shall you work as a duel unit to attack and set up escapes from the Dutch powerhouse? And what of the young new rising sensation, Kata Blanka Vas, the champion of Hungary? On this biggest stage, how shall she respond? Could a new star be about to rise?

Were I a betting man, I’d dare to say the Dutch are too mighty, the title shall be retained for another year. The two biggest favorites shall come to the fore once more. Alvarado is the hottest-hand winning both the races on the final weekend before this World Championship. Lucinda Brand seemed almost “off” this past weekend, but perhaps she’ll be pinging on top form by Saturday. It shall be a course for the biggest engines, the ones with the most horsepower; and Brand has proven to be among or the best on that front in such a group. Thus it is to choose: between the hot-hand or the historically largest diesel engine? I am confident Brand shall do well while Alvarado is more of a wild card—how shall she run in the sand? Surely the odds are as good as a coin flip! Thus, here at the end in almost blind or random choice I shall take the hot-hand, the one who has won and worn the Rainbows before—all season actually—Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado shall defend her World Title.