Some old fashion CX presented yesterday (Sun 27 Dec) with a mudfest served in the Worldcup Cyclo-Cross in Dendermonde (BEL) Results and Standings after Round 3 included

All photos courtesy of PhotoNews, Belga, and Sporza Belgium as indicated

Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) once had a lot of fun in the first and very greasy edition of the World Cup sector in Dendermonde. Nobody could handle his heavy engine. World champion Mathieu van der Poel came in at almost 3 minutes, Toon Aerts accompanied the two tenors on the podium.
Van Aert did not get off the starting blocks in Dendermonde, but it did not take long before he literally walked away from the opposition. In a bit of uphill, the Sportsman of the Year in Belgium was clearly much faster than Mathieu van der Poel. The start of a long and impressive solo. There was no question of a fight for victory and the positions were also fixed quite quickly in the background. Van der Poel eventually finished second, almost 3 minutes from his eternal rival. Aerts was third, World Cup leader Vanthourenhout was 4th, and loses his white jersey to Wout! For Lars van der Haar and Tom Pidcock, it became a cross to forget. The guys both gave up! David Conroy our only representative in the men’s race finished the race and still looks for the form of last year. With only 2 races in his legs this season on this high level and his first year as an elite rider, hard work ahead for our champ

Top 10 result Round 3:
1. Wout van Aert in 1u06’10”
2. Mathieu van der Poel @2’49”
3. Toon Aerts @3’06”
4. Michael Vanthourenhout @3’42”
5. Laurens Sweeck @3’58”
6. Corné van Kessel @4’14”
7. Quinten Hermans @4’22”
8. Pim Ronhaar @4’29”
9. Thijs Aerts @4’49”
10. Gianni Vermeersch @5’04”

Classification World Cup Elite Men (top 10 after round 3)
Wout van Aert (Bel) 95 points
Michael Vanthourenhout (Bel) 84
Mathieu van der Poel (Ned) 70
Toon Aerts (Bel) 66
Quinten Hermans (Bel) 59
Corné van Kessel (Ned) 57
Thijs Aerts (Bel) 42
Lars van der Haar (Ned) 41
Laurens Sweeck (Bel) 40
Kevin Kuhn (Zwi) 40

Lucinda Brand has added the very first World Cup cross from Dendermonde to her honors list. The Dutch therefore remains unbeaten in the World Cup this season. She won it before the American Clara Honsinger and her Dutch compatriot Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. Belgium’s Sanne Cant competed well in the front and became 6th.
Storm Bella had turned the course in Dendermonde into a real mud puddle. Unlike Brand, Alvarado did not get off to a good start. The world champion immediately had to chase her compatriot. After a good catch-up race, Alvarado came all the way up the front in the second lap. For a moment she seemed to drive away from Brand, but the woman in shape would not let herself be done.
After a pit stop for softer tires, Brand rushed back to her Alvarado, only to leave it on the spot after some mistakes by the young world champion.
Brand was no longer in trouble in the final lap. The American Clara Honsinger went over the stricken Alvarado to second place. Sanne Cant had another good day and became 6th.
In the WB stand, Brand suddenly has a street ahead of the competition. With a pre-gift of 43 points on Alvarado, the final win seems almost certain.

Top 10 Classification Elite women after round 3:
Lucinda Brand (Ned) 120 points
Ceylin Alvarado (Ned) 77 Denise Betsema (Ned) 68
Kata Blanka Vas (Hon) 62
Clara Honsinger (VS) 60
Sanne Cant (Bel) 48
Alice Maria Arzuffi (Ita) 43
Annemarie Worst (Ned) 42
Puck Pieterse (Ned) 38
Anna Kay (GBr) 36