Six rounds, that's how long Wout van Aert needed on Wednesday at Heusden-Zolder to make the final cut on the race circuit there. The Belgian from Jumbo-Visma initially had Eli Iserbyt (Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal) with him, but ultimately pulled away from his compatriot in the final lap.
As the only one of the 'Big Three' competing in Heusden-Zolder, Van Aert delivered a performance that lived up to expectations. Prior to the race, he announced his decision to skip the upcoming Zonhoven cyclo-cross on January 7th, which means his last duel with Mathieu van der Poel on Belgian ground would be in Koksijde, three days prior. The pair are also set to compete in Benidorm on January 21st, a race that was previously uncertain for Van Aert.
In Heusden-Zolder, the yellow and black-clad cyclist took a cautious approach, especially after the challenging race in Gavere the previous day. Young riders Tibor del Grosso and Ward Huybs initially led, but by the sixth round, the powerhouse from Herentals, surged ahead. Iserbyt tried to keep up but ultimately fell behind.
Asked why he waited so long to make his move, Van Aert explained, "I didn't set a specific lap for my move in advance, but I wanted to start off calmly. That turned out to be the right strategy, especially after the tough race in Gavere. Leading on this circuit is tough, so I preferred to stay behind and wait for the right moment to break open the race."
This strategy led to his victory. "This is a beautiful win, certainly," he said contentedly. "I don't know if this is my favorite circuit, but I really like coming here. This was a fun cyclo-cross and I'm happy with my win. Was it easy? That's saying a lot because I had some trouble positioning myself at the beginning. Then you actually hurt yourself, because you have to close gaps. But in the end, my strength in the final quarter made the difference, because it's easier to make a gap then than at the beginning of the race."
In the decisive final quarter, Iserbyt couldn't match Van Aert's pace. "I knew I had the advantage in the sprint, but also that a mistake in the last section could be costly. So, I chose to lead, and it paid off as Eli found it tough. It's a confidence booster to be the stronger one," he said, recalling his earlier victory in Essen this winter.
"For me, winning now doesn't hold the same weight as it once did, but it's still great to race during the Christmas period. The crowd is large and lively, especially when the race is as thrilling as today's. I really enjoy that," Van Aert shared. His next race is on Saturday in Hulst, where he'll meet Van der Poel again. "I was already waiting for question," he said with a grin to the interviewer. "It's another exciting race to look forward to, with a full lineup. But now, I'm focusing on two days of recovery," he concluded, confirming his decision to skip Diegem and Loenhout races.