Mathieu van der Poel responds to absence of duel now Wout van Aert won't compete due to illness
Cyclocross
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Follow us on GoogleMathieu van der Poel returns to the competition on Sunday in Zonhoven, and the first duel with great rival Wout van Aert will follow on Monday in Mol. The emphasis is on would, as Visma | Lease a Bike
suddenly communicated Sunday afternoon that the man from Herentals had fallen ill and would not compete in his home region.
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"Unfortunately, Wout van Aert has fallen ill and will not recover in time for tomorrow's race in Mol. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back in action soon," said Visma | Lease a Bike in a short press release. In theory, the next cyclo-cross race for Van Aert would be Loenhout on December 27, although Wout needs to recover first.
While this news appeared on the phones of the press present in Zonhoven, Van der Poel was still finishing his recon. The Dutch world champion went for an extra lap with Thibau Nys since he had only used his cyclo-cross bike twice before the race day. "That's why I went for a quick extra lap," he laughed beforehand.
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Van der Poel disappointed that Van Aert will be absent
Once confronted with the news that his rival was skipping Mol, he seemed to doubt for a moment whether it was for real. "This is the first I heard of it,' responded Van der Poel, who realized it was the case. 'I think it's unfortunate, of course. Wout is always a fun opponent, and he also brings extra people, so that's a pity," the Alpecin-Deceuninck leader said to IDLProCycling.com, among others.
Van der Poel will also appear at the start in Loenhout, so in theory, that could be the upcoming duel. Afterwards, the two also meet in Dendermonde on January 5 and Maasmechelen on January 26.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026
