Wout van Aert has blow away the opposition at the Superprestigecross in Boom; the Belgian champion shrugging off recent illness and riding away from the rest of the field from the start.
While Tom Pidcock was also in the field, he too was returning to racing after a long break and the Ineos Grenadiers rider never challenged Jumbo Visma's Van Aert.
He was the only rider to stay on his bike on the steepest climb on the course early in the contest, ensuring he immediately put significant daylight between himself and his rivals.
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And once he was clear, a combination of power and his bike handling skills in incredible muddy and slippery conditions meant it became a one-man show.
In the end he was 1:40 up on runner-up Toon Aerts (Baloise Trek Lions), with Lars van der Haar (Baloise Trek Lions) 3rd at 1:48.
Pidcock could only manage 7th and was 2:13 on Van Aert, though the British rider's manager Kurt Bogaerts had said before today's race he did not expect the 21-year-old to challenge as he had been away from racing for some time.
Superprestige Boom: Top 10
- Wout Van Aert Jumbo-Visma 56:29
- Toon Aerts Baloise Trek Lions 1:40
- Lars van der Haar Baloise Trek Lions 1:48
- Eli Iserbyt Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 1:52
- Pim Ronhaar Baloise Trek Lions 1:54
- Michael Vanthourenhout Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal 2:01
- Tom Pidcock Ineos Grenadiers 2:13
- Mees Hendrikx IKO-Crelan 2:16
- Thijs Aerts Baloise Trek Lions 2:22
- Corne van Kessel Tormans-Circus 2:27
