Cycling: At the World Cup race in Dendermonde there was a real mud fight today. Lucinda Brand and Wout van Aert coped best with these conditions.
Even the deep mud does not stop fire
Lucinda Brand continues to be the measure of all things in cyclocross this season. The Dutchwoman won today's World Cup race in Dendermonde with a lead of 15 and 24 seconds respectively over the American Clara Honsinger and the world champion Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado. After a storm, the race was characterized by almost knee-deep mud.
Lucinda Brand:
"I've run ten kilometers faster than we drove here."
Daily classification in Dendermonde
1. Lucinda Brand (Telenet-Baloise) 45:27
2. Clara Honsinger (Tibco) +0:15
3. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin – Fenix) +0:24
4. Fem van Empel (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) +0:40
5. Annemarie Worst (777) +0:45
Overall ranking after 3 of 5 World Cups
1. Lucinda Brand (Telenet – Baloise) 120 points
2. Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado (Alpecin – Fenix) 77
3. Denise Betsema (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) 68
4. Kata Blanka Vas (Doltcini) 62
5. Clara Honsinger (Tibco) 60
Lucïnda Brand takes the points and wins the modderfest in #Dendermonde https://t.co/NvV12UQKqY pic.twitter.com/ypZ1fWLWVe
— Sporza 🚴🔥 (@sporza_koers) December 27, 2020
Van Aert leaves Van der Poel
A truly impressive performance in the Dendermonde mud was also delivered by Wout van Aert. The Belgian dominated the race at will and was able to gain a lot of time from his main rival Mathieu van der Poel early on. The Dutchman reached the finish line 2:49 behind.
Daily classification in Dendermonde
1. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo – Visma) 1:06:10
2. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Fenix) +2:49
3. Toon Aerts (Telenet – Baloise) +3:06
4. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) +3:42
5. Laurens Sweeck (Pauwels Sauzen – Bingoal) +3:58
Overall ranking after 3 of 5 World Cups
1. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo – Visma) 95 points
2. Michael Vanthourenhout (Pauwels Sauzen - Bingoal) 84
3. Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin – Fenix) 70
4. Toon Aerts (Telenet – Baloise) 66
5. Quinten Hermans (Tormans) 59
What a dominant performance from @WoutvanAert! He wins in Dendermonde, @mathieuvdpoel is 2️⃣nd, @ToAerts finishes 3️⃣rd! #CXWorldCup pic.twitter.com/O1ReQNbgaf
— UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup (@UCIcyclocrossWC) December 27, 2020