Victory in Ostend

“I was lucky when van Aert had that puncture so I could return, but I don’t believe the race was over for me after my crash. I felt I was improving after each lap. In the second half of the race I was in control. It was a very tough course, where you could lose or win a lot on the beach sections.

Because of the circumstances to me it felt like I had been preparing for a regular cyclo-cross race, so I also had little stress. But I did miss my friends and family on the parcours.”

Mathieu Van der Poel’s first words after becoming World CX Champion for the 4th time.