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Van der Poel wins his fifth World Cyclocross Championship against Van Aert

Raymond Poulidor, in conversations between a grandfather and a grandson, must have explained to the child Mathieu van der Poel that when Jacques Anquetil won, he always said that he did not want another rival other than ‘Pou-Pou’ occupying second place. In the 60s of the last century, the couple who made French cycling great barely spoke or greeted each other, although they became friends when they were retired. More than 50 years later, a fight over everything other than victory on the Tour shakes cycling, whether on the road or in the cyclo-cross where Van der Poel and Wout van Aert ride on a different planet from the rest.

Only twice this season has Van der Poel beaten VanAert. Two weeks ago in Benidorm and this Sunday in the Netherlands, in front of 40,000 people, in the small town of Hoogerheide, where Adrian van der Poel, who was also world champion in the specialty, prepared a circuit in the image and likeness of his son, but which could also be the password of Van Aert. So good, so even, so different from the rest are the two cyclists that three minutes into the race they were ahead and the rest behind.

It was a festival for the duo, which will continue on the road from now on, from the Strade Bianche, already in March, to the Tour, passing through such unique events as the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix. He rides so much, he rides so much. And, from there, the sympathies towards one or the other. Or did both. They have been living their own battles for 10 years. Van der Poel leads an Alpecin that protects him in any race. Van Aert acts as a leader but when he is required to work for Jonas Vingegaard o Primoz Roglic not only does not drop his rings but the Danish and Slovenian find the wheel of the best gregarious in the world. And with a difference.

The final sprint

On the podium, they did not look at each other, neither before nor after the Dutch anthem in honor of Van der Poel sounded, which only released Van Aert in the victorious final sprint. Thus he won his fifth cyclocross world title to make the Van Aert. He would have eaten it if he could have, although when they retire in a decade, as Poulidor y Anquetil, like Eddy Merckx and Luis Ocaña, will be able to have a beer or some wine to remember their old exploits. Felipe Orts, the best Spaniard, finished 19th.

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