Mathieu van der Poel displayed his dominance at the Maasmechelen World Cup cyclocross race, winning decisively despite his jersey being covered in mud. His main rival, Wout van Aert, fell during the race, finishing over a minute behind. Van der Poel expressed enjoyment of the race, citing the crowd and his preference for technical courses. He humorously remarked on his recent rib fracture, which he had downplayed, and felt it helped him focus on his performance. His victory positions him favorably for the upcoming World Championships in Liévin, France, as he chases a seventh world title.
"I really enjoyed this race, it was super nice, thanks to the crowds too. It was a real cyclocross race today," Van der Poel said.
"I'm always quite good when I come from training camps, after a training load. I prefer a course like this too, rather than a fast one," Van der Poel added.
"It was OK. I could still feel it but that meant I didn't think so much about my legs," he joked about his rib fracture.
The much-anticipated duel seemed possible as Van der Poel and Van Aert went clear but then ended in a split second during the second lap.
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