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December 2022 Gavere Cyclocross (World Cup)

Monday, December 26, 2022: Gavere, Belgium

Gavere Cyclocross podium history | 2022 February edition | 2023 edition | Course map

Complete Results: men | women

Weather at the race city of Gavere at 6:00 PM, local time: 4C (39F), clear, with the wind from the southwest at 10 km/hr (6 mph).

Men Elite: Start list

A muddy Mathieu van der Poel can sit up and enjoy his win.

Bill and Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2019: A Year of New Faces is available in both Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

The race: Here's the UCI's race report.

In the mud in Gavere we got a real duel of titans. After a superb battle between the big 3, it was Mathieu van der Poel who got the win. Wout van Aert came second, world champion Tom Pidcock secured third place on the podium.

The riders were clearly looking forward to it and in front of an enthusiastic crowd they immediately signed for a fast start. Among others, World Cup leader Laurens Sweeck, Lars van der Haar, Mathieu van der Poel and world champion Tom Pidcock got off to a good start. Belgian champion Wout van Aert was a little more in the background.

But a running lane later, Van Aert had already made up a lot ground. While Van der Poel put the others under pressure, Van Aert managed to get back to the front of the race after a good run. Van der Poel rode to gain some lead, behind him we saw Pidcock, Van Aert, Sweeck and a strong Vanthourenhout. Pidcock made the jump to Van der Poel, pushing Van Aert into the chase.

At the start of the second lap, Van der Poel suffered a puncture, Pidcock thus became sole leader. After his forced bike change, Van der Poel was joined by Van Aert. But that was short-lived, a strong Van der Poel left the Belgian behind and set course towards the world champion.

Van Aert fought his way back to Van der Poel, after which they rode together towards Pidcock. After a passage where Van Aert and Van der Poel ran, while Pidcock stayed on the bike the three came back together. Behind them, European champion Vanthourenhout rode a strong race in fourth place.

Van der Poel took risks, but they paid off. With help from a buffer, he only narrowly stayed on the bike on a descent, but the Dutchman did gain a small lead. Van Aert and Pidcock stayed together, but put pressure on each other. It was initially Pidcock who caught up with Van der Poel, with Van Aert closing in a little later.

It remained Van der Poel who put pressure on the others. The first to drop out was world champion Pidcock. After which Van Aert also had to recognise the superiority of Van der Poel, who managed to win in Gavere for the third time in his career. Van Aert came second and world champion Pidcock finished in third place.

Complete results:

17.48 kilometers raced at an average speed of 18.327 km/hr

Mens' start list with back numbers, 12/25/2022:

Women Elite: Start list

Shirin van Anrooij has left everyone else behind.

Bill & Carol McGann's book The Story of the Tour de France, 2020: The Tour During Covid-19, Better Late Than Never is available in both Kindle eBook and Audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

The race: Here's the UCI's race report.

Dutch rider Shirin van Anrooij gave herself a nice Christmas present. In Gavere, she solo won her second World Cup round of the season. On a tough and muddy course, she left her teammate Brand behind. Pieterse took third place.

It was Marie Schreiber who immediately took the peloton for a fast start. Everyone seemed to get through the first few metres well, but Lucinda Brand, winner of the past two races in Gavere, had to chase after a hitch. It was Puck Pieterse, Shirin van Anrooij and Kata Blanka Vas, among others, who immediately rode to the head of the race.

Pieterse was the first to get a small gap, behind her Van Anrooij also managed to distance herself from her rivals. The two young Dutch riders eventually came together. Meanwhile, Brand, Vas and the only 18-year-old Zoe Bäckstedt battled for third place.

Van Anrooij suddenly rode in the lead, Pieterse was pushed to chase and Vas was also on the move. Entering the second lap, Van Anrooij's lead counted 10 seconds, but Pieterse did not give in and fought back. The two got back together, until Pieterse suffered equipment failure. She did not change bikes once, after which her wheel did not spin properly because of the clogged up mud. After finally changing bikes, she ended up in fifth place, 40 seconds behind leader Van Anrooij.

Behind the leader, Brand had already had quite a catch-up race. She fought her way back to Vas and was getting closer to Van Anrooij. Brand rode away from Vas to get sight of her teammate Van Anrooij. The two came together for a moment, but it was once again Van Anrooij who was able to ride away again. Van Anrooij rode solo into the last lap and was no longer threatened for the win. Brand came second. Pieterse was able to pass Bäckstedt and Vas in the background and completed the podium.

Complete results:

11.69 kilometers raced at an average speed of 14.903 km/hr

Women's start list with back numbers, 12/25/2022:

2022 December Gavere Cross map: