The 2017 Cyclocross World Championships’ final race delivered the duel between the sport’s top two stars that fans had hoped for, only it was cut short by an untimely Mathieu van der Poel flat far from the pits.
Wout van Aert (BEL) seized his chance to distance himself from his rival, and rode smoothly to a second-straight World Championship and Belgium’s second of the weekend.
Wout van Aert defends his rainbow jersey. Elite Men. 2017 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Bieles, Luxembourg. © C. Jobb / Cyclocross Magazine
Behind, there was a back-and-forth battle for third, but Belgium’s Kevin Pauwels, just as he has many times this season, saved something for that final step on the podium.
Wout van Aert defends his rainbow jersey, Mathieu van der Poel distraught in second, Pauwels comfortable in third. Elite Men. 2017 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, Bieles, Luxembourg. © C. Jobb / Cyclocross Magazine
American Stephen Hyde, just like Spencer Petrov did three hours earlier, finished 18th.
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2017 Cyclocross World Championships Results - Elite Men - Bieles, Luxemourg
| Pl | Name | NAT | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VAN AERT Wout | BEL | VERANDA'S WILLEMS - CRELAN | 1:02:08 |
| 2 | VAN DER POEL Mathieu | NED | BEOBANK - CORENDON | +00:44 |
| 3 | PAUWELS Kevin | BEL | MARLUX NAPOLEON GAMES | +02:09 |
| 4 | VAN DER HAAR Lars | NED | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | +02:52 |
| 5 | VAN KESSEL Corne | NED | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | +03:09 |
| 6 | SWEECK Laurens | BEL | ERA - CIRCUS | +03:29 |
| 7 | BOROS Michael | CZE | PAUWELS SAUZEN - VASTGOEDSERVICE CONTINENTAL TEAM | +03:47 |
| 8 | VERMEERSCH Gianni | BEL | +04:02 | |
| 9 | ZAHNER Simon | SUI | +04:08 | |
| 10 | WEBER Sascha | GER | +04:29 | |
| 11 | NESVADBA Jan | CZE | EXPRES CZ-MERIDA TEAM KOLIN | +04:50 |
| 12 | MERLIER Tim | BEL | VERANDA'S WILLEMS - CRELAN | +05:07 |
| 13 | WALSLEBEN Philipp | GER | BEOBANK - CORENDON | +05:07 |
| 14 | SAGESSER Severin | SUI | +05:18 | |
| 15 | ROHRBACH Nicola | SUI | +05:28 | |
| 16 | RUIZ DE LARRINAGA IBANEZ Javier | ESP | +05:35 | |
| 17 | VANTHOURENHOUT Michael | BEL | MARLUX NAPOLEON GAMES | +05:40 |
| 18 | HYDE Stephen | USA | +05:41 | |
| 19 | TARAMARCAZ Julien | SUI | ERA - CIRCUS | +05:57 |
| 20 | BRAIDOT Luca | ITA | +06:05 | |
| 21 | BOULO Matthieu | FRA | +06:15 | |
| 22 | HEKELE Emil | CZE | +06:26 | |
| 23 | FALENTA Alois | FRA | +06:26 | |
| 24 | WILDHABER Marcel | SUI | SCOTT-ODLO MTB RACING TEAM | +06:29 |
| 25 | KONWA Marek | POL | +06:41 | |
| 26 | PAPRSTKA Tomas | CZE | +06:49 | |
| 27 | ESTEBAN AGUANDO Ismael | ESP | +07:03 | |
| 28 | HARING Martin | SVK | DUKLA BANSKA BYSTRICA | +07:18 |
| 29 | VENTURINI Clement | FRA | COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS | +07:38 |
| 30 | VAN DER POEL David | NED | BEOBANK - CORENDON | -2LAP |
| 31 | MOUREY Francis | FRA | FORTUNEO - VITAL CONCEPT | -2LAP |
| 32 | POWERS Jeremy | USA | -2LAP | |
| 33 | WERNER Kerry | USA | -2LAP | |
| 34 | GODRIE Stan | NED | VERANDA'S WILLEMS - CRELAN | -2LAP |
| 35 | COMINELLI Cristian | ITA | -2LAP | |
| 36 | HANSEN Kenneth | DEN | -2LAP | |
| 37 | FIELD Ian | GBR | -2LAP | |
| 38 | VAN DEN HAM Michael | CAN | -2LAP | |
| 39 | MALIK Michal | CZE | -2LAP | |
| 40 | BRAIDOT Daniele | ITA | -2LAP | |
| 41 | CHAINEL Steve | FRA | -2LAP | |
| 42 | REICHLING Lex | LUX | -3LAP | |
| 43 | SUAREZ FERNANDEZ Kevin | ESP | -3LAP | |
| 44 | BOOM Lars | NED | TEAM LOTTO NL - JUMBO | -3LAP |
| 45 | PARBO Joachim | DEN | -3LAP | |
| 46 | BAUSCH Gusty | LUX | -3LAP | |
| 47 | MARTIN Jeremy | CAN | -3LAP | |
| 48 | HERNANDEZ GUTIERREZ Aitor | ESP | -3LAP | |
| 49 | LIVERMON Travis | USA | -3LAP | |
| 50 | BUR Zsolt | HUN | -3LAP | |
| 51 | KOSAKA Hikaru | JPN | -3LAP | |
| 52 | THILTGES Scott | LUX | -3LAP | |
| 53 | MAEDA Kohei | JPN | -4LAP | |
| 54 | NIELSEN Tommy | DEN | -4LAP | |
| 55 | MCCONNELL Mark | CAN | -4LAP | |
| 56 | OMARSSON Ingvar | ISL | -4LAP | |
| 57 | ORTENBLAD Tobin | USA | -4LAP | |
| 58 | SCHLECHTER Pit | LUX | LEOPARD PRO CYCLING | -4LAP |
| 59 | DURRIN Jeremy | USA | -4LAP | |
| 60 | HELMIG Christian | LUX | -4LAP | |
| MEISEN Marcel | GER | DNF7 | ||
| KISSEBERTH Jack | USA | DNF5 | ||
| SAWADA Toki | JPN | DNF2 | ||
| MEEUSEN Tom | BEL | TELENET FIDEA LIONS | DNF1 |
